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Manga Like Chainsaw Man: Dark Action With Weird Humor
Discover manga like Chainsaw Man with dark action, horror, and off-beat humor. From Dandadan's supernatural chaos to Dorohedoro's gritty comedy, find your next obsession.
Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man redefined what shonen action could be—blending gruesome horror with laugh-out-loud absurdity, wrapping genuine emotion around a protagonist who dreams about touching boobs, and delivering shocking twists with complete sincerity. If you've finished all 24 volumes and need something to fill that chainsaw-shaped hole in your chest, we've got you covered.
This guide focuses on series that share Chainsaw Man's distinctive DNA: dark supernatural action, moments of unexpected humor cutting through the violence, morally messy characters, and a willingness to go places conventional battle manga won't.
What Makes Chainsaw Man Special?
Before diving into recommendations, it helps to identify what specifically hooked you. Chainsaw Man succeeds by balancing seemingly contradictory elements:
- Brutal action with genuine consequences — major characters die without warning, fights feel chaotic and dangerous
- Humor that doesn't undercut the stakes — Denji's simple desires and weird logic create comedy without turning the story into parody
- Emotionally honest despite the absurdity — beneath the chainsaw battles and devil contracts, the story grapples with loneliness, exploitation, and what it means to be human
- Unpredictable storytelling — Fujimoto subverts expectations constantly, making readers genuinely unsure what happens next
The series below capture different combinations of these qualities. Some lean heavier into horror, others into comedy, but all deliver that same feeling of reading something truly unhinged yet deeply intentional.
Best Manga Like Chainsaw Man
1. Dandadan
Why it's similar: If you loved Chainsaw Man's tonal whiplash—switching from genuine horror to ridiculous comedy mid-scene—Dandadan perfects that balance. Yukinobu Tatsu creates action sequences with that same kinetic energy Fujimoto brought to devil battles, but cranks the absurdity even higher.
A high schooler obsessed with UFOs and another who believes in ghosts team up when they discover both aliens and spirits are real. What follows is a bonkers supernatural action-comedy where characters fight possessed grandmas, alien invaders seeking "bananas," and curses involving missing body parts.
The hook: The relationship between Momo and Okarun mirrors Denji and Power's chaotic friendship, with genuine character development hiding beneath layers of weirdness. The art during action scenes rivals Chainsaw Man's best panels—dynamic, creative, and delightfully unhinged. Still ongoing, so there's plenty to catch up on.
2. Dorohedoro
Why it's similar: Q Hayashida's masterpiece is what you get if you took Chainsaw Man's setting and made it even grimier, darker, and stranger. Both series feature protagonists transformed into something inhuman, both treat extreme violence as part of the world's texture rather than spectacle, and both balance that darkness with genuine humor.
In a pollution-choked city called "the Hole," sorcerers use normal humans as test subjects for magical experiments. Caiman—a man with a reptile head and amnesia—hunts sorcerers to find whoever transformed him, accompanied by his friend Nikaido. The mystery deepens across 23 volumes of jaw-dropping art, black comedy, and surprisingly endearing character relationships.
The hook: Dorohedoro shares Chainsaw Man's gift for making you care deeply about characters who spend most of their time covered in blood and viscera. The world-building is richer and stranger, with a lived-in quality that makes even the most bizarre elements feel real. If you want something darker and weirder than Chainsaw Man, this is it.
3. Tokyo Ghoul
Why it's similar: Sui Ishida's series explores similar themes of what it means to lose your humanity while gaining monstrous power. Ken Kaneki becomes a half-human, half-ghoul hybrid in a world where ghouls must eat human flesh to survive—facing the same identity questions Denji confronts about whether he's human, devil, or something else entirely.
The horror is more psychological than Chainsaw Man's visceral action, but both series excel at sudden tonal shifts. Moments of quiet character development explode into brutal violence. The world forces characters into impossible moral positions with no clean answers.
The hook: Tokyo Ghoul's 14 volumes (plus 16 more in the sequel Tokyo Ghoul: re) build a complete story arc. It lacks Chainsaw Man's offbeat humor but delivers similar emotional gut-punches and gorgeous, disturbing artwork. Perfect if you want that transformation-as-metaphor storytelling with tragic weight.
4. Fire Force
Why it's similar: Atsushi Ookubo brings the same energy as Chainsaw Man: hyper-stylized action, dark supernatural threats, and characters fighting devils—er, "Infernals"—as part of a special organization. The premise involves people spontaneously combusting and turning into fire demons, which firefighter-exorcists must put to rest.
While Fire Force is more traditionally structured than Fujimoto's chaotic storytelling, it shares that mix of serious stakes with visual creativity. Ookubo's art style brings dynamic, inventive battles and character designs that walk the line between cool and ridiculous.
The hook: A completed 34-volume series with satisfying payoff. Fire Force scratches the itch for creative supernatural battles and conspiracy-laced worldbuilding. Less humor than Chainsaw Man, but that same commitment to making every fight visually distinct. If you want the devil-hunting organization vibe with more world-building, this delivers.
5. Jujutsu Kaisen
Why it's similar: Gege Akutami's breakout shares Chainsaw Man's DNA of dark shonen that doesn't pull punches. Curses (malevolent spirits) threaten humanity, jujutsu sorcerers fight them with supernatural techniques, and major characters die in ways that matter. The action is brutal and consequences stick.
Where Chainsaw Man zigs into weird humor, Jujutsu Kaisen zags into polished battle choreography and complex power systems. But both understand that emotional stakes matter more than power levels, both feature mentors who manipulate their students in complicated ways, and both refuse to promise anyone plot armor.
The hook: Completed at 30 volumes with some of the best-drawn fights in modern shonen. Yuji Itadori's straightforward kindness contrasts with Denji's selfishness, but both protagonists feel genuinely human in supernatural worlds. If you want Chainsaw Man's stakes with more traditional (but extremely well-executed) shonen structure, start here.
6. Soul Eater
Why it's similar: Before Fire Force, Atsushi Ookubo created this supernatural action series about students training to fight evil beings. The tone is lighter than Chainsaw Man—more comedic overall—but shares that willingness to blend horror imagery with humor, create weapons from human partners, and embrace absolute visual madness.
Students at Death Weapon Meister Academy train to become either weapons or the meisters who wield them. It's got that same "fighting scary things as your job" premise, inventive action, and a cast of weirdos you'll love.
The hook: Soul Eater works as palette-cleanser if Chainsaw Man left you emotionally wrecked. It's got similar supernatural-job-force structure and visual creativity, but with more consistent comedy and less existential dread. The Perfect Edition releases collect the complete 25-volume story in larger format.
7. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Why it's similar: On the surface, Demon Slayer seems more wholesome than Chainsaw Man—and it is—but both series share core elements. A young protagonist loses everything to demons, gains supernatural power to fight back, and joins an organization of demon hunters. The action is brutal and beautifully drawn, demons are genuinely threatening, and emotional beats hit hard.
Tanjiro's selfless nature contrasts sharply with Denji's selfishness, but both feel earned by their circumstances. And while Demon Slayer lacks Chainsaw Man's dark humor, it matches the emotional sincerity and willingness to kill characters you've grown attached to.
The hook: A complete 23-volume story with some of the most gorgeous art in battle manga. If you want Chainsaw Man's demon-hunting premise with more traditional heroism and family bonds, Demon Slayer delivers. The fights are stunning, the cast lovable, and the ending actually sticks the landing.
8. Attack On Titan
Why it's similar: Hajime Isayama's epic shares Chainsaw Man's commitment to making readers deeply uncomfortable with shocking violence, character deaths, and moral ambiguity. Both stories reveal layers of conspiracy beneath the initial premise, both explore how systems exploit people in the name of protection, and both refuse to give anyone a happy ending easily.
Humanity lives behind walls protecting them from giant humanoid Titans that eat people. When Titans breach the wall, Eren Yeager vows revenge—but the truth is far stranger and darker than simple monster-slaying.
The hook: Attack On Titan is less comedic and more epic in scope, but shares that sense of playing by its own rules. If you want Chainsaw Man's unpredictability and dark themes in a completed 34-volume saga with incredible payoff, this is essential. Just know it's a commitment—and emotionally exhausting in the best way.
How to Choose Your Next Read
If you want the closest tonal match to Chainsaw Man: Start with Dandadan. It captures that exact balance of horror, action, comedy, and heart.
If you want something even darker and weirder: Dorohedoro goes harder on the bizarre world-building and grim atmosphere while keeping surprising humor.
If you want psychological horror over action: Tokyo Ghoul explores transformation and identity with beautiful tragedy.
If you want completed supernatural shonen: Jujutsu Kaisen or Demon Slayer both deliver satisfying complete arcs with gorgeous action.
If you want epic scope with dark twists: Attack On Titan gives you 34 volumes of conspiracy and consequences.
Why These Series Work for Chainsaw Man Fans
Chainsaw Man isn't just about devils and chainsaws—it's about the feeling of reading something that respects your intelligence while refusing to be respectable. These recommendations share that spirit: they take their absurd premises seriously, balance darkness with humanity, and trust readers to handle complexity.
Some are more polished, some are weirder, some are funnier or darker—but all deliver that sensation of not quite knowing what's coming next while trusting the creator has a plan. They're series that understand action manga can be brutal and sincere, horrifying and funny, simple on the surface but deeply layered underneath.
Whether you're looking for another chaotic protagonist like Denji, more supernatural organizations with dark secrets, or just that perfect mix of violence and weird humor, these eight series are your best bets. Each one offers something Chainsaw Man fans will recognize—even if they take it in unexpected directions.
- Is Chainsaw Man finished?
- Yes, Part 1 of Chainsaw Man is complete in 11 volumes. Part 2 is ongoing but not yet collected in English physical volumes. The complete 24-volume set available from The Grimoire includes all published content.
- Are any of these darker than Chainsaw Man?
- Dorohedoro and Tokyo Ghoul both match or exceed Chainsaw Man's darkness. Dorohedoro in particular has more consistently grim atmosphere, though Chainsaw Man arguably hits harder emotionally. Attack On Titan builds to extremely dark places but takes longer to get there.
- Which series is most similar in humor?
- Dandadan is the closest match for Chainsaw Man's specific brand of absurd-but-sincere humor. Both excel at undercutting serious moments with ridiculous details without making the story feel like parody. Dorohedoro has dark comedy but less frequent laughs. Soul Eater is more consistently comedic overall.
- Can I read these if Chainsaw Man was my first manga?
- Absolutely. All these series are readable for newcomers, though some are more beginner-friendly than others. Dandadan, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen have straightforward storytelling. Dorohedoro's complex plot requires more attention. All are worth the effort.
- Which has the best action art?
- Every series here has exceptional action artwork, but Dorohedoro's detailed panels, Jujutsu Kaisen's choreography, and Demon Slayer's dynamic compositions stand out. If visual creativity matters most, Dorohedoro and Dandadan come closest to Chainsaw Man's inventive fight scenes.
- Are these complete or ongoing?
- All except Dandadan are complete. Chainsaw Man itself is ongoing in Part 2 (digital-only currently), but Part 1 tells a complete arc. If you specifically want finished series, Tokyo Ghoul, Dorohedoro, Fire Force, Jujutsu Kaisen, Soul Eater, Demon Slayer, and Attack On Titan are all done.
For more dark manga recommendations, check out our guide to the best psychological manga or explore what makes Chainsaw Man worth collecting as a physical series.