Tatsuki Fujimoto’sChainsaw Manis one of the most unique stories released in Shonen Jump in a while. The cinematic influences in the manga and anime are one trait that makes the series stand out, but possibly one of the biggest isits protagonist, Denji.
Denji is quite famous in the anime community as of now, due to his unique motivation of simply wanting to eat good food and get a girlfriend. However, the developments he goes through after becoming Chainsaw Man elevate him to one of the best shounen protagonists of recent years. This is why it was shocking to see Fujimotoreplace Denji with a new protagonistat the start ofChainsaw ManPart 2. So who is this new hero and how does she stack up to Denji?
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Who Is Asa?
Whereas Denji was introduced in the most downtrodden, sad situation possible, Asa’s introduction was like something out ofa dark comedy.Chainsaw Manpart 2 begins with a high school class being introduced to the Chicken Devil, who they are told to keep as a class pet, before eventually having to kill it. Over time though, the class grows to love him, even naming him Bucky. Bucky is such a good friend that he even notices the class outcast, Asa Mitaka, and invites her to celebrate with the rest of the class. Finally being offered a chance to become a part of the class properly, Asa, sets aside her angst and runs to join them.
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Unfortunately, she trips over and squashes Bucky, killing him.
This is how Asa’s life tends to go. She’s constantly at the tip of happiness, but never quite sticks the landing. She’s antisocial and spiteful but can’t stop herself from desiring connection and companionship like everyone else.
What Are Her Abilities?
Similar to Denji’s death at the hands of the Zombie Devil, Asa soon meets her fate against her class president, who is using the power of the Justice Devil. Instead of a dear friend like Pochita, she is saved by the sinisterWar Devil, who she later begins calling Yoru. Yoru is on a mission to kill Chainsaw Man, to revive the Nuclear Weapon Devil and restore her own power.
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With Yoru’s power, Asa can turn anything she owns into a weapon, even other people. The stronger her attachment to the weapon and her guilt for destroying it, the stronger the weapon. For instance, her strongest weapon yet was created from the school uniform her late mother bought her.
Unlike Denji, she isn’t in control of herself at all times, as Yoru can take over her body at any time, and is constantly talking to her.
How Does She Compare To Denji?
Denji’s arc throughout part 1 ofChainsaw Mansaw him rise out of the gutter, only for him tolose much of what he had earned. He’s a character who was quite happy following orders, and had quite simple goals. Asa on the other hand, tends to exist in the middle, as opposed to the extremes. She lost her family, and has no social connections at school, but she also gets to go to school, and can keep herself mildly comfortable; a far cry from Denji’s destitution. The two are similar in that a stronger entity is driving their actions, but Asa takes much more control over the process than Denji did.
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The audience tends to laugh at Asa more than with her, as her misfortune is presented with much lower stakes thanDenji’s big devil battles. She’s not necessarily less likable than Denji, but her development is focused more on sanding down her edges than Denji’s was.
The Story Going Forward
As one might expect, giving Asa the reins of the story means that Denji doesn’t show up as much. He still gets to have some solo scenes, but he’s no longer presented as an audience surrogate. His inner thoughts and experiences aren’t shown explicitly like Asa’s are, and it’s a mystery when he’s going to show up next. However, recent chapters have drawn the two together, implying that they might be spending more time together going forward.
Asa might even play a part in Denji’s continuing development with women, and some fans have theorized that the two might become a couple eventually. The appearance of the War Devil also seems to have triggered a new growing conflict inChainsaw Man’s world, centered around the ‘four horsemen’. War and Famine have already been introduced, and if they both go after Chainsaw Man, Asa will likely be forced to take a stand on whether to protect Denji or let him be killed so she can get her life back.
Whatever happens going forward though, the swap of protagonists has so far been a breath of fresh air forChainsaw Man, and it will be fun to see where Asa’s story goes by the time part 2 is over.
