Chainsaw Man Chapter 173 Review: An Eerily Predictable Ending Doesn’t Spoil the Horror
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Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man is a series that wears many hats — all in the interest of hiding its devilish horns. It’s part shonen battle manga, part over-the-top comedy, and — depending on how the viral Chapter 167 is interpreted — even part romance. CSM Chapter 173, “Hard of Hearing,” leans into another one of the several genres it does surprisingly well: horror.
Chainsaw Man Chapter 172 expanded on Pochita’s power as the Hero of Hell by showing fans first-hand how all-encompassing his ability to erase devils really was. It left off with Pochita eating the Ear Devil, which caused the erasure of the concept of ears from existence. This “ear-asure” is reversed in Chapter 173, but Fujimoto takes full advantage of it while it lasts. Chainsaw Man 173, “Hard of Hearing,” is a haunting and harrowing chapter that introduces a horrifying new Devil, brings back a beloved character, and teases the possible implications of Black Chainsaw Man’s powers going forward.
Chainsaw Man has only grown more compelling with each new chapter of shonen’s most unpredictable manga. Creator Tatsuki Fujimoto spent a lot of time building his characters and world in Part 2, and in only a few chapters he’s shown he has absolutely no issues with tearing it all down. That sentiment mirrors Denji, who gave in to his anger and became Black Chainsaw Man in Chapter 171. In CSM Chapter 173, fans get the first glimpse at Black Chainsaw Man’s true power as a Devil, and at the same time, his ultimate weakness.
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