Chainsaw Man’s New Devil Is an Homage to The Menu

Chainsaw Man has proven itself time and again as one of manga’s most complex series. While filled with violence and gore, the thought-provoking title has pushed a number of fans out of their comfort zone. Creator Tatsuki Fujimoto is to thank for the challenge as the Chainsaw Man artist draws inspiration from all over. And now, it seems Chainsaw Man chapter 123 just dropped a major homage to The Menu.

If you did not know, the Chainsaw Man manga went live with a new chapter this week, and it is a doozy. The big update checks in on Asa after she ran into a Primal Fear in the city. The mystery devil seems to have caused a number of suicides since appearing, and that is because of their history. The Falling Devil preys on people’s fears of falling both physically and emotionally. It is safe to say fans find the Chainsaw Man devil unsettling, and what makes it worse is that they take the form of a chef.

The Falling Devil puts themselves together throughout Chainsaw Man chapter 123, and their final form is very familiar. We can see the Primal Fear talking in a very specific tone, and their vocabulary is very formal. Combined with their sharp claps, it didn’t take fans long to connect the Falling Devil with The Menu. After all, the villain borrows verbal cues and physical tics from Chef Slowik. And considering Fujimoto has tweeted about his love of The Menu before now, it is easy to see where the artist pulled this devil from.

Of course, Chainsaw Man readers will have to see where the Falling Devil goes from here. It has been a hot minute since the manga dealt with a threat this ominous. Primal Fears are extremely rare, and we’ve only run into one of them in Chainsaw Man to date. This newcomer’s debut marks a first for Asa, so time will tell how the heroine deals with them. And if Denji gets involved, well – the Falling Devil will have quite the meal set before them. The only question is whether they’re powerful enough to serve Denji on a platter. Many have tried and failed to do this including the Control Devil, but there is something about the Falling Devil so far that has Chainsaw Man fans on edge. 

What do you think about Chainsaw Man’s cinematic homage here? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.