First published in Shonen Jump in 2018, Chainsaw Man is one of the most hyped shonen of all time. The series was written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto, combining romance, comedy, and movie references.
There are nine Chainsaw Man arcs in the ongoing manga, four of which have been adapted into one of the best anime on Crunchyroll. The first eight arcs of the manga’s original two-year run are grouped together as the Public Safety Saga. Part 2, the Academy Saga, is well underway in its second arc. The manga is published in English digitally and in print by Viz Media.
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Chainsaw Man.
8. Introduction (Zombie Devil)
While there aren’t any bad arcs of Chainsaw Man, there are arcs with more and less Power, and the Introduction arc has zero Power. This Power-less arc takes place in Chapter 1 of the manga and episode 1 of the anime. Characterized by Denji’s transformation into the titular human-devil hybrid during his battle with the Zombie Devil, the Introduction arc throws readers into the world of devils, hunters, and horny teenagers.
After catching us up on Denji’s terrible, debt-ridden life, Fujimoto takes everything away from Denji — his best friend, the canine-like Chainsaw Devil he named Pochita. But Pochita offers his heart to Denji so the boy can finally try to live out his dreams in a new life, something the mysterious Makima of the Public Safety Division comes to offer him.
7. Justice Devil
Returning from a two-year hiatus in Chapter 124, Fujimoto surprised audiences with a new main character in Asa Mitaka. The shy, self-defeating girl has been read as very relatable. And the mangaka has been equally unforgiving of the teen girl, who has made a pact with the War Devil in an attempt to take revenge on the now-famous Chainsaw Man. As readers, we’re starting to see the new parts of the devilish cosmology Fujimoto has drawn from in his worldbuilding for the series, and there’s sure to be a lot more hurt in store for both Asa and Denji ahead.
6. Bomb Girl
The Bomb Girl arc finally starts to reveal Chainsaw Man’s complicated relationship with sexuality and the series’ larger themes of friendships, relationships, and manipulation. Debuting in Chapter 40 of the manga, Bomb Girl is also the basis of the Chainsaw Man film. Featuring the iconic character design of the devil-human hybrid Reze, Denji is thrust into another battle for his life by a girl who pretends to like him only to get close enough to kill him.
5. Eternity Devil
The Eternity Devil arc is our first glimpse of the true scope of power Devils can hold and of the mind-bending nature of their existence. Its debut in Chapter 14 of the manga and episode 5 of the anime hints at the grand things Fujimoto is cooking up with the series. As Power, Denji, Aki, Himeno, Kobeni, and Arai try to escape the Eternity Devil, it takes the form of an endless hotel a la The Shining. The solution, all thanks to Power, is for Denji to create a perpetual motion machine out of chainsaws and blood, fueling an endless cycle of pain that makes the Eternity Devil eventually give up and free its captives.
4. Bat Devil
The Bat Devil arc in Chapter 6 of the manga and episode 3 of the anime could be ranked number one just for its focus on Meowy, the adopted stray cat of Chainsaw Man’s best girl, Power. Power is a fiend or devil that has taken over a human corpse, working with Public Safety despite her misanthropy. Power is innocent, a feared warrior, a Nobel Prize winner, and the President if you ask her. And when the Bat Devil captures her pet cat as a hostage, she’ll do anything to get him back. Such as sacrificing the annoying boy she’s assigned to work with who just so happens to be our main character.
3. Katana Man
The Katana Man arc does much with the series’ worldbuilding when it debuts in Chapter 23 of the manga. As featured in episode 8 of the anime, the arc introduces us to the expanded Special Division 4. The society is a collection of fiends, devils, and powerful hunters Aki must wrangle together to fight devils and hunt for the Gun Devil.
But, the Gun Devil is not idly waiting for Public Safety to find him. He sends humans with powerful contracts and mysterious hybrids after the Chainsaw Man’s Heart. The arc also features one of the most stunning moments from the series when Special Division 4 comes under a coordinated assault and loses Himeno. Meanwhile, Makima’s mysteries only continue to grow.
2. International Assassins
The International Assassins arc is a fan favorite for its action and many new characters. The manga debuts the swordswoman and lesbian icon Quanxi in Chapter 53, spanning until Chapter 70. With her harem of devils and fiends, she joins the hunt for Denji in Japan as international tensions heat up.
And everyone goes to Hell—literally. The arc features the grandiose appearance of the iconic Darkness Devil, whose memories linger in the minds of the surviving cast and terrify devils to no end. But even the Darkness Devil must contend with Makima’s mysterious powers.
1. Gun Devil
The Gun Devil arcs see Makima’s machinations finally come to fruition in Chapters 71 — 79. The Gun Devil’s presence is felt early on in the anime but hasn’t come to full fruition yet. Nothing is off-limits to Fujimoto, who manages to pull off one of the most heart-wrenching, tear-jerking final battles in the pages of Shonen Jump. The iconic snowball fight features the death of Aki and the arc tears into the traumatic ramifications for our few surviving characters.
Control Devil
The one where Power dies. The truth of Makima is revealed to Denji, who makes a final desperate bid to fight for his survival and make a meaningful life on his own terms. Makima has been a consistent character throughout all chapters and episodes, but her true identity only comes out later.
The secretive femme fatale is revealed as the Control Devil, who has orchestrated everything in the series to hurt Denji and defeat the Chainsaw Man. It’s not for pure evil, of course. She’s really his biggest fan and wants to use the Chainsaw Devil’s unique powers to erase Devils from history to reshape the world. Every chapter is a big-brain moment for Denji, who ends Part 1 of the series on a full belly.
Published: Jan 31, 2024 04:13 am