‘Chainsaw Man’ Carves Up a Great and Gory Time
Since its original English debut in October 2020, I’ve become a devoted reader and fan of Tatsuki’s Fujimoto’s horror manga Chainsaw Man. The award-winning series made quite the splash when it first premiered in Weekly Shonen Jump in December 2018. Since then it’s gained quite a solid and passionate fanbase. What could have been a simple one-note series based on the name alone instead has a lot more on its blade. Simply put, the series stands as one of my favorite current manga series. It’s also one that appeals to horror fans regardless of their relationship to manga.
A teenage boy named Denji works as a small-time devil hunter to pay off his late father’s debt to the Yakuza. By his side is a friendly devil, a dog-like creature with a chainsaw in his face named Pochita. Bare scraping by, Denji dreams of having enough money for actual money and hopes to date a girl. You know, typical teenager stuff. Yet, after being betrayed by the Yakuza and left to die with a pack of zombies, Denji makes a pact with Pochita. He’ll give Denji his chainsaw powers in return for showing his dreams. This turns Denji into the titular Chainsaw Man, a human-devil hybrid.
After quickly slaughtering the monsters, Makima, the leader of the Public Safety Division, has him join her team of government-sponsored devil hunters. She promises him food, a place to sleep, and the possibility of dating her. On the team, he is joined by a fiend named Power and another hunter named Aki Hayakawa as they kill a variety of devils and fiends.
Fujimoto’s artistic talents immediately draw one’s eyes to the series. Specifically, his talent for depicting graphic and gory fight scenes helps craft the manga’s identity. His approach to defining the fights and aftermath made me latch onto the series. The horrific violence contrasts the more goofy comedy elements of the story, which allow the battles to pack a much more potent punch. Similarly, the excessive nature of the gore feels in line with the horror tone. That’s mainly due to the ghastly nature of the devils. The devils are not afraid to tear off human limbs or heads and kill them in gruesome ways. One’s mileage may vary on the gore and violence. But it never felt like it came out of nowhere or appeared unnecessary.
Besides his strengths as an artist, Fujimoto’s talents as a writer contribute to the appeal of the manga. The worldbuilding of Chainsaw Man feels wholly unique as he lays out the impact of devils and fiends across the world and how each country has responded. While the series initially starts in Japan, he pulls the curtain back and shows the much broader nature of the world. The public devil hunters Denji works for feel fully fleshed out, including their role within the setting and the government. In addition, each devil genuinely stands apart and does not feel derivative. Whether it is the Zombie Devil, Angel Devil, or the Gun Devil, their thematic designs and aesthetics all align with the series.
Even though horror lies at the center, humor plays a large part in its appeal. The story has a goofiness because the over-the-top elements contrast with the average slice of life. Fujimoto understands the comedy of Denji. He’s a teen with specific wants and desires, but he’s also a devil-human hybrid. Denji does not realize what everyday teenage life is like and believes that he has one as a public devil hunter. Power also gets some fantastic comedic moments due to her outspoken personality and not understanding how humans operate. The humor reminds me a lot of Sam Raimi and his specific stylings. It might not be for high-brow jokes, but they land and hit hard.
Despite its bloody horror shell, Chainsaw Man has a broken beating heart. As cliched as it is to call specific media about broken people, the manga has that theme on its mind and excels. Simply put, Denji, Power, and Aki are tools to be utilized by the Devil Hunting squad, and that’s it. Fujimoto has compassion for these characters and how they navigate their specific circumstances. Even though Denji can regrow his body parts, he still feels the pain of each attack. Denji and others are outcasts who have no one else but themselves in many ways. Although they may not enjoy each other’s company, they begin together and form a unit.
I cannot think of a better manga for horror fans to get into than Chainsaw Man. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre and unique takes on horror comedy. With the anime arriving later this year and part two recently dropping, now is the perfect time to read it. I guarantee you will rip and tear through the story with garish delight.
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