Part 1 of Chainsaw Man was an emotional rollercoaster. In just 97 chapters, it delivered a raw mix of desire, exploitation, trauma, betrayal, and absurdism. It was sharp, unpredictable, and unforgettable.
But now, with Part 2 crossing over 100 chapters, I can’t help but feel… disappointed. Here’s why.
#1 Denji’s Regression
The entire first saga was Denji’s fight to break free from blindly following orders just to chase a “normal life.” From the Yakuza to Reze to Makima, he was manipulated, groomed, and used. And in the end, he finally fought back.
That was his arc. His growth.
But in Part 2? We’re watching the exact same cycle all over again. Denji is once more being manipulated, blackmailed, and groomed — this time by Yoru, Fumiko, Yoshida, and Barem. If this is meant to be a repeat of the same arc, it risks feeling redundant instead of meaningful.
#2 Abrupt, Anti-Climactic Arcs
Too many arcs in Part 2 feel like they build toward something huge… only to fizzle out.
- Chainsaw Man Church Arc: The Weapon Hybrids push Denji to the brink, even burning his apartment with his pets inside. It’s set up for an epic showdown — but it ends suddenly because the crowd gets in the way?
- Prison Break Arc: Asa and Fami’s attempt to bust Denji out had all the tension you’d expect… but the climax was cut short.
- Aging Devil Arc: A primordial devil is introduced — a massive deal in Chainsaw Man lore — and then dispatched with barely any payoff.
The hype is there in the buildup, but the execution keeps falling flat.
#3 An Off-Screen Death That Hurts
Nayuta — Denji’s adoptive sister and arguably the last thread keeping him grounded after Part 1 — is killed off-screen. And not even by devils, but by an ordinary crowd.
For a character that is important to Denji’s emotional core, this feels like a wasted gut punch.
#4 Unanswered Questions Piling Up
Part 1 left mysteries that seemed destined for dramatic reveals in Part 2. Yet here we are, still without answers:
- Why can Chainsaw Man erase concepts from reality?
- Why did the Four Horsemen fight Pochita?
- Who exactly are the Weapon Hybrids?
Instead of payoff, we get more threads dangling.
#5 That Cockroach Devil Scene
My doubts about Part 2 began with Denji’s first appearance. Facing the Cockroach Devil, he’s given an ultimatum: save a student or a group of elderly women. Instead, Denji lets them all die while saving… a random cat.
Yes, saving the cat isn’t inherently wrong — but Denji doesn’t even try to save a single person. After everything he’s endured in Part 1, you’d expect him to value human life more than anyone. Instead, this scene makes him feel emotionally hollow.
#6 Conclusion
Scroll through social media, especially Reddit, and you’ll see fans calling Fujimoto Tatsuki a genius — and I don’t disagree. Part 1 is proof of his talent, and I’ve loved his other works too.
But Chainsaw Man’s Part 2? The quality is slipping.
I’m not here to blindly consume and praise everything with the Chainsaw Man name on it. If anything, being a fan means acknowledging when something you love isn’t living up to its potential.
Muhammad Hariz