Best Manga Like Chainsaw Man: Dark, Weird, and Action-Packed Reads
Quick Answer
Best Manga Like Chainsaw Man: 14 officially available picks, each with why it fits, who it's for, and where to read officially.
The trick is not to recommend only “more demons.” Chainsaw Man fans usually want a mix of violence, absurd humor, body horror, loneliness, and characters who feel one bad day away from falling apart.
This is a spoiler-light guide. I am focusing on why each title is worth considering, what kind of reader it fits, and where you should check first if you want to support the official release.
Quick note: If you mainly liked Denji’s emotional simplicity, start with Dandadan or Sakamoto Days; if you liked the cruelty and horror, start with Dorohedoro or Hell’s Paradise.
Picks at a glance
| # | Pick | Best for | Official route to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dandadan | readers who want supernatural action, comedy, romance tension, and wild art | VIZ / MANGA Plus |
| 2 | Jujutsu Kaisen | fans of dark action and power systems | VIZ / MANGA Plus |
| 3 | Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku | readers who want compact, violent fantasy action | VIZ |
| 4 | Tokyo Ghoul | readers who like tragic monsters and urban horror | VIZ |
| 5 | Parasyte | readers who want horror with ideas | Kodansha |
| 6 | Devilman | readers curious about the roots of violent supernatural manga | Seven Seas / Kodansha editions vary |
| 7 | Ajin | readers who like clever action and body horror | Kodansha |
| 8 | Dorohedoro | readers who like weird worlds and black comedy | VIZ |
| 9 | Gachiakuta | readers who want punk energy after Chainsaw Man | Kodansha |
| 10 | Dai Dark | Dorohedoro fans and weird-action readers | Seven Seas |
| 11 | Choujin X | Tokyo Ghoul fans | VIZ |
| 12 | Claymore | Berserk-adjacent fantasy readers | VIZ |
| 13 | Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead | readers who want horror comedy with momentum | VIZ |
| 14 | Sakamoto Days | readers who want fast action with jokes | VIZ / MANGA Plus |
The picks
1. Dandadan
Why it belongs here: A supernatural action comedy that moves from aliens to ghosts to awkward teen feelings without losing its heart. It is chaotic, but the emotional sincerity keeps the weirdness grounded.
Best for: readers who want supernatural action, comedy, romance tension, and wild art.
Keep in mind: The tone can swing hard between absurd jokes, horror imagery, and sincere trauma.
Read officially: VIZ / MANGA Plus · Full Next Panel review
2. Jujutsu Kaisen
Why it belongs here: A sharp supernatural battle manga with a strong sense of danger. The fights are tactical, the curse imagery is memorable, and the story rarely lets victory feel free.
Best for: fans of dark action and power systems.
Keep in mind: Later arcs can become dense and punishing.
Read officially: VIZ / MANGA Plus
3. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
Why it belongs here: A completed dark action manga with criminals, executioners, body horror, and a strange paradise island. It is brutal, but it has a surprisingly emotional core about identity and attachment.
Best for: readers who want compact, violent fantasy action.
Keep in mind: Graphic violence and body horror are central.
Read officially: VIZ
4. Tokyo Ghoul
Why it belongs here: A moody horror-action manga about hunger, identity, and the pressure of living between worlds. It is messy in the way adolescent fear can be messy, but its emotional intensity is exactly why readers remember it.
Best for: readers who like tragic monsters and urban horror.
Keep in mind: The sequel structure can be confusing for newcomers.
Read officially: VIZ
5. Parasyte
Why it belongs here: A clean sci-fi horror classic about alien parasites and human survival. It still works because the central relationship is weirdly funny, philosophical, and tense.
Best for: readers who want horror with ideas.
Keep in mind: The art style is older, but the storytelling remains strong.
Read officially: Kodansha
6. Devilman
Why it belongs here: A foundational demon horror-action manga whose influence can be felt across darker shonen and seinen.
Best for: readers curious about the roots of violent supernatural manga.
Keep in mind: Older art and extreme content need a warning.
Read officially: Seven Seas / Kodansha editions vary
7. Ajin
Why it belongs here: A tense supernatural thriller about immortal beings, state violence, and tactical survival.
Best for: readers who like clever action and body horror.
Keep in mind: Graphic violence and experimentation themes.
Read officially: Kodansha
8. Dorohedoro
Why it belongs here: Filthy, funny, violent, and strangely lovable. Dorohedoro throws readers into a grotesque world of sorcerers, experiments, masks, and gyoza, then somehow makes the chaos feel lived-in.
Best for: readers who like weird worlds and black comedy.
Keep in mind: It is intentionally grimy and not beginner-clean.
Read officially: VIZ
9. Gachiakuta
Why it belongs here: A grimy battle manga with trash-world design, anger, and high-style action.
Best for: readers who want punk energy after Chainsaw Man.
Keep in mind: The world can feel abrasive at first.
Read officially: Kodansha
10. Dai Dark
Why it belongs here: A weird sci-fi dark comedy from Q Hayashida, full of bones, space grime, and oddball violence.
Best for: Dorohedoro fans and weird-action readers.
Keep in mind: Very strange tone.
Read officially: Seven Seas
11. Choujin X
Why it belongs here: A superhuman body-horror action series with anxious character writing from Sui Ishida.
Best for: Tokyo Ghoul fans.
Keep in mind: Pacing is moodier than mainstream battle manga.
Read officially: VIZ
12. Claymore
Why it belongs here: A completed dark fantasy about half-monster warriors, identity, and brutal sword fights.
Best for: Berserk-adjacent fantasy readers.
Keep in mind: Violence and body horror.
Read officially: VIZ
13. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
Why it belongs here: A zombie story that begins as workplace burnout satire. It is bright, loud, and silly, but the core wish—to feel alive again—keeps it from being empty.
Best for: readers who want horror comedy with momentum.
Keep in mind: It is more comedy-adventure than pure horror.
Read officially: VIZ
14. Sakamoto Days
Why it belongs here: A retired assassin running a convenience store sounds like a sketch, but the action choreography is the real selling point. It is playful, cleanly staged, and constantly inventive.
Best for: readers who want fast action with jokes.
Keep in mind: It is more about momentum and set pieces than heavy theme work.
Read officially: VIZ / MANGA Plus · Full Next Panel review
How to choose from this list
If you are new to the topic, do not start with the longest or most famous title just because it has the biggest fandom. Start with the tone you actually want tonight. A short completed series is better when you need closure. A long-running action title is better when you want a world to live in for weeks. A romance or slice-of-life pick is better when you want characters more than plot mechanics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best first pick from this list?
Start with the title that matches your current mood, not the one people call the most important. For **manga like Chainsaw Man**, the safest first pick is usually one with a clear hook, easy official access, and a tone you already enjoy.
Where should I read these officially?
Use the official platform or publisher linked in each entry. Availability can change by country, device, subscription, and print/digital format, so always check the current official page before adding a purchase button or affiliate link.
