The following contains minor spoilers for Episode 8 of Chainsaw Man,"GUNFIRE", now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Chainsaw Man's Denji could retire right now and live a happy life with the money he's going to rake in from being the cover model of Nylon Japan.
Unveiled on the Nylon Japan February issue special edition, a cover image featuring Denji as Chainsaw Man will give fans the shock of their lives, showcasing blood coating the bottom of his blade, splashed onto the front. Accompanying the protagonist on the back cover with teeth bared is his foe Katana Man. Both Devils are original drawings done by MAPPA, who produced the anime adaptation. As part of the Chainsaw Man issue, the magazine will also include interviews yielding behind-the-scenes production secrets from director Ryu Nakayama and animation producer Keisuke Seshimo along with guitarist Maximum the Ryo-kun, from the Japanee heavy metal group Maximum the Hormone, who sings the ending song from Episode 3 "Hawatari Nioku Centi." Fans can also read the shorter interviews with the artists who sang the 11 other ending songs.
Nylon's Accidentally Poetic Name
Established in 1999, Nylon is an American multimedia and lifestyle magazine with a focus on pop culture and fashion. The publication's name was initially chosen simply because one of the co-founders liked the sound of Nylon. However, it wasn't until later that the founders realized the coincidence that there was a New York/London tie-in with the first two letters of New York and the first syllable of London. The first Japan edition of Nylon released in 2004 and is currently run by editor-in-chief Takashi Togawa. Anime characters have featured on Nylon Japan before with the 2022 June issue featuring the characters from the anime film Bubble, but Chainsaw Man and Katana Man may be the first characters from an anime series to appear.
Katana Man, also known as Samurai Sword, first appeared in the same restaurant that Denji, Aki, Himeno and Power were at in Episode 8 of Chainsaw Man. The sword-face character wears a long overcoat and, in a manner akin to the hero's chainsaws, has swords coming out of his head and hands. Yet, the antagonist is motivated by revenge, specifically over the death of his grandfather, the yakuza boss who employed Denji in the past. Indeed, Denji killed his boss when he transformed into Chainsaw Man for the first time. Thus, Katana Man is out to steal his heart.
Based on Tatsuki Fujimoto's best-selling manga series Chainsaw Man, the story follows the poverty-stricken 16-year-old Denji, whose life irrevocably changes when his best friend, the devil dog Pochita, sacrifices himself to save him, thereby turning him into the titular character. Shortly afterwards, Denji becomes part of the Tokyo Special Division 4 at the Public Safety Devil Hunters, joining Blood Fiend Power and Aki Hayakawa. However, Katana Man isn't the first Devil who wants Denji's heart, and unfortunately, he won't be the last. The anime adaptation released in October 2022 and has garnered praise for its high production quality and character designs.
The "Chainsaw Man Issue" of Nylon Japan will release on Dec. 26. Fans can catch the latest episodes of Chainsaw Man on Crunchyroll.
Source: Nylon Japan