There’s a somewhat predictable pattern that occurs when a manga series receives an anime adaptation. On announcement, the series will see a small boost in popularity, followed by a much larger increase in sales when the anime begins airing—the size of which usually hinges on the quality of the show. However, that wasn’t really the case forChainsaw Man.
As arguably the most anticipated anime series in history in the months leading up to its release,Chainsaw Manexperienced a level of fame thatfew manga titles have ever reached before finding their way onto screens. By the time the record-breaking first episode, “Dog and Chainsaw”, aired on Crunchyroll, the manga’s highest sales were already in the rearview mirror.
Unfortunately, since the anime’s conclusion in 2022,Chainsaw Man’s sales have not only failed to match their peak,but have been on a steady decline. The recently released volume #20 boasts the lowest first week sales in Japan the series has seen since 2019. WithChainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arcset to release this fall, it’s likely manga sales will see a jump, but it may not be enough to return to past glory.
Chainsaw Man’s Manga Sales Have Been On a Steady Decline
Hype surrounding the climactic, raw, energy-abundant, and highly intelligentChainsaw ManPart Onespread like wildfire during its two-year serialization from 2018 to 2020. Artist Tatsuki Fujimoto made a name for himself with his previous workFire Punch, and legends about the man behind such twisted yet touching stories only helped to draw eyes to his work.
Denji was a bit differentfrom other popular shōnen protagonists, while characters like Aki, Power, and the morally confused Makimashowcased Fujimoto’s immense talent for character writing. When the anime adaptation by MAPPA was initially announced, fans literally barked in approval.
The anime’s release coincided with the beginning ofChainsaw ManPart Two,which only built on the hype with the introductions of Asa Mitaka and the War Devil, Yoru. Despite two years passing between the two sections, it seemedChainsaw Manhadn’t missed a beat, and the anime helped to maintain the fanfare. Shortly after, however, a decline began.
Chainsaw Manvolume #15, the fourth volume of Part Two, covering the Chainsaw Man Church Arc,sold the lowest first week numbers since the release of volume #9, which included the battle with the Gun Devil. Since then, each of the remaining volumes has sold progressively fewer copies,according to an infographic by X user Josu_ke, who is known for tracking manga sales.
The reason for such a decline isn’t entirely clear. Some point to the change in art style which occurred around the end of volume #14, while others citethe anime’s divisive receptionas having a negative effect on the source material. The lack of a follow-up from MAPPA hasn’t helped,but theChainsaw Mananime’s return might be exactly what the series needs.
The Reze Arc Movie Might Be the Cure Chainsaw Man Needs
Chainsaw Man’s Upcoming Film Looks To Boost Manga Sales
After nearly two long years of relative silence,Chainsaw Manis set to return with its very first theatrical film, set to release on September 19 in Japan and October 29 in the United States. To help combat the main criticisms of the first season, Tatsuya Yoshihara is taking over as director and isbringing along a new, more faithful, art style.
Fans are hoping that its release will offer the sort of boom in manga sales the anime’s first season failed to provide, and ultimately reverse the downtrend the series has experienced dating back to 2023. The Reze Arc is one of manga’s most beloved sections,offering perhaps its most diverse, emotional, and cinematic storyline.
The Reze Arc sees the series truly hit its stride, and begins to showcase what has made the manga such a highly acclaimed body of work.
Based on the limited previews and illustrations given by MAPPA, it’s fair to assume that the hype surroundingChainsaw Manwill return in full force.The film’s most recent trailershowcased some of the most impressive visuals the legendary studio has ever produced. However,reversing the declining manga sales isn’t such an easy task, and there’s reason to believe it won’t have much effect at all.
Chainsaw Man’s New Movie Might Not Be Enough to Save Manga Sales
The Highly Successful Series Might Already Be Too Popular For a Boost
While it wouldn’t exactly surprise anyone to see theReze Arcmovie become a major worldwide success, whether it would help the sales of the original manga in any way isn’t certain. Unlike other shows which boost the sales of their source material,Chainsaw Manhas been a widespread mainstream success for several years, and it’s unlikely there are anime fans unfamiliar with its premise.
The Reze Arc sees the series truly hit its stride, and begins to showcase what has made the manga such a highly acclaimed body of work. However, it isn’t likely that hordes of fans will rush to the manga after the film’s release, considering they’ve hadtwo years since the first season to catch up on what they’ve been missing. There will likely be a small bump in sales, but nothing too drastic,like whatDandadanexperienced this past fall.
It also isn’t entirely fair to say thatChainsaw Man’s manga is doomed. In reality, its sales are still quite impressive, with the latest release moving 100,000 copies in the first month of circulation. In the U.S., the recently released volume #18 landed inthe top 3 best-selling manga in the month of May.
Compared to the 500,000 copies of volume #14 that sold in one month, though, the series' slide is undeniable.Chainsaw ManPart Two’s relocation toJump+,Shōnen Jump’s online service, could also influence those numbers.Part One was published in the iconicWeekly Shōnen Jumpmagazine, spreading its contents to a much wider audience.
However, its best-selling volume already came after the series moved online. Nevertheless, theReze Arcfilm is just around the corner, and though it’s unlikely, there is a chanceChainsaw Mancould still see a major bump in its manga sales. Part Two is reaching another critical arc centered on Denji and Asa, signaling good times ahead for fans of the series.
Chainsaw Man
Cast
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a young man burdened by debt, who teams up with his pet devil Pochita to fight devils under the yakuza’s control. Released in 2022, the series portrays Denji’s struggle to achieve his dream of living a simple, peaceful life.
