If catching up on 69 chapters of a manga (up-to-date as of this review) in the span of a few hours is any indication that a series is phenomenal, then I don't know what is. Way back in its 3-chapter Jump Start days, I initially tried the series and passed on it. Years later, I decided to give it another shot, and I'm very glad I did. This manga has definitely evolved into something great over time.
Chainsaw Man, in brief, is a story about a young man named Denji and his chainsaw dog who hunt Devils together. They attract the attention of a government agency who also hunts Devils, and Denji is eventually assigned to help the organization. Although this seems fairly par for the course for a Shonen Jump, it's the characterization that differentiates Chainsaw Man from its peers. Denji isn't driven by some grand goal or dream, but his own selfish (and often perverted) hedonistic desires. Aki plays the role of the tragic hero (trying to keep this spoiler-free!), but his tragedy helps mold him into an incredibly deep and flawed character. Makima's unclear motives give an all-around mysterious air to her; her moral ambiguity and unknown abilities leaves you wanting answers.
The art style, while not my favorite, adds yet another layer of grit to this already fairly gruesome story. The designs of the Devils/fiends are insanely creative and stylish as well.
It's shocking to me that a manga that teases the line between seinen and shonen got a long-running series in SJ, but I'm glad it did: it pushes the boundaries of what a shonen series should be. The amount of hyper-violence, gore, and adult themes is refreshing from the standard affair, and I'm loving every minute of it.
