Kobeni's Devil in Chainsaw Man may have been obvious all along

Chainsaw Man's Kobeni Higashiyama is quite an intriguing character, known for her anxiety-ridden demeanor that directly contrasts her surprising combat abilities. Let her not be judged by her looks, as despite appearing timid, Kobeni demonstrated impressive speed, agility, and skill in battle. This sparked major curiosity in the fandom about the true origins of her abilities.

Throughout the story, Kobeni has been reluctant to disclose which Devil she was contracted with. Needless to say, this birthed countless theories, ranging from plausible to wild. One compelling idea that had surfaced and continues to make its rounds is linked to her frequent and skilled use of a blade (knife). Her lethal display of prowess and precision with it hints at a likely connection to a Devil that complements her combat style.

Her contract yet remains a secret, but the theory explored in this feature offers a possible and intriguing perspective on Kobeni’s hidden strength and her mysterious Devil partner.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.

Chainsaw Man: Kobeni's contracted Devil may have been in the forefront after all

Kobeni Higashiyama's Devil has been a topic of interest ever since the character was introduced. Making a cameo during the Bat Devil Arc, Kobeni's true side was seen during the Eternity Devil Arc and then the Katana Man Arc. In the first instance, viewers are shown a girl who was terrified, anxious, clumsy, and impulsive. But in the next appearance, her combat skills surprised everyone.

Later, her hesitation to reveal her contracted Devil led to immense speculation. This is where the feature's theory comes in to offer a plausible and interesting perspective. It links Kobeni's prowess with a blade to her being contracted with the Knife Devil. Despite it being a short scene, the girl displayed incredible speed, strength, and mobility to push back Akane Sawatari and her goons single-handedly.

Aligning with these abilities is another powerful Devil Hunter—Kishibe. In his case, it has been disclosed that he was contracted with the Knife Devil. Again, as per series lore, a contract with this Devil is quite rare. The theory further speculates that Kishibe might have trained Kobeni, and in turn, she contracted with Knife.

So in essence, a small, timid girl turned out deadly in battle and holds the power of Knife behind her. This is also a likely reason why she keeps it a secret, to avoid people knowing of her terrifying abilities and possibly targeting her or her immediate family (brother).

Kobeni's Devil will always be a great Chainsaw Man mystery

The above-mentioned theory does have weight to it. Since Kobeni's Devil is a complete mystery, it is quite a bit of fun to speculate what it might be. While there have been countless "what if" scenarios created so far, this particular one does seem to stand out in its own regard. After all, Kobeni was shown to be extremely lethal with the knife, doing what most of her team failed to do.

But then, as most Devil Hunters summon their contracted Devils to use their power, Kobeni did not summon anything. This could be because of a reason yet unknown to audiences or that the Knife Devil requires no summoning. Moreover, it would be interesting to know what Kobeni gave up in the contract in exchange for gaining such formidable skills.

Lastly, Kobeni hiding her Devil does increase the intrigue surrounding it by a fair bit. Information online and even the series lore itself have not explored this aspect yet. It might likely continue this way unless Kobeni makes an appearance during the current arc or the next one, to finally reveal the kind of power she holds.

Final Thoughts

Kobeni and Denji in Chainsaw Man anime (Image via MAPPA)

As mentioned, Kobeni Higashiyama's Devil in Chainsaw Man will forever be one of its greatest mysteries, unless later revealed, of course. But till then, there will always be a cloud of speculation above the girl to determine what exactly she might be hiding so well.

It also wouldn't be incorrect to say that this could be one of creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's ways of keeping viewers engaged. Not revealing Kobeni's Devil keeps fans interested, and the possibility of it never being spoken about could be a master (yet cruel) tactic on Fujimoto's part.