“Chainsaw Man”: The Embodiment Of Unpredictability

The world of “Chainsaw Man” is much like our own on the surface but is home to endless horrors and dangers in the form of devils, a physical manifestation of people's fear. The stronger the fear the stronger the devil, with some of the most dangerous being darkness, aging, war, and death. Denji, our main character, is someone on the fringes of society so deprived of basic human needs he has more in common with an animal than his fellow man. Yet despite it all, he keeps a somewhat positive attitude despite the horrific things that happen to him. He frequently battles devils wreaking havoc on the world all in the hopes of being able to live a normal life in the end. 

To even try to comprehend “Chainsaw Man” we need to discuss its creator Tatsuki Fujimoto. If there was ever a rulebook for storytelling, Fujimoto threw it out the second he put pen to paper. The last thing his stories can be called is predictable, but he’s never just throwing random things at the wall to see what sticks. His ideas and characters are all over the place but he is able to skillfully put all these pieces in order to make something truly unpredictable yet cohesive.        

On the surface, it is a crass bloody romp about a dude who can turn his arms into chainsaws to fight demons. It could be just that simple premise and probably do fine, but it would not have much longevity. Thankfully, it goes a step further with its themes and character writing. The series boasts a large cast of compelling characters who have varying amounts of tragedy looming over their heads. Most of the characters despise each other yet have to work together in these life-or-death scenarios. The interplay between the cast is relentlessly entertaining as some relationships become heartfelt while others can become devastating. 

Fujimoto’s storytelling and character writing are top-notch, but manga is a visual medium and thankfully his artwork is also top-tier. Fujimoto has masterful control over his illustrations.   He brings the same level of artistry to a small character moment or a large-scale fight. Fujimoto has a love for cinema that can be seen through his manga paneling and art which evoke a cinematic look. 

Thematically the series is quite dense as many characters serve as viewpoints for topics, like unhealthy power dynamics and the value of human life. Denji himself is a deconstruction of the traditional Shonen manga protagonist. Most manga protagonists have grand aspirations and dreams while Denji simply wants a normal life. “Chainsaw Man” is the kind of story where a character's life can be cut short at the drop of a hat, therefore a normal life is the best kind of life. In the end it shows that no matter what the dream, big or small, it should always be fought for.