Shonen Jump’s darkest manga continues to use the same trope for its protagonist, and it’s high time he received some development. Most shonen protagonists are built using the same formula: they have grand, world-saving ambitions and take action to achieve those goals. However, one shonen series has stepped away from this traditional mold and crafted its protagonist around highly unconventional tropes. That series is Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man, and its protagonist is Denji. Chainsaw Man is famous for how it distinguishes itself from other shonen series, and its biggest distinction lies in Denji.
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Amid the abundance of shonen protagonists with unrealistic goals, Denji, who had a rough childhood, only wanted a normal life. Once he was able to eat three meals a day, his next desire became getting a girlfriend, specifically implying that he wanted to get intimate with a girl. Ever since he became a devil hunter and could fulfill basic human needs, he has taken actions driven by that desire, leading to many poor decisions. Girls have repeatedly manipulated Denji through his desires, and in the latest chapter, he once again makes a major decision based on his sexual impulses, one that could potentially lead to the end of the world.
Chainsaw Man Continues Its Old Trend With Its Main Character
Not once or twice, but Denji has been manipulated three times because of his sexual impulses. Makima and Reze exploited his weakness in Part 1 of the manga, and those experiences were traumatic enough that they should have given him the character development needed to avoid being manipulated by Yoru in the same way. However, Yoru exploited Denji as well and manipulated him into her scheme, which eventually led to a major battle in which Denji fought the War Devil. After an intense fight, it seemed like Denji had won, but the latest chapter showed him making yet another decision driven by his sexual impulses that completely turned the tables.
In Chapter 229, titled “Nightjar and Asa,” as Yoru was bleeding out, Denji approached her and fed her his own blood. When Yoru asked why he would do that and give up the fight, Denji explained that he saved her because she had promised to have sex with him if he ate a dangerous devil. Giving up a battle where the fate of the world is at stake for the possibility of getting intimate with a girl who could easily have been lying, perfectly encapsulates Denji’s character.
However, since this trope has been repeated multiple times, it feels boring and adds nothing new to the narrative. The consequences of this decision are still unknown, and the next chapter will reveal what Yoru plans to do with Denji. Unless this turns out to be a clever strategy by Denji to deceive Yoru and secure victory, Chainsaw Man risks losing its uniqueness by reusing a tired trope that does not move the story forward.
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