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Chainsaw Man Breaks The Typical Shonen Formula Like No Other
- Daksh Chaudhary
- Feb 21
- 3 min read
Chainsaw Man is quite different from your regular shonen anime. It takes everything we expect from the genre and completely flips it on its head. While most shonen series follow a predictable pattern - an underdog hero, big battles, and a journey of self-improvement, Chainsaw Man does things differently, making it feel fresh and unpredictable.
Where most shonen anime feature noble protagonists with grand dreams, we get Denji, a guy whose biggest wish is to eat good food and touch a girl. The story is packed with brutal fights, dark humor, and characters who don’t fit the usual shonen mold. This unique approach is what makes Chainsaw Man stand out among other anime.
Denji Is A Completely Different Kind Of Protagonist
Most shonen protagonists dream big. Naruto wants to be Hokage, Luffy wants to be Pirate King, and Goku wants to be the strongest fighter. But Denji? He just wants a comfortable life with good food and some affection. His goals are small, relatable, and completely different from the usual larger-than-life ambitions we see in anime.
What makes Denji even more unique is how he reacts to situations. Unlike other heroes who power up through determination, he doesn’t really care about heroism. He fights because it gets him a comfortable life and good food, not because he has a strong sense of justice. This makes him unpredictable and, in many ways, more realistic.
Chainsaw Man Skips The Traditional Power-Ups Or Training Arcs
In most shonen anime, whether we talk about the bigger ones like Naruto, Bleach, or One Piece, or the modern gems like My Hero Academia or Demon Slayer, characters train for months or even years to gain new abilities. But Chainsaw Man skips all of that. Denji doesn’t have a long training arc or mentors teaching him deep lessons about power. Instead, he just fights, gets injured, and keeps going.
His abilities are also different. Instead of using an energy-based attack like a Kamehameha or Rasengan, Denji fights using raw strength and brutality. He swings his chainsaws wildly, without any polished techniques, making his battles feel messy and intense. This lack of traditional power-ups makes Chainsaw Man feel more grounded and exciting, completely breaking the typical shonen trope.
Chainsaw Man Is More Unpredictable Than Your Typical Shonen Shows
Most shonen series have a clear structure: the hero gets stronger, faces tougher enemies, and slowly moves toward their ultimate goal. But then comes Chainsaw Man, throwing all of that out the window. The story moves at a breakneck pace, with shocking twists that no one sees coming.
For example, major characters die suddenly, without warning. If you truly love a character in the series, be prepared to say a permanent goodbye anytime. Plus, there are no long goodbyes or emotional monologues before death. This makes every battle feel dangerous and real. Even the way villains are handled is different; many of them don’t have deep backstories or motivations like most shonen shows. Some just exist to cause chaos, and that’s enough to make them terrifying.
Darker Than Most Shows But Smartly Balanced With Humor
Most shonen anime, even the darker ones, carry a sense of hope. No matter how bad things get, there’s usually light at the end of the tunnel. Chainsaw Man doesn’t offer that kind of comfort. The world is brutal, and for Devil Hunters, death is not just likely, it’s expected.
Characters make deals with Devils to gain power, but these deals come at a terrible cost.
Aki’s contract with the Future Devil guarantees he won’t live long. Himeno sacrifices her own body to summon the Ghost Devil. Even Denji’s own survival depends on Pochita giving up his form. These choices seal their fate that viewers ultimately have to deal with.
But instead of letting this crushing darkness overwhelm the story, Chainsaw Man offsets it with absurd and dark humor. Denji’s simple, almost childish motivations, Power’s chaotic personality, and moments of ridiculousness in the middle of brutal fights make sure the series never becomes too depressing.
Final Verdict: A Brilliant Story By A Brilliant Writer
Tatsuki Fujimoto has created something truly unique with Chainsaw Man. Unlike typical shonen, the story doesn’t follow a straightforward path of growth and victory. Instead, it throws its characters into a cruel world where survival is never guaranteed.
The mix of brutal action, emotional scenes, and dark humor makes the series stand out from anything else in the genre. Fujimoto’s brilliant storytelling in Chainsaw Man keeps fans constantly on edge, unsure of what will happen next.
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