Why Chainsaw Man is the future of shonen manga: A Tatsuki Fujimoto analysis

Tatsuki Fujimoto is doing things with manga that nobody else is willing to do. Chainsaw Man is not just a good series — it is reshaping what shonen manga can be.

What makes Fujimoto different:

1. He kills characters without warning. Shonen manga traditionally protects its cast. Fujimoto does not. Chapter 81 of Part 1 — where [major character] dies mid-sentence with no dramatic buildup — broke every convention. Characters die because the world is dangerous, not because the plot demands a dramatic moment.

2. His paneling is cinematic. Fujimoto has openly stated that he is influenced by films, particularly Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, and Tarkovsky. Source: Fujimoto interview with Jump GIGA, 2021. His page compositions use camera angles, depth of field, and visual rhythm that feel like storyboards rather than traditional manga panels.

3. Part 2 shifted the genre entirely. Part 1 was a dark action series. Part 2 (Chapters 98+) is a high school slice-of-life with horror elements. Denji is trying to live a normal life while being the most dangerous being on the planet. The tonal whiplash is intentional and brilliant.

4. One-shots as proof of range. "Look Back" (2021) is a 140-page one-shot about two girls who bond over manga. It is a deeply personal meditation on grief and creation. "Goodbye, Eri" (2022) is a meta-narrative about filmmaking and memory. These are not side projects — they are evidence that Fujimoto is a generational talent working in any genre he chooses.

The influence: Younger manga creators are already citing Fujimoto as their primary influence. Dandadan by Yukinobu Tatsu (Fujimoto's former assistant) carries the same energy. The next generation of shonen will look more like Chainsaw Man than Dragon Ball.

Sources: Shueisha Jump GIGA interview, Chainsaw Man manga (Viz Media), sales data from Oricon