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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
Far from the worst ending I've ever read (and it's not even really the end) but this manga is really starting to lose me. It'd be unfair of me to expect another Fire Punch tier masterpiece, but I'm realizing I fell into the trap of thinking about it harder than the author seems to be. You never want that to happen. Partly my own fault, but still. The fighting in these two volumes was mostly meaningless spectacle, and Makima's motive was way too cliche. World peace without freedom? That's like half of all battle shounen villains. The fangirl aspect of her character was funny, but too little too late. Ever since she stopped making any expressions other than smug smiles my interest has been declining. The final nail in the coffin was the omission of any mention of the movie that changed her life. Guess that was just a throwaway line. That's what I would say, if movies didn't come up right at the end. What on Earth is Fujimoto going for?
I think a comparison with Fire Punch is instructive. Judah had even less characterization than Makima, and Agni was even more obsessed with her. But it made sense, because it all tied into Luna and LIVE. You could easily explain Agni's entire character with reference to the LIVE scene. Denji is an even simpler character, but his obsession with Makima is harder to explain, because there's nothing to adhere to. The closest Fujimoto can come to this is a single page compilation of Makima faces. But if it's just because she's hot, he could just as easily be obsessed with Reze, or any hot girl he could pick up on the street. The ease with which he forgot about Reze clashes with his l.o.v.e. for Makima. It almost feels like the Reze arc happened in some parallel universe. Denji doesn't even mention her, or seem to realize she's still alive. Denji is just attached to Makima because without it there's no story. You could argue it's to mirror Makima's fangirliness, but there's only one Chainsaw Man, and there are plenty of groomy mommies with big asses.
The action's still cool, it's still funny (the Kobeni chapters were killer), and the move back to Jump+ might mean there'll be stuff you can't put in print. Still, I'm not feeling very attached.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The last book in arc one provided a a solid ending for this storyline. There were some unexpected plot developments which give me a bit hope for the return of my favourite character.
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This review is for the Public Safety arc of the series, not for this volume alone.
Chainsaw Man is a strange beast, at turns frustrating, awesome, undercooked, melancholy, and even sometimes poignant. Ultimately, though, it’s a work I’d call unpolished above all else. Even as it’s clear what Fujimoto is going for thematically, even as his frankly incredible imagination is put on display in ways that are outright refreshing in how they are allowed to speak for themselves (the endless exposition that punctuates most Shonen fight scenes is almost entirely absent), the ultimate manifestation on the page only occasionally hits as it seems to want to.
Aside from a few choice moments towards the end of fighting against the Gun and Control Devils, the series is at its strongest in its earlier volumes, up through the end of facing the Eternity Devil. Later stories are bogged down by characters increasingly feeling one-note and rote, things happening without the buildup needed to affect the reader like they should, or - in the case of the conceptually-awesome International Assassins chapters - Fujimoto’s struggles with drawing coherent action set pieces.
So, this is a series worth giving a read. But ultimately it falls short of what it could be with non-trivial elements of its execution getting in its own way.
Chainsaw Man is a strange beast, at turns frustrating, awesome, undercooked, melancholy, and even sometimes poignant. Ultimately, though, it’s a work I’d call unpolished above all else. Even as it’s clear what Fujimoto is going for thematically, even as his frankly incredible imagination is put on display in ways that are outright refreshing in how they are allowed to speak for themselves (the endless exposition that punctuates most Shonen fight scenes is almost entirely absent), the ultimate manifestation on the page only occasionally hits as it seems to want to.
Aside from a few choice moments towards the end of fighting against the Gun and Control Devils, the series is at its strongest in its earlier volumes, up through the end of facing the Eternity Devil. Later stories are bogged down by characters increasingly feeling one-note and rote, things happening without the buildup needed to affect the reader like they should, or - in the case of the conceptually-awesome International Assassins chapters - Fujimoto’s struggles with drawing coherent action set pieces.
So, this is a series worth giving a read. But ultimately it falls short of what it could be with non-trivial elements of its execution getting in its own way.
dark
emotional
so the first arc ends w cannibalism and denji dad era. okay😵💫
i’m still not over aki’s death and don’t think i’ll ever be. and power wtf.
i’m still not over aki’s death and don’t think i’ll ever be. and power wtf.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
once again Makima and Denji living in my head rent free for an indefinite amount of time
4.75 / 5
4.75 / 5