Chainsaw Man took the anime world by storm with its debut in 2022, with the story following young Denji as he becomes a Devil Hunter and struggles with his own demonic powers. The show was based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga of the same name and featured an amazing blend of dark humor, gory violence as well as elements of action and horror that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. The anime was also praised for its faithfulness to the manga source material, leaving anime-only fans excited to see what comes next.

The second part of the Chainsaw Man manga’s plot is titled the Academy Saga, and it sees a marked shift in the series’ action and storytelling. The story now follows a new character and is entirely distinct from the Public Safety Saga which opened the series. The Academy Saga focuses on Asa Mitaka and her contract with Yoru, the War Devil, as she tries to hunt down Chainsaw Man (Denji), giving the story a much darker tone with many mysteries unfolding. One thing about the series has remained unchanged: Chainsaw Man still delivers epic and gruesome fights, and the best fights in the Academy Saga so far have shown Denji and Asa both engaged in all-out warfare.

10 Denji Defeats the Cockroach Devil

Denji vs Cockroach Devil and Bat Devil (Chapter 102)

In Chapter 102 of the Chainsaw Man manga, the Bat Devil is attacking, sending both Asa and Yuko on the run. While the two are fleeing and trying to find a pathway to safety, the Bat Devil’s reign of terror is cut short as Chainsaw Man and another devil crash through the building, squashing the Bat Devil to death and saving Yuko and Asa’s lives.

Denji goes on to drag the Cockroach Devil through the city block in an intense battle. The Cockroach Devil even manages to get the upper hand on Denji, forcing Chainsaw Man to choose between saving the lives of a car full of old women or a young student. In a moment that perfectly captures Chainsaw Man‘s dark humor, Denji ultimately kills the Cockroach Devil in one decisive move, choosing to save neither the old nor young people. Instead, he saves a cat that was near the scene of the action.

9 Chainsaw Man’s New Star Battles the Eternity Devil

Asa Yoru & Yoshida vs Eternity Devil (Chapter 117)

The Eternity Devil was one of the most fearsome creatures to be seen in the Chainsaw Man franchise, and it took Asa, Yoru and the Public Safety Devil Hunter Yoshida combined to take it down. This battle was an interesting one, showcasing Yoshida’s personality while also highlighting how dependent Asa was on Yoru at this point in her journey.

Yoru takes over Asa’s body in order to strike at the Eternity Devil, impaling it and causing it to explode. This caused all the aquatic wildlife stored in the devil to be released, stunning the other Devil Hunter Club members. This relatively early battle in Asa and Yoru’s story highlights Yoru’s incredible power while also giving readers insight into Asa’s own motivations.

8 Makima’s Reincarnation Proves Her Power

Nayuta vs Yoru (Chapter 120)

Many fans of Chainsaw Man loved Makima and the Control Devil, and the character’s reincarnation during the Academy Saga was done with a humorous twist to keep fans happy. The Control Devil was reincarnated as Nayuta, who was raised as Denji’s younger sister. While she may appear young, Nayuta has the same powers as Makima, and a similarly devilish personality.

In Chapter 120, Nayuta demonstrates the extent of her powers against Yoru. This may not be Chainsaw Man‘s most bloody or brutal fight, but it is one of the most comedic confrontations in the series. Nayuta manipulates Yoru to her liking, having her bark like a dog and forcing Denji to bow to her will in order to protect Asa.

7 Yoru Takes on Katana Man & Nail Fiend for Fami

Asa Mitaka & Yoru vs. Katana Man & Nail Fiend (Chapters 159 – 160)

One of the most interesting characters to appear during the Academy Saga is Fami, the main antagonist and leader of the Chainsaw Man Church. As the Famine Devil, her goal is to stop the Prophecy of Nostradamus and prevent the Age of Devils from ending humanity. Naturally, this puts her at odds with some of the other devils in the series.

In Chapter 159, Katana Man launches an attack on Fami, which Yoru manages to prevent from hurting her. The fight also sees the reappearance of the Nail Fiend, who also attempts to attack Fami to no avail. This battle shows that Fami is in no state to use her powers, forcing Asa Mitaka and Yoru to think quickly in order to change Katana Man and Nail Fiend’s focus back to Chainsaw Man.

6 Denji Battles Asa’s School Friend Yuko

Denji vs. Yuko (Chapter 109)

The Academy Saga shifted Chainsaw Man‘s narrative from focusing on Denji’s adventures as a Devil Hunter, turning instead to Asa’s school life. One of Asa’s friends in the Devil Hunter Club was Yuko, a seemingly sweet and caring girl. In Chapter 109, Yuko decides to destroy Asa’s school in an extreme measure to end her bullying problem. She quickly kills off two Devil Hunters, and Denji soon transforms into Chainsaw Man in order to take her down.

The battle between Denji and Yuko has incredibly detailed panels full of action, and it also contains Chainsaw Man‘s signature blend of humor. As Yuko tries to get the upper hand in battle, she attempts to read Denji’s mind for an advantage, but she discovers that he’s not even thinking about their fight — instead, he’s focusing on how to get everyone around him to realize his secret identity so that he can become more famous.

5 Fami Forms a Psuedo-Chainsaw Army

Public Safety Devil Hunters vs. Pseudo-Chainsaw People (Chapter 146)

Chainsaw Man has plenty of amazing plot twists, and Fami’s role in the Academy Saga is certainly one of the more inventive ones. In Chapter 146, it is revealed that Fami had connections with the Fire Devil, and she used them to give members of the Chainsaw Man Church the ability to transform into anything they desire.

Naturally, Chainsaw Man’s worshipers take on a form similar to him, with chainsaws sprouting out of their heads. They begin attacking the police, and the psuedo-chainsaw people start sprouting up around the world, and a terrible wave of destruction ensues. The Chainsaw Man Church members go on a chaotic rampage, forcing the Public Safety Devil Hunters to fight back, with characters like Chainsaw Man’s Quanxi arriving to take on these impostor chainsaw devils in order to get the situation under control.

4 Yoru Goes to War for Asa

Yoru vs Class President (Chapter 98)

The first chapter of the Academy Saga started things off with a bang, promising Chainsaw Man fans that even though the story would be told from the lens of a new protagonist, the blood and horror that had become a signature for the series wasn’t going anywhere. Chapter 98 introduces Asa Mitaka, a misfit high school student. Her teacher, Mr. Tanaka, tries to instill a message to his students that all life is valuable — including that of Devils.

When the class president turns out to have made a contract with the Justice Devil and tries to kill Mitaka, a Devil appears before her and makes a deal with her. Mitaka comes back to life, now with the War Devil inside her. She goes on a rampage, attacking the class president and turning Tanaka’s spine into a sword. This introduction to the War Devil proved that Chainsaw Man remained committed to upping the violence level, even without Denji as the star of the show.

3 Pochita Battles Three Villains at Once

Pochita vs. Yoru, Katana Man, & Aging Devil (Chapter 175-178)

Recent chapters of Chainsaw Man have revealed the true power of Pochita, the seemingly innocent accomplice of Denji who is actually the Chainsaw Devil and the original Chainsaw Man. Chapter 175 sees Pochita assuming a much more terrifying form as he takes on multiple enemies in battle with ease. After anti-Chainsaw Man protestors try to ambush Pochita, he decapitates three of them, causing the entire group to run. Katana Man holds his ground, and he is joined by the Aging Devil and Yoru.

The three attack Pochita from all angles, trying to pierce his skull, but with abysmal results. Pochita remains too powerful; the Aging Devil loses both of his hands, and Katana Man loses his arms and head. Even Yoru suffered injuries from facing Pochita, having one of her arms dismembered by the powerful devil. The battle continues to span several chapters, with both Yoru and Pochita fighting with reckless abandon.

2 Yoru Confronts Denji

Yoru vs. Denji (One-Sided Fight) (Chapter 109-110)

After Denji swooped in to save the day for Asa after Yuko tries to destroy her school, Asa gets up and Yoru takes control of her body. The sight of the Chainsaw Man was too tempting for her to resist, and she was ready to fight him on the spot. Once again, Denji was too preoccupied with convincing people that he’s human on the inside, and he pays no attention to Yoru’s acts of aggression.

In the end, Yoru is left extremely frustrated, screaming out and demanding Chainsaw Man show himself once more. Upon realizing that he left after defeating Yuko, Yoru sadly cries, “Is he saying… I’m not even worth his time?” Taking down Denji is particularly important for Yoru, and Chainsaw Man hints that the two will have a more eventful battle in the future.

1 The Falling Devil Unites Denji and Asa

The Falling Devil & Justice Devil vs Asa & Denji (Chapter 128-131)

The Falling Devil was one of the most interesting Chainsaw Man Devils to be introduced in the Academy Saga, and she has an entire arc in the saga named after her. As the arc reaches its climax, the Falling Devil put up a surreal fight that continues to stand out as one of the best in the Academy Saga so far.

Because the Falling Devil embodies people’s fear both of falling physically but also falling mentally into depression, she is able to manipulate her foes in unique ways. Her thought manipulation powers allow her to force her victims to relieve their most traumatic experiences, which made the battle to take her down a particularly emotional one in Chainsaw Man‘s typical fast-paced comedic narrative. Her unique character design and subservient personality also made the Falling Devil a particularly memorable antagonist, and the arc saw Denji and Asa put their differences aside to take her on in an incredibly satisfying battle.