Chainsaw Man Manga Reading Order — The Complete List
Here’s the reading order laid out plainly:
Part 1 — Public Safety Saga
Denji, a debt-ridden teenager, merges with a Devil (a supernatural creature born from human fears) and gets pulled into a government agency tasked with hunting Devils. The story escalates fast from there.
- Volume 1 — Denji’s origin; the merge with Pochita; introduction to Devil Hunters
- Volume 2 — Bat Devil and first major missions
- Volume 3 — Eternity Devil; confined-space horror
- Volume 4 — Katana Man arc begins; betrayal and ambush
- Volume 5 — Katana Man arc concludes; escalating stakes
- Volume 6 — Bomb Girl arc; new threat, new complications
- Volume 7 — International Assassins arc begins
- Volume 8 — Assassins arc continues; major revelations
- Volume 9 — Gun Devil arc ramps up
- Volume 10 — Control Devil arc; the story’s biggest pivot
- Volume 11 — Part 1 finale; resolution and devastating consequences
Part 2 — Academy Saga
The setting shifts. A new protagonist enters alongside returning characters, and the story pushes further into the emotional and mental toll of living in a world shaped by Devils.
- Volume 12 — New protagonist introduction; school setting established
- Volume 13 — Devil conflicts resurface in a civilian context
- Volume 14 — Escalation; old faces return
- Volume 15 — Falling Devil arc
- Volume 16 — Consequences deepen
- Volume 17 — Chainsaw Man’s public role expands
- Volume 18 — Alliances shift
- Volume 19 — Major character developments
- Volume 20 — Stakes reach a breaking point
- Volume 21 — Climactic events begin
- Volume 22 — Final arcs accelerate
- Volume 23 — Endgame territory
- Volume 24 — Series conclusion
That’s the complete series. Part 1 spans Volumes 1–11 (97 chapters), and Part 2 spans Volumes 12–24 (147 chapters), for a total of 244 chapters across 24 volumes. The story is finished — Tatsuki Fujimoto wrapped it up, and no continuation has been announced.
There are no branching paths, no “read this story segment before that one” complications, and no companion manga you need to track down. Start at Volume 1 and keep going.
The one practical note: the Japanese edition is complete at 24 volumes, but the English edition from VIZ Media currently has 21 volumes available, with Volume 21 being the most recent release. The remaining volumes are still on the way.
Why Reading Order Matters — Part 1 vs. Part 2 Explained
You might see people online refer to “Part 1” and “Part 2” as if they’re separate series. They’re not. But the distinction does matter, and here’s why it sometimes causes confusion.
Part 1 (the Public Safety Saga) was published in weekly installments — a process called serialization — in Weekly Shonen Jump, Shueisha’s flagship weekly manga magazine. “Shonen” refers to manga aimed primarily at teenage boys, though the audience in practice is much broader. Weekly Shonen Jump is one of the biggest manga publications in the world, home to long-running series like One Piece and My Hero Academia. Part 1 ran for 97 chapters and wrapped up before Part 2 began.
Part 2 (the Academy Saga) moved to Shonen Jump+, Shueisha’s digital manga platform. This shift to a different publication venue — combined with a gap between the two parts — led some newer readers to wonder if Part 2 was a sequel, a reboot, or something they could jump into independently.
It’s none of those things. Part 2 is a direct story continuation of Part 1. Characters, plot threads, and world-building from Part 1 carry directly into Part 2. Reading Part 2 without Part 1 would be like watching the second half of a movie and wondering why nothing makes sense.
The tonal shift between the two parts is real, though. Part 2 spends more time inside its characters’ heads — their fears, their guilt, the ways trauma reshapes how they see the world. It introduces new central characters alongside returning ones. Many readers note that Part 2 feels different — but it builds on everything Part 1 established. There are no timeline jumps or alternate storylines. Chapter 1 leads to Chapter 244 in one unbroken sequence.
The bottom line: read Part 1 first. Always.
What Makes Chainsaw Man Dark Fantasy — Content Notes Before You Start
Chainsaw Man runs in a shonen magazine, but calling it a typical shonen title would be misleading. This series earns its dark fantasy label from the very first chapter and never lets up.
Violence and Body Horror
The violence in Chainsaw Man is extreme and frequent. The core premise involves the protagonist literally transforming into a chainsaw-wielding hybrid who tears through enemies — and the manga depicts this with unflinching, visceral detail. Body horror is woven into the way abilities work in this world: Devils are born from human fears, and their designs reflect the worst things people can imagine. If graphic violence is a hard limit for you, this series will cross that line immediately and repeatedly.
Emotional Darkness
Beyond the physical violence, Chainsaw Man carries a persistent emotional bleakness. Major characters die. Motivations are tangled and morally gray. Psychological trauma isn’t a background element — it’s front and center, especially in Part 2, which digs deeper into how its characters are broken by loss, manipulation, and the desperate need for human connection. The series examines loneliness, exploitation, and the things people will sacrifice for even a scrap of belonging.
Who This Is For
This is a mature shonen title that borders on seinen — manga aimed at adult readers — in tone and content. It’s not recommended for younger readers. If you’re drawn to dark fantasy that refuses to soften its edges — stories built on brutal violence, morally gray characters, and worlds that don’t offer easy comfort — Chainsaw Man fits that mold. Series like Berserk, Dorohedoro, and Jujutsu Kaisen occupy similar territory. The darkness isn’t gratuitous for its own sake; it serves the story Fujimoto is telling. But you should know what you’re walking into.
Which Edition Should You Buy
There’s no complex decision tree here — your main choices are print or digital, and English or Japanese.
English Print (VIZ Media)
The standard English edition is published by VIZ Media in the standard manga paperback size. There are currently 21 volumes available in English, with the remaining volumes still being released to complete the 24-volume series.
Volume 21 is the most recent English release. If you’re starting fresh, grabbing Volume 1 in print is the most straightforward way to begin. Individual volumes are typically priced at standard manga retail — check your preferred bookstore or online retailer for current availability.
Chainsaw Man, Vol. 21 (final volume)
VIZ Media also offers a Public Safety Arc box set collecting the Part 1 volumes. No deluxe edition or omnibus format has been confirmed as of this writing.
Digital Reading
If you want to read ahead of the English print volumes or prefer reading on a screen, digital is the way to go. VIZ Media offers digital access through the Shonen Jump app (a subscription-based reading service), and Part 2 chapters were also released simultaneously with their Japanese publication on MANGA Plus, Shueisha’s separate free global reading platform. These are two different services — the Shonen Jump app is a paid subscription with a large manga library, while MANGA Plus is free and focused on newer chapters.
Digital is particularly useful right now if you don’t want to wait for the final three English print volumes. You can read the complete story digitally while the physical books catch up.
Japanese Edition
The Japanese edition is fully complete at 24 volumes, published by Shueisha under their Jump Comics line. If you read Japanese, you can own the entire finished series right now.
Format Comparison
| Feature | English Print | Digital (VIZ/SJ+) | Japanese Print |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volumes available | 21 of 24 | Complete series | All 24 |
| Publisher | VIZ Media | VIZ / Shueisha | Shueisha |
| Complete? | Not yet | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Collectors, shelf readers | Catching up fast, reading ahead | Japanese readers |
No matter which format you pick, start with Volume 1. There’s no advantage to jumping in anywhere else.
Tips for First-Time Chainsaw Man Readers
If You Watched the Anime First
The Chainsaw Man anime (produced by studio MAPPA) adapts the early volumes of the manga across multiple releases. Season 1 of the TV series covers Volumes 1–4 (the first 38 chapters). Following that, the Reze Arc film (released in 2025) adapts Volumes 5–6. A further anime adaptation — the Assassins Arc — has been announced but has not yet been released.
If you’ve already watched the anime, starting the manga from Volume 1 is still a good idea. The manga contains details, characters’ unspoken thoughts shown through text, and pacing choices that the anime necessarily condenses or adjusts. Readers who go back to Volume 1 after watching the anime consistently say they caught things they missed.
That said, if you really want to skip ahead:
- Watched Season 1 only: pick up at Volume 5 to continue the story.
- Watched Season 1 and the Reze Arc film: pick up at Volume 7, since the film covers Volumes 5–6.
You might miss some plot details that bridge scenes together, but you won’t be lost.
The Art Style Is Intentional
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s art in Chainsaw Man looks rough, chaotic, and sometimes deliberately ugly. If you’re coming from manga with clean, polished drawing, the visual style might feel jarring at first. This is an intentional artistic choice. The looseness and energy of the art mirrors the frantic, unhinged tone of the story. Give it a few chapters — most readers find that the style clicks once they’re immersed in the world.
Fujimoto’s Other Short Stories
Tatsuki Fujimoto has published standalone short stories (like Look Back and Goodbye, Eri) — self-contained works that exist outside of the Chainsaw Man narrative. You absolutely do not need to read these to understand Chainsaw Man. However, if you finish the series and want more of Fujimoto’s storytelling, they’re excellent companion pieces that show the range of his work as a creator beyond the Chainsaw Man universe.
Details Reward Rereading
Chainsaw Man is dense with setup and payoff — events, dialogue, and visual details that seem throwaway on a first read often turn out to be groundwork for major plot points later. Once you’ve finished the series, a second read — especially of Part 1 — is genuinely rewarding. You’ll catch things that flew right past you the first time. Something to look forward to after you finish.
The Whole Story Is Available Now
Since the series is complete, you don’t have to deal with the week-to-week agony of waiting for new chapters. You can read the entire 244-chapter story at your own pace. Whether you binge it in a weekend or spread it out over a few weeks, the full narrative is there waiting for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read anything before Chainsaw Man?
No. Chainsaw Man is a completely standalone story. There are no prequels, no required companion manga, and no prerequisite reading of any kind. Volume 1, Chapter 1 — that’s your starting point.
Is there a Chainsaw Man Part 3?
No continuation has been announced. Parts 1 and 2 together form the complete Chainsaw Man story at 244 chapters across 24 volumes. The series is finished.
Should I watch the anime or read the manga first?
Either approach works fine. The anime — including the Season 1 TV series and the Reze Arc film — faithfully adapts the first six volumes of the manga, and it’s a perfectly good entry point. That said, the manga is the complete version of the story, and the anime has only adapted a portion so far, with further adaptations on the way. If you want the full experience from start to finish, the manga is the way to go. The manga is also the original source material, so it contains every detail exactly as Fujimoto intended.
How many Chainsaw Man manga volumes are there?
24 volumes total in the Japanese edition, which is complete. The English edition currently has 21 volumes available from VIZ Media, with the remaining volumes still being released.
Is Chainsaw Man finished?
Yes. Part 2 concluded the series. The manga is complete at 244 chapters (97 in Part 1, 147 in Part 2) collected in 24 volumes. You can read the whole story without worrying about an indefinite hiatus or an unfinished narrative.
Is Chainsaw Man appropriate for younger readers?
This is worth addressing directly: no. The series contains extreme violence, body horror, mature themes, and content that’s firmly aimed at older teens and adults. It runs in a shonen (teen-targeted) magazine, but its content pushes well beyond what most people associate with that label. Use your own judgment, but going in with eyes open about the content is the right call.
Where can I buy the Chainsaw Man manga?
The English print volumes from VIZ Media are widely available at major bookstores, online retailers, and comic shops. Digital chapters are accessible through the Shonen Jump app and MANGA Plus. You won’t have trouble finding this series — it’s one of the most popular manga in print right now.