Does Makima Return In 'Chainsaw Man, Vol. 17'?

I just finished reading 'Chainsaw Man, Vol. 17' and the whole Makima situation left me with mixed feelings. Without spoiling too much, her presence in this volume is handled in a way that's both surprising and fitting for the story's chaotic vibe. The way Tatsuki Fujimoto plays with expectations is masterful—just when you think you've figured out the rules of the 'Chainsaw Man' universe, he flips the script. Makima's influence lingers in unexpected ways, affecting character dynamics and power struggles even when she isn't physically present on the page. The volume explores the aftermath of her actions, showing how deeply she manipulated events and people. Some scenes made me re-examine earlier volumes for clues I might have missed.

What's fascinating is how Fujimoto uses visual storytelling to hint at her legacy. There are panels where shadows fall just right, or where characters react to something off-screen, that made me wonder if we were seeing echoes of her control. The art style shifts slightly during these moments, becoming more unsettling. Power balances between devil hunters shift dramatically in this volume, and much of it ties back to the power vacuum Makima left behind. New threats emerge that feel connected to her schemes, like dominoes continuing to fall long after the first push. It's less about whether she appears and more about how her presence reshaped the world.

Makima's role in 'Chainsaw Man, Vol. 17' surprised me. The story takes a different direction, focusing on consequences rather than direct reappearances. Fujimoto cleverly uses symbolism—red strings, puppet imagery, that eerie smile—to keep her essence alive in readers' minds without relying on cheap comebacks. Other characters reference her in ways that show how traumatic her control was, which I found more effective than a physical return. The volume introduces new threats that feel like natural extensions of her machinations, like the world is still unraveling the knots she tied.