Chainsaw Man is a horror-comedy anime series about a teenage orphan who becomes a Chainsaw Devil hybrid. Adapted from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga of the same name, Chainsaw Man hit global streaming platforms on Oct. 11, to the delight of a majority of the anime community.

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The anime is quickly gathering a legion of fans desperate to see more of Denji’s recently acquired chainsaw abilities. However, Denji is not your typical anime protagonist. He’s not a hero, has no strong will to help people, and his newfound powers are definitely not suited for saving, since he becomes rather blood-thirsty after transforming. Denji’s devil-hunting adventures are completely self-serving. Even so, this character is very well-liked among Chainsaw Man fans, who enjoy his destructive nature, brash demeanor, and his wish to live a normal life.

Fans’ love for Denji has sparked curiosity, leading many to want to know everything about the character. Unfortunately, a lot of Denji’s life prior to the start of the series’ main plot is a bit of a mystery. For starters, his family is barely touched upon, with Denji’s father being one of the sources of major speculation. This air of secrecy surrounding Denji is so notable that it even extends to something as common as a surname.

So, what is Denji’s last name?

Truth be told, the protagonist’s last name is not yet known in the source material. Perhaps this is a conscious choice from the mangaka to highlight how little of a part Denji’s family plays in the story. Another theory could be that Denji disconnected himself from his surname due to his relationship with his father, and refuses to use it. Some fans even speculate that the teenager may simply not have been given a last name, or that he has gone so long without anyone using it that he forgot what it was.

While this question remains unanswered for now, there’s still time for the Chainsaw Man manga to delve into this subject. Fujimoto wrapped up part one of the manga in December 2020 with chapter 97, which marked the end of the Public Safety saga. This is no cause for concern, though, because the story resumed with part two in July 2022, and is currently still ongoing. With no conclusion in sight yet, it’s safe to assume there’s still plenty of story to tell, and readers might still find out the truth behind Denji’s last name.

The Chainsaw Man anime is currently airing, with new episodes being released every week on Crunchyroll.