Tatsuki Fujimoto is weird. Honestly, there isn't a better way to start. If you’ve spent any time reading Chainsaw Man or Fire Punch, you already know that the man behind the pen doesn’t operate on the same frequency as the rest of us. He’s the kind of creator who makes you wonder if he’s okay, but in a way that makes you desperate to see what he draws next. While most shonen authors follow a strict path of friendship, effort, and victory, Fujimoto seems more interested in B-movie horror, the crushing weight of grief, and, well, women who could probably kill him.
Born in 1992 in Akita Prefecture, Japan, the author of Chainsaw Man didn't have the most conventional path to superstardom. He didn't have a local art school. He didn't have a massive circle of mentors. He just had a lot of oil paints and an obsession with cinema that would eventually redefine what Shonen Jump looks like.
Why Tatsuki Fujimoto Refuses to Play by the Rules
Most manga artists want to be the next Akira Toriyama or Eiichiro Oda. Not Fujimoto. He’s much more likely to cite a niche Korean thriller or a random slasher flick as his primary inspiration. This cinematic obsession is the heartbeat of his work. Look at the opening panels of Chainsaw Man. They don't feel like a comic; they feel like a storyboard. He uses "wide-angle" shots and "jump cuts" in a medium that’s supposed to be static. It's jarring. It's beautiful. It's why his work sticks in your brain long after you've closed the tab or the book.
He started drawing early, but because he lacked a formal art preparatory school nearby, he practiced with oil paints. This is a tiny detail that explains a lot about his style. Oil painting requires a different understanding of light and texture than digital ink. You can see that weight in his character designs. Denji doesn't look like a polished hero; he looks like a kid who hasn't showered in three days and is one bad decision away from a breakdown.
The author of Chainsaw Man has this reputation for being a "mad genius." Some of that is earned. There’s a legendary story—confirmed by his editors—about a video he once uploaded to YouTube. In it, he tried to levitate. He literally spent several minutes trying to float in the air. He didn't, obviously. But the fact that he tried, and then shared it, tells you everything you need to know about the lack of a filter between his brain and the world.
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The Fire Punch Era and the Birth of a Style
Before Chainsaw Man became a global phenomenon, there was Fire Punch. If you haven't read it, buckle up. It’s bleak. It’s a story about a man who is perpetually on fire, regenerating his flesh as fast as it burns away, living in a frozen wasteland. It was published on Shonen Jump+, the digital sibling of the main magazine. This gave Fujimoto room to breathe. Or rather, room to scream.
Fire Punch was where he figured out that he could subvert every trope in the book. He takes a "chosen one" narrative and sets it on fire, literally and figuratively. You think the story is going one way? It goes the exact opposite. He kills off characters you love. He makes the protagonist do things that are arguably unforgivable. It was messy and chaotic, but it proved one thing: Fujimoto is a master of the "what the hell just happened?" moment.
What the Author of Chainsaw Man Gets Right About Human Desire
Why do people love Denji? Because he's pathetic. He’s not trying to save the world. He’s not trying to be the Hokage or the Pirate King. He just wants to eat toast with jam and touch a boob. It’s incredibly grounded. Fujimoto understands that most of us aren't motivated by grand ideologies. We are motivated by hunger, loneliness, and a desperate need for connection.
Fujimoto’s female characters are also a huge part of the draw. Power, Makima, Reze, Asa Mitaka—they aren't just love interests or sidekicks. They are often the most dangerous, complex, and terrifying people in the room. He has joked in interviews about his "fondness" for bossy or even slightly abusive women in fiction. It’s a recurring theme that adds a layer of psychological tension you just don't get in My Hero Academia.
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The way he writes grief is also surprisingly sophisticated. In Chainsaw Man Part 1, the "Snowball Fight" scene is one of the most devastating sequences in modern manga history. It’s a masterclass in using visual metaphor to mask trauma. He doesn't show you the gore; he shows you the childhood innocence being shattered. It’s cruel. It’s brilliant.
The One-Shot Mastery: Look Back and Goodbye, Eri
If you want to understand the author of Chainsaw Man as a person, you have to read his one-shots. Look Back is a heartbreaking semi-autobiographical look at the competitive nature of being an artist. It deals with the Kyoto Animation arson attack in a way that feels deeply personal and respectful. It’s a quiet story, devoid of chainsaws or devils, yet it hits just as hard.
Then there’s Goodbye, Eri. This one is a trip. It’s a story about a boy making a movie about his dying mother, but it’s layered with so many "meta" twists that you lose track of what’s real and what’s film. It explores the idea that we remember people through the "edits" we make of them in our heads. This is Fujimoto at his most cerebral. He’s not just a guy who draws monsters; he’s a philosopher of the image.
The Secret Identity of "Koharu Nagayama"
For years, Fujimoto maintained a Twitter (now X) account under the persona of "Koharu Nagayama," a fictional younger sister in third grade. He would tweet about what he ate for breakfast or what movies he saw. It was a bizarre bit of performance art that he kept up until the account was briefly banned because Twitter’s automated systems thought he was actually a child. He eventually had to prove his identity to get back online.
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This isn't just a quirky anecdote. It shows his commitment to the bit. He enjoys the friction between reality and fiction. He likes playing with his audience. In an industry where most authors are guarded and professional, Fujimoto is a chaotic neutral force.
How to Follow Fujimoto’s Career Path
If you’re a fan or an aspiring creator, there are a few things you should take away from the author of Chainsaw Man and his trajectory. He didn't get here by copying the hits. He got here by leaning into his own "weirdness" and his specific outside interests.
- Watch more movies than you read manga. Fujimoto’s visual language comes from cinema. If you only look at one medium, your work will eventually look like a copy of a copy.
- Don't fear the digital transition. Shonen Jump+ was the making of him. The digital space allows for more experimental storytelling that might not survive the ruthless ranking system of the physical magazine.
- Subvert expectations, but keep the heart. People come for the "Lebe-Tan" (the chainsaw-dog) but they stay because they care about Denji’s loneliness.
- Embrace the one-shot. Fujimoto uses one-shots to clear his palate and try new techniques. It’s a way to grow without being tied to a multi-year serialization.
The author of Chainsaw Man is currently working on Part 2 of the series, which has shifted into a weird, high-school-romance-horror hybrid that is somehow even more unpredictable than the first part. He hasn't lost his edge. If anything, he’s leaned further into the psychological discomfort that makes his work so unique.
To truly appreciate Tatsuki Fujimoto, you have to accept that you will never truly know what’s going on in his head. And honestly? That’s exactly how he wants it. Whether he's trying to levitate in a park or drawing a girl turning into a war devil, he is consistently the most interesting person in the room.
Next Steps for Fans:
Start by reading the one-shot Goodbye, Eri if you’ve only seen the Chainsaw Man anime. It will completely change how you view his "action" scenes. Then, follow the official Shonen Jump+ Twitter account or the Manga Plus app to catch new chapters of Chainsaw Man Part 2 as they drop. The release schedule can be sporadic—often referred to as "Fujimoto’s Bi-Weekly Devil"—but the wait is always worth the psychological damage.