Makima
Control Devil / Public Safety Bureau Chief
| Makima | |
|---|---|
| Japanese Name | マキマ |
| True Identity | Control Devil |
| Species | Devil (Horseman) |
| Affiliation | Public Safety Devil Hunters (Bureau Chief) |
| Rank | Horseman of the Apocalypse |
| Contract Devils | Multiple (forced control) |
| Age | Unknown (immortal) |
| First Appearance | Chapter 1 |
| Status | Consumed by Denji |
Last updated: 2026-06-03
Makima Overview
Makima is the central antagonist of Chainsaw Man Part 1 and one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, specifically the Control Devil. She serves as the Chief of the Public Safety Devil Hunters' Special Division 4, presenting herself as a calm, collected, and enigmatic leader who recruits Denji into the organization. Her public persona masks her true nature as an immortal devil whose power allows her to dominate any being she perceives as inferior to herself, which includes nearly all humans and devils.
Makima's ultimate goal is to create a world without suffering, fear, or death by using Chainsaw Man's unique erasure ability to eliminate the concepts she deems undesirable, including war, famine, and death itself. To achieve this, she orchestrates a complex plan spanning the entire series, systematically manipulating Denji, Aki, Power, and virtually every other character to break Denji's spirit and gain full control over Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil.
Control Devil Powers
As the Control Devil, Makima can dominate any being she considers beneath her. This power operates through verbal commands, and once a target is controlled, they must obey her will without question or resistance. She can control both humans and devils, with the number of controlled beings appearing limitless. Those under her control retain their consciousness but lose all autonomy, functioning as extensions of Makima's will. She has controlled devils as powerful as the Punishment Devil and even resurrected deceased devil hunters as her personal army.
Makima possesses complete immortality through a contract with the Prime Minister of Japan, which transfers any fatal injury to a random Japanese citizen as an appropriate illness or accident. This makes conventional killing impossible. She can also teleport through small animals like rats, birds, and insects that she controls, appearing anywhere across the globe instantly. Her sensory abilities extend to hearing through controlled animals, giving her near-omniscient awareness of events in Japan.
Character Arc & Manipulation of Denji
Makima's manipulation of Denji is the series' core plot thread. From their first meeting, she intentionally presents herself as Denji's ideal woman and mother figure, providing him the food, shelter, and affection he was denied throughout his childhood. She constructs a family unit for Denji around Aki and Power, only to systematically destroy it. She reveals to Aki the truth about the Gun Devil, setting him on a path toward death. She kills Power in front of Denji not out of tactical necessity but to maximize his emotional devastation.
Her strategy hinges on Denji's contract with Pochita: if Denji's dream of a normal life is ever shattered, Pochita takes over. Makima creates the family, then destroys it, breaking Denji's spirit so completely that Pochita emerges. She then battles the true form of Chainsaw Man, hoping to subdue it through domination. However, her flaw is her inability to distinguish between Chainsaw Man and Pochita. She worships Chainsaw Man as a heroic figure but views Pochita as a mere dog, failing to recognize the profound bond between Pochita and Denji. This blind spot becomes her undoing.
Defeat & Legacy
Denji defeats Makima by exploiting her inability to recognize Pochita as distinct from Chainsaw Man. He hides the real Pochita inside a clone body, allowing Makima to believe she has won, then ambushes her with a chainsaw blade crafted from Power's blood, which prevents her regeneration. He then consumes Makima's body, bypassing her immortality contract since consumption is an act of love rather than attack. Her reincarnation, Nayuta, appears in Part 2 as a young girl raised by Denji with compassion and normalcy rather than the isolation that shaped Makima.
Makima remains one of modern manga's most complex antagonists. Her actions, while monstrous, stem from a genuine desire to create a better world, warped by her nature as a devil who cannot form equal relationships. Her final admission that she wanted to be part of a family, to be seen as an equal rather than a controller, humanizes her in her last moments without excusing her atrocities.
Relationships
Denji
Makima's primary target. She manipulates Denji's desire for affection, providing him a family before destroying it to break his contract with Pochita. Her obsession with Chainsaw Man blinds her to Denji's humanity and ultimately leads to her defeat.
Aki Hayakawa
Makima grants Aki revenge pathways against the Gun Devil while simultaneously maneuvering him toward a tragic fate. She views Aki as a tool to weaken Denji's spirit and shows genuine indifference to his suffering.
Kishibe
The only human who consistently distrusts Makima. Kishibe survives the series by maintaining emotional distance and never being perceived as inferior, protected by his experience and contract with the Knife Devil.
Quanxi
As the First Devil Hunter, Quanxi is one of the few beings Makima respects for combat ability. Makima controls Quanxi after decapitating her during the International Assassins Arc.
