In every transition from manga to full animation, some details are bound to be changed or lost along the way. While both mediums are a fantastic way of telling a story, many fans would be eager to say that the manga is always the better bet when trying to get the full picture of a series' overarching story with none of the finer details left out.
In the case of Chainsaw Man, there are a handful of details that fans don't get when only watching the anime. Even Denji, the skirt-chasing protagonis, has a few trivia facts, lines of dialogue, and scenes that were skipped out on or changed despite having the spotlight more than half the time. Whether these details be big or small, here are some of the most notable details from the Chainsaw Man manga that anime fans may have missed out on.
Disclaimer: Major spoilers ahead (for those that only watch the Chainsaw Man anime)!
7 His First Fight After His Transformation Was With The Muscle Devil
One of the most notable things that were cut or changed from the manga's transition to animation was Denji's first encounter with the Muscle Devil after promising to become Makima's dog. This was Denji's first display of having a heart. Although Denji struggles with the idea of him still having a human heart and emotions when he wonders about how he'd feel if Aki, Power, or Makima were to die, he clearly has a heart in him.
Denji may not feel like he's able to cry like others when he's sad, but it's important to remember that everyone expresses their emotions in different ways. Denji may struggle with tears but the manga scene where he lets a seemingly harmless devil get away (being reminded of poor Pochita) is a clear indication of his ability to feel for others.
6 He Barks/Woofs To Be An Obedient Dog For Makima (Even Without Being Asked)
Although Denji does in fact bark and woof for Makima when she asks him to in the anime, fans that only watch the Chainsaw Man anime are missing out on exactly how willing Denji is to be an obedient dog for his beloved "owner". In the manga, Denji barks much more! Sometimes Denji will let out a little "woof" or "bark" without even being prompted by Makima.
This detail may seem small and unimportant, but it really does do a fantastic job of reminding the audience how much Denji is simply on autopilot. He's constantly out doing mission after mission, only doing what Makima tells him to do. This little detail really hammers in the idea that Denji is willingly giving himself to Makima (likely because of his crush) and is only truly present in the manga at the moment.
5 He And Pochita Had Their Own Special Recipes
There are a few flashbacks of young Denji's life with Pochita when they both lived on the streets together, but there is one little scene that wasn't mentioned in the anime that gave the audience a good look into what the duo's day-to-day looked like in the past. In a small comic labeled "Denji and Pochita's Cooking Routine," the pair were shown preparing a special meal for Christmas. Denji didn't have much money and flour alone is inexpensive and would last the two a fairly long time.
But of course, just flour isn't good enough for a filling meal, so Denji and Pochita would add some water to make a bit of a thick batter. As a treat reserved for special occasions, the two would add some sugar to make it "taste like cake". This was a small detail but reminded fans how little Denji and Pochita had in their past. Regardless of their situation, the two seemed happy simply having one another to rely on at the end of the day.
4 His Kiss With Himeno Wasn't Originally Censored
In this one instance, it seems as if anime exclusive fans had the better end of the deal! While fans will usually complain that the original scene in a manga was better than the animated counterpart, Denji's kiss with Himeno may have been the opposite.
While the original manga panel of Denji and Himeno's horrific drunken kiss incident was completely uncensored (a barf close-up and all), the anime adaptation decided to blur it out and save the audience from the pain that Denji went through! The anime audience was saved from the "details" this time around, and while this didn't change things for Denji, it definitely made the scene easier to digest (no pun intended) for some fans.
3 His Relationship With Power Is Platonic
This may be a huge surprise to many Chainsaw Man fans but Denji does in fact see Power as just a friend. It's true that when the pair first met (and got over their initial bickering) Denji was interested in Power in more or less a romantic way. However, after spending more and more time with her, Denji eventually realized that Power does mean a great deal to him, just not as a girlfriend.
Denji indeed does love Power, but more so as a dear friend or sister figure (much like how Aki serves as Denji's older brother figure). Eventually, Denji finds himself very close to Power in a fairly intimate way, but he mentions how it doesn't get him "excited" the way Makima, Reze, or even Himeno did.
2 He & Power Gave Their Plan To Foil Kishibe An Official Name
Manga readers were eagerly waiting for the Denji and Power duo to take on their formal training and be taken in under Kishibe's wing. After getting their behinds beaten by Kishibe multiple times, Power and Denji finally decided to put some method to their madness instead of just letting their fists do the thinking.
After a great deal of planning and putting their two brain cells together for once, the pair came up with a plan. While in the anime they simply carry out their attack on an unsuspecting Kishibe without a word, in the manga, the two actually made it a point to name their top secret plan and labeled it "Operation Super Smart". This is why the two suddenly needed glasses as well.
Everyone knows that one can't truly be a super smart genius without a pair of handy glasses.
1 He Is Currently A Secondary Character In His Own Series
As hilarious as it is, Denji is listed as a side/secondary character in his own series at the moment. Currently, the manga is focusing on a new protagonist, Asa Mitaka, as well as the War Devil that has taken over her body named Yoru.
While Denji still attends the same school as the newly crowned protagonist Asa and is occasionally seen, Asa is the one in the spotlight in the latest chapters. Denji does get a cameo or two in his own series, but the audience mainly sees and hears things from Asa's perspective; offering her thoughts, feelings, or inner monologues instead of Denji's.