It felt like Fujimoto massively underestimated how much a child dying indirectly because of you would fuck even the most hardened of men up. He made the effects of Nayuta's death on Denji like she was an adult Denji was friendly with, not a kid.

In a better-written story, Nayuta's murder would be a massive game changer for Denji's character. Having a child that he cared about dying because he wanted to be a hedonistic superhero should've not only broken him, but also caused him to re-examine everything about himself and his way of thinking.