Fans get excited again for Chainsaw Man
This article includes spoilers for the "Chainsaw Man" manga. Discretion is advised to the reader.
Chapter 171 of "Chainsaw Man" is a major turning point for the manga. The second part was built little by little until the big bombshell of Chapter 167 took everyone by surprise. Since then, creator Tatsuki Fujimoto has not taken his foot off the accelerator. Chainsaw Man isn't all bloody fights, outrageously explicit scenes, and a youthful sense of humor.
Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga is also known for its deeper themes, and that was more evident than ever in Chapter 170, when Barem Bridge served Nayuta's head to Denji on a silver platter. This left Denji to face the harsh reality of what really happened to his little sister, but in the most recent chapter, Denji gives in to his darkest impulses to fight a ghost from his past.
Barem Bridge's plan to turn Denji into the "real Chainsaw Man" definitely works and doesn't do him any favors. No one has any control over Denji at this point in the series, aside from the late Nayuta. The only person who could influence him is Asa, but given his fight with Yoru following his infamous romp with Denji in Chapter 167, it's doubtful that the War Demon could be of any help in this situation.
With no one standing in Denji's way, the author lets the beast out for the first time in 70 chapters. In one of the most brutal scenes of "Chainsaw Man" in years, Denji rips off the head of the Flamethrower Demon hybrid, while Denji's own innards come out of his body and wrap around his neck. This scene multiplies the body horror of the Chainsaw Man tenfold and makes the shock of seeing Nayuta's disembodied head seem insignificant in comparison.
But did you know that the episode had inexplicable censorship? There is a noticeable difference between the Japanese version and the international version of the chapter that fans quickly discovered. It turns out that in the Japanese version we can clearly see how Denji pulls the cord of his chest to become Chainsaw Man again, but in the international version this small panel does not appear, but Asa's reaction to his transformation is shown.
- On the left, the Japanese version, on the right, the international version.
What is the point of this change between versions? Some believe that Tatsuki Fujimoto made a last-minute change that was not reflected in the international version of the chapter (since Manga Plus receives the chapter several hours or days before to prepare the translation), but it was reflected in the Japanese version. Still, the impact of this chapter has been more than welcome.
While in previous installments big bombs were dropped that increased the expectation for the series spectacularly, the most recent chapter of "Chainsaw Man" definitely feels like the chapter that this entire second part wanted to address. If Fujimoto had retained or avoided conflict for a few more episodes, it could have done a huge disservice to the series.
Source: @kalingaddynasty en Twitter
