Are you tired of seeing the same old “femcel” trope in nerd media? The shy, selfless girl who only becomes interested in a guy when the protagonist arrives? Well, look no further! Chainsaw Man introduces us to Mitaka Asa, a socially awkward femcel who breaks the mold. She’s rude, self-centered, and falls for anyone who shows her the slightest interest. Asa’s flubs in relationships are both delightful and inspiring to watch.

Chainsaw Man is a manga with two arcs. In the first part, Denji, a bounty hunter, becomes the Chainsaw Man to protect humanity from devils. In the latest arc, we meet Asa, a high schooler possessed by the “War Devil” after her untimely death. Asa’s goal is to gather swords to use against the Chainsaw Man, but there’s a catch. She can only turn men into “spinal cord swords” after they form romantic attachments to her. The more guilty she feels about a guy’s death, the more powerful the resulting sword will be. Asa reluctantly agrees to seduce male classmates as a means to an end.

Starting small is the key to any successful project, and Asa randomly chooses Denji as her victim. Although Denji is the Chainsaw Man, he’s a pitiful incel hoping for some physical contact. Asa couldn’t have picked a better candidate. Watching her attempts to seduce Denji is pure comedy. She’s dead serious about being the ideal girlfriend, but she completely ignores his desires during their aquarium date. Asa’s personality is off-putting, and even the War Devil overseeing her mission finds her boring.

Asa defies the typical depiction of unpopular girls. She’s capable of faking confidence and doesn’t have any physical attributes that would hinder her from having a boyfriend. However, she refuses to change who she is and believes it’s everyone else who’s in the wrong. Asa is determined to prove her worth, even when her classmates don’t see it.

Chainsaw Man creator, Tatsuki Fujimoto, goes beyond depicting literal conflict in the manga. Each major arc explores how characters respond to social pressures. Asa’s shame and desire to be good enough are palpable when her classmates laugh at her for asking another student to be her boyfriend. Society’s expectations weigh heavily on her, but she fights back. Asa wants to choose life and love, even if her methods are hideous.

Unlike typical shonen manga, Asa’s romantic interests aren’t exclusive to Denji just because he’s the protagonist. She fixates on a different boy who rejected her before, craving companionship and genuine bonds. Chainsaw Man portrays its heroes as flawed and self-serving in embarrassing, human ways. It challenges gender norms by showcasing a teenage girl who is unapologetically herself.

Asa’s journey isn’t easy, and there is no future for any boy who falls in love with her. Despite the messed-up circumstances, her own desirability becomes an obsession. Asa grapples with rejection and questions her worth. She must learn how to live freely in an unfree society. But the beauty of Chainsaw Man lies in the characters stumbling and falling, taking steps backwards from what’s good for them.

Asa isn’t always sympathetic, and her actions may lead to more casualties. But her story is remarkable because it feels so ordinary. We are often expected to empathize with male incels, so why not empathize with self-centered and desperate female characters? Chainsaw Man allows us to explore Asa’s emotional complexities and goes where other series may shy away.

If you’re tired of the same old tropes and want a manga that challenges societal norms, then Chainsaw Man is a must-read. Join us in celebrating the brave and unapologetically flawed Mitaka Asa. Discover her journey in Chainsaw Man and see why it stands out in this year’s shonen manga lineup.

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