Title: Chainsaw Man Vol. 17
Author: Tatsuki Fujimoto
Publisher: Viz Media
Language: English
Format: Paperback
Pages: 185
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Publication Date: January 7, 2024
The Story
The story picks up with our corrupt church coming under fire by Public Service. By the end of their raid, they had taken over most of the main branches and seized all of their weapons. Suddenly, people all over the city begin to rampage with chainsaws popping out of their heads. Of course, everyone blames Chainsaw Man but it’s actually the work of another devil… a devil that the church was using.
All of this is to incite Denji into turning back into Chainsaw Man because they believe that Denji going nuts would be the thing needed to save the world from The Death Devil. Meanwhile, Public Service is still on the hunt and their next target is our friend Asa and The War Devil. She comes under attack and realizes just how much the odds are beginning to stack against her!
Meanwhile, public unrest is growing as is a hatred for Chainsaw Man. Denji is out with Nayuta when he’s told about the Death Devil and to help him turn back into Chainsaw Man, extreme measures we taken. Deep down, Denji wishes nothing more than to be Chainsaw Man again but, will he pull the ripcord on his chest?
Characters
The biggest development in this volume is centered around Denji and the aura of Chainsaw Man. Sure, we had some plot development involving Fumiko as well as Asa/War Devil but the main theme of the volume was seeking out Chainsaw Man, pushing him to his limits emotionally, and getting him to turn back into Chainsaw Man along with how Denji feels about doing it all over again. A quiet and peaceful life was something he was enjoying but the mere fact that he was looking for an excuse speaks volumes about what his next dream is.
While we did get to see some of Nayuta, not much has really changed. She’s still devoted to Denji but there was a moment where there were some seeds of doubt planted in her mind that made her wonder if Denji actually needed or even wanted her but they were quickly dispelled.
Fumiko continues to have some screws loose but she and public safety are only being these loose cannons because they know of the impending arrival of The Death Devil… who seems to be the big evil in this part of the series much like Makima and/or The Gun Devil was in the first part. Suddenly, Fumiko doesn’t seem as crazy as before but, let’s be honest here… she’s still crazy.
Final Thoughts
There weren’t many developments in this volume, but what we did get was rather impactful. Denji comes to a crossroads on whether or not to become Chainsaw Man again, the Death Devil’s impending arrival, Public Safety steps things up and goes after the church, the church’s secret weapon by making a contract with a certain devil gives rise to many fake Chainsaw Men, the public’s general opinion of him, and more.
We did get some nice action during this volume to help balance out the storytelling which gave it a nice mixture but from an impact standpoint, it wasn’t as strong as previous volumes but still good enough to provide you with that dose of Chainsaw Man you’ve been craving. Next time, we will see the results of Denji’s decision and whether or not he elects to “save the world” alongside public safety or if he decides to do it in his own way (or go another direction.)
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This item was provided for review by VIZ Media.
