Tatsuki Fujimoto is undoubtedly one of the most unique and unconventional creators in the manga world. His personality is almost as peculiar as his hugely influential series, Chainsaw Man. This groundbreaking new shonen manga has exploded in popularity, earning recognition as a modern classic.
Its wildly successful anime adaptation in 2022 only boosted Chainsaw Man‘s enormous fanbase even further. What makes Chainsaw Man so unforgettable and impactful is its quirky, one-of-a-kind feel. The series blends surreal comedy, violent dark fantasy in a grim world overrun by evil Devils, and genuinely touching drama that brings readers to tears again and again.
The outlandish nature of Chainsaw Man directly reflects Tatsuki Fujimoto’s unconventional personality, making it fascinating to learn about the person behind this modern masterpiece of dark shonen manga.
What Inspired Tatsuki Fujimoto To Fill Chainsaw Man With Demons?
In Chainsaw Man, the villains are complex characters. The devils are basically forces of nature that exist outside of human morality. Devils represent humanity’s villains or adversaries. The story’s major villainous devils really make you question morality and wonder who the true “devils” really are.
もう悪魔以外もめっちゃ描いてる。
（デンジはギリセーフ？）#チェンソーマン pic.twitter.com/UiyE7VtjPt— チェンソーマン情報局 (@chainsawmanjoho) April 2, 2024
Not all devils fight for evil causes though. Some have contracts with humans working for the greater good of society, making those particular devils seem almost heroic, even if that was never their intent.
Then you have devil hybrids who have human intelligence and reasoning but still choose to commit heinous evil acts.
When an interviewer asked Tatsuki Fujimoto about his inspiration for filling Chainsaw Man‘s world with demonic villains, the manga creator gave a surprisingly simple explanation.
He said,
“Because if the opponent isn’t human, I can draw their internal organs. That’s really the only reason.”
That’s quite an interesting choice of art and words, to say the least!
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Cinematic Inspiration
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s works are full of film references, and he often writes main characters who are huge cinephiles themselves, like Togata from Fire Punch, the leads in Goodbye, Eri, and of course Denji from Chainsaw Man.
The core concept for Chainsaw Man was directly inspired by the classic American horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
But that infamous slasher flick is far from the only movie or show that influenced Tatsuki Fujimoto’s bizarre, genre-blending storytelling.
He’s cited the overblown disaster parody Sharknado, Quentin Tarantino‘s crime thriller Reservoir Dogs, the wacky horror comedy Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!, and even the somber Japanese drama Typhoon Club as sources of inspiration.
In conclusion, Fujimoto’s choice to populate his story with demons and devils was motivated more by artistic freedom than any deeper symbolism about morality or human nature.
Sometimes a creator’s inspirations are much simpler than fans imagine.
