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What's In 'Chainsaw Man' Chapter 167 And Why Are Fans Upset With Fujimoto? Memes About What Happened Between Denji And Asa Explained
The latest chapter of Chainsaw Man manga has cast the entire CSM fandom into a state of turmoil, with some fans being angry at the manga artist Tatsuki Fujimoto and others celebrating the mangaka "filtering" the fandom. What happens between Denji and Asa Mitaka in Chapter 167 and what are people saying about it? Learn more in this brief explainer. Warning: spoilers incoming!
What Happens In Chapter 167 Of Chainsaw Man?
On June 4th, 2024, Chapter 167 "Super Smooch" of the Chainsaw Man manga was published in Shonen Jump. In the chapter, an awkward scene takes place between Denji and Asa Mitaka, two characters with a difficult and muddled history of romantic interest in each other. In the previous chapter, Asa Mitaka was disgusted by Denji's intention to go to a brothel in spite of other priorities, with Denji later breaking down over his sexual impulsiveness hindering his life.
In Chapter 167, Yoru the War Devil, who shares a body with Asa, temporarily takes control over her and pulls Denji away, threatening to cut off his genitals to get rid of his sex drive. When Denji changes his mind, Yoru, while controlling Asa's body, kisses Denji and gives him an awkward handjob which neither Denji nor Asa have consented to.
Why Are Some 'Chainsaw Man' Fans Angry At Fujimoto?
Considering the touchy subject of sexual assault and the recent wave of sex negativity discourse in Gen Z, the events depicted in Chapter 167 grossed out a significant part of the manga's audience, who took it to X to complain about Chainsaw Man mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto.
Others had a different reaction, feeling that despite its upsetting nature, the scene was natural and almost expected, was a great development to the tragicomedy storylines of Chainsaw Man characters and that the drama and negativity surrounding it were undeserved. Considering how violent and gory the Chainsaw Man manga has always been, many fans were surprised that some people got upset about the depiction of assault and bodily fluids.
Some fans even wrote that with Chapter 167, Tatsuki Fujimoto effectively filtered the casual audience from the fandom and celebrated the mangaka on social media.
Chainsaw Man Chapter 167 Memes
As the discourse went viral on X, so did the memes about the events of the chapter and the impact it had on the Chainsaw Man community.
The last panel of the chapter, which shows Asa's hand covered in Denji's fluids, has immediately been recognized as a reference to the famous Neon Genesis Evangelion scene where Shinji masturbates over Asuka's comatose body and looks at his hand in disgust afterward, and memes building the parallel between the manga and the classic anime were there in no time.
For the full history of 'Chainsaw Man' Chapter 167 reactions, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.