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チェンソーマン [Chainsaw Man] #1-11
Chainsaw Man Box Set
Broke young man + chainsaw demon = Chainsaw Man!
Denji was a small-time devil hunter just trying to survive in a harsh world. After being killed on a job, he is revived by his pet devil Pochita and becomes something new and dangerous—Chainsaw Man!
The rip-roaring first arc of Chainsaw Man, all in one jaw-dropping box set! This box set contains the first 11 volumes of the global hit Chainsaw Man as well as an exclusive double-sided full-color poster.
Denji was a small-time devil hunter just trying to survive in a harsh world. After being killed on a job, he is revived by his pet devil Pochita and becomes something new and dangerous—Chainsaw Man!
The rip-roaring first arc of Chainsaw Man, all in one jaw-dropping box set! This box set contains the first 11 volumes of the global hit Chainsaw Man as well as an exclusive double-sided full-color poster.
2112 pages, Paperback
Published September 26, 2023
18 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 16, 2025
El primer arco de Chainsaw Man que abarca sus primeros 11 volúmenes, se nos presenta la Public Safety y cómo Denji da con esta sociedad. Es una historia que va sobrecargándose tras cada volumen hasta varios clímax que desatan la verdadera trama. La presentación del mundo de los demonios, contratos, poseídos y todo su universo es muy atractivo, así como sus reglas para los enfrentamientos y peleas que personalmente no se disfrutan por la complejidad, sino por sus motivaciones; por eso lo que mejor ejecuta Chainsaw Man, es el orgánico desarrollo de sus personajes; a pesar de ser un manga muy violento, se da respiros para ver a los personajes dudar, cuestionarse, replantearse cada acción, y mostrar en el subtexto cuestiones muy reales en cuestión a la infancia, el abandono, y eso consigue humanizarlos a pesar de lo histriónico y estrafalario de los contextos del universo Chainsaw Man. Tiene paneles y diálogos que caen como un balde de agua fría, y a la siguiente escena ya están bromeando sobre la comida o alguna broma sexual innecesaria, y a la siguiente un plano sobre la soledad, la angustia y la tiranía humana. Bastante crudos ciertos saltos y aceleradores de la trama, que terminan teniendo sentido tras algunas retrospectivas presentes desde el primer capitulo, y que conducen a la redención de varios de nuestros personajes favoritos, en mi caso Aki, quien tiene mejor planting y contradicciones.
En resumen es una obra que se tiene que juzgar desde su final, cuando muchos arcos se terminan cerrando, aunque al principio es atrapante pero ligero, tiene escaladas muy bien ejecutadas, que le sacarán algún sobresalto a más de una persona.
En resumen es una obra que se tiene que juzgar desde su final, cuando muchos arcos se terminan cerrando, aunque al principio es atrapante pero ligero, tiene escaladas muy bien ejecutadas, que le sacarán algún sobresalto a más de una persona.
March 10, 2025
I really like eating sweets, but at the age where I should probably not eat them, I have developed a deal with myself: if I'm eating them, I'll eat the entire package in a single sitting. My thinking is: better to make myself sick one day a year (and let my body know that craving for sweets doesn't end well) than to be moderate and create a daily habit.
It turns out I read manga the same way.
Chainsaw man is a megapopular manga about monster hunters making deals with monsters to fight other monsters. So, Pokemon, basically. And I understand why this is popular: it has fast paced action, characters with unique powers, mass destruction, global conspiracies, not much explanation yet hints of complex mythology.
When I was a teenager, Evangelion was scratching that itch, but Chainsaw man is a bit less broody and much, much goofier: Fujimoto has no problem interrupting an emotional scene with complete idiocy just because he finds it funny. So even though we might not share the same sense of humour, I admire him for not taking his work too seriously.
It turns out I read manga the same way.
Chainsaw man is a megapopular manga about monster hunters making deals with monsters to fight other monsters. So, Pokemon, basically. And I understand why this is popular: it has fast paced action, characters with unique powers, mass destruction, global conspiracies, not much explanation yet hints of complex mythology.
When I was a teenager, Evangelion was scratching that itch, but Chainsaw man is a bit less broody and much, much goofier: Fujimoto has no problem interrupting an emotional scene with complete idiocy just because he finds it funny. So even though we might not share the same sense of humour, I admire him for not taking his work too seriously.
Read
August 1, 2024All encompassing for every chapter released as of this date (being chapter 172 currently.)
I was not expecting the level of psychology and emotion behind this story. The action and gore is served as a forefront, and Denji's deconstruction of the typical horniness inherent in anime by showing the trauma lack of proper parental affection can hurt someone socially. The way this is dived into, while his interactions intertwine with others traumas and the way they cope is handled in an amazing way. The story having so much emotional punch with it's fast pacing is impressive. There is so little filler, and this further makes the side stories in Buddy stories have so much emotional punch. Especially after catching up to the main story. Brutal action, brtual emotions, game changer to the anime/manga scene.
Fujimoto has crafted the best manga series of the 2010s. I don't see anything I could consider close to it other than Attack on Titan (cheating as that started September of 2009) Its so difficult reccomending this because it takes a few episodes before the psychological aspects begin, so you have the lovely quote from the second episode (or the chapters they are adapting)
"How come I struggle through all this pain, and just as much crap as everyone else, and I still haven't gotten to cop a damn feel yet." The way they make you care about an overly horny teenager, and the way he is emotionally gaslit, taken advantadge of, and his own traumas is just sublime, if you can get past the almost comedic and uncomfortable levels of attraction the protagonist feels emotionally and sexually. I hope some day this convinces someone on the edge of reading. One of my favorite quotes to end this off
" Do you know why people use drugs, tobacco, alcohol, or even all three, Aki? It's because some people are scared to die, but don't want to live either. It's typically seen in people with no control of their lives, and it gives them something tangible. Something they can rely on. The world is unpredictable and painful, in our industry, people like us, we're more likely to die before drugs, cigs, and alcohol ever could."
I was not expecting the level of psychology and emotion behind this story. The action and gore is served as a forefront, and Denji's deconstruction of the typical horniness inherent in anime by showing the trauma lack of proper parental affection can hurt someone socially. The way this is dived into, while his interactions intertwine with others traumas and the way they cope is handled in an amazing way. The story having so much emotional punch with it's fast pacing is impressive. There is so little filler, and this further makes the side stories in Buddy stories have so much emotional punch. Especially after catching up to the main story. Brutal action, brtual emotions, game changer to the anime/manga scene.
Fujimoto has crafted the best manga series of the 2010s. I don't see anything I could consider close to it other than Attack on Titan (cheating as that started September of 2009) Its so difficult reccomending this because it takes a few episodes before the psychological aspects begin, so you have the lovely quote from the second episode (or the chapters they are adapting)
"How come I struggle through all this pain, and just as much crap as everyone else, and I still haven't gotten to cop a damn feel yet." The way they make you care about an overly horny teenager, and the way he is emotionally gaslit, taken advantadge of, and his own traumas is just sublime, if you can get past the almost comedic and uncomfortable levels of attraction the protagonist feels emotionally and sexually. I hope some day this convinces someone on the edge of reading. One of my favorite quotes to end this off
" Do you know why people use drugs, tobacco, alcohol, or even all three, Aki? It's because some people are scared to die, but don't want to live either. It's typically seen in people with no control of their lives, and it gives them something tangible. Something they can rely on. The world is unpredictable and painful, in our industry, people like us, we're more likely to die before drugs, cigs, and alcohol ever could."
November 17, 2023
lets motherfucking go
August 23, 2024
When i find you fujimoto when i find you.
December 14, 2024
Great first arc in the series!! I wasn’t expecting all the symbolism and reflection of humanity, but it was beautifully interwoven while also being really funny.
August 26, 2025
Volumes 1-11 cover chapters 1-97 of Chainsaw Man, which constitutes the entire first major story arc that functions as its own beginning, middle and ending. It starts off as a silly action fantasy story with zany characters and absurd plots that don’t take itself too seriously, but it quickly evolves into a nightmarish, psychedelic horror fever dream that gets really dark, heavy and thrilling at times. The characters grow beyond their initial cliches and the overarching villain is really interesting and unique.
***
Volume 1
Demons are running wild all over the world and plenty of devil hunters are willing to put their necks on the line for a good sum of money. The Yakuza are no exception to this rule. Stuck with a massive debt as a child after losing his deadbeat dad and his mother from a terminal illness, a young boy named Denji has no choice but to enlist his service in the Yakuza faction of hired hunters to earn his keep on the streets because he was never taught a better way of living. His only companion in life is a demon dog with a chainsaw growing out of its head.
A ridiculous but dark and engaging start to a promising hit manga series. It manages to balance gritty horror stuff with absurd comedy and charming character interactions quite well. Its story is a little all over the place, but not necessarily in a bad way. It deals with some sensitive topics in a chaotically unconventional but easy to digest manner.
I think Denji is an interesting protagonist. He seems like a typical dopey teenage boy fixated on the idea of scoring with a beautiful girl, but there’s actually a lot more complexity to him than that. He spent his entire life raised by violent criminals and outcasted from society, meaning he has no education, no manners, and has never even had a single interaction with the opposite sex or a parental figure to give him proper guidance and affection. He’s essentially an unstable toddler in a young man’s body, struggling to figure out how to function like a normal human being while learning to comprehend the basic human emotions, desires and rights that most people take for granted. Making a blood-pact with a chainsaw demon dog that allows him to transform into a weapon of mass destruction doesn’t exactly make Denji’s life any more easy or normal either.
I like the support characters as well. Power is like Harley Quinn on cocaine. Makima is like a female version of Griffith from Berserk or Johan from Monster. Denji’s partner Aki is the brooding serious type which adds an interesting contrast between them. The action and monster designs are also very creative.
***
Volume 2
After learning the motivations behind Power's sudden betrayal during their hunt for the Bat Devil, Denji has to decide between forgiving her or bringing her to justice. After completing his previous devil hunting missions and ranking up in his business, Denji receives the reward he's been working for and allies himself with new bizarre companions. When his reward doesn't live up to his expectations, he struggles to find a new motivation to keep fighting.
Volume 2 of Chainsaw Man maintains the consistently ridiculous and whacky tone of the first volume, but adds a surprising amount of depth to the character interactions, the complexity behind their seemingly simplistic motivations and some interesting details about the current state of the world. I love the disturbingly chaotic friendship between Denji and Power. They're a couple of dangerously adorable goofballs when they're together. I love how they bond over their mutual affection for their animal companions that gave meaning to their solemn lives. Denji would do anything for his dog and Power would do anything for her cat.
The action scenes and monster designs continue to be great. I really like the aesthetic of people hunting disgusting monstrosities in fancy business suits. Everyone looks so smooth and stylish. I'm also surprised how many people seem to misinterpret Denji's motivations. I don't think they're meant to be taken at face value. He's clearly a traumatized child being emotionally manipulated by adults that should know better. I think it's a bit unfair to write him off as just a dumb horny teenager with stupid motivations.
***
Volume 3
Volume 3 wraps up the subplot of the last volume where the main demon hunting crew gets trapped in a haunted hotel and the only way to escape is to offer up Denji as a sacrifice to the Eternity Demon. The solution to the battle of endurance ends with an interesting conclusion. A conclusion that might bring the crew closer together in strange ways only to invite future disaster into their lives.
Volume 3 marks a good turning point for the series. It maintains the whacky comical vibe while introducing some darker elements into the story that isn’t afraid to make the characters pay for their mistakes with their lives. Overshadowed by the threat of countless demons on the loose is a conspiracy uprising going on in the background. An uprising that can bring more death and destruction than any regular old demon could ever dream of. This volume also changes up the simple motivations for some of the characters and puts further emphasis on the sacrifices they might have to make to accomplish the goals that are further out of reach than they thought.
I’m actually starting to feel sorry for Denji. He might be an annoying and shallow dope, but he’s clearly being strung along and emotionally blackmailed by the adults in his life. More and more people are leading him on and taking advantage of exploiting him. There’s a certain scene involving vomit in this volume that definitely made me feel bad for him.
Things are going in a darker direction and I’m ready for it.
***
Volume 4
After facing severe casualties and crippling injuries, Denji’s team realize how outmatched they are by the gang of mysterious assassins aiming to steal the demon within Denji's heart. Makima calls in a new wave of devil hunters for backup and places the main trio under intensive training. Denji and Power take lessons on tactical teamwork while Aki seeks strength from more sinister sources.
I really like the direction the story is taking in this one. There’s political warfare between gangs from several countries plotting against each other from behind the scenes. The motives and personalities of the protagonists have matured beyond their simplistic origins. Makima is also shaping up to be a badass character that manages to be extremely cunning and intimidating in every scene she appears in. She's really rocking the terrifying genius lady with supernatural powers in a fancy business suit vibes.
Denji and Power’s chaotic duo energy continues to be a joy to see. They both share a single brain cell, but at least they’re trying. Also feed bad for Aki, poor guy has lost and given up so much.
***
Volume 5
Denji and his crew are here to settle the score with the katana devil and his cohorts for killing their teammates. In the midst of blood and carnage, hints of love bloom. Within this love seems to grow an ever greater chaos that will swallow everyone whole. With a peculiar new outlook on life, Denji allows the strings of fate to pull him along for the bumpy ride.
Chainsaw Man is getting much better. The tone and themes of the story are more serious. Denji actually had some badass moments here, showing off his new combat strategies, avenging his fallen comrades and sticking up for his grieving friends all while advancing his understanding of human relationships. I love how Denji and Aki shared a brotherly moment by making a game out of kicking a dude’s balls for killing their mutual friend in one of the previous volumes. Only this series could make something like that feel so ordinary and wholesome.
I really liked the subtle psychological horror stuff with Makima and her uncomfortable relationship with Denji. She’s very off-putting in ways that are hard to explain. It doesn’t help that she seems to like grooming underage boys into doing her dirty work. Not sure if she would technically be classified as a villain, but she definitely fits the bill.
Reze, another new unpredictable love interest enters the fray. Her interactions with Denji really hit home on the points I’ve been making about him since the beginning of the story. He might be a dopey annoying idiot, but his lack of education, terrible social skills and the fact that he’s being emotionally blackmailed and taken advantage of by everyone he has a semblance of affection for makes me feel bad for the guy.
Really enjoying the increasingly darker tone.
***
Volume 6
Denji seems to have found the love of his life... only for things to go horribly wrong for him once more. Every woman in his life has tried to kill him or emotionally blackmail him at some point. His heart can’t take much more and he’s tired of everyone trying to carve it out of his chest and steal it for themselves... literally.
This volume of Chainsaw Man is like a Tarantino film on even more cocaine and hard liquor than usual. We got a crazy naked assassin lady detonating bombs made out of her own body parts. A shark typhoon tearing up a city. A deadly revenge romance gone horribly wrong. It felt like one big fever dream with a surprisingly melancholy twist that put a nice spin on an extremely chaotic little story arc.
Aki also gets a lot of good moments in this one. His new partner is a chronically depressed angel-demon hybrid that absorbs the life force of anyone that touches him. Unsurprisingly, this makes for a very interesting dynamic between them.
Makima continues to be a dark force of nature pulling strings from the shadows. After finally waking up to all the manipulating and mistreatment from all the adults in his life, Denji seems to be turning a new leaf. The tone of the story continues to get darker while still maintaining its absurd trippy comedy.
***
Volume 7
After the epic showdown between the chainsaw devil and the bomb devil being broadcasted on the news all across the world, Denji is now a wanted man on a much wider scale. Everyone wants a piece of the chainsaw devil sleeping in his heart, as it may hold the key to achieving unmatchable power on the scale of nuclear weapons. Professional assassins and devil contractors are closing in on him while Makima seems to scheme mysterious ulterior motives from the shadows.
Great volume. It adds a lot of new mysteries behind the worldbuilding such as what happens when devils die and the last sound they hear while their down in Hell. Before being reincarnated into the human world, the last thing the devils remember hearing before being banished from Hell is the sound of a chainsaw. The cute little devil resting inside of Denji might not be as simple or innocent as it seems.
A lot of the comedy in this volume is genuinely hilarious, mostly revolving around Power and Kobeni. We also get introduced to a gang of shapeshifters that can steal peoples faces, a crazy grandpa that can turn people into human dolls and a gang of lesbian monster girls with a badass samurai woman leading the pack. Chainsaw Man excels at constantly introducing memorable unique characters with creative powers and awesome designs, even if a lot of them don't stick around for long.
***
Volume 8
Things really go to Hell (literally) in this volume.
Volume 8 continues the all-out-war of Denji's crew fighting against the foreign assassin squads and the Devil that turns everything it touches into obedient dolls. While the battle ensues, Makima unleashes the might of her true strength and works from the shadows to pull off her mysterious plan. In the middle of the chaos, alliances are made while others are broken.
The surrealistic horror stuff really went off the rails in this one. It's a bit difficult to keep up with everything that's going on. The first time I read through it I didn't understand a lot of things that were happening. After reading some of these chapters a second time while paying closer attention to the subtle contextual hints given through the vague dialogue and imagery, I began to appreciate the set up of what's happening much more.
Chainsaw Man lures you in as a simplistic action story that gradually gets much more complex, bizarre and surrealistic as it goes on. It's like a Tarantino film on LSD.
***
Volume 9
Volume 9 is the major turning point for Chainsaw Man.
The threat of the Darkness Devil has been quelled for the time being, only for the sudden return of the terrifying Gun Devil to arrive at full force. Denji and Power are dealing with the physical and mental scars of the previous conflict, while Aki is forced to confront the creature that killed his entire family once more. Aki must choose between settling down in his new peaceful life with his companions or give in to his vengeful desires to prevent another potential genocide from breaking out at the hands of his old archenemy.
Easily the best volume of Chainsaw Man so far. It takes a break away from all the chaotic action stuff to focus on developing the main protagonists after their insane battle against the Darkness Devil and the foreign assassins, exploring how the intense conflict has impacted the mental states of the main characters, as well as setting up their new motives and relationships in much more depth than ever before.
There’s a lot of quality time between Denji, Power and Aki which we haven’t seen since near the beginning of the series. We also get some insight into who Makima really is, what her objectives are and why she’s so damn scary. The final chapters of this volume get really emotional. One of my favorite characters unfortunately meets their end, showing that plot armor is no longer a thing.
Things are definitely going to get gruesome after this volume.
***
Volume 10
After being forced to kill one of his own dear friends for the greater good, Denji has fallen into complete despair for the first time in his life. Everything brings him pain. He can’t eat without vomiting it back up. He can’t find any meaning or joy in anything anymore. Not knowing where to turn, he seeks out the support of Makima to try and find a new sense of purpose. Now that Makima has Denji in a position of absolute desperation, she begins to reveal the true reasons behind why she took him in under her wing and gave him the life she did.
This manga has really spiraled out of control in the best way possible. I always had a feeling that something wasn’t quite right about the story. There were always bizarre and unsettling things constantly happening in the background that made things seem not nearly as simple or easy going as they appeared to be. And now all of those mysterious background details are being pulled forth into the center of the story and revealing what’s actually been going on the whole time.
Plot twist after plot twist completely changes the tone and context of the entire narrative, making things much more sinister and disturbing than anyone ever could’ve guessed they would be from the beginning of the series. Even the more comedic elements have gone full black comedy mode, being so morbid and unsettling that it made me feel a bit bad for laughing.
Makima is a menace to society. Her master plan of manipulation is finally bearing fruit and it’s pretty insane. Chainsaw Man has transformed into a surrealist bizarro fiction nightmare and the story has gotten surprisingly complex and thought provoking compared to where it started.
***
Volume 11
The insane finale of Chainsaw Man’s first major story arc, and honestly it works as a perfectly satisfying ending overall. The fact that there’s more to come is just the icing on the cake.
Makima’s ultimate plan is in full bloom and she’s gone full on dark psychotic mastermind mode, unleashing absolute chaos and destruction for the sake of reshaping the world in her own image of her twisted ideals. Denji’s the only one left that can stop the woman that stole his heart from destroying everything he’s ever held dear.
This whole volume felt like a dark, surrealistic subversion of the superhero origin story. Denji gets some much-needed development and growth as he finally learns to stand on his own and think for himself instead of being abused and manipulated by everyone around him. Against all odds, he fights to save the reality that so many of his friends and loved ones died trying to protect.
Makima turned out to be a brilliant villain and it was awesome to see a female antagonist in such an intimidating, intelligent and powerful role. Not many manga out there have pulled something like that off. In fact, not many stories in general have done a central female antagonist so well.
The resolution of this story arc is surprisingly emotional and philosophical. It perfectly subverts the simplistic, comical and sometimes downright stupid origins of where the story first began. This bait and switch tactic was meticulously planned out by the author to pull the rug out from under the reader’s feet by steering the narrative into a much more serious direction and he did a good job pulling it off.
***
Volume 1
Demons are running wild all over the world and plenty of devil hunters are willing to put their necks on the line for a good sum of money. The Yakuza are no exception to this rule. Stuck with a massive debt as a child after losing his deadbeat dad and his mother from a terminal illness, a young boy named Denji has no choice but to enlist his service in the Yakuza faction of hired hunters to earn his keep on the streets because he was never taught a better way of living. His only companion in life is a demon dog with a chainsaw growing out of its head.
A ridiculous but dark and engaging start to a promising hit manga series. It manages to balance gritty horror stuff with absurd comedy and charming character interactions quite well. Its story is a little all over the place, but not necessarily in a bad way. It deals with some sensitive topics in a chaotically unconventional but easy to digest manner.
I think Denji is an interesting protagonist. He seems like a typical dopey teenage boy fixated on the idea of scoring with a beautiful girl, but there’s actually a lot more complexity to him than that. He spent his entire life raised by violent criminals and outcasted from society, meaning he has no education, no manners, and has never even had a single interaction with the opposite sex or a parental figure to give him proper guidance and affection. He’s essentially an unstable toddler in a young man’s body, struggling to figure out how to function like a normal human being while learning to comprehend the basic human emotions, desires and rights that most people take for granted. Making a blood-pact with a chainsaw demon dog that allows him to transform into a weapon of mass destruction doesn’t exactly make Denji’s life any more easy or normal either.
I like the support characters as well. Power is like Harley Quinn on cocaine. Makima is like a female version of Griffith from Berserk or Johan from Monster. Denji’s partner Aki is the brooding serious type which adds an interesting contrast between them. The action and monster designs are also very creative.
***
Volume 2
After learning the motivations behind Power's sudden betrayal during their hunt for the Bat Devil, Denji has to decide between forgiving her or bringing her to justice. After completing his previous devil hunting missions and ranking up in his business, Denji receives the reward he's been working for and allies himself with new bizarre companions. When his reward doesn't live up to his expectations, he struggles to find a new motivation to keep fighting.
Volume 2 of Chainsaw Man maintains the consistently ridiculous and whacky tone of the first volume, but adds a surprising amount of depth to the character interactions, the complexity behind their seemingly simplistic motivations and some interesting details about the current state of the world. I love the disturbingly chaotic friendship between Denji and Power. They're a couple of dangerously adorable goofballs when they're together. I love how they bond over their mutual affection for their animal companions that gave meaning to their solemn lives. Denji would do anything for his dog and Power would do anything for her cat.
The action scenes and monster designs continue to be great. I really like the aesthetic of people hunting disgusting monstrosities in fancy business suits. Everyone looks so smooth and stylish. I'm also surprised how many people seem to misinterpret Denji's motivations. I don't think they're meant to be taken at face value. He's clearly a traumatized child being emotionally manipulated by adults that should know better. I think it's a bit unfair to write him off as just a dumb horny teenager with stupid motivations.
***
Volume 3
Volume 3 wraps up the subplot of the last volume where the main demon hunting crew gets trapped in a haunted hotel and the only way to escape is to offer up Denji as a sacrifice to the Eternity Demon. The solution to the battle of endurance ends with an interesting conclusion. A conclusion that might bring the crew closer together in strange ways only to invite future disaster into their lives.
Volume 3 marks a good turning point for the series. It maintains the whacky comical vibe while introducing some darker elements into the story that isn’t afraid to make the characters pay for their mistakes with their lives. Overshadowed by the threat of countless demons on the loose is a conspiracy uprising going on in the background. An uprising that can bring more death and destruction than any regular old demon could ever dream of. This volume also changes up the simple motivations for some of the characters and puts further emphasis on the sacrifices they might have to make to accomplish the goals that are further out of reach than they thought.
I’m actually starting to feel sorry for Denji. He might be an annoying and shallow dope, but he’s clearly being strung along and emotionally blackmailed by the adults in his life. More and more people are leading him on and taking advantage of exploiting him. There’s a certain scene involving vomit in this volume that definitely made me feel bad for him.
Things are going in a darker direction and I’m ready for it.
***
Volume 4
After facing severe casualties and crippling injuries, Denji’s team realize how outmatched they are by the gang of mysterious assassins aiming to steal the demon within Denji's heart. Makima calls in a new wave of devil hunters for backup and places the main trio under intensive training. Denji and Power take lessons on tactical teamwork while Aki seeks strength from more sinister sources.
I really like the direction the story is taking in this one. There’s political warfare between gangs from several countries plotting against each other from behind the scenes. The motives and personalities of the protagonists have matured beyond their simplistic origins. Makima is also shaping up to be a badass character that manages to be extremely cunning and intimidating in every scene she appears in. She's really rocking the terrifying genius lady with supernatural powers in a fancy business suit vibes.
Denji and Power’s chaotic duo energy continues to be a joy to see. They both share a single brain cell, but at least they’re trying. Also feed bad for Aki, poor guy has lost and given up so much.
***
Volume 5
Denji and his crew are here to settle the score with the katana devil and his cohorts for killing their teammates. In the midst of blood and carnage, hints of love bloom. Within this love seems to grow an ever greater chaos that will swallow everyone whole. With a peculiar new outlook on life, Denji allows the strings of fate to pull him along for the bumpy ride.
Chainsaw Man is getting much better. The tone and themes of the story are more serious. Denji actually had some badass moments here, showing off his new combat strategies, avenging his fallen comrades and sticking up for his grieving friends all while advancing his understanding of human relationships. I love how Denji and Aki shared a brotherly moment by making a game out of kicking a dude’s balls for killing their mutual friend in one of the previous volumes. Only this series could make something like that feel so ordinary and wholesome.
I really liked the subtle psychological horror stuff with Makima and her uncomfortable relationship with Denji. She’s very off-putting in ways that are hard to explain. It doesn’t help that she seems to like grooming underage boys into doing her dirty work. Not sure if she would technically be classified as a villain, but she definitely fits the bill.
Reze, another new unpredictable love interest enters the fray. Her interactions with Denji really hit home on the points I’ve been making about him since the beginning of the story. He might be a dopey annoying idiot, but his lack of education, terrible social skills and the fact that he’s being emotionally blackmailed and taken advantage of by everyone he has a semblance of affection for makes me feel bad for the guy.
Really enjoying the increasingly darker tone.
***
Volume 6
Denji seems to have found the love of his life... only for things to go horribly wrong for him once more. Every woman in his life has tried to kill him or emotionally blackmail him at some point. His heart can’t take much more and he’s tired of everyone trying to carve it out of his chest and steal it for themselves... literally.
This volume of Chainsaw Man is like a Tarantino film on even more cocaine and hard liquor than usual. We got a crazy naked assassin lady detonating bombs made out of her own body parts. A shark typhoon tearing up a city. A deadly revenge romance gone horribly wrong. It felt like one big fever dream with a surprisingly melancholy twist that put a nice spin on an extremely chaotic little story arc.
Aki also gets a lot of good moments in this one. His new partner is a chronically depressed angel-demon hybrid that absorbs the life force of anyone that touches him. Unsurprisingly, this makes for a very interesting dynamic between them.
Makima continues to be a dark force of nature pulling strings from the shadows. After finally waking up to all the manipulating and mistreatment from all the adults in his life, Denji seems to be turning a new leaf. The tone of the story continues to get darker while still maintaining its absurd trippy comedy.
***
Volume 7
After the epic showdown between the chainsaw devil and the bomb devil being broadcasted on the news all across the world, Denji is now a wanted man on a much wider scale. Everyone wants a piece of the chainsaw devil sleeping in his heart, as it may hold the key to achieving unmatchable power on the scale of nuclear weapons. Professional assassins and devil contractors are closing in on him while Makima seems to scheme mysterious ulterior motives from the shadows.
Great volume. It adds a lot of new mysteries behind the worldbuilding such as what happens when devils die and the last sound they hear while their down in Hell. Before being reincarnated into the human world, the last thing the devils remember hearing before being banished from Hell is the sound of a chainsaw. The cute little devil resting inside of Denji might not be as simple or innocent as it seems.
A lot of the comedy in this volume is genuinely hilarious, mostly revolving around Power and Kobeni. We also get introduced to a gang of shapeshifters that can steal peoples faces, a crazy grandpa that can turn people into human dolls and a gang of lesbian monster girls with a badass samurai woman leading the pack. Chainsaw Man excels at constantly introducing memorable unique characters with creative powers and awesome designs, even if a lot of them don't stick around for long.
***
Volume 8
Things really go to Hell (literally) in this volume.
Volume 8 continues the all-out-war of Denji's crew fighting against the foreign assassin squads and the Devil that turns everything it touches into obedient dolls. While the battle ensues, Makima unleashes the might of her true strength and works from the shadows to pull off her mysterious plan. In the middle of the chaos, alliances are made while others are broken.
The surrealistic horror stuff really went off the rails in this one. It's a bit difficult to keep up with everything that's going on. The first time I read through it I didn't understand a lot of things that were happening. After reading some of these chapters a second time while paying closer attention to the subtle contextual hints given through the vague dialogue and imagery, I began to appreciate the set up of what's happening much more.
Chainsaw Man lures you in as a simplistic action story that gradually gets much more complex, bizarre and surrealistic as it goes on. It's like a Tarantino film on LSD.
***
Volume 9
Volume 9 is the major turning point for Chainsaw Man.
The threat of the Darkness Devil has been quelled for the time being, only for the sudden return of the terrifying Gun Devil to arrive at full force. Denji and Power are dealing with the physical and mental scars of the previous conflict, while Aki is forced to confront the creature that killed his entire family once more. Aki must choose between settling down in his new peaceful life with his companions or give in to his vengeful desires to prevent another potential genocide from breaking out at the hands of his old archenemy.
Easily the best volume of Chainsaw Man so far. It takes a break away from all the chaotic action stuff to focus on developing the main protagonists after their insane battle against the Darkness Devil and the foreign assassins, exploring how the intense conflict has impacted the mental states of the main characters, as well as setting up their new motives and relationships in much more depth than ever before.
There’s a lot of quality time between Denji, Power and Aki which we haven’t seen since near the beginning of the series. We also get some insight into who Makima really is, what her objectives are and why she’s so damn scary. The final chapters of this volume get really emotional. One of my favorite characters unfortunately meets their end, showing that plot armor is no longer a thing.
Things are definitely going to get gruesome after this volume.
***
Volume 10
After being forced to kill one of his own dear friends for the greater good, Denji has fallen into complete despair for the first time in his life. Everything brings him pain. He can’t eat without vomiting it back up. He can’t find any meaning or joy in anything anymore. Not knowing where to turn, he seeks out the support of Makima to try and find a new sense of purpose. Now that Makima has Denji in a position of absolute desperation, she begins to reveal the true reasons behind why she took him in under her wing and gave him the life she did.
This manga has really spiraled out of control in the best way possible. I always had a feeling that something wasn’t quite right about the story. There were always bizarre and unsettling things constantly happening in the background that made things seem not nearly as simple or easy going as they appeared to be. And now all of those mysterious background details are being pulled forth into the center of the story and revealing what’s actually been going on the whole time.
Plot twist after plot twist completely changes the tone and context of the entire narrative, making things much more sinister and disturbing than anyone ever could’ve guessed they would be from the beginning of the series. Even the more comedic elements have gone full black comedy mode, being so morbid and unsettling that it made me feel a bit bad for laughing.
Makima is a menace to society. Her master plan of manipulation is finally bearing fruit and it’s pretty insane. Chainsaw Man has transformed into a surrealist bizarro fiction nightmare and the story has gotten surprisingly complex and thought provoking compared to where it started.
***
Volume 11
The insane finale of Chainsaw Man’s first major story arc, and honestly it works as a perfectly satisfying ending overall. The fact that there’s more to come is just the icing on the cake.
Makima’s ultimate plan is in full bloom and she’s gone full on dark psychotic mastermind mode, unleashing absolute chaos and destruction for the sake of reshaping the world in her own image of her twisted ideals. Denji’s the only one left that can stop the woman that stole his heart from destroying everything he’s ever held dear.
This whole volume felt like a dark, surrealistic subversion of the superhero origin story. Denji gets some much-needed development and growth as he finally learns to stand on his own and think for himself instead of being abused and manipulated by everyone around him. Against all odds, he fights to save the reality that so many of his friends and loved ones died trying to protect.
Makima turned out to be a brilliant villain and it was awesome to see a female antagonist in such an intimidating, intelligent and powerful role. Not many manga out there have pulled something like that off. In fact, not many stories in general have done a central female antagonist so well.
The resolution of this story arc is surprisingly emotional and philosophical. It perfectly subverts the simplistic, comical and sometimes downright stupid origins of where the story first began. This bait and switch tactic was meticulously planned out by the author to pull the rug out from under the reader’s feet by steering the narrative into a much more serious direction and he did a good job pulling it off.
July 9, 2025
Chainsaw Man’s first arc, spanning Volumes 1 to 11, is hands down the best manga series I’ve read so far. I don’t care what anyone else says, this manga has everything I love in a story: gore, comedy, action, drama, compelling characters, great artwork, and unexpected twists. It’s all here.
What starts as a gritty survival story of Denji and his chainsaw devil dog Pochita turns into a brutal, emotional, and completely unpredictable ride. With every volume, the stakes get higher, the characters get deeper, and the story pulls you into a world where nothing feels safe but everything feels real.
The blend of raw action, dark humor, and surprising emotional depth is unmatched. Fujimoto crafts unforgettable characters like Power, Aki, and Makima each with their own impact and arc that stays with you long after you’ve turned the page. The art style perfectly complements the madness, switching from chaotic battles to quiet, heartbreaking moments with shocking ease.
This arc doesn’t just tell a story it rips through my expectations. The ending of Volume 11 is bold, tragic, and deeply satisfying. If you think you know what shonen manga is supposed to be, Chainsaw Man tears that apart and builds something entirely its own.
A brutal masterpiece. I can’t recommend it enough.
Overall ★★★★★ (5/5)
What starts as a gritty survival story of Denji and his chainsaw devil dog Pochita turns into a brutal, emotional, and completely unpredictable ride. With every volume, the stakes get higher, the characters get deeper, and the story pulls you into a world where nothing feels safe but everything feels real.
The blend of raw action, dark humor, and surprising emotional depth is unmatched. Fujimoto crafts unforgettable characters like Power, Aki, and Makima each with their own impact and arc that stays with you long after you’ve turned the page. The art style perfectly complements the madness, switching from chaotic battles to quiet, heartbreaking moments with shocking ease.
This arc doesn’t just tell a story it rips through my expectations. The ending of Volume 11 is bold, tragic, and deeply satisfying. If you think you know what shonen manga is supposed to be, Chainsaw Man tears that apart and builds something entirely its own.
A brutal masterpiece. I can’t recommend it enough.
Overall ★★★★★ (5/5)
June 22, 2024
Chainsaw Man is really fun! The creatures and personalities are all great to watch. This arc was a really nice length, too; not too long not too short with pretty good pacing. I think my only critique is that since all fiends and devils respawn or reincarnate pretty quickly and easily, all of the fighting sequences really lose any weight to me. I dont get what I'm supposed to expect to be a consequence of a battle. Even when some non-fiends lose their limbs, they're kinda just fine with it. Denji's thoughts on things and the kind of powers that the devils unleash really drive the whole thing. I just wish that since a lot of time is spent showing battles, that the battles would actually have relevant consequence, I guess. Also, I thought Himeno was pretty awful so I didn't get how the reader was supposed to feel bad for her. But I guess all characters in Chainsaw Man are questionable folk and that's kinda the point. There's a bit of male gaze for sure unfortunately...buuut I guess with Denji that's kind of the point, too.
June 3, 2024
"Just so you know, I've always loved listening to you talk about your dreams, Denji. Here's a new contract for you. This time, you're getting my heart. In exchange, show me your dreams. That's all I ask of you."
This is what a chainsaw devil puppy tells a poor dead teen ripped to pieces by the undead in the very first chapter of Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man. This is how the story begins, and in hindsight, everything you need to know about the manga is laid out here. This is a
bizarre, comical, horrific, cruel, and most importantly heartfelt story about fighting teeth and pull cord for a dream. Part 1 is an immense work of fiction. I can't wait to see what lies ahead for Denji and his dreams.
This is what a chainsaw devil puppy tells a poor dead teen ripped to pieces by the undead in the very first chapter of Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man. This is how the story begins, and in hindsight, everything you need to know about the manga is laid out here. This is a
bizarre, comical, horrific, cruel, and most importantly heartfelt story about fighting teeth and pull cord for a dream. Part 1 is an immense work of fiction. I can't wait to see what lies ahead for Denji and his dreams.
March 7, 2024
Die ersten 8 Bände waren wundervoll, der neunte hat mich innerlich zerrissen und 10 und 11 habe ich nicht ganz so gut begriffen :)
Ob das jetzt an mir oder an meiner Analysefähigkeit liegt, habe ich ebenfalls noch nicht so ganz herausgefunden ... allerdings hätte ich ein anderes Ende erwartet.
Probs gibt es aber gewiss für Kobenis Kellner Szene, da ich bestimmt noch nie zuvor 5 Minuten lang lachend auf der Couch saß und keine Luft bekommen habe.
Um es kurz zu fassen:
Kunst, Konzept und Humor waren klasse, alles war wunderschön schräg.
Character development und hidden intentions waren langweilig.
Ob das jetzt an mir oder an meiner Analysefähigkeit liegt, habe ich ebenfalls noch nicht so ganz herausgefunden ... allerdings hätte ich ein anderes Ende erwartet.
Probs gibt es aber gewiss für Kobenis Kellner Szene, da ich bestimmt noch nie zuvor 5 Minuten lang lachend auf der Couch saß und keine Luft bekommen habe.
Um es kurz zu fassen:
Kunst, Konzept und Humor waren klasse, alles war wunderschön schräg.
Character development und hidden intentions waren langweilig.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2024
Chainsaw man is so wild. The pacing is so fast, and crazy stuff just keeps happening and happening and it makes it so hard to stop. Denji carries this whole thing, because he is so depraved and reckless, but it’s completely understandable given his circumstance, and his growth despite all the exploitation of his powers is far more compelling than the basic shonen training arc from an infallible protagonist. He may start off just wanting to eat bread with jam, then just wanting to touch some boobs, but he really discovers the need for genuine connection. Which makes the heartbreaking moments hit so hard….
January 2, 2025
I'm gonna make rereading this a habit.
No an addiction!
Everything about this series feels like it was designed to appeal to all of my interests, for once I actually am the target audience! The creativity! The art! The pacing! The characters! The fight scenes! The humor! The actual genuine emotion that still leaves me in tears after multiple reads! The overall message of learning self-respect and striving to constantly better yourself despite not being able to make yourself normal!
This is the single most imaginative, most unique, most personal story I've experienced since Evangelion. It may not be perfect but to me, it absolutely is.
I LOVE CHAINSAW MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No an addiction!
Everything about this series feels like it was designed to appeal to all of my interests, for once I actually am the target audience! The creativity! The art! The pacing! The characters! The fight scenes! The humor! The actual genuine emotion that still leaves me in tears after multiple reads! The overall message of learning self-respect and striving to constantly better yourself despite not being able to make yourself normal!
This is the single most imaginative, most unique, most personal story I've experienced since Evangelion. It may not be perfect but to me, it absolutely is.
I LOVE CHAINSAW MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 11, 2025
I loved chainsaw man part 1 soooo much
September 22, 2023
4.5
I read the whole first part of this manga. I really liked it since it was quite different from your usual shonen. The story is very dark and gory, which makes it stand out. The style and art are definitely right up my alley; some of the panels left me in awe. The plot had me wondering when or how things were going to unfold, and I couldn't really guess much. I'm happy I managed to stay unspoiled. I will read the second part in the future, but I'll wait a little bit longer for now.
I read the whole first part of this manga. I really liked it since it was quite different from your usual shonen. The story is very dark and gory, which makes it stand out. The style and art are definitely right up my alley; some of the panels left me in awe. The plot had me wondering when or how things were going to unfold, and I couldn't really guess much. I'm happy I managed to stay unspoiled. I will read the second part in the future, but I'll wait a little bit longer for now.
August 11, 2023
My fav manga!
Good pacing
Interesting story overall i enjoyed the twists and the art is beautiful throughout
Would recommend to someone who’s read other mangas the protagonist (denji) is pretty immature at points but it comes off as comedy rather than an annoyance
The character design is unique and each character seems to have a substantial amount of depth to their story
Good pacing
Interesting story overall i enjoyed the twists and the art is beautiful throughout
Would recommend to someone who’s read other mangas the protagonist (denji) is pretty immature at points but it comes off as comedy rather than an annoyance
The character design is unique and each character seems to have a substantial amount of depth to their story
February 22, 2024
I have finished all of this box set, and caught myself up on the manga.
I will say, this is one of my all-time favorite manga series tied with Berserk. I hope to come back later and put all of my thoughts down, as I feel like this series deserves that.
Please read Chainsaw Man I love it too much.
I will say, this is one of my all-time favorite manga series tied with Berserk. I hope to come back later and put all of my thoughts down, as I feel like this series deserves that.
Please read Chainsaw Man I love it too much.
June 23, 2024
Took the average of all my other ratings and it’s more like 3.5 (3.6) but that’s not an option so I’m rounding. Honestly I’m considering this the whole series in itself, I know there’s more but I’m tired and it was good how it was with these. I’m onto a much different manga series now, Princess Jellyfish. Begging and praying and hoping that it heals my mind cuz this was just- whoo boy.
June 12, 2025
The first 11 volumes as well as a poster and a decently sturdy box.
I went into this series pretty mixed and honestly with a lot of knowledge that extends even beyond volume 11. However the story within is well worth reading and contains plenty of action and one of the most creative power systems I've come across in a long time.
I went into this series pretty mixed and honestly with a lot of knowledge that extends even beyond volume 11. However the story within is well worth reading and contains plenty of action and one of the most creative power systems I've come across in a long time.
January 10, 2024
I'm just going to review the box set of the first arc. The manga artist is very good. One of the best the artist captures so much just with a panel. The emotions and feelings he can portray without any words is another reason why it's so good. No joke read it! I can't wait for more to come out.
May 31, 2024
This was a lot of fun to read In between my actual books. I’m logging the whole box set as one book because each volume only took like 20 minutes to read. I laughed, I cried, I raged. Only my second manga, first being punpun, and this was a very different experience.
December 12, 2024
It's a fantastic collection with no issues on my end. All the translations are coherent, and the art is awesome. The box is really nice, I'm definitely keeping it and books are the perfect size for travel.
I've enjoyed my time in Taysuki's world...
I've enjoyed my time in Taysuki's world...
April 30, 2023
Why am I crying over a chainsaw? It would be 5 stars but I’m too sad.
Read
December 12, 2023Chainsaw man is such a good fucking manga my god
January 20, 2024
this manga ate and "perverted" so bad. 💀
December 31, 2023
I read this in one binge and had all the emotions anyone can experience, chainsaw man part 1 is phenomenal
January 22, 2024
I see why I've seen this called Painsaw Man. Bleak and brutal, with some wonderful humanity sprinkled in there when it's needed most.
July 28, 2024
Horny as hell and also the coolest manga ever.
September 4, 2024
It’s a good manga series if you love fiends and demons action you can definitely go for it..
October 11, 2024
A manga that started off good, ended even better, then was revived into shit. Would recommend part 1 to everyone, would not recommend part 2 to anyone.
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