Following on from Denji’s weird date with Fumiko Mifune of the Public Safety Devil Extermination Special Division 7, Chainsaw Man‘s chapter 138 ended on a cliffhanger showing a mysterious stranger confronting Denji, claiming to be “Sword Man” from the previous arc. Denji, utterly baffled, asks himself who Sword Man is. And that leads us to our chapter 139 manga recap and the prospect of the Chainsaw Man church.
Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for chapter 139 of the Chainsaw Man manga below.
The stranger, whom we’ve come to know as Sword Man, introduces himself to Denji. When Denji fought Makima, Sword Man was the “pretty strong” sword wielder who was there too. Denji says that he never fought the battle in question, much to the stranger’s surprise. He then tells “Sword Man” that he needs to go back to school. When Denji arrives, he encounters this person again, whom he discovers to have transferred from the Japanese prefecture Kanagawa. His name is supposedly Miri Sugo. All the girls in school are enamored with him, but Denji isn’t impressed.
Sugo received unwanted attention from his classmates and invasive questions concerning his hobbies and love life. He called out to Denji, asking him to get the other students off his back.
Outside, Denji and Fumiko confront Sugo, who claims to be from the Chainsaw Man Church and acting on their behalf as a messenger. He says, “The weapons walk with the Chainsaw Man Church,” and encourages Denji to join the cause. Denji doesn’t follow, so Sugo explains that the church is a collection of individuals who, like Denji, can turn into devils. Denji would get a pretty high position for joining
Fumiko chimes in, stating that Denji, aka Chainsaw Man, should be made the leader of the church, given that he acts as its namesake. Denji agrees. Sugo informs Denji that regardless of his status within the church, he’ll be granted privileges such as spending money and the luxury of eating steak every day. Denji seems drawn to the idea, but Fumiko suggests eating sushi every day instead, since one might grow tired of steak.
Both Denji and Fumiko get off track, discussing all the different kinds of cuisine they’d gladly eat for the rest of their lives. Sugo cuts them off, scolding them for missing the point of the offer. He then opens up about how he’s been used and abused by powerful individuals his whole life, attesting to the fact that Denji no doubt feels the same. In the Chainsaw Man Church, however, he feels truly free to do as he pleases and answers to no one.
Sugo expresses gratitude to Denji for granting him such freedom. He once again offers him a spot within the church, away from the watchful gaze of Public Safety and Fumiko, whom he calls “that sushi woman.” Fumiko challenges his ideals, suggesting that he’s still being used as a pawn by the church. Sugo denies this, then turns on Denji, claiming that him using his body as a chair for Fumiko is beneath him.
Denji says that it feels good, then gives Sugo a monologue about how he’s content with his “normal life” and doesn’t want for anything else. He tells Sugo he isn’t joining the Chainsaw Man Church. Sugo storms off, muttering about how he didn’t transfer just to recruit Denji, but he also wanted to be Denji’s friend.
He taunts Denji by saying that if he’d joined the Chainsaw Man Church, he could sleep with as many women as he likes. This prompts Denji to teleport to the stairwell, where Sugo is leaving in a hurry. Denji says he’s thought hard about what Sugo said, particularly about being a weapon exploited by others. In a turn of events, Denji agrees to join the Chainsaw Man Church.
The Chainsaw Man manga is available on MangaPlus and Viz Media, with Viz handling physical copies outside Japan. The anime is streaming on Crunchyroll.
Published: Aug 16, 2023 01:45 pm