Chainsaw Man

Chainsaw Man (Japanese: チェンソーマン, Hepburn: Chensō Man) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto. It has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since December 2018. Its individual chapters have been collected into eight tankōbon volumes as of August 2020.

Chainsaw Man
Cover for the first volume of the manga.
チェンソーマン
(Chensō Man)
GenreAction,[1] dark fantasy[2]
Manga
Written byTatsuki Fujimoto
Published byShueisha
English publisher
ImprintJump Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Jump
DemographicShōnen
Original runDecember 3, 2018 – present
Volumes8

In North America, Viz Media licensed the manga for an English language release. The first volume will be published in October 2020.

Plot

The story is set in a world where Devils cause harm to humans, which makes them a target for extermination. Denji is a young, depressed man who has sold several of his organs and works as a tree cutter and devil hunter to pay back his deceased father's debt to loan sharks (yakuza). Denji owns a dog (that is also a devil) called Pochita, that has the characteristic features of a chainsaw and is used by Denji as such for his work. Humans can make deals (contracts) with devils. After returning home from killing a tomato devil, Denji gets called by the Yakuza to go into a building to kill another devil, However, as it turns out, the Yakuza called Denji to allow a zombie devil to kill Denji, and in return, the zombie devil would give the yakuza more power, which would let them make more money. After Denji is killed and Pochita is severely injured by said devil, Pochita merges with Denji (because of a deal Denji made with Pochita when they first met), and as a result Denji's wounds heal and he gets revived as a half-human, half-devil, acquiring Pochita's chainsaw ability. Denji then uses the ability to kill the zombie devil that initially killed him. After killing the devil, a team of governmental devil hunters arrives on the scene, and after discovering that the devil was already killed by Denji, one of its members persuades Denji to become part of the governmental devil hunting organization the team belongs to.

Characters
Denji (デンジ, Denji)
Denji is a young man (self-proclaim 16 years old) with blond, scruffy hair. He has sharp yellowish-brown eyes with bags underneath and sharp teeth to match. As a young boy, he inherits his father's debts from the Yakuza. After meeting Pochita, he becomes a Devil Hunter for the Yakuza in an attempt to clear his debt. After the Yakuza, which were under the control of a Devil, betray him, he dies and Pochita becomes his heart. He can now become the Chainsaw Devil by pulling the cord on his chest. After meeting Makima, he became a Public Safety Devil Hunter.
Makima (マキマ, Makima)
Makima is a beautiful woman who appears to be in her twenties. She is a Public Safety Devil Hunter, who took Denji as her human pet. Makima is cunning and manipulative. She controls Denji with promises of a romantic and sexual relationship while threatening him with extermination if he disobeys her. Her current goals are still unknown and her allegiance to humanity is somewhat ambiguous. She is later revealed to be the Control Devil which embodies the fear of control.
Aki Hayakawa (早川アキ, Hayakawa Aki)
Aki Hayakawa is a Public Safety Devil Hunter, working under Makima's special squad. He has a contract with the Curse Devil and Future Devil, and a former contract with the Fox Devil. Aki has been shown many times to be a very stoic person. He acts mature and dependable when he's with his fellow Devil hunters, but the man is very soft whenever he's alone. He actually cares about Denji and Power and see both of them as a dear friend and willing to sacrifice himself for them. He was killed and possessed by the Gun Devil, thus became the Gun Fiend.
Power (パワー, Pawā)
Power is a Blood Fiend and a Public Safety Devil Hunter who is part of Makima's special squad. Power looks like a young woman with pinkish hair that reaches down to her mid-back. As a fiend, she has light red horns protruding from the top of her head. Power is childish, greedy, and almost entirely self-motivated. Power cares deeply for her cat, Meowy, which at one point she was willing to sacrifice Denji's life to save him from the Bat Devil.

Publication

Chainsaw Man is written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Fujimoto is known for his other manga work Fire Punch. The series started in the first 2019 issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine published on December 3, 2018.[3][4] Shueisha has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on March 4, 2019.[5] As of August 4, 2020, eight volumes have been released.[6]

In North America, Viz Media published the first three chapters on Weekly Shonen Jump digital magazine for its "Jump Start" initiative.[1] New chapters are currently published in Shonen Jump digital platform after the cancellation of Weekly Shonen Jump.[7] Shueisha also simulpublish in English the series on the app and website Manga Plus since January 2019.[8] In February 2020, Viz Media announced the digital and print release of the manga.[9] The first volume will be released on October 6, 2020.[10]

Volume list
No.Japanese release dateJapanese ISBNEnglish release dateEnglish ISBN
01 March 4, 2019[5]978-4-08-881780-4October 6, 2020[10]978-1-9747-0993-9
  1. "Dog & Chainsaw" (犬とチェンソー, Inu to Chensō)
  2. "The Place Where Pochita Is" (ポチタの行方, Pochita no Yukue)
  3. "Arrival in Tokyo" (東京到着, Tōkyō Tōchaku)
  4. "Power" (力 (パワー), Pawā)
  5. "A Way to Touch Some Boobs" (胸を揉む方法, Mune o Momu Hōhō)
  6. "Service" (使役, Shieki)
  7. "Meowy's Whereabouts" (ニャーコの行方, Nyāko no Yukue)
02 May 2, 2019[11]978-4-08-881831-3——
  1. "Chainsaw vs. Bat" (チェンソーVSコウモリ, Chensō VS Kōmori)
  2. "Rescue" (救出, Kyūshutsu)
  3. "Kon" (コン)
  4. "Compromise" (妥協, Dakyō)
  5. "Squeeze" (揉む, Momu)
  6. "Gun Devil" (銃の悪魔, Jū no Akuma)
  7. "French Kiss" (エロキス, Ero Kisu)
  8. "Endless 8th Floor" (エンドレス8階, Endoresu 8-kai)
  9. "First Taste" (はじめての味, Hajimete no Aji)
03 August 2, 2019[12]978-4-08-882016-3——
  1. "Kill Denji" (デンジを殺せ, Denji o Korose)
  2. "Chainsaw vs. Eternity" (チェンソーVS永遠, Chensō VS Eien)
  3. "Nobel Prize" (ノーベル賞, Nōberu-shō)
  4. "Drinking" (飲み, Nomi)
  5. "Taste of a Kiss" (キスのお味, Kisu no Oaji)
  6. "Cola-Flavor Chupa Chups" (チュッパチャプス コーラ味, Chuppa Chapusu Kōra Aji)
  7. "Gunfire" (銃声, Jūsei)
  8. "Curse" (呪い, Noroi)
  9. "Ghost, Snake, Chainsaw" (ゴースト・ヘビ・チェンソー, Gōsuto・Hebi・Chensō)
04 October 4, 2019[13]978-4-08-882075-0——
  1. "The Gun is Mightier" (銃は強し, Jū wa Tsuyoshi)
  2. "From Kyoto" (京都より, Kyōto Yori)
  3. "Secrets & Lies" (秘密と嘘, Himitsu to Uso)
  4. "Perfect Score" (100点満点, 100-ten Manten)
  5. "Bruised & Battered" (もっとボロボロ, Motto Boroboro)
  6. "The Future Rules" (未来最高, Mirai Saikō)
  7. "Over and Over Again" (繰り返し繰り返し, Kurikaeshi Kurikaeshi)
  8. "Mission Start" (作戦開始, Sakusen Kaishi)
  9. "Full Team" (全員集合, Zenin Shūgō)
05 January 4, 2020[14]978-4-08-882171-9——
  1. "Minor" (末成年, Miseinen)
  2. "Katana vs. Chainsaw" (日本刀VSチェンソー, Nihontō VS Chensō)
  3. "Train, Head, Chainsaw" (電車・頭・チェンソー, Densha・Atama・Chensō)
  4. "Easy Revenge!" (気楽に復讐を!, Kiraku ni Fukushū o!)
  5. "Tearjerker" (きっと泣く, Kitto Naku)
  6. "Love, Flower, Chainsaw" (恋・花・チェンソー, Koi・Hana・Chensō)
  7. "Before the Storm" (嵐の前, Arashi no Mae)
  8. "Teach Me How to Swim" (泳ぎ方を教えて, Oyogikata o Oshiete)
  9. "Jane Fell Asleep in the Church" (ジェーンは教会で眠った, Jēn wa Kyōkai de Nemutta)
06 March 4, 2020[15]978-4-08-882224-2——
  1. "BOOM BOOM BOOM" (バン バン バン, Ban Ban Ban)
  2. "A Fine Day for Explosions" (爆発日和, Bakuhatsu Biyori)
  3. "Massacre Melody (皆殺しのメロディ, Minagoroshi no Merodi)
  4. "Luck with Women" (女運, Onna Un)
  5. "KABOOM KABOOM KABOOM" (ボンボンボン, Bon Bon Bon)
  6. "Shark Hurricane" (サメハリケーン, Same Harikēn)
  7. "Sharknado" (シャークネード, Shākunēdo)
  8. "Dark Diving" (ダークダイビング, Dāku Daibingu)
  9. "Lost Love, Flower, Chainsaw" (失恋・花・チェンソー, Shitsuren・Hana・Chensō)
07 June 4, 2020[16]978-4-08-882328-7——
08 August 4, 2020[6]978-4-08-882376-8——

Reception

As of August 2020, the manga had over 3 million copies in circulation.[17] The series ranked #4 on Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list of best manga of 2019 for male readers.[18] In 2019, Chainsaw Man was one of the winners of the 5th Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Award in the Print category.[19] The manga was nominated for the 13th Manga Taishō award in 2020.[20] It ranked #2 on the "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2020".[21] The series ranked #10 in a poll conducted by AnimeJapan of "Most Wanted Anime Adaptation".[22]

References
  1. Ressler, Karen (November 26, 2018). "Viz's Shonen Jump to Preview Chainsaw Man by Fire Punch's Fujimoto". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  2. 藤本タツキの新連載『チェンソーマン』が初回からグロ描写！ 「週刊少年ジャンプ」的に大丈夫!?. Excite Japan (in Japanese). December 3, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  3. Ressler, Karen (November 25, 2018). "Shonen Jump Magazine Launches 3 New Manga in December". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  4. 「ファイアパンチ」の藤本タツキが描くダークヒーロー譚、ジャンプで始動. Natalie (in Japanese). December 3, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  5. チェンソーマン 1 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  6. チェンソーマン 8 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  7. Ressler, Karen (December 10, 2018). "Viz's Shonen Jump Adds Haikyu!!, Demon Slayer, More to Simulpublishing Lineup". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  8. Morrissy, Kim (January 27, 2019). "Everything You Need to Know about MANGA Plus by Shueisha". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  9. Sherman, Jennifer (February 14, 2020). "Viz Licenses Remina, Moriarty the Patriot, Fly Me to the Moon, More Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 14, 2020.
  10. "Chainsaw Man, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  11. チェンソーマン 2 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  12. チェンソーマン 3 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  13. チェンソーマン 4 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  14. チェンソーマン 5 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  15. チェンソーマン 6 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  16. チェンソーマン 7 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  17. 「チェンソーマン」300万部突破、藤本タツキからのコメント＆イラストも. Natalie (in Japanese). August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  18. Rafael Antonio Pineda (December 11, 2019). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Editors Unveil 2020 Rankings". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  19. Loveridge, Lynzee (August 22, 2019). "SPY × FAMILY, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Win Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Award 2019". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
  20. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 19, 2020). "13th Manga Taisho Awards Nominate 12 Titles". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  21. Mateo, Alex (February 1, 2020). "Japanese Bookstores Recommend 15 Top Manga for 2020". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 7, 2020.
  22. Loveridge, Lynzee (March 24, 2020). "180,000 Manga Readers Vote for Their Most Wanted Anime Adaptation". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
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