Denji returned to the story after being noticeably absent for quite a few chapters. My main issue was that Part Two seemed to be trying too hard to repeat critical moments from Part One by failing to justify why they were happening besides just to appeal to fans. The result essentially warped Chainsaw Man into a caricature of itself. However, recent chapters are solving the issue by doing the same thing but more effectively.
It's understandable why Part Two would want to relive the glory days of Part One. The first nearly 100 chapters were what fans initially fell in love with, and since Part Two began as a completely different story without its star protagonist, there was more of a need to help remind readers that it was still a Chainsaw Man manga. However, once Denji reappeared, Chainsaw Man was obviously trying to make up for lost time by repeating moments from Part Two without any explanation. The fact that mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto had already proven himself to be a very capable writer just added insult to injury.
Chainsaw Man Just Made the Best Callback to a Pivotal Scene from Part One
Part Two Just Trades the Gun Devil for the Death Devil
The most recent example of Chainsaw Man getting back on track transpires in the latest installment, chapter #193. In a very sensual scene, Denji's hormonal reactions to how Yoru is sitting on top of him causes her to ask him if he is so dead set on having intimate relations with her. When he vigorously nods in the affirmative, she says that she will only grant him this wish if he defeats the Death Devil, the last remaining Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
This is Part Two's most effective callback to one of the most iconic scenes in Part One when Makima tells Denji that she would grant him any wish he desired in return for destroying the Gun Devil. Chainsaw Man Part Two first tried to repeat this moment in chapter #116 when Yoru almost repeats verbatim what Makima had said when Yoru claims she would grant Denji any wish if he got her out of an aquarium they were trapped in because of the Eternity Devil's unique powers.
Of course, the situation is different because Makima had wanted Denji to kill a devil for her and Yoru wasn't asking Denji to kill anybody in chapter #116, though, interestingly, they were fighting against the Eternity Devil at the time. But the fact that Yoru uses Makima's exact same language in chapter #116 when no earlier indicator would have convincingly positioned her to make such an offer is what makes the scene feel forced. For example, Denji and Yoru could have been talking about wishes, but they weren't.
Chainsaw Man's New Controversial Scene With Yoru and Denji Is Actually Justified
Yoru's Reward Actually Makes Sense
By comparison, chapter #193 does have actual past actions that it convincingly builds upon. Rather than make a blanket statement about granting any wish, Yoru bases her ultimatum on an understanding she had just realized, when Denji said that he was dead set on having intimate relations with her. So, she uses that as a means to motivate him to kill another devil for her, just like Makima did.
The fact that Yoru is manipulating Denji by the same means as Makima did serves as the main parallel between both events, and since she isn't saying she'll grant him any wish, but is basing her reward on what she recently learned Denji wanted, helps it not be cliche. The only problem now is that chapter #116's instance feels even worse than it did before as a result, just because the moment has now repeated twice. Even though the second is much better, it doesn't help that we are now reminded of that earlier blunder.
Chainsaw Man Is On a Roll
The Previous Chapter Made Another Convincing Callback
Luckily for me, Chainsaw Man chapter #192 effectively began repeating history first. Together with chapter #193, the two make a very promising pattern that's even more exciting since they happened in quick succession. Just like Makima did in chapter #1, chapter #192 saw Yoru call Denji her dog. This instance felt natural at the time because Yoru got Denji to do the most ridiculous thing without question, just like a faithful dog would for its master. So, there was actual justification as to why she would refer to him as a dog in that moment.
The only caveat is that past precedent now dictates that Part Two will likely try to draw another parallel to Part One in the coming chapters if not at the very end. Even if they are successful, the fact that the series will have had already made so many attempts to connect both parts together will likely make any others like them feel like overkill. However, that's only conjecture. For now, I'm going to enjoy Chainsaw Man, since it's been so long. Hopefully, it won't be short-lived.
