Chainsaw Man just got real. Episode 8 of the anime started off on a pretty good note – Denji may have been saved by his fellow demon hunter Himeno – but ended with a very tragic and terrifying twist. After seven episodes of Devil Hunters going hard on a mission to kill Gun Devil, the villain turns the tables by setting up a mob-style mob at the Devil Hunters’ Tokyo branch. When the shots start ringing, there are sure to be some big casualties – including an ending that takes a big toll on Aki!

In “Gunfire,” Gun Devil forces capture Tokyo’s Devil Hunters while they take a day to try to strengthen their bonds. Really, it’s a scheme that Denji and Himeno come up with after they decide not to sleep together: Denji tries to help Himeno get with Aki while Himeno helps Denji get with Makima. Romantic outings lead to lunch between Denji, Himeno, Power and Aki. Just as the crew is gelling well, Denji is confronted (and subsequently shot in the head) by a man related to Yakuza leader Denji, killed during his first chainsaw man transformation. Meanwhile, other Devil Hunter agents (including Makima) are shot on the streets, while traveling, etc.

A desperate situation turns to utter destruction when Aki and Himeno attempt to do battle with the Yakuza leader’s grandson, only to discover that he too is a powerful devil-human hybrid armed with sword appendages: Katana Man. Aki and Himeno prove to be strong enough to take on Katana Man – at least in the first round. It turns out that Katana Man has a partner of his own armed with several powerful diabolical contracts to turn to – including the ability to revive and repair Katana Man’s body.

Faced with two opponents on the next level, Himeno must cross any safe boundary and fully summon Ghost Devil. However, Himen’s pact always used one of Ghost Devil’s invisible hands, at the cost of her own eye; it takes her whole body tribute to summon a full Ghost Devil!

Aki remains on the battlefield looking at Himen’s empty dress, which means she is dead. That is, we do not know what it means to “pay” the devil with body parts, and whether it represents “death” as we understand it. The credits of Chainsaw Man Episode 8 seem to suggest that Himeno could be trapped in some kind of other realm or universe where the Devils reside, which would be a “death” of sorts – though one Himeno could be saved.