Nayuta's death in Chainsaw Man is all but confirmed with volume 19's corrections

Recent months of mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto’s flagship Chainsaw Man series have been some of the most enthralling in both Part 2 alone, and across the series overall. The introduction of the Aging Devil, Denji’s kidnap and subsequent rescue, and of course Control Devil Nayuta’s apparent death are just some of the more notable plot points.

Likewise, some discrepancies surrounding Nayuta’s portrayal in the weekly Chainsaw Man manga left many fans arguing that the Control Devil may still be alive as Nayuta. While Fujimoto has made such mistakes in the past, the recurring nature of these discrepancies led many to believe something was going on. Unfortunately, volume 19’s official release in Japan earlier this week brought with it what seems to be all but official confirmation that she is indeed dead.

Chainsaw Man volume 19’s final version of chapter 170 adds in Nayuta’s mole, making her death more likely

When Chainsaw Man chapter 170 released, fans were shocked to see what appeared to be Control Devil Nayuta’s severed head in the issue’s final panels. However, fans immediately noticed that Nayuta was missing the mole she typically sports beneath her left eye. Likewise, many theorized that Nayuta may not have actually been killed, while others argued that Fujimoto may have made a mistake as he has before.

Yet with chapter 171’s release, Nayuta’s head was still missing its trademark mole under her left eyes. This strengthened fans’ belief that Fujimoto was deliberately excluding the blemish as a means of teasing that Nayuta wasn’t actually dead after all. This was the last time Nayuta’s severed head was seen in the weekly series, with chapter 171 quickly seeing Denji turn into Pochita and go on a rampage.

However, Chainsaw Man volume 19 officially released in Japan earlier this week, and included both chapters in its pages. These versions likewise serve as the final drafts, featuring whatever edits or additions needed to be made in each issue. Unfortunately, this final version of chapter 170 sees Nayuta with her mole, further suggesting that this is indeed her head. Combined with recent events, it seems very likely that Nayuta is indeed dead after all.

For one, Denji’s recent revelation regarding his family won’t prove quite as impactful or memorable if Nayuta is revealed to be alive. By having her in his life still, Denji may not continue to seek out his new found family as a result of being content with having Nayuta back. While he’s moved forward mentally for now, fully removing Nayuta from the picture gives him the opportunity to put this new philosophy into practice, and actually grow and move forward.

It would also create issues for Fumiko Mifune’s role going forward considering the lengths Fujimoto has gone to in shielding Denji from her more detestable acts. This would include abandoning Nayuta before her apparent death. It also creates issues for Denji and Asa Mitaka’s relationship moving forward, since Nayuta already dislikes Asa and would likely discover Yoru’s existence soon after returning.

Final thoughts

Chapter 170's final version in volume 19 all but confirms Nayuta's death (Image via Shueisha)

While the above is still speculative with no formal, full-fledged confirmation of Nayuta’s death, this latest information provides all but that when considering the full picture. Denji’s recent developments likewise play a key role in reaching this conclusion, with Nayuta’s return being difficult to reconcile with where his character is headed. Although certainly possible to do, all current evidence suggests Fujimoto is indeed moving the series forward without Nayuta in it.