People often flock to anime and manga because these types of media are so intriguing and imaginative. Chainsaw Man is a very popular manga that has over 12 million copies in circulation, as well as an anime series that is set to premiere in 2022.
This popular series has quite a few interesting characters to marvel at. In this guide, we are going to take a closer look at the character of Kobeni in Chainsaw Man, because she is one of the most fascinating Devil Hunters to keep an eye on (we’ll get into that later) and is definitely a fan favorite.
The Background Setting of Chainsaw Man
Before we take a look at Kobeni, it might be a good idea to get a bit of background on the setting of Chainsaw Man.
The manga occurs in a world where humans fear devils. Despite the fact that these devils are dangerous, humans can form contracts with them in order to utilize their power. The Devil Hunters are a specialized team that hunts down these devils. There are also some devils that are so powerful that they have never been killed.
When these devils are killed in hell, they migrate over to Earth, and vice versa. Devils that transition to Earth can sometimes inhabit human bodies and can even gain some of their memories and personality traits.
Who Is Kobeni in Chainsaw Man?
Kobeni Higashiyama is considered one of the best characters in the manga series Chainsaw Man. Lots of readers favor her because they can connect with her emotionally.
It is easy to sympathize with her because she is so normal without any apparent superpowers or special abilities, and her sometimes cowardly personality portrays a realistic character that shows how a real person would likely act under her circumstances.
Let’s dive a little bit deeper into Kobeni’s character and history, and you will quickly find out why so many fans love this specific character.
Kobeni’s Appearance
Kobeni is a petite young woman with short black hair that she ties back in a ponytail. She also has bangs that she secures with two hairpins, which acts as a signature look for the hero. She has four moles on her face, and she usually wears a black pantsuit for an overall professional appearance.
Kobeni’s Personality
One of the most apparent character traits of Kobeni is her cowardliness. She is constantly afraid and will often become paralyzed with fear or start babbling. She is also quite emotional and will easily crack and break into tears.
This same sense of fear and cowardliness subsides when her life is threatened. When she gets thrown into action, she instantly transforms into a cool-headed, fearsome Devil Hunter who suddenly possesses superhuman speed and extreme agility.
Kobeni’s bizarre personality might stem from her origin. She doesn’t want to be a Devil Hunter and is forced into this profession by her family. Despite the fact that she is forced to do something she doesn’t enjoy, she does not resent it and still cares for her family. Kobeni has to work so hard because she has nine siblings: one brother and eight sisters.
The Car Kobeni Drives
Kobeni owns a small boxy car in a bright yellow color with a rounded roof, two doors, and small wheels. She purchased the car to chauffeur her family.
In one incident, Power, a Public Safety Devil Hunter and colleague to Kobeni, notices her car and demands to ride it. She gets in despite Kobeni trying to stop her and drives straight into Denji and Kurose, two other Public Safety Devil Hunters, before blaming it on Kobeni and calling her a murderer since it was her car.
The accident is significant because it causes a persona change for Kurose, and it is revealed that he had been possessed by a spirit that was in fact an assassin who was planning to kill Denji.
After the crash, Kobeni is seen kneeling next to her car to inspect the damages, and she worries about the cost of repairing her car. But she is left in horror as two other Devil Hunters fall through the ceiling of the department store and crush her car roof completely, ruining her car.
Plot and Story of Kobeni
Kobeni grew up in poverty and notes that she has only tasted ice cream three times in her life. Her journey starts when her family forces her to work so she can support her older brother and send him to college.
She starts as a Devil Hunter under Makima’s experimental squad and as a member of the Public Safety Devil Hunters. This is a good position since Makima is a high-ranking hunter, but also the main antagonist of the Public Safety Devil Hunters Organization.
In this manga, Kobeni only appears in a couple of chapters. In one chapter, she – along with six Devil Hunters – is assigned on a mission to track down a devil in Morino Hotel.
In another chapter, she accompanies Aki Hayakawa (also a Public Safety Devil Hunter) to help save Denji (another Public Safety Devil Hunter who becomes the devil Chainsaw Man) from the Leech Devil. On this mission, she panics and ends up attacking Denji and accusing him of not allowing himself to be eaten by the devil.
In the end, Denji agrees to be eaten but only as part of the plan to force the Eternity Devil to surrender. The battle between Denji and the Eternity Devil continues for three days, after which Kobeni is seen sitting in the corner in an exhausted state.
She only stays in her position as a Devil Hunter for a short while and encounters quite a few battles before resigning and becoming a staff member at a Family Burger restaurant.
At this restaurant, she is abused by the other employees. In one encounter, she accidentally summons the devil Chainsaw Man (one of the most powerful devils that is easily identified by his chainsaw-bladed arms and head) by calling for help. Chainsaw Man appears and instantly kills two employees before shouting for food from Kobeni.
She hastily prepares a meal but accidentally drops it, resulting in the decapitation of another employee by Chainsaw Man. Once again, Kobeni prepares a new meal but this time accidentally drops it onto Chainsaw Man, resulting in a fourth decapitation.
Finally, she manages to prepare a meal that Chainsaw Man consumes, after which he goes to buy her an ice cream. Once outside, Kobeni is confronted by Makima and tries in vain to claim her innocence regarding the murders. When Makima attacks Kobeni, Chainsaw Man intervenes, pushes her out of the way, and is pierced with Makima’s spear instead.
Kobeni then retreats to an underground safe house with Denji, who convinces her to never contact her family again. This is the final time we see Kobeni in the entire series, but we are quite sure that more about this hero and her unnamed devil is sure to be revealed in the upcoming manga.
What Is Kobeni’s Devil Contract?
In this series, people and Devil Hunters form a contract with devils, who lend them their power in times of need. Unlike most Devil Hunters or characters in this series, Kobeni never reveals the identity of her devil. Thus far, the only thing fans know about her devil is the following:
“I’m Kobeni Higashiyama. I’m 20. My devil is… a secret. My hobby is eating tasty things.”
The fact that Kobeni’s devil is a secret certainly draws a lot of interest. She is not a violent person, and from her special abilities in times of need, it becomes quite clear that she is contracted with a devil that has some form of agility or luck. In various chapters, she is seen dodging quick blows and quickly moving out of harm’s way.
Kobeni doesn’t enjoy much screen time, which is also why fans know so little about her power and devil. One thing is for sure, no one can wait for the release of the manga in which these secrets will finally be revealed.
Final Thoughts
Kobeni in Chainsaw Man might not be the bravest character ever portrayed in the manga, but her actions and decisions certainly are more realistic and closer to human nature than the average hero.
The fact that her devil contract hasn’t been revealed raises quite a few questions and makes many fans believe that much more is to come from this character, especially because she has keen abilities that rise to the surface whenever she is threatened.
We hope that you enjoyed this guide and that it helped you find out more about the manga icon Kobeni Higashiyama. If you also want to take a peek under the surface of other heroic characters or villains, then you should take a look at some of the other content we have on Comic Bento.
On this site, we are constantly sharing new information and juicy backstories on all your favorite heroes and villains from your favorite comics and anime.
