Aki Hayakawa is one of the main Public Safety Devil Hunters featured in the dangerous world of Chainsaw Man. While it may be true that Denji is the protagonist and often gets to sit front and center for fans to cheer on and adore, Denji couldn't have made it as far as he did without his best bud, Aki.
Aki is the typically strong and silent type, and although he has a heart of gold, he often keeps his emotions on the down low, for the sake of staying professional whenever he's on the job. It's only natural that fans become curious to know a bit more about Aki, behind his silent front. Here are some interesting trivia facts about Chainsaw Man's Aki Hayakawa that fans may not already know.
Updated January 18, 2023, by Christine Mendoza: With the very first season of Chainsaw Man finally coming to an end, fans are curious about new upcoming arcs and are eager to keep tabs on their favorite characters while they're away until the release of season two. So far, the audience has learned a great deal about the stoic devil hunter, Aki Hayakawa, but with the addition of the first season of the anime ending and the manga continuing, there is still much to learn about the elusive Aki. For any Aki fans that want to know all about their favorite topknot devil hunter, new entries have been added, including every detail, no matter how minute or seemingly insignificant.
Disclaimer: Major Spoilers Ahead!
12 He Had One Sibling
In a heartbreaking flashback to Aki's past audiences were introduced to Aki's one and only sibling, Taiyo Hayakawa. Taiyo looked a great deal like his brother, Aki, and was the younger brother of the two.
In the quick glimpse of Taiyo and Aki's childhood, the audience learns that Taiyo struggled with health issues often, having both parents by his side to care for him. Aki lost his brother in the blink of an eye when he called a time-out for their snowball fight, telling Taiyo to run back to the house to grab his gloves, so he wouldn't catch a cold. It was then that a young Aki first encountered the Gun Devil and lost not only his baby brother Taiyo but also both of his parents.
11 He Is The Only Main Character With A Last Name
Oddly enough, Aki is the only one in the main cast of Chainsaw Man that has an official last name. Denji likely forgot his surname after all the abuse and hardships he endured in his childhood after his father left him with his incredible debt to the Yakuza. Meanwhile, Power was never seen before her life as the blood fiend, so it is likely she doesn't remember her previous life and name ("Power" doesn't seem like an ordinary name, after all).
Even outside the main trio, fellow devil hunters Makima and Himeno go by a singular name as well; perhaps a safety precaution for their privacy or perhaps a stylistic choice to keep them elusive and mysterious. The only other members on Aki's team that also have last names are scaredy-cat Kobeni Higashiyama and Hirokazu Arai.
10 Himeno Is The One Who Got Him To Pierce His Ears
Aki doesn't exactly seem like the kind of guy to care too much about style or fashion, so it's a bit of a surprise to fans when they notice he has his ears pierced. Aki is a bit of a stickler when it comes to his job. He wears the mandatory uniform with no modifications like Denji or Power make to their outfits and pairs the look with some comfy sneakers that may be plain but get the job done.
However, when Aki reads Himeno's letters addressed to her sister after her passing, the audience discovers that it was Himeno's "senpai power" (upper-classman) that helped influence a young Aki to get his ears pierced. Considering Aki's habit of avoiding anything unnecessary, it makes much more sense that the sly Himeno was the one behind this stylistic choice that is seemingly uncharacteristic of Aki. Fans definitely owe Himeno a big thank you, Aki pulls off the look with ease!
9 His Original Character Design Featured Scars
Aki didn't always look like the handsome lad fans know and love. In Fujimoto's early concept art for Aki, he didn't have his iconic ponytail and even parted his hair differently. The early design for Aki had him with a middle part, styled in a way similar to Attack On Titan's Levi. This hairstyle would have made a lot of sense considering the events of Chainsaw Man were closer to the 90s.
In addition to the differences in his hair, Aki was originally made to have some facial scarring, similar to his fellow devil hunter, Kishibe.
8 He Was Born In Hokkaido
Aki was born in Hokkaido, Japan. Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan and is very famous for its beautiful scenery such as its volcanoes and natural hot springs.
While Hokkaido has the third-largest population of Japan's five main islands, it has the lowest population density in Japan. Hokkaido only consists of towns and villages, with no real concentrated populations high enough to be deemed a city. Aki likely grew up in a quaint town, living a quiet, simple life. This truly speaks volumes about how determined Aki was to avenge his family. Saying goodbye to a cozy life in the countryside is hard enough, but Aki had to move from Hokkaido to the big city, letting go of all the simple pleasures he once had for a life now full of busy city lights and dangerous jobs.
7 He Has A Total Of Four Devil Contracts
Aki is best known for his contract with the notorious Fox Devil, but over the course of the series (so far) he's had a total of four contracts. While working as a Public Safety Devil Hunter, Aki has made contracts with the Curse Devil and the Future Devil.
Aki can summon the Curse Devil with the use of the sword he carries (but rarely uses) on his back. Every time Aki uses the Curse Devil's power, he sacrifices a portion of his lifespan which is why he uses it scarcely. The Future Devil resides in Aki's right eye and allows him to see a few seconds into the future to always stay one step ahead of his enemies in battle.
Makima (the Control Devil) is the very last devil Aki makes a contract with. However, it was under her control that he agreed and surrendered himself to become possessed by the Gun Devil after being lied to by Makima.
6 He Sees Denji As A (Younger) Brother Figure
Even during the rough early stages of their friendship, Denji and Aki had a ton of chemistry. Somehow, even the way the two would roughhouse and bicker seemed to be the same hilarious dynamic between siblings. No matter how much Aki and Denji would fight and anger each other, at the end of the day, it was clear that they still deeply cared about one another.
Aki was generally the more responsible one between the two (three, including Power), so it's only natural that Aki began to see Denji as the careless younger brother he needed to cook for, clean up after, and protect.
Aki's vision of a snowball fight with a young Denji further proved this even further as the scene paralleled the scene in Aki's childhood where he had spent the last fleeting moments with his younger brother during a similar snowball fight before the Gun Devil hit his hometown.
5 He Has Feelings For Makima
It was fairly obvious that Himeno had feelings for Aki, but Aki's crush on Makima was a bit more subtle. At first, it seemed as if Aki was simply getting protective of his boss when Denji stated his feelings and intentions with regard to Makima, but it became obvious that the only reason Aki was willing to put up with the ridiculous requests Makima had been making was that she had his heart.
While it will forever be a mystery why Aki actually did fall for Makima (he even questions the reason behind his feelings at one point in the series), it's a very real possibility that his crush spawned simply out of Makima's abilities as the Control Devil.
4 His Name Has A Heartbreaking Meaning
Aki's name is filled with grim hints about his untimely fate. Aki's first name comes from the "AK" abbreviation in guns such as the AK-47, to show how much his fate truly was tied to the Gun Devil and its reign. Not only is Aki tied to the Gun Devil because of his past childhood trauma and his journey toward revenge, but the hidden meaning behind his name references his eventual transformation near the end of Makima's arc.
Aki's surname, Hayakawa can be separated into two words: "haya" meaning already, now, fast, or early, and "kawa" meaning river or stream. This is likely a reference to his constantly shortening lifespan stemming from his contract with the Curse Devil and also his interaction with Angel.
3 He's A Great Chef
Aki's blade skills aren't just limited to the battlefield; his knife skills in the kitchen are top-notch as well! Aki is constantly burdened by Denji and Power after they move into his apartment and is always expected to clean up and look after the two, taking the role of the responsible, older brother.
Part of Aki's long list of responsibilities is cooking; Aki is always the one in charge of cooking the two their food for the day. However, despite all the great culinary skills that Denji and Power get to observe when Aki's in the kitchen, it seems as if they didn't learn a thing as the one time they decided to finally return the favor and cook for Aki instead of simply being mouths to feed, poor Aki instantly threw up after tasting their horrific dish!
2 He Became A Fiend After His Contract With Makima
Despite looking very similar to Denji's hybrid form, Aki became a fiend after forming his contract with Makima. Under the guise of helping Denji and Power and keeping them out of harm's way, Makima proposed a contract with Aki, causing the Gun Devil to take over Aki's body and transform him into a fiend.
Aki earlier in the series explains that a friend is different from Denji's hybrid form as a fiend is a corpse that is taken over by a devil, meaning that it was possible that Aki had already technically been dead by the time he was fighting Denji. After being possessed by the Gun Devil, he was given an oversized M1911 pistol for his face and an M16A1 rifle for his left forearm.
1 He Placed Top Three In Both Japanese Popularity Polls
In both popularity polls held in Japan, Aki Hayakawa placed top three; coming in third in the first poll held and taking the number one spot as the most popular character in the second poll held. Aki, despite only being a side character, is clearly a fan favorite. Who wouldn't love Aki? He's vulnerable yet relatable and clearly a sympathetic character.
They say that all devils return to hell when they are killed on earth and can be reincarnated one day with or without their memories. Hopefully, this rule applies to friends as well and fans can see Aki return one day to give Denji some hugs they both desperately deserve.