Fanfic / Wishful Thinking (Toggle1)

"Makima opened her eyes"

Wishful Thinking is a Chainsaw Man Fanfic written by Toggle1 where Makima finds herself stuck in a time loop that starts the day before she meets Denji. What seems like another chance to take the power of Chainsaw Man ends when it turns out the loop restarts if something prevents her death and rebirth. She then decides that the next best plan is to leave Denji in a vulnerable mental state that her reincarnation Nayuta can take control of.

This trope page has unmarked spoilers for both Chainsaw Man Part 1 and Chainsaw Man Part 2.

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This fanfiction provides examples of:

• A Day in the Limelight: The bonus chapter shows the viewpoints of the rest of the cast in the various timelines, and expands upon loops that were described vaguely.
• Act of True Love: To create the time loop, Nayuta gave up her exclusive rights to Denji's love. She thought that if Aki and Power were alive, Denji wouldn't have the capacity to love her, yet she went ahead with the contract to prevent his death.
• Adaptational Angst Downgrade: In the final loop Makima saves Crambon, Himeno, the Angel Devil, Aki, and Power, rescues Reze from the Soviets, and sets up a friendship to form between Reze, Denji, and Asa at Fourth East High.
• Adaptational Angst Upgrade:
  • Besides his canonical suffering Makima destroy's Denji's self-worth in Chapter 4.
  • The loop in Chapter 10 where Makima makes her betrayal even worse by grooming Denji into a relationship and raping him.
• Adaptational Early Appearance:
  • Chapter 6 has Makima luring Reze to Japan, capturing her, and having her replace Power in Special Division 4 and the Hayakawa household.
  • Chapter 8 has Makima turning Asa into the War hybrid and forcing the girl to become a Public Safety agent. She also replaces Power in the Hayakawa household.
  • Chapter 11 has Makima arrange for Barem to become a member of Special Division 4.
• Adaptational Relationship Overhaul:
  • Chapter 5, where the loop has Aki die against the Katana Man and Himeno becomes Denji and Power's guardian and older sibling figure.
  • Instead of acting as honey traps Reze and Asa join Public Safety in chapters 6 and 8 respectively, and become Denji's roommates, coworkers, and later, lovers.
  • In chapter 10, instead of stringing Denji along with promise of sexual favours, Makima grooms Denji into a secret relationship with her.
  • In Chapter 8, because Asa is accompanying Denji on his walk Reze decides to act as a friend to the two of them instead of seducing Denji.
• Afterlife Antechamber: Before Makima truly passes, the Death Devil greets her on a gray beach and explains why she was in the time loop.
• Animal Eye Spy: Makima uses rodents, birds, and insects to monitor her pawns and make sure her plots are going according to plan.
• Another Man's Terror: In Chapter 11, Makima wakes up feeling Nayuta being burned alive by Barem.
• Anti-Hero: After her character development Makima's goal is to save Denji's loved ones. However her ways to do so leave them with both physical and mental trauma, she shows no remorse for her previous atrocities, and it is explicitly stated she does not care about anyone who isn't in the group.
• Arc Words:

Makima opened her eyes.

• Becoming the Mask: Chapter 9 has Makima recruiting Power to act as her double agent to betray Denji. She ends up caring for him the same way she did in the original timeline.
• Being Evil Sucks: Just as in canon, it's shown that Makima's obsession with control, dominance, and Pochita do not grant her any happiness or satisfaction. Indeed, for most of the fic, it actively makes her miserable as it blinds her to what she really wants, which is affection and acceptance. It's perhaps most apparent in Chapter 10, after her rape of Denji, as she's shown to feel thoroughly awful after the act. She outright lampshades this in the final chapter, lamenting that had she genuinely accepted Denji from the start, she might have been able to share in the happiness that awaits him.
• Berserk Button: Makima does not react well to anything contradicting her view of Chainsaw Man as a mindless force of chaos. In Chapter 9, when Power says that Pochita asked her to save Denji, Makima's response is cold, furious denial. She then kills the severely injured Chainsaw Man out of anger.
• Big "SHUT UP!": Makima, frustrated over being stuck in the loop, gives one of these in Chapter 12 that takes control of most of the Public Safety Department.
• Bittersweet Ending: Makima is freed from the loops after she prevents the deaths of Himeno, the Angel Devil, Aki, and Power and let's Denji kill her. Nayuta will be raised in a larger loving family. The end of the world may come but Denji and his loved ones will be in a better emotional state to try and prevent it.
• Blood-Splattered Innocents: The bonus chapter reveals that Makima tested what would happen if she committed suicide, by shooting herself in an elevator with Kobeni.
• Book Ends: The first sentence of each chapter and loop is "Makima opened her eyes." The last line from her viewpoint is "Makima closed her eyes." and the fic's last line is "Nayuta opened her eyes."
• Break the Haughty: Makima, the megalomaniacal Control Devil, goes from eagerly using the loop to attempt to fufill her goals to breaking down over being stuck in time.
• Break Them by Talking: Makima's plan in Chapter 4 is to destroy Denji's self-esteem by convincing him his only worth is as Chainsaw Man's host.
• Butt-Monkey: The unlucky jogger whom Makima inflicts whatever sadistic command that comes to her head in Chapter 12.
• Canon Character All Along: The final chapter reveals that the voice speaking to Makima at the end of almost every chapter is the Death Devil.
• Character Development: Makima goes from cold, methodical plotting, to desperate, scatterbrained scheming, to petty and sadistic due to being stuck in the loop, to wanting to die, to realizing she and Nayuta want to be loved, and making sure her future incarnation grows up with a larger family.
  • Denji undergoes character development in all the loops where Makima let's him kill her and be reborn as Nayuta.
    • Chapter 4's Denji comes to only derive self-worth from being the host for Chainsaw Man.
    • Chapter 5's Denji takes on Himeno's trait of being open about his past friends with Nayuta.
    • Chapter 6's Denji comes to desire a normal life for himself and Nayuta.
    • Chapter 7's Denji comes to distrust and despise Public Safety.
    • Chapter 8's Denji develops into a more conscientious person.
    • Chapter 10's Denji is left a broken shell from being groomed and raped by Makima.
• Commonality Connection: In the loop where Reze joined Public Safety, she started to grow closer to Denji when she learned that like her, he never went to school.
• De-power: As part of her depressive episode, Makima loses her mind control due to believing that people who aren't in the loop are free while she is imprisoned.
• Death by Adaptation:
  • As part of a pre-emptive takedown of her future enemies, Makima murders Asa in chapter 3.
  • As Reze and Asa replace Power in Chapters 6 and 8 respectively, they are killed to drive Denji to despair.
  • Since Power is in Public Safety's captivity Reze/Asa loops, Meowy is presumably eaten by the Bat Devil.
• Death Seeker: After many failed loops, Makima becomes this in Chapter 12.
• Didn't See That Coming: Makima is caught off guard several times.
  • Chapter 6 has Reze surviving her first attack and saving Denji.
  • Chapter 7 has the Gun Fiend and Angel Devil breaking free from her control.
  • Chapter 8 has Asa forming a contract with Yoru to save Denji.
• Disabled in the Adaptation: After her character development, Makima's plan to save Himeno is to have the Katana Man shoot her through the spine, which both keeps her out of danger and acts as a catalyst for Aki to bond with Denji and Power. Through Nayuta's memories it's shown that she can walk with a cane for a limited time.
• The Dog Bites Back: In chapter 6 Reze kills her handler, who was sent to make sure she completes her original mission of stealing Denji's heart.
• Don't Fear the Reaper: The Death Devil greets Makima after she ends the loops, and congratulates her for saving the lives of Himeno, Angel, Aki and Power, and setting up for Reze and Asa to meet Denji in the future on better terms. She then explains that she wants to avert the Prophecy of Nostradamus.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Makima genuinely cares for her dogs and never mistreats or neglects them, even during her breakdowns into nihilistic cruelty and suicidal despair.
• Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: For most of the fic, Makima is unable to understand that Nayuta just wants to live a happy life with Denji and doesn't care about using Chainsaw Man's power. She is also unable to understand why people are willing to act selfless even when it can't benefit them.
• Evil Is Petty: Makima has a cruel streak, from mocking a captured Yoru in Chapter 3, to antagonizing the Angel Devil over forcing him to kill his village in Chapter 7, to taking pleasure in Asa's jealousy over Himeno kissing Denji in Chapter 8. She gets even worst in chapter 12, where out of frustration she decides to cause as much suffering as she can in each loop.
• Face Death with Dignity: In the final loop, Makima apologizes to Denji, calmly explains that he must kill her, and accepts being cut down by him.
• Fake Memories: One of Makima's desperate schemes in Chapter 12, was brainwashing Sawatari into thinking she and Denji were long-lost siblings.
• Fan Disservice: Makima's rape of Denji in Chapter 10. Any potential titillation is ruined by the fact that 1) it's rape, 2) Denji's shown to be in a near-catatonic state throughout it, and 3) there's copious amounts of gore as she forcibly triggers his transformation, resulting in her being ripped apart repeatedly, with a particularly nauseating example being when she kisses him, with his teeth cutting apart her tongue and cheeks.
• Fighting from the Inside:
  • Happens with Gun Fiend Aki in Chapter 7.
  • Happens in Chapter 8 with Asa trying to prevent Yoru from killing Denji.
• Flatline Plotline: Makima's final plan is to resurrect Aki and Power after killing them and keep their revival secret, so Denji can have both his family and the will to kill her.
• Fusion Dance: In Chapter 8, Asa and Yoru make a contract where they merge, so that they can survive Makima's attack and save Denji.
• Gone Horribly Right: Makima's scheme in Chapter 7 is to have the government execute the Gun Fiend to break Denji's trust in Public Safety. Denji joins the Chainsaw Man Church as a result.
• Gone Horribly Wrong:
  • Makima's plan in Chapter 11 is to have Barem be Denji's only surviving colleague from Special Division 4, so that he can convince Nayuta to control Denji. He instead sides with the Chainsaw Man Church and kills Nayuta.
  • One of Makima's schemes in Chapter 12 is to turn Asa into the War Fiend. The cycle ends with the fiend ripping out Denji's heart and eating it.
• Greek Chorus: At the end of each chapter a mysterious voice comments on Makima's actions. It's revealed to be the Death Devil.
• Groundhog Peggy Sue: Makima is trapped in one that starts the day before she meets Denji. Anything that prevents her rebirth as Nayuta resets the loop. The loop also restarts if she commits suicide. She also gains the memories of her life as Nayuta after each loop.
• Heel–Face Turn: After realizing that Nayuta wants to be loved, Makima starts to come up with plots to save and improve the lives of Denji's loved ones.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Various characters start doomed fights with Makima to save Denji in several timelines.
  • Happens with Reze in Chapter 6.
  • Happens with Angel in Chapter 7.
  • Happens with Asa/Yoru in Chapter 8.
• Heroic Willpower:
  • In Chapter 7, the desire to fufill Aki's wishes gives the Angel Devil the power to resist Makima's control.
  • In the same chapter, it's heavily implied that the Gun Fiend partially broke free of Makima's control because of Aki's desire to protect Denji and Power.
• I Just Want to Be Loved: Makima wants this, though she lacks the self-awareness to realize this.
• I Just Want to Be Normal: The end of Chapter 6 shows Denji trying to get himself and Nayuta away from Public Safety's surveillance, so that they can live a peaceful life.
• In Spite of a Nail:
  • Even in the timelines where Power has been replaced by Reze or Asa, Denji still has a weapon that hinders Makima's regeneration.
  • Makima lampshades how Kobeni always survives the series events regardless of what changes are made.
  • The Death Devil lampshades the fact that no matter what changes are made, Yoru always merges with Asa.
• Kick the Dog:
  • As part of her breakdown in Chapter 12, Makima decides to cause as much meaningless suffering as she can in each loop.
  • In Chapter 11, Barem kills Nayuta in front of Denji just for fun.
• Love Hungry: A rather tragic example in Chapter 10, where Nayuta, hurt over Denji's neglect of her, takes control of him, and has him act as her affectionate older brother.
• Make Wrong What Once Went Right: Makima tries to make the perfect scenario where she or Nayuta can revive Chainsaw Man.
• Manchurian Agent: In chapter 8 Makima uses her mind control powers to turn Asa/Yoru into this. When Makima says, "It's time to wake up, War, your enemy is the Chainsaw Man, remember?", Yoru will take over Asa's body and attempt to kill Denji, forcing him to kill her.
• Manipulative Bastard: Makima effortlessly manipulates Denji, Public Safety, and various Federal governments to bring her schemes to fruition.
• Miss Exposition: The final chapter has the Death Devil, who explains how and why Makima was in the loop.
• My God, What Have I Done?: In the bonus chapter Himeno is disgusted with herself for having a threesome with Denji and Makima.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: In Chapter 7, Kishibe kills the Gun Fiend just when Denji possibly got through to him. This turns Denji against Public Safety.
• Nightmare Sequence: The bonus chapter reveals that from Gun Fiend Himeno's perspective, her rampage was a nightmare where she was tormented by the ghosts of her deceased partners.
• Noodle Incident:
  • One of Makima's more nonsensical plots was giving Denji a harem. All we know is that it was hard to maintain and it did not end well.
  • Another was making Denji into a movie star. According to Death, it was funny.
• Not So Stoic: Makima loses her composure several times.
  • In Chapter 11, she has a tantrum over the previous loop's Nayuta taking control of a mentally broken Denji, only to have him act as her loving brother.
  • In the same chapter, she is enraged over Barem betraying and killing Nayuta.
  • The second half of Chapter 12 is a montage of her relishing in petty cruelty over being stuck in the loop.
  • Chapter 13 has her confessing her plight to Pochita and breaking down crying.
  • In a more light-hearted example she shows annoyance with Death's commentary in the final chapter.
  • In the same chapter, she cries when she learns that she succeeded in giving Nayuta a loving family.
  • In the bonus chapter, Makima's response is a Cluster F-Bomb when Kishibe's squad ambushes her and she realizes she forgot Denji's birthday. Kishibe in turn is stunned by her outburst and subsequent suicide.
• Parental Neglect:
  • At the end of Chapter 4, Denji's obsession with being Chainsaw Man causes him to neglect Nayuta.
  • At the end of Chapter 10, Denji, traumatized from being raped by Makima, does the bare minimum in taking care of Nayuta and interacts with her as little as possible.
• Past-Life Memories: Inverted. Makima gains the memories of each timeline's Nayuta when the loop resets.
• The Peeping Tom: Through her animal spies, Makima watches Denji have sex with Reze and Asa in the timelines where they joined Public Safety.
• Plot Allergy: In the timeline where Kobeni became the Violence Fiend, she died because of a nut allergy.
• Psychic-Assisted Suicide: Makima inflicts this upon Asa in Chapter 3.
• Rape by Proxy: In one timeline, Makima controls most of the female cast into becoming Denji's harem.
• Role Swap AU:
  • Chapter 5 has Aki being killed in the shooting attack on Division 4, and Himeno becoming Denji and Power's guardian, and the Gun Fiend.
  • In one loop, Arai is absent from the shooting attack and Kobeni becomes the Violence Fiend.
• Seeing Through Another's Eyes: Makima gains the memories but not the feelings or thoughts of Nayuta after each loop.
• Set Right What Once Went Wrong: The final chapter reveals that the loop was caused by Nayuta making a contract with multiple devils to prevent a bad future, where her possessive nature played a part in Denji dying and the fufillment of Nostrodamus' prophecy.
• Sex for Solace: In Chapter 8, Asa seeking comfort for her guilt over her mother's death and killing the Gun Fiend, initiates sex with Denji.
• Sexual Karma: When Denji has sex with Reze and Asa in the timelines where they join Public Safety, while they do have somewhat selfish reasons for doing so (Reze is trying to convince Denji to run away with her, Asa as mentioned in Sex for Solace is trying to bury her own guilt), they nevertheless genuinely care for Denji and do so consensually. Their resulting sessions are thus shown to be mutually pleasurable affairs ending with both parties content and satisfied. By contrast, when Makima rapes Denji, she's thoroughly unsatisifed and feels downright awful, is unable to get any sleep through the following night, and spends the rest of the cycle on autopilot in a dazed and trancelike state, to the point that she's glad when Denji cuts her down.
• Spared by the Adaptation:
  • In chapter 8 Asa takes Crambon with her when she is forced to join Public Safety, preventing his death.
  • In one of the loops Makima made after her character development, Denji is mentioned to have saved Yuko.
  • The final loop has Makima save Himeno, the Angel Devil, Aki, Power and Crambon.
• Superhero Episode: One of Makima's schemes in Chapter 12 was turning Denji into a superhero. This led to the characters acting like superhero archetypes and the setting having a more superhero like tone.
• Sympathy for the Devil:
  • Pochita lets Makima hug him after she confesses her plight and desire for death to him.
  • In the final loop, Denji is reluctant to kill the apologetic Makima even though he thinks she killed Aki and Power. He holds her hand as she bleeds out.
• Synchronization: Due to being Asa's heart in Chapter 8, Yoru gains her love for Denji and can't bring herself to kill him when she takes over Asa's body. She's the one who suggests that they merge to save Denji.
• Take That, Audience!: In the bonus chapter, Fami, making Chainsaw Man comics for her plan in the superhero loop, wonders who would waste their time with a Chainsaw Man manga.
• Time Loop Fatigue: Chapter 12 has Makima executing increasingly nonsensical schemes, screwing up due to stress, deciding to cause as much suffering as she can in each loop, and becoming suicidal, in that order.
• Title Drop: In chapter 7 Power says that there is no way to turn the gun fiend back into Aki, calling it "wishful thinking."
• Took a Level in Badass: In the timeline where Makima made Asa the War Hybrid, she went from a clumsy, socially inept teenager to a highly competent devil hunter.
• Villain Protagonist: Makima is the protagonist of this fic, and for the majority of it she plans to traumatize Denji so that he will be vulnerable to her reincarnation's control.
• What Happened to the Mouse?: Power is imprisoned by Public Safety in the loops where Makima replaces her with Reze and Asa. She's unmentioned for the rest of those loops, and the scene where Makima shows off Chainsaw Man's followers does not occur, leaving her ultimate fate unknown.
• What Is This Feeling?: In Chapter 10, where Makima grooms Denji into a romantic relationship with her, it's all but outright stated that she's genuinely started to develop feelings for him to a certain extent, as she finds it pleasant to have him around, is bothered and upset by Denji not going to Enoshima with her in favor of taking care of Aki and Power, and is angry when he pays attention to others, all while never understanding why she feels that way.
• Yandere: Besides her canonical obsession with Chainsaw Man, Makima becomes this towards Denji in the loop where she groomed him, taking pleasure in killing Aki and Power, because Denji refused to go to Enoshima with her to care for them. When Denji is left in shock at seeing her kill Power, Makima shows jealousy towards her remains because Denji is paying attention to them and not her.