Chainsaw Man: A Complete Guide to the Manga's Deadly Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Chainsaw Man, despite its tendency to prioritize character writing over action, has one of the most unique and engaging power systems in modern shōnen. Just about every concept or living being has a devil associated with it, and the strength of devils is decided by factors largely out of their control. The more something is feared, the stronger the devil associated with that thing becomes. It's a relatively simple concept, but one that allows for the series' fan base to theorize endlessly about what sort of devils may be most powerful.

Standing above the rest are the Horsemen Devils, which share the names of concepts that have brought fear to humans since the very beginning of their existence. These four devils include Control, War, Famine, and Death, three of which have revealed themselves to the audience and play a large role in Chainsaw Man's story. The Death Devil, the only horseman to not have revealed herself, has loomed over the narrative since Part Two's beginning.

Who Are Chainsaw Man's Horsemen Devils?

The Sisters of the Apocalypse, Explained

Though Chainsaw Man's Horsemen Devils may be the most fearsome in the series, they aren't necessarily the most powerful in terms of raw strength. Primal Fear Devils, like Darkness and Aging, represent fears innate to all humans, and are said to have never been killed before. What separates Horsemen from the rest, however, is the near human appearance and behavior evident in all of them. Makima, or the Control Devil, Yoru, the War Devil, and Fami, the Famine Devil, all take on the appearance of normal human women, and are capable of acting human as well.

A woman with pink hair wearing a white shirt and tie leans to the side while looking interested. — A woman with pink hair wearing a white shirt and tie leans to the side while looking interested from *Chainsaw Man.*

The Death Devil, though still mysterious, will almost assuredly share the same prominent human qualities found in her three sisters. Their appearances make them all the more dangerous because of their ability to blend into society, as seen with Makima's near disastrous plans being stopped just short of coming to fruition. Each also have their own extremely powerful abilities. Control can take over others' minds, while War is able to create a weapon of anything she possesses. Fami has been shown to summon other devils, though her own power is still a mystery.

Not All Horsemen Are Alike

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Each Have Unique Temperaments

Though Chainsaw Man's four Horsemen Devils are sisters, they have been shown to clash over their goals and ideals. Makima originally wanted to create her own perfect world, absent of any devils that would be harmful to humanity. Yoru, on the other hand, wants nothing more than humanity to fear her, and live amidst the destruction and misery of war. Fami is stated to be on humanity's side, noting that she enjoys human food too much to let it go to waste, though whether she is hiding some nefarious goal is unknown.

The sisters also seem to lack the typical desire to eat human flesh that nearly all other devils in the series share. In fact, based on Nayuta's brief stint in Part Two, the Horsemen Devils may not be innately hostile to humanity at all. Each are able to seamlessly blend into human society, and are at least somewhat partial to indulging in many different human creations, like Makima's affinity for film and Fami's love for food.

It seems Horsemen Devils, more than any other, are cases of nature versus nurture. If raised properly, like Nayuta was, they may pose little threat to humanity whatsoever. Even Yoru, arguably the most purely evil of the Horsemen introduced in Chainsaw Man so far, has lightened up a little over the course of the story.

Chainsaw Man's Most Fearsome Horseman Devil Is Yet to Appear

The Death Devil Is a Major Player in Part Two Without Ever Appearing

Denji holding up a finger while posing in front of promotional art for Chainsaw Man Part Two.

Chainsaw Man Part Two is shaping up to be longer than Part One, and the Death Devil has loomed over the narrative from its earliest stages. Set to arrive and bring forth the age of the devils, Death, the eldest sister of the Horsemen, has the name relating to the most feared concept in human history. Her strength will likely be unmatched by any other devil, including the series' titular hero, and drastic measures will need to be taken in order for humans to survive her inevitable arrival on Earth.

After Nayuta's recent death, however, the new Control Devil is also somewhere either on Earth or in Hell. Whether she will re-enter the series once again as yet another new character remains to be seen. Chainsaw Man has just wrapped up its most recent Aging Devil arc, leaving no better time for fans to jump back into the manga while waiting for the Reze Arc film to release this year.