Mangaka: Tatsuki Fujimoto
Publisher: VIZ
In the previous chapter of Chainsaw Man, readers were treated with one of the coolest devils in the series so far. The Falling Devil has a stellar design, humorous aesthetics, and what seems to be a neat way to harm people. Readers were also devastated by more of Asa’s backstory, with trauma that appears to be feeding into the Falling Devil’s skillset. In other words, the stage has been set for one of Chainsaw Man‘s best conflicts yet.
While we don’t get that big external conflict in this chapter, it’s still riveting. Asa’s trauma threatens her and Yoru’s survival, so Yoru finds a few temporary ways to help Asa cope. Pain, a commonly used yet unhealthy coping mechanism is utilized here to get Asa through the experience. Fujimoto uses his trademark blend of trauma and humor to get Asa (And the reader) from moment to moment, and it works. Asa’s pain feels real in this chapter.
Fujimoto has a lot of fun with this issue when drawing perspective. In between random panels of Yoru inflicting pain on Asa is a lot of dialogue. This dialogue is made interesting through the dizzying layouts of various characters being upside down. It adds chaos to the scenes and makes them fly by for the reader. It feels frantic without actual motion, with enough space between the panels to keep readers moving but still clear on what’s happening on the page.
The last few pages bring us back to the Falling Devil’s big plan and a reveal for her main course. This devil continues to be horrifying but endearing due to the cooking aesthetics. The cliffhanger promises tons of fun, which readers will only have to wait one week for.
Catch up with our reviews of Chainsaw Man Chapter 122 and Chapter 123.
Chainsaw Man Chapter 124
The Good
- Asa's development as a character is excellent
- Fantastic use of framing to create exciting dialogue
The Bad
- Isn't too action heavy
