Chainsaw Man Had the Most Popular Manga Chapter of 2024, But Not for the Reason You Expect

In a year that saw two of the most popular manga series worldwide, Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia, to their conclusions, the most-read chapter of 2024 on Shueisha's Manga Plus service belongs to none other than Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man. Centering around the widely misunderstood Denji and his journey to becoming a hero, Chainsaw Man was the recipient of wide-spread acclaim long before it had an accompanying anime series. That success looks to continue into the new year, with the upcoming Chainsaw Man: The Movie - Reze Arc sure to bring even more new fans to the story.

The most popular entry of the year, chapter #167, titled, "Super Smooch", is not one that anyone might have expected, however. In a series that offers some of the most chaotic and energetic fights in the shōnen genre, the winning chapter featured little action, in terms of combat, at least. Causing quite a stir in the anime and manga community upon release, chapter #167 is likely Chainsaw Man Part Two's most controversial, bringing extra eyes to the manga and running up its view count.

The Most Popular Manga Chapter of the Year Is Hilariously Unexpected

Chainsaw Man's Most NSFW Chapter Takes First Place

Chainsaw Man chapter #167 takes place during a relative period of downtime in the series, which finally brings co-protagonists Denji and Asa together. Tatsuki Fujimoto, however, presumably in an attempt to subvert readers' expectations as he very much enjoys doing, brings the two characters a little too close. Yoru, after possessing Asa, takes advantage of a dejected Denji in Chainsaw Man's most NSFW chapter to date.

The 'alleyway incident', as many fans have come to dub the event, takes up the entirety of the chapter's runtime. Denji is on the receiving end of Yoru's chaotic and devilish cycling emotions, and then a little more from the War Devil as memories of their first kiss flood her mind. Ending on a panel reminiscent of The End of Evangelion's infamous opening scene, the chapter precedes Denji's complete loss of a will to live, only proving that when it comes to Chainsaw Man, the titular character's misery is what sells.

Denji's Lack of Autonomy Is at the Heart of Chainsaw Man

Chainsaw Man's Battle With Control Extends Beyond Part One's Final Fight

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Throughout Part One's dealings with the Control Devil, and Part Two's many different characters expressing their own beliefs about who exactly Chainsaw Man is, it's clear that Denji's lack of freedom has always defined his character. During chapter #167, that lack of control culminates in the 'alleyway incident', in which yet another character takes advantage of him. Despite Part One's triumphant victory over Makima, Denji never quite took control over his own life, until he and Asa became lost together in more recent chapters.

Related If You Think Chainsaw Man Part 2 Makes No Sense, You Weren't Paying Attention At the Start Chainsaw Man Part Two has been divisive among fans, though many of its plot points make sense when considering the events of Part One.

With a new will to live, Chainsaw Man has placed Denji back in the driver's seat as Part Two rushes towards its climax. The most popular chapter on Manga Plus in 2024 might not be one that anyone was expecting, but its events ultimately delivered Denji to a healthy mindset and motivation to fight. The showdown between Pochita and Aging Devil is currently underway, and fans won't want to miss out on the safer-for-work action this time around.

Manga Plus' 2024 Highlights can be found here.