why so many people like Asa Mitaka

First Impression: Bird in a Cage
Asa’s intro, titled “Bird in a Cage,” feels so similar to Denji’s opening in Part 1. Denji killed devils to survive, saved Pochita out of despair, and actively made a contract with him, only to be killed by a devil and reborn as Chainsaw Man. Asa, though? She hates devils and wants to kill them (like Yoru, the war devil, who’s kinda cute like Pochita). Her opening shows not just her hatred for devils but also her disdain for her classmates. She eats alone, ignored except by the class president who occasionally invites her. Her dialogue reveals her disgust comes from her moral compass clashing with the world around her.
The irony? She wants to kill Yoru, but Yoru doesn’t die. Instead, Yoru’s the first to accept Asa and the third to remember her name in class—a devil, of all things! The moment Yoru accepts her, it’s like the whole class suddenly notices her too. For someone who’s always been on the fringes of the group, that acceptance is like a beacon in the dark. It shows her deeper desire: she doesn’t want to be an outsider. She envies the camaraderie of others and wants to belong, even if it means accepting a devil.
Fujimoto nails this. He always gets what makes you tick. If Yoru’s acceptance marks Asa’s “rebirth,” what follows is her total “death.” The hope she holds turns to despair. The devil she wanted to kill dies by her hand, offering no relief, only plunging her into the abyss. Her dream of joining the group, the devil she wanted dead—it’s all buried in the dirt, a grave of hope built in her heart.
Death
If the dead devil buries her hope, the hidden love and surrounding jealousy finish her off. The twisted relationship between the teacher and the class president, the first two people who remember her name—one loves her, the other envies her. That spark of jealousy consumes her. The three people who know her name end up destroying her, body and soul.

Confession
Before her death, Asa’s eerily calm. She didn’t bury her own hope; among the crowd she envied, someone envied her. Everyone’s the same—love, hate, envy, jealousy, just human nature. She realizes she’s been trapping herself too tightly.

Rebirth
Denji wanted a peaceful life before his death, and Pochita saved him. Asa, before her death, wants to live more freely, and a devil saves her too. The difference? Pochita wanted to see Denji’s peaceful life, while Yoru wants revenge. By Chapter 116, Asa realizes she deserves praise too. She’s learning to trust herself, to believe in her own strength. Asa’s already a charming girl—when she shines, she’s as stunning as Makima, Power, or Reze. Just be happy, Asa. Be happy with Denji. Don’t die. Fujimoto, you’re too good at writing women. Asa, you can’t die… and Denji, you’ve grown into a good man. Stop being a dog!

Asa Mitaka’s initial image is that of an outcast—aloof and isolated because she’s too rule-bound, which makes her naturally drift from the group. You can see this in her inner monologues. With a dramatic entrance like a “thunderclap from the sky,” Asa first comes off as this “obedient” girl who sticks to the rules. But later, we see her rebellious side emerge—though let’s put that aside for now and dive into her psychological journey, step by step.


Fujimoto uses a classmate’s words to subtly reveal Asa’s backstory: she lost her parents, which fuels her hatred for devils. The class president finds Asa eating alone, and their conversation feels like both a dialogue and Asa’s inner thoughts. This is where it clicks: Asa’s dissatisfied with her situation, herself, and others, leading to her world-weary attitude. Fujimoto’s women are always fleshed out, blending good and bad, and in just a few lines, he sketches Asa’s “negative” traits.


In her talk with the chicken devil (Gucci), Asa’s thrilled when it remembers her name. Her later confession confirms this was her true feeling—a socially anxious girl who shuts herself off but craves others’ care. That’s the contradiction in Asa’s character, right? The top-right panel echoes the first image, where Asa realizes her feelings aren’t annoyance but a hidden envy of others’ connections. Poor Gucci (crying emoji). In Asa’s reaction, we see flashbacks of others’ gazes. Everything shifts after the class president’s subtle actions. Post-Gucci incident, Asa’s hit with internal and external shame and blame. If there was a vote to jump off a building, she thinks everyone—including herself—would pick her. Lying in bed, consumed by shame and regret, unable to eat or sleep, she cares deeply about others’ opinions, even internalizing them as her own emotions. Facing her classmates’ bullying, she tells herself in her heart…
Hiding in the shadows, Asa regrets killing Gucci in front of everyone, as seen in her later talk with Yoru. I think Asa’s joy over Gucci remembering her name shows she subconsciously likes it but won’t admit it—her parents’ death at the hands of a devil is a hurdle she can’t get over. In her pre-death monologue, she muses that if she’d known everyone else (like her) envies and gets jealous, life would’ve been easier. (She’s learning to face things calmly and not obsess over others’ views.) But after her revival, her attitude toward bullying shows she’s still the same Asa—her self-blaming nature, shaped by her mom’s death for her sake, still lingers.


Then comes her meeting with Yuko. Asa’s visibly excited—two kindred spirits, right? Watching Yuko leave, Asa flashes a genuine smile, but then turns and sees Yoru. Yuko sparks a change in Asa. When facing the Bat Devil, despite Yoru’s manipulations, Asa confronts her true feelings. There are no bystanders, but unlike Yoru’s suggestion to kill or abandon Yuko (like she did with Gucci), Asa doesn’t. This ties back to my theory that she subconsciously liked Gucci. Asa’s a complex character, and this choice makes her more mature and brave.


I really love this chapter’s Asa—she lightens up because of Yuko. (I’ll add more reasons later.) This is also the foundation for her growing resolve to kill Denji. What do you guys think of Asa’s arc? Anyone else vibing with her complexity and growth?