Chainsaw Man

so I joined the ride expecting Chainsawman vs Devil Gun but ... Anyway, anything anymore I add would be spoiler so I'll just leave it as be.

Edit:I was already not very enjoying the first part, albeit admittedly it was great, but part with new lead feels underwhelming. Honestly it started to play on my mind too so at some point I just drop it. I still see the chapters from time to time to see what is going on but just so.

I have to say, it still feels somehow original, but the second part just feels different than first part. Probably the increase in dialogue amount also affected how I enjoy it as well, it just more dialogue of things that I don't really comprehend.

The action is picking up pace again recently (around ch 170) so maybe it will be exciting. But even now, I feel I understand less things that happen than I ever did. Maybe I had too much devils in my head and it's time to drop it already.

I have nothing against the author because I loved Look Back (FUJIMOTO Tatsuki). But there is so much potential in this it is sad that it is so poorly executed. The overarching plot is well-planned and the conceptions of devils are excellent.

However, the whole story feels more like a sketch than a fleshed-out narrative. Action scenes are really quite average. The transitions are too abrupt. The art in general is quite disappointing, but I can see how it can give a raw vibe that can generate a cult following. I know the author wants to create emotional impacts, but without actually taking time to draw readers into character relationships it is hard to feel anything at all. In general, it feels like a Shounen that tries too hard to have a Seinen theme, and ends up failing on both counts.

The monster designs, art, and some characters are good. The story is good up until chapter 66 but after that this manga started to suicide dive off a cliff. The story became chaotic nonsense, pacing was thrown out, powers and levels were not explained and done badly, and the romance was gone. I normally like psychological, gory, and tragic manga as well but this falls short of the top tier in all of those. I can't recommend reading it because the ending is unsatisfying. There is a part 2 coming out in the next few months but seeing how part 1 started off good then got bad i wouldn't want to waste time even if part 2 starts off good because the author can go on a bender again and ruin it at any moment.

I like the art, the action scenes are pretty good, plus it's nice to have a series that doesn't revolve around the same generic shounen formula (especially in these times) however the characters (some) are alright at best and the story is between decent to average.

The plot is a bit dumb and I don't feel like everything in the manga is logical(even within the manga's logic) but it's still very enjoyable and emotional at times.

im a bit confused with this manga, but i like it overall

Aside from the human characters Aki and Denji, it's hard to relate to the other characters in the story. Most of the other characters are either devils or are just not fleshed out enough.

The personalities of the devils are not anything like that which would be found in a real human being. I'm not saying this facetiously. The devils in this story, including Power and the other ones that are later introduced / revealed, do not act like a human would. Their personalities are...I would use the word inconsistent, but that might only apply to humans. The devils seem think and behave according to a different set of rules than real life people do, so it's quite hard to understand and relate to them. Again, I'm not trying to be funny, this is just how it feels. You can't use words like "sociopath" or "psychopath" to describe devils, because those are terms used to describe human mentalities and the mentalities of the devils are completely alien.

A major problem with this story is that it's too fast-paced. Things happen too fast and there is not enough explanation. One manifestation of this problem is that the methods that that Denji uses defeats his enemies come out of the blue without any foreshadowing. At times it feels asspulling but then you think about it and it kind of makes sense, though it still feels asspullish. Especially the fight that ended at chapter 97. Even though Denji explained it, it still felt like an asspull.

So in terms of fighting and action, Chainsaw Man (CSM) is not top-tier at all. I would say, even a typical, generic xianxia like Magic Emperor has fight scenes that make more sense than the ones in CSM. And of course CSM cannot hold a candle to a masterpiece like Ajin. CSM is just too chaotic.

I would say that the mangaka is focusing more on emotional impact rather than clarity of fighting. This can be seen in the fight scene between Denji and

Akiwith the snowballs. The juxtaposition of throwing snowballs with the actual action increased the emotional impact but at the same time reduced the clarity of the action. So there is a tradeoff here, and the author chose emotional impact, but I would have preferred more clarity.

From everything so far, I would say that the strength of CSM is in the characterization. In particular Denji's characterization is simply top notch. CSM is at a tier waaay above most shounen battle series when it comes to characterization. But in terms of storytelling and action I think it falls short of greatness. Main problem is it's just too fast-paced and chaotic and does not take time to explain or clarify anything. So it feels very rough and unpolished and this shows in the art style too.

I will wait until it's finished before giving it a rating. As of chapter 97 I would give it an 8/10.

Fire Punch didn't keep my attention but this did. Love how this story starts out unapologetically horny through our MC Denji, which is fairly accurate for a teenage boy. The characters are great. Denji has a good sibling relationship with Power. It's hard to depict a sibling-like relationship between a girl and boy without it veering into romantic subtext.

There's plenty of gore. The character designs are inventive. Don't get attached to characters, they're easily replaceable. Another rare notable thing about CSM is that it's a shounen title with a female antagonist, that doesn't happen often.

"chainsaw man" is probably the most NSFW series among the ones i ever followed to their end; it's like an addiction; i tried to drop it several times but couldn't; it was entertaining all the way & i'm glad that i continued following it

[as of chapter 88]

Chainsaw Man is rough, sleazy and fundamentally nihilistic. Ceaseless destruction and death is on the menu, and the plot isn't slowing down service. It is horrible, but it is also horror. Having watched several videos recommending "Chainsaw Man" and distinctly remembering some mentions of the MCs emotional development as being uplifting I feel I've been sold a bag. The MC has had a HORRIBLE life, and is a rather disgusting and strange individual partially as a result of it (possibly also because he has a devil for a heart). He does develop and change as the manga goes on, struggling against hedonistic sexual desire and nihilism, but has he conquered them? Certainly not at the point I've got to in the story. I'm not sure he will either given the current situation he has found himself in... And that's the real struggle for me! Yes, the story is littered with rather strange, and raw pieces of emotional ammunition. But broken people are everywhere, both by design and as a result of the circumstances they find themselves in. It's hard to feel like you are witnessing the birth of the transcendent when you've just witnessed the latest characters go through the blender. I would like to give propts to the rather unorthodox art style though (whether it born through ineptitude or conscious deliberation). It magnifies the raw, unfiltered show on display quite fantastically. Character replies are given in a single loosely constructed frame, almost begging to be read in to. What do they really feel? Fellow reviewers would do well to recognise that not all stories benefit from the universally acclaimed art of One Punch Man or Vagabond. After all, the mind of the maniac is unlikely to draw you a pretty picture. So, while I wait for the end of Chainsaw Man, and debate whether there is anything redemptive or uplifting about this journey, I do recommend it purely for the ride itself. It's manic and disgusting with some morbidly creative ideas and arcs. It even strikes with a red hot poker of crystalline emotional clarity every now and then.

If you like plot and plot under plot you will love this since everything is actually planned out from the very beginning. I'm at chapter 90 and everything seems to be explained from the very beginning. You yourself never know there's anything to be explained in the first place and thought everything is straightforward - but its not.

The characters are all interesting in their own right. Never, never EVER be invested in anyone since author love to yank everyone around. Just appreciate that they exist and give a rich colour to this manga.

The art is great and raw, mangaka know how to make it flow and let readers be pumped.

Highly recommended

Edit -
Just finished the manga, the ending is good!

Superb art. Unpredictable storyline. Humanity and humor. Fight scenes have clear transitions. I also particularly enjoy how Fujimoto sometimes gets creative with his panel layouts and sound effects placement.