Summary
Of the current digital offerings in theShonen Jump+library,Chainsaw Manis among the most idiosyncratic, full of stylish paneling and increasingly complicated, tortured characters. But much like any mana and anime marketed to the shonen demographic,the action is among the biggest draws of this series, with Tatsuki Fujimoto delivering plenty of memorable and glorious battles. The best fights inChainsaw Manare ferocious, brilliant displays of devils, fiends, and devil hunters using their abilities creatively to gain the upper hand, even if the collateral damage can be devastating.
Chainsaw Man’srun is split into different sagas, with Part 1, the Public Safety Saga, running between December 2018 and December 2020. After over a year and a half, the series resumed and is currently in Part 2, where the world has changed drastically in light of Denji’s alter ego, its effect on the local populace, and the dire death toll the rampaging devils take.
While some of the best fights involve slaying more ofChainsaw Man’straditionally scary devils,others feature nefarious forces, heartbreaking human sacrifices, and perplexing motives.
20 Best Chainsaw Man Quotes
From “Fire-Punch” to “Goodbye, Eri”, Tatsuki Fujimoto certainly has a way with words. That’s especially true for his magnum opus, Chainsaw Man.
10Asa vs. Fire Devil
Chainsaw Man Chapter #98 Assuages Concerns About Denji’s Absence
Readers are treated to a glorious show of Yoru’s visceral talents, making grotesque weapons out of anything she touches, including the spinal cord of her teacher.
Chainsaw Manreturned in Summer 2022 with the Academy Saga, featuring a new protagonist, Asa Mitaka, inhabited by Yoru, the War Devil, and a member of the Four Horsemen. What’s unique about Asa is that she’s technically the War Fiend host. Yet, she retains her personality in tandem with Yoru’s, quickly being taken over to showcase her skills against a spiteful class president mistakenly believing to have a contract with the Justice Devil.Readers are treated to a glorious show of Yoru’s visceral talents, making grotesque weapons out of anything she touches, including the spinal cord of her teacher.
9Denji and Asa vs. the Falling and Justice Devils
The Falling Devil Arc Features Incredible Paneling and Exciting Transformations
Nayuta manipulates the taste of the Falling Devil’s cuisine by using her control abilities in an entertaining way to save both Denji and Asa’s lives.
A prevailing critique aboutChainsaw Man’sAcademy Saga is that the direction is inconsistent, yet it’s moments like these that readers are reminded that Fujimoto is still in control. This entire fight includes intense moments where Asa begs for Chainsaw Man’s cooperation, and readers are treated to a gourmand persona for the Falling Devil as she tries to fashion Asa and Denji into a devilish feast. Despitea glorious scene involving a transforming chainsaw bike, the most amusing part of this fight is how Nayuta saves Denji from the Falling Devil, even if its presence hits at something more sinister.
8Denji and Quanxi vs. Santa Claus
The Doll Devil is a terrifying concept inChainsaw Man.In a fascinating twist, Santa Claus is perhaps even more mysterious and ominous a being, posing quite a threat to Denji and Quanxi. Santa eventually counts the Doll, Hell, Curse, and Darkness Devils in their repertoire of tricks,including monstrous doll constructs creating pure nightmare fuel and a frightening handle on darkness itself.However, Denji places Santa on his naughty list and uses some creative methods to expel the darkness, with one of Quanxi’s girlfriends laying a decisive, creative final blow.
7Denji vs. Bat Devil
The Chainsaw Devil Has His Eye on the Prize
One of the best fights from theChainsaw Mananime, this fight comes directly after Power betrays Denji, where she tries to barter to get her cat, Meowy, back. The Bat Devil, as it turns out, is not so benevolent, trying to eat her, but Denji wasn’t about to let this happen.His motives are far from noble, yet they’re simple, and what ensues is a spectacular clash as Denji, still untrained, gives a ferocious show of raw strength, letting nothing stand between him and a reward prized by many adolescents worldwide; technically, two rewards.
6Asa vs. Yoshida
When Everything Can Become a Weapon
This is the first instance of Asa and Yoru realizing their powers no longer need them to touch objects before turning them into weapons, indicating that people remember their fear of War.
Alongside a growing plot involving Fami and the Death Devil, which involves the War Devil’s stake alongside Chainsaw Man’s, Asa is about to be confronted by Public Safety. Asa concocts a pretty daring scheme with Yoru to get out of a dicey situation, and her execution in chapter #148 is immaculate. As Yoshida gets in, attempting to use his Octopus Devil contract to subdue Asa,she conjures a weapon out of Room 606, a massive sword construct she uses to break free from Yoshida, showing her abilities beginning to grow, an enticing prospect for readers.
5Quanxi vs. Everyone
The First Devil Hunter
Quanxi and her Bow Devil counterpart are far from finished inChainsaw Man, and her role in the series' world is complicated,being more adversarial than outright villainous, unlike other antagonist characters. But perhaps her most terrifying showcase of power against everything from Santa’s dolls to Aki and Angel is how she can instantly carve through dozens of human or doll constructs, most notably in chapter #60. That she can outfox and defeat even Kishibe should indicate how Quanxi’s survived so long as the mightiest devil hunter, amongthe strongest female characters inChainsaw Man.
4Denji vs. Katana Man
Denji’s Grudge Match Is a Cut Above the Rest
Katana Man is the earliest Hybrid faced by Denji inChainsaw Man, initially being a far better fighter, cutting Denji to pieces in their first fight.
Katana Man was notably the first real adversary to pose a challenge to Denji in his Chainsaw Man alter ego. But with training from Kishibe, Denji becomes a fierce and shrewd fighter, capable of shrugging off debilitating injuries with the knowledge that he’ll recover easily, focusing instead on forcing Katana Man into making predictable moves. Denji uses this to exploit a vulnerable point, resulting ina spectacular finish brought wonderfully to life in the 2022 anime.
3Denji vs. Makima
With Room for Leftovers
Seemingly no other villain has left as strong an impression on fans as Makima, preying perfectly on Denji’s adolescent desires and making a perfectly complicated foe to test his resolve.
Denji’s main battle with Makima features two fights near the end ofChainsaw Man’sPublic Safety Saga, with its most compelling parts in chapter #90, where the true Chainsaw Devil’s form gets some key aid at the eleventh hour. The surprise twist is that the blood Denji drank from Power proves handy in this battle,saving his life. However, in the second part of this fight, Denji conjures up a brilliant scheme with Pochita to leave Makima vulnerable to a decisive blow, with this beingDenji’s greatest, most tragic victory yet.
2Denji vs. Reze
Why the Arc Will Be Film-Worthy
The Reze Arc is the subject ofthe upcomingChainsaw Manfilm. For manga readers, it’s clear why a mere episodic treatment isn’t enough to do it justice,featuring an appearance from the Shark and Typhoon Devils and a wildly cinematic climax. Denji’s clash with Reze isn’t the last with her, yet it’s a spectacular flurry of action with the Bomb Devil from the Soviet Union. This fight also serves as Denji’s first real heartbreak, with Reze charming her way into Denji’s heart, however disingenuously, a strong example of the potency ofChainsaw Man’smore personal fights.
1Denji vs. Gun Fiend
The Most Tragic Fight in Part 1
One of the most haunting sets of panels preceding this fight is seeing the massive death toll, depicted in names laid out like at a memorial site, in the wake of the Gun Devil’s attacks.
Chainsaw Mandoes well to illustrate the danger of its world, such as in Part 2 with the claim that Devil attacks kill seven out of every twenty people. So, when the US Government conjures a portion of the Gun Devil, Makima sends her strongest assets, resulting in the Gun Devil cruelly inhabiting Aki to attack Denji at his home. Here,Aki’s character arc is filled with sacrifice, compromise, and insurmountable lossat the hands of his greatest enemy, which then turns his body into a weapon, surely the worst death possible for him.
However, this also serves as the setup for an incredibly sad and emotional fight against Denji, which also brings to light all the past trauma Aki lived through. Due to its stakes and emotional weight, this stands out as the best fight inChainsaw Man.
Chainsaw Man
Cast
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a young man burdened by debt, who teams up with his pet devil Pochita to fight devils under the yakuza’s control. Released in 2022, the series portrays Denji’s struggle to achieve his dream of living a simple, peaceful life.
