It's all in the title. No context is needed; no barriers to break when you start the wild ride that is Fujimoto's latest attraction. Having previously published Firepunch, a delirious work of its own, in the online platform Shonen Jump+, the move to the mainline Jump magazine was met with some expectations. His style has always leaned more on the graphic, arguably tasteless, depictions of the human condition and how chaotic and uncontrollable it is, even evident in the way he unfolds his stories. To see how he will continue this while being constrained by mainstream censorship was an intriguing matter. Having read through all of it now, I can say confidently that it was never a problem to begin with.
The story you ask? A boy and a chainsaw-dog-devil combine to make chainsaw man and kill other devils. I do love how direct it's surface-level pleasures are in the initial chapters, a gory and violent smorgasbord of sawed bodies and gushing blood. Not that this pleasure ever wanes, it just learns to give space to the worldbuilding, the characters; the meat beneath the skin.
It's dumb fun was already enticing, if not especially clever. But what's great about it is that, over the course of the story, it becomes something much more. The way its story and characters twist and turn, the tone adjusting to whatever feels necessary, showcases his versatility and flexibility in spite of the chaos. It is indeed a rollercoaster, where the thrills of the moment can trick you into never seeing the tracks already laid out.
Even beyond his storytelling, the art already is enough of a justification for this exist. He has an eye for character design, and his depictions of the various devils within in this world are memorable and defined. The way its action scenes play out are simple and easy to follow, but are elevated by the grandeur "metal"-ness of it all. Plenty of the panels know how set a scene, with the purposeful use of visual metaphors and environmental shots, giving it a cinematic feel.
Or just ignore everything I've said and read it cause its fun and enjoyable, which it truly is. It's a man that's a chainsaw, how can that not be awesome?
Story - 8
Art - 9
Character - 8
Enjoyment - 10
