Chainsaw Man Manga & Anime Guide: Tatsuki Fujimoto's Devil Hunter Explained

🎌 Manga & Anime History

Chainsaw Man Manga & Anime Guide: Tatsuki Fujimoto's Devil Hunter Explained

A broke teenager, a chainsaw dog and a world full of devils. Why Chainsaw Man is the boldest Shōnen Jump hit of its generation.

Denji is drowning in his dead father's debt to the yakuza, hunting devils with his pet chainsaw devil Pochita to scrape by. His dreams are tiny: bread with jam, a soft bed, maybe a girlfriend. When he is betrayed and killed, Pochita merges with him, and Denji is reborn as Chainsaw Man.

Chainsaw Man is one of the fastest-moving series in our shop, and we usually have a good spread of Viz's volumes. Here is our guide to the manga, the anime and film, the characters and the volumes worth knowing. Browse our Chainsaw Man manga.

Chainsaw Man Vol. 1 manga cover
Chainsaw Man Vol. 1, where Denji becomes Chainsaw Man.

Chainsaw Man at a glance

  • Created by: Tatsuki Fujimoto (story and art)
  • Part 1: Weekly Shōnen Jump (Shueisha), December 2018 to December 2020
  • Part 2: Shōnen Jump+ app and website, July 2022 to March 2026
  • Volumes: 24
  • English publisher: Viz Media, in print and digital
  • Anime: MAPPA, October to December 2022
  • Film: Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (September 2025)
  • Circulation: Over 36 million copies by June 2026
  • Awards: 66th Shogakukan Manga Award (2021); Harvey Award for Best Manga, 2021–2023

Where Chainsaw Man came from

Tatsuki Fujimoto had already made a name with the brutal, unpredictable Fire Punch when Chainsaw Man began in Weekly Shōnen Jump in December 2018. It felt like nothing else in the magazine: crude, darkly funny, full of film references and willing to kill major characters without warning.

The story: Part 1 and Part 2

Part 1 follows Denji after he joins Public Safety's devil hunters under the mysterious Makima, alongside the blood fiend Power and the serious Aki Hayakawa. Arcs like the Eternity Devil, the Reze arc and the Gun Devil escalate into one of the most shocking endings in modern shōnen.

Part 2, which moved to the Shōnen Jump+ app in July 2022, shifts focus to Asa Mitaka, a lonely student who becomes host to the War Devil, Yoru, and whose path collides with Denji's. Part 2 ran until March 2026, bringing the series to 24 volumes.

From page to screen: the MAPPA anime

MAPPA's anime aired from October to December 2022, with a different ending theme for every episode and a cinematic style influenced by live-action film. Its follow-up, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, premiered in September 2025.

Tatsuki Fujimoto's style

Fujimoto's storytelling is heavily influenced by cinema, with long silent sequences, film-like framing and sudden shifts in tone. His one-shots like Look Back have also become critically acclaimed. Interestingly, Yukinobu Tatsu, creator of Dandadan, worked as an assistant on Chainsaw Man before launching his own hit.

Why Chainsaw Man matters

Chainsaw Man won the 66th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2021 and the Harvey Award for Best Manga three years running, from 2021 to 2023. It proved that a weird, uncompromising series could become a mainstream hit and opened the door for more experimental work in Jump.

Where to start reading Chainsaw Man

Start at Vol. 1. Part 1 runs to Vol. 11, and Part 2 starts in Vol. 12. Note that it is a mature series with graphic violence. We stock several volumes, including Vol. 4 and Vol. 9.

Chainsaw Man manga & anime timeline

Year What happened
2018 Chainsaw Man begins in Weekly Shōnen Jump in December.
2020 Part 1 ends in December.
2021 It wins the 66th Shogakukan Manga Award and the first of three Harvey Awards.
2022 Part 2 begins on Shōnen Jump+ in July. MAPPA's anime airs from October.
2025 Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc premieres in September.
2026 Part 2 ends in March. Circulation passes 36 million by June.

Key characters in Chainsaw Man

Denji

A poor teenager fused with Pochita, who becomes Chainsaw Man and just wants a normal life.

Pochita

Denji's loyal chainsaw devil companion, now his heart.

Makima

The calm, commanding Public Safety leader with a terrifying agenda.

Power

The chaotic, lying blood fiend who becomes Denji's chaotic partner.

Aki Hayakawa

A serious devil hunter seeking revenge against the Gun Devil.

Asa Mitaka & Yoru

The lonely heroine of Part 2 and the War Devil who shares her body.

Curiosities collectors should know

  • Every episode of MAPPA's anime has its own ending theme.
  • Part 2 moved from the print magazine to the Shōnen Jump+ app.
  • Dandadan creator Yukinobu Tatsu was an assistant on Chainsaw Man.
  • It won the Harvey Award for Best Manga three years in a row.

Chainsaw Man volumes worth knowing

  • Vol. 1Chainsaw Man Vol. 1 manga cover

    Chainsaw Man Vol. 1: Dog And Chainsaw

    2020 · Viz Media

    Denji becomes Chainsaw Man and joins Public Safety.

    View our copy
  • Vol. 5Chainsaw Man Vol. 5 manga cover

    Chainsaw Man Vol. 5: Minor

    2021 · Viz Media

    The Reze arc begins, the story adapted in the 2025 film.

    Browse our Chainsaw Man manga
  • Vol. 11Chainsaw Man Vol. 11 manga cover

    Chainsaw Man Vol. 11: Go Get 'Em, Chainsaw Man

    2022 · Viz Media

    The end of Part 1, one of the most shocking finales in modern manga.

    Browse our Chainsaw Man manga
  • Vol. 12Chainsaw Man Vol. 12 manga cover

    Chainsaw Man Vol. 12

    2023 · Viz Media

    Part 2 begins with Asa Mitaka and the War Devil.

    Browse our Chainsaw Man manga
  • Vol. 22Chainsaw Man Vol. 22 manga cover

    Chainsaw Man Vol. 22

    2026 · Viz Media

    Late Part 2, as the story races to its conclusion.

    Browse our Chainsaw Man manga

Chainsaw Man covers through the years

A look at the covers across the English-language run. Tap a cover to find it in our shop.

Chainsaw Man on our shelves right now

Here are some of the volumes we currently have in stock. Every copy is checked and graded before it is listed.

You can also browse every Chainsaw Man book we stock.

Missing a volume? Only part of our stock is listed online, so if you are filling gaps in your Chainsaw Man collection, email us at contact@siomiccomics.com and we will check our unpublished catalogue.

Frequently asked questions about Chainsaw Man

Who created Chainsaw Man?

Chainsaw Man was written and drawn by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Part 1 ran in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 2018 to 2020; Part 2 ran on Shōnen Jump+ from 2022 to 2026.

How many Chainsaw Man volumes are there?

There are 24 volumes. Part 1 covers Vols. 1–11. Viz Media publishes the English edition.

Which studio made the Chainsaw Man anime?

MAPPA produced the anime, which aired from October to December 2022.

Is there a Chainsaw Man movie?

Yes. Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc premiered in September 2025.

Is Chainsaw Man suitable for younger readers?

It is a mature series with graphic violence and adult themes, best for older teens and adults.

Condition grades on our listings follow our comic & book condition guide. Have Chainsaw Man books of your own you would like to sell? Email us at contact@siomiccomics.com. Chainsaw Man and all related characters are trademarks of Tatsuki Fujimoto / Shueisha. Cover images are shown for reference.