Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man is one of the biggest anime of 2023, and the series' overwhelming success has pushed many audiences to explore its source material manga. MAPPA has a reputation for visually stunning anime adaptations, and their first season of Chainsaw Man is no exception.
That being said, one of the reasons that Fujimoto's dark shonen series got readers' attention in the first place is because of the bold, beautiful, and bloody artwork that punctuates every manga volume. As fans eagerly wait for Chainsaw Man's second season, it's the perfect time to explore the series' manga and marvel at some of Fujimoto's most detailed drawings.
The following contains spoilers for Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man manga.
10 The Darkness Devil Gathers Astronauts
Chapter No. 64
One of Chainsaw Man's most striking panels is so beautiful and confounding that it would make for compelling home decor art, albeit one that's likely to raise a lot of questions. There's a haunting symmetry to the calculated chaos that's present in the panel where endless astronauts pray to their own severed bodies, all while the Darkness Devil looms in the shadows.
This twisted tableau is the Darkness Devil's way of illustrating humanity's ignorance as they venture into the unknown on the topic of Devils — just like they did with space travel.
9 Denji & The Public Safety Devil Hunters Chow Down
Chapter No. 20
Chainsaw Man is routinely celebrated for its intense action and blood-soaked battles, but none of this means anything without empathetic characters that hold it all together. Denji has nobody in his life before he joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters. These new acquaintances forever change Denji's life, but in their downtime, a genuine friendship forms.
It's extremely satisfying whenever Denji just gets to enjoy everyday life as a teenager. One of the best examples of this is when the whole Public Safety Devil Hunter crew goes out for food. There's such life present in all of them, and this tender moment is an appreciated calm before the incoming storm.
8 Cosmo & The Infinite Knowledge Of All Things Halloween
Chapter No. 70
Chainsaw Man deserves a lot of credit for the diverse powers of its many devils, some of which initially seem like one-note gags, only to take on terrifying consequences. Cosmo is only a fiend, not a devil, who possesses the infinite knowledge of the cosmos. Cosmo only communicates by saying "Halloween," which makes a little more sense after she pulls Santa Claus into her mind.
Cosmo forces Santa Claus and his minions to only think about Halloween until their deaths. This heavy idea is elegantly captured through a huge splash panel that presents the world as a sprawling collection of Halloween literature that dwarfs the victims.
7 Quanxi Slices Through The Herd
Chapter No. 60
Fujimoto has such an impeccable sense of space and geography with his panels, and there are plenty of pages that wouldn't work nearly as well if they were presented in a different manner. There's a gorgeous panoramic splash panel that depicts Quanxi's effortless blade skills. He moves through a horde of dolls as if they're made out of butter.
Chainsaw Man's panel depicts these individuals caught midway through dismemberment. Quanxi's work is so efficient that these victims don't even seem to realize that they've been executed, and their frightened legs tirelessly continue ahead to avoid a fate that's already taken them.
6 Aki Summons Kon For The First Time
Chapter No. 10
Each of Chainsaw Man's Devil Hunters benefit from powerful, unique skills. Aki's powers remain a mystery through the first chunk of Chainsaw Man, but they make a bold debut in Chapter 10 and easily steal the show. Aki can summon an enormous demonic wolf deity, Kon, as a weapon in battle.
Kon should only be used in dire circumstances, and every time he's summoned becomes a standout drawing from Fujimoto. However, Kon's first appearance still leaves the greatest impact. The audience has no idea what to expect at this point, let alone that a huge horned wolf with too many eyes is about to tackle Denji.
5 Chainsaw Man Leaves The Earth's Atmosphere
Chapter No. 88
Chainsaw Man gets a lot of mileage out of Makima's urge to push Denji's limits as the Chainsaw Devil and determine just how much carnage he can cause. One of the more extreme tests that Makima administers involves attacking Denji so hard that he's knocked out of the Earth's atmosphere.
Chainsaw Man has exaggerated combat as early as its first volume. However, the visual of the Chainsaw Devil in space as he stares down at Earth and all its glory is as graceful as it is frightening.
4 Denji's Chainsaw Reflects Makima
Chapter No. 96
There's a certain simplicity and nuance to many Chainsaw Man panels where less is more, and the page doesn't need to be completely filled with corpses. A simple moment that would fly by in Chainsaw Man's anime involves Denji's preoccupation with Makima, while her image gets reflected in the blade of his chainsaw.
It's a moving way to highlight just how interested Denji is in Makima. She's his entire world, and this clever image proves that Denji can't escape Makima. It's a great example of how Tatsuki Fujimoto knows how to play with reflections and empty space.
3 Makima Kills Power
Chapter No. 81
Chainsaw Man really plays the long game when it comes to Makima's true nature and the deadly abilities that she holds. Chainsaw Man's 81st chapter will forever be remembered as one of its most important issues. Makima casually reveals her powers as she eviscerates Power, right in front of Denji, no less.
On a storytelling level, the events of this panel are seismic, but it's also creatively conveyed to achieve maximum impact. There's such a blunt, visceral nature to Power's execution that contrasts with Makima's casual demeanor and Denji's utter disbelief.
2 The Hell Devil Claims Three Children
Chapter No. 63
Chainsaw Man's Hell Devil is such a deadly force that operates with supernatural flourishes that defy reality and result in some unique, surreal comic panels. Everything the Hell Devil does is extreme and results in a memorable panel. However, his most terrifying act is when he casually claims the lives of three children as part of his pact with Santa Claus.
The Hell Devil is owed three souls, which he takes, but in a highly unusual manner. A giant finger stretches into the panel to cover three kids, who immediately become casualties. It's almost a Looney Tunes-esque technique where the hand of the creator comes in to erase things.
1 Denji Faces The Weapon Devils In A Battle Royale
Chapter No. 87
Some of Chainsaw Man's most epic manga panels are those where Denji's Chainsaw Devil proudly stands in the midst of chaos. The Chainsaw Devil is meticulously drawn whenever he's in combat, especially when he's up against a worthy foe like the Katana Devil. Chainsaw Man's 87th chapter includes a chaotic free-for-all where Denji attempts to hold his own against seven other hybrid weapon devils.
Reze, Quanxi, and the Katana Devil would challenge Denji in one-on-one combat, so this busy panel really makes its mark. He's in the middle of chaos yet seems prepared to do whatever it takes to survive.