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Author and illustrator Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man has been one of the most popular manga series in recent years. Published under Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, it is a non-stop, fever-dream-like rush of action, ultraviolence, and surprisingly deep lore and character development.
While the latter two points are certainly surprising, they no doubt take a backseat to the twisted, high-octane action which comes from Fujimoto’s mind. They may be too over-the-top for some readers, but fans of Fujimoto’s previous work or of any similar works will absolutely love Chainsaw Man.
Even those unfamiliar with Fujimoto’s past works or any series in a similar vein should give Chainsaw Man a try.
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Fantastic plot, deep characters, and an engaging world are but a few of Chainsaw Man’s top points
The world, setting, and plot
Chainsaw Man's world is set on Earth, but in an alternate version where the fears of humanity are represented by and feed the power of Devils. These can represent anything, from primal fears such as being afraid of the dark and hell to being scared of guns and other tangible objects and concepts.
Thus, circumstances have given rise to a profession known as being a Devil Hunter, either in the private sector or as a Public Safety agent for the government. The story is set in Tokyo, Japan, and follows Denji and Pochita, a Devil and human who work together under a contract the two have made.
The two start out as private sector Devil Hunters in the series, before eventually being discovered by members of the Tokyo Special Division 4 Devil Hunting group. The government-affiliated organization subsequently recruits Denji and Pochita, who merge into one being with the former’s body hosting shortly after their introduction.
The series then follows them as they work for Tokyo Special Division 4 and make many friends along the way, all of whom feel so unique and deep despite the series’ short length thus far. Highlights include Aki Hayakawa, Power, Denji, Pochita, Makima (the leader of Tokyo Special Division 4), and Kishibe, a veteran Devil Hunter who eventually takes Denji under his wing.
The world, setting, and plot of the series all work together in perfect harmony, masterfully creating a world that feels so large despite the series rarely departing from Tokyo. Antagonists also play a key role here, with many of the series’ Devils feeling just as unique and developed as the heroes and main characters are.
Conversely, and seemingly purposeful in creating a dichotomy, there are also many Devils who are purposefully left mysterious and undeveloped.
It’s an incredibly interesting world which sees humans and some Devils work together to fight against other Devils, who seem to despise humanity and Chainsaw Man (Denji and Pochita) in particular.
The characters
As touched on above, Chainsaw Man has an incredibly unique yet deep way of developing its characters and establishing their main traits. Denji starts out with very simple desires, merely wanting to eat good quality meat and have a physical relationship, clearly desiring quick-fixes to his less-than-ideal life.
However, as the series progresses, it becomes clear that he’s truly emotionally damaged, and yearns to love and be loved by someone. In an incredible choice by Fujimoto, there is a character in the series who falsely gives him what he wants, with Denji eventually realizing this insincerity and having to deal with it.
Denji also has incredibly real baggage and fears, such as his relationship with his late father and the fear of becoming emotionless after becoming Chainsaw Man one too many times.
While Denji is no doubt a character highlight for the series, he’s far from being the only developed person in the series. A girl by the name of Reze receives similar levels of characterisation, even intertwining her development with Denji’s at some point during their relationship.
Other Devil Hunters also get their due, such as Aki Hayakawa — who became a fan-favorite after Fujimoto revealed his backstory in the latter half of the series thus far. Makima is arguably just as well-developed as Denji also, especially as she progresses through the latter third of the released series thus far.
Artwork and writing
Two incredibly important aspects of any manga series which have yet to be touched on are the artwork and writing, both of which Fujimoto excels at within Chainsaw Man.
The writing of every character is absolutely stellar, with each individual having clear and distinct personality traits, goals, motivations, and more. No two characters feel alike in the series, which is an exceptional achievement for a manga so clearly action-packed and oriented.
Furthermore, each character arc feels well-planned out and pre-conceptualized, rather than feeling like choices were made on the fly as the series progresses.
As with his previous works, Fujimoto’s artwork is absolutely amazing within the series. In a way very similar to what the late, great Kentaro Miura did with dark fantasy via Berserk, Fujimoto seems to be doing the same with ultraviolence action via Chainsaw Man.
There’s a scene where a Chainsaw Man-form Denji rides a Shark Devil with a demonic appearance, and it's every bit as amazing to see as it sounds silly to hear.
While MAPPA Studios’ anime adaptation of the series will no doubt make the scene even better, there’s something to be said for experiencing it with Fujimoto’s art style. The crisp, exceptional detail and linework seems to perfectly harmonize with the absurdity and chaos of the scene, despite the two being dichotomous in concept.
Lore
Finally, the series’ lore seems incredibly promising and well thought out for fans who prioritize world-building and history above all else. In the final chapters of Chainsaw Man’s first part, Fujimoto teases an ancient, massive war between Pochita (the Chainsaw Devil) and the Four Horsemen and Weapon Devils.
The former group has been teased to likely, and eventually, play a major role in the series, potentially serving as its overarching antagonists. While this remains to be seen, it’s clear that there’s so much of this wonderful world Fujimoto has left to show to readers, and with such a promising start, it’s hard to believe the end result will be anything but extraordinary.
There also seems to be a deep-seated history in the relationship that Chainsaw Man has with other Devils, mainly via a certain effect that the former’s victory has on them. It makes for an incredibly interesting and engaging relationship between the titular hero and Devilkind, one which will likely be further expanded upon with the series’ imminent return.
Be sure to keep up with all Chainsaw Man anime and manga news, as well as general anime, manga, film, and live-action news, as 2022 progresses.
