Welcome to This Week in Shonen Jump, our weekly check in on Viz’s various Shonen Jump series. Viz has recently changed their release format, but our format will mostly remain the same. We will still review the newest chapters of one title a week, now with even more options at our disposal. The big change for our readers is that, even without a Shonen Jump subscription, you can read these most recent chapters for free at Viz.com or using their app.
This week, Robbie checks in with “Chainsaw Man.” If you have thoughts on this or any other current Shonen Jump titles, please let us know in the comments!
Chainsaw Man chapter 118: Saying Goodbye
Written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Reviewed by Robbie Pleasant
Is there ever a series that got as much hype or praise as “Chainsaw Man?” Perhaps, but there’s no denying its popularity, especially after the first season of its anime. But now we’re well into the second part of Denji’s story, which has been focusing on Asa Mitaka and the War Devil as much as it has Denji, if not more.
But now their stories have crossed, and we get to see what comes after their aquarium “date.” If you thought this chapter was going to begin with Asa actually turning Denji’s spine into a weapon and a big fight breaking out, we’re not there yet, but instead we’re given new questions as well as some new information building on what we’ve seen from previous chapters.
Coming shortly after escaping a devil’s trap, this chapter is more character-focused, building the chemistry (or lack thereof) between Asa and the War Devil and Denji.
As far as the devil goes, we see a clear development in how the two talk and interact with each other (represented by both appearing in the same panel at once, even though they share a body) and gain more information about the War Devil’s “siblings” (naturally, they’re the devils representing the four horsemen of the apocalypse).
And as for Denji, he’s perhaps even more dense than usual, getting several panels of the same blank expression as he tries to figure out what “Denji spinal cord sword” means, and the comedic pacing that the panels make is quite amusing. Then we get Asa dealing with her own thoughts about Denji, before their personalities clash as they try to plan a date.
Frankly, it’s good chemistry all around due to their complete lack of chemistry. The two are completely at odds in every way, which makes it all the more interesting to see their personalities clash. Now that Denji and Asa are interacting more, we’ll get to see the plot start moving forward, but the pace and direction it takes is, as expected from Tatsuki Fujimoto, completely unpredictable.
Artistically, we all know what to expect from Fujimoto-sensei at this point. While this chapter doesn’t have any of the usual uniquely grotesque devils that “Chainsaw Man” is known for, the strengths of the art come through in the panel placement, pacing, and design. The way some panels repeat themselves from a closer view makes them feel like a camera zooming in, while others create beats in the conversation or show subtle shifts in characters that makes the whole thing feel alive.
Even a scene as simple as a character lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling can carry meaning when used right, and this is one mangaka who knows how to make every panel count.
Then, of course, we get the character designs themselves. They may not be as wildly expressive as series like “One Piece” or “Me & Roboco,” but that’s not to say their expressions are ever lacking. Denji, of course, gets the best ones, like his look of shock at hearing a girl wants to visit his place, or the stupefied look he gets earlier in the chapter, and these really add to his voice with every line. Meanwhile, Asa’s expressions are more subtle, as appropriate for her withdrawn nature, but still do an excellent job conveying her emotions (usually frustration or distaste).
At this point, saying “Chainsaw Man is good” is about as controversial a statement as “ice is cold.” Of course it is, that’s a widely agreed upon statement that anyone with taste will agree with. So while this may be a less than exciting chapter, it’s still got plenty of character and plot development all conveyed nicely to the reader, and breather chapters like this make the next inevitable devil attack all the more exciting.
Final Verdict: 7.8 – A solid chapter that carries us to the next story beats while building the connections between characters, all crafted with the style you expect from Tatsuki Fujimoto.
