WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Chainsaw Man #85 by Tatsuki Fujimoto, Amanda Haley and Sabrina Heep, available now in English from Viz Media.
Since its debut nearly two years ago, Chainsaw Man has been anything but predictable. From an unconventional protagonist to surprise death after surprise death, the series constantly keeps readers on their toes. But recently, its chapters have gone entirely off the rails. With the truth behind Makima and her grand plan revealed, the last chapter last saw Denji under her control as she expressed full intent to use him to further her goals. Many expected an epic battle or a heartfelt clash of wills, but no one could have predicted where the latest chapter took things.
Picking up right where the story left off, Kishibe and Makima are still in a standoff. Although this doesn't last long as Chainsaw Man makes good on the promise of killing the one who summoned him. Makima is completely torn apart, presumably sending her to Hell. After totally ending the character many assumed would be the final boss, Chainsaw Man takes off without saying a word to his former mentor and goes to a most unexpected location: a burger joint.
The newest employee at the establishment is none other than Kobeni, a former Devil Hunter who worked closely with Denji and turned in her resignation following the International Assassins arc. Before the Chainsaw Man's arrival, she finds herself in a bit of a bind as she struggles to adjust to her job. Her manager and fellow employees berate her and even go so far as to slap her for incompetence. She pleads for someone to save her as a savior arrives right on time in the form of Chainsaw Man, who was summoned by her call.
It turns out that Denji is still present in that monstrous body -- along with Pochita -- and, after beheading a customer, and he takes a seat and demands to be served. Denji wants to try a decent burger just once before he dies, but he speaks in incoherent chainsaw noises, making it difficult for staff to figure out what he wants. Whenever an employee dissents, he lops their head off and repeats the same phrase, which Kobeni finally makes out to be "hamburger." In complete distress, the employees comply and rush to make the burger he demands, only for Kobeni to trip and spill it in a panic. This upsets him even more as he continues to yell "hamburger." Another one is quickly made for him but the nervous Kobeni drops it again. With that the chapter abruptly ends, leaving the fate of Kobeni, Denji and the plot as a whole in a state of complete unpredictability.
As far as individual chapters go, this is by far one of Chainsaw Man's strangest yet. An abrupt burger run would be a strange occurrence in any manga, but this happens just a week after Makima dropped one of the biggest reveals in the series and pages after she's ripped to shreds. In many ways, the previous chapter felt like the set up for the next major arc would continue to build from that point. Instead, readers were treated to this seemingly random aside.
Regardless of where the plot goes from this point, this latest entry in the series is only further evidence that anything can and will happen at a moment's notice. From its very first chapter, Chainsaw Man has stuck to its MO of giving readers a wild ride from start to finish. If this chapter is any indicator, that won't be changing any time soon.
