Ace Dykes
Contributing Writer
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga often feels chaotic, violent and surreal, yet beneath the gore and absurdity lies a complex treatment of gender and power. Across works such as Chainsaw Man, Fire Punch and Look Back, Fujimoto presents women who challenge traditional anime and manga archetypes. Rather than portraying women only as romantic interests or passive emotional supports, he frequently places them in positions of authority, ambiguity and narrative importance. While Fujimoto does not openly frame his stories as feminist literature, many of his creative choices challenge conventional gender roles and power dynamics.
One of the most noticeable aspects of Fujimoto’s storytelling is the prominence of powerful female characters. In Chainsaw Man, several of the most influential figures are women, including Makima, Power, Asa and Reze. These characters are not only physically strong but also hold narrative power. Makima in particular dominates the story’s political and emotional landscape. She manipulates governments, controls supernatural forces and psychologically reshapes the protagonist, Denji. Unlike many female characters in action manga, Makima’s authority is not softened by traditional expectations of femininity. Her calm demeanor juxtaposed with her cruelty inverts the common pattern of male dominance.
At the same time, Fujimoto’s portrayal of female power is intentionally uncomfortable. Makima’s control over Denji reflects broader themes of manipulation and emotional dependency. Denji’s desperate desire for affection and validation makes him vulnerable, and Makima exploits this weakness. Through this dynamic, Fujimoto reverses a familiar narrative pattern. Instead of a male character controlling a woman’s body or emotions, a woman holds psychological and social power over the male protagonist. This reversal draws attention to how power often operates through emotional vulnerability rather than physical strength.
Fujimoto’s feminist themes also appear in his rejection of idealized femininity. Characters like Power in Chainsaw Man behave in chaotic and selfish ways. She lies constantly, refuses to maintain basic hygiene and often prioritizes her own survival over loyalty. Despite these flaws, she becomes one of the story’s most emotionally meaningful characters. By allowing female characters to be messy, immoral or ridiculous, Fujimoto avoids presenting women as symbols of morality or purity. Instead, they are complex individuals capable of contradiction, growth and failure.
Another important example of Fujimoto’s approach to gender appears in his one-shot manga, Look Back. The story focuses entirely on two girls, Fujino and Kyomoto, whose lives revolve around drawing manga. Their relationship is built on rivalry, admiration and shared creative ambition. The girls are defined by their artistic goals, insecurities and friendship rather than romantic relationships. In a medium where female characters are often framed through romance, Look Back stands out for centering female creativity and collaboration.
Despite these elements, Fujimoto’s work does not present a simple or purely celebratory vision of feminism. His stories often include sexualized imagery, dark humor and extreme violence. Some readers view these elements as contradictory to feminist ideas. However, others argue that Fujimoto exaggerates exploitation and desire in order to highlight their disturbing nature. By pushing situations to uncomfortable extremes, he forces readers to confront how power, control and vulnerability function in relationships.
Ultimately, the feminist aspects of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s works emerge through character complexity and narrative structure rather than explicit messages. Women in his stories possess agency, moral ambiguity and emotional depth. Whether through Makima’s terrifying control, Power’s chaotic personality or the creative struggles of Fujino and Kyomoto, Fujimoto repeatedly challenges assumptions about how women are represented in manga. By giving female characters influence, flaws and independence, Fujimoto creates narratives where women are not merely part of the story’s background but central forces shaping the worlds they inhabit.