**This post contains spoilers for Chainsaw Man manga and anime.**
Whenever a series focuses more on a side character, it should be understood that it's time for their farewell, and Chainsaw Man is no different. The previous few episodes of Chainsaw Man focused on Himeno too much. Moreover, when we are talking about a series by Tatsuki Fujimoto, fans should be prepared for an unexpected turn in the events and sudden deaths of the major characters.
Himeno was introduced to us as a charming and beautiful young lady who works alongside Aki Hayakawa. She is known to take bizarre approaches to motivate her teammates to get the job done perfectly. Chainsaw Man usually introduces us to selfish and self-centered characters who can reach any lengths to survive, but unlike them, Himeno truly cares for her teammates, especially Aki. That's the reason why the fans quickly connected with her, and now they are wondering if she is dead.
What Happened In The Recent Episode?
Episode 8 of Chainsaw Man was unpredictable. No one ever thought it would raise the stakes for every main character. While Makima is heading for a meeting with one of her companions, Power, Denji, Aki, and Himeno are having lunch at a restaurant. Suddenly, a few people on the train take out their guns and shoot Makima and her teammate in their heads. At the same time, Kobeni and Arai are attacked by an old woman, and Katana Man shoots Denji in the head while Himeno gets shot in the chest.
An intense battle between Aki and Katana Man starts after that, in which Aki uses the power of Curse Devil to inflict damage. He successfully activates the curse by stabbing the Katana Man three times, after which the latter falls to the ground, and it seems like he is gone for good. But he is saved by his companion, Akane Sawatari, after which Katana Man is able to injure Aki severely.
To save Aki from being killed, Himeno summons the Ghost Devil and makes a deal with it to lend her its full power and take her full body in return. The Ghost Devil accepts Himeno's offer and starts attacking the Katana Man. As soon as the Ghost Devil is about to kill Katana Man, Akane summons the Snake Devil and kills the Ghost Devil. Aki notices that Himeno is gone, and only her clothes are left behind.
Is Himeno Really Dead?
Yes, Himeno is dead, and there's no chance that she is coming back. Just like she lost her right eye permanently after making a deal with the Ghost Devil, this time, she made a deal for her whole body, and as a result, she is gone. Now, you must be thinking, why Himeno went to such an extent to save Aki? Well, the reason is simple -- she loved Aki Hayakawa and wanted to save him at all costs. This is evident both from the recent episode and Chainsaw Man manga. Himeno asked Denji to set her with Aki, and in return, she would help him get along with Makima. There are many similar incidents that show how much Himeno cared for Aki.
Aki also loved Himeno, but it wasn't until her death that he realized how he felt for her. He was traumatized for a long time and wasn't able to forget about the sacrifice she made for him. But with time, Aki starts regaining his focus on killing the Gun Devil and taking his revenge.