Manga Review: Chainsaw Man Chapter 146

Mangaka: Tatsuki Fujimoto

Publisher: VIZ Media

Asa seems to be in a pretty tough spot after being disarmed by Yoshida. After a brief scene between the two, readers are treated to a ridiculous scene that promises more ridiculous action. It’s a wild moment in which the grotesque panels are juxtaposed with a hilarious scene involving Katana Man. From there, the story is filled with one explosion after another, and it seems like everything is building towards some sort of climax.

While Fujimoto’s master plan remains elusive, the story’s pacing remains strong, despite being slower than its peers. Fans of pure action might be disappointed with the direction of the Academy Saga. Still, Fujimoto’s approach to this saga has been excellent for worldbuilding, and now the world of Chainsaw Man feels so much bigger than just devils and devil hunters. We are seeing how the two affect society at large here. Both politics and religion are explored, and everything feels much richer than a typical shounen at this stage.

All of that exploration is paying off in this chapter as the importance of the Chainsaw Man church leads to some big trouble. Lots of guts and gore fill the panels, and while it’s still hard to guess the endgame, it’s incredibly entertaining for the time being. This chapter is a harbinger of the big bad devil, and I can’t wait for them to get here.

The art in this chapter is excellent, with tons of action being framed just well enough to make it flow together. The expressions continue to tell stories, and even characters without human faces can be read. This is a strong chapter from beginning to end that rewards readers for sticking around for all of the world-building.

Read Chainsaw Man 146 on the Viz app here.