Spoiler Alert !!!
This article contains spoiler from the manga Chainsaw Man Chapter 188
Apart from the slasher violence, Chainsaw Man is explicit in many aspects. This extends to inappropriate humor and moments in the anime. To top it off, the series has its fair share of controversies. From grooming to self-harm, the series is ridden with criticism. Despite its popularity, Fujimoto’s manga is treading on thin ice. And it is especially true with the recent chapter.
Several fans took to the internet to express their disappointment. This is evident in Chapter 188 and its visuals that seem concerning. Despite the prevalence of gore and s*x, many believe that Fujimoto took it too far. Some even suggested this as stemming from a shock value. This however doesn’t negate the mangaka’s controversial stunts.
Chainsaw Man fans respond to Chapter 188
Chainsaw Man is quite an unconventional series, especially in its characterization of the protagonist. Denji’s goals and ambitions set him apart from most shonen heroes. Rather than achieving world peace or unity, he seeks to live his life to the fullest. His naivety and worldview change as the story progresses. This also extends to his goals and ambitions in life.
Throughout the series, Denji is established as a touch-starved protagonist. His pursuit of intimacy is his driving force throughout the series. What makes the fans root for him is the culture of grooming. This holds especially true with his relationship with Makima.
On top of that, his constant dehumanization by other characters is highly questionable. In a similar vein, Fujimoto topped the charts in his treatment of the hero. Fans couldn’t help but express their disappointment.
In Chapter 188, Fujimoto underscores Denji being violated by Yoru. While explicitness is present in the manga, most fans heavily criticized it on X.
fujimoto’s obsession with weird sexual shock value has to be studied at this point, chainsaw man part 2 has to be some of the worst material to ever come out of shonen jump pic.twitter.com/5itPZjUnMb
— jb (@jb141_) October 22, 2024
his entire schtick of denji being assaulted is so horribly presented it’s almost comedic in nature, what happened to the nigga who wrote look back?
— jb (@jb141_) October 22, 2024
i was about to disagree but fumiko’s introduction was bonkers, definition of shock value. i don’t like how he’s treating such a topic so carelessly
— zakaria (@togashi_sexual) October 22, 2024
There’s no way he did it again omg,,,,2(2?2)2&&2
— ♱ (@otsufem) October 22, 2024
There’s no way he did it again omg,,,,2(2?2)2&&2
— ♱ (@otsufem) October 22, 2024
Amidst the heavy backlash, some users had a different perspective on this. They pointed out the assault and violation in a rather sensible manner. This further raises the question regarding Fujimoto’s career as a stellar Shonen Jump mangaka.
Is this the end of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s stint as a stellar Shonen Jump author?
Tatsuki Fujimoto has an impressive portfolio of works as a mangaka. While most know him for Chainsaw Man, his writings are diverse. From Goodbye Eri to Look Back, he has produced some fine one-shot manga. Look Back is considered one of them.
The one-shot manga was adapted into an animated film that garnered a positive reception. He has also produced Fire Punch, which is yet another iconic manga by the author. Despite his versatility, the fans’ criticism raises concerns for the mangaka’s career.
Apart from the slasher violence, Fujimoto’s manga has been at the epicenter of criticism. This extends to his portrayal of intimacy and relationships. Mostly, though, the criticism is fanned by the readers. Several critics have praised his representation of dominating women. In his move to represent assault and violation, Fujimoto may have faltered. This, however, doesn’t mark the end of his career.
As a stellar mangaka who has a versatile portfolio, Fujimoto’s career is far from over. While the chapter was unsavory for most fans, they need to have more faith in the mangaka.
Chainsaw Man is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
