I'll admit, I was worried about whether or not the inherently cinematic and bizarre aesthetic of the Chainsaw Man manga would translate into prose form. Tatsuki Fujimoto's meticulous and deceptively roughshod artwork is a huge part of what makes the manga work so well, after all. Thankfully, I only needed to read a few pages of Chainsaw Man: Buddy Stories to assuage my fears. Author Sakaku Hishikawa is more than capable of capturing the manga's madcap tone and the endearing and, er, unique quirks of the character's voices, all of which are translated into English very well by Kevin Steinbach. The prose struggles a bit when it comes to capturing the more horrific and action-oriented elements of the Chainsaw Man aesthetic, but with a title like Buddy Stories, the book at least makes it clear that we're here first and foremost for the vibes, which means that it can still play to CSM's greatest strengths. Plus, Fujimoto himself contributed a handful of nice, original illustrations for the book, which lends it a further air of authenticity.

As for the stories themselves, it'd make the most sense to look at each individually, given that this is an anthology. So, without further ado:

Buddy Story #1: The Great Detective Power and Her Assistant Denji

This is easily the funniest of the stories, which makes sense, considering that it stars the manga's funniest (and best) character: Power. Given the heightened nature of both her and Denji's characters, this story is also where the book managed to capture the characters' voices the best. As always, the wacky, vulgar interplay between Power and Denji is a highlight. The central story, which sees our heroes attempting to sleuth their way into uncovering whether or not a Devil is behind a recent slate of disappearances at a very spooky inn, is also fairly interesting in its own right. However, it relies on the comedic underpinnings of Power's anime obsession to see it through to the end. It's a very solid read and one that I'd gladly watch an OVA adaptation of someday (hint hint, MAPPA).

Grade: B

Buddy Story #2: Nine Years' Savor

Unfortunately, this was my least favorite of the bunch, though not because it was outright bad; there was just a lot of potential that it didn't live up to by the end. Kishibe and Quanxi (especially the latter) are two intriguing characters that have never gotten a whole heck of a lot of development within the pages of the manga, though the comic hints at a shared past between the two that Nine Years' Savor is set up to explore. Sadly, despite how much the tale could have done with the premise of the two working out their relationship issues while training a rookie Devil Hunter, it never goes anywhere especially interesting or revelatory. I appreciated spending more time with the characters, but this feels less like a standalone story and more like a bunch of deleted scenes from the manga.

Grade: C

Buddy Story #3: The Day We Became Buddies

Now we're cooking with gas! I will fully admit that my love and admiration for both Aki and Himeno has only grown since the wonderful Chainsaw Man anime came out, and The Day We Became Buddies takes all of that goodwill and runs with it, expanding on some of the scenes of the pair's initial partnership that we've already seen and combining it with an all-new story about the first devil that they took down together. The monster in question is one of the most interesting Devils I've encountered in the Chainsaw Man franchise, and its particular powers play into Aki and Himeno's relationship as it develops both in the past and the “present” of the story. It's thrilling, emotional, and nearly perfectly paced. Chainsaw Man at its best.

Grade: A

Buddy Story #4: Enoshima: Island of Dreams

The final story of the bunch is a little different, as it takes the form of what is essentially a “What If…?” scenario that sees Denji and the gang go on their oft-discussed vacation to Enoshima. Fans of the manga will understand what a simultaneously cute and heartbreaking setup this is, and it delivers in all the ways you'd expect. It's a light and breezy tale by design, but since this is Chainsaw Man we're talking about, it doesn't neglect to punch its readers in the gut a little before things are done. You know, as a little treat.

Grade: B+

All in all, I think Chainsaw Man: Buddy Stories is an excellent collection for the discerning Chainsaw Fan. However, I'd recommend catching up on the manga before diving in, as some of the stories spoil major events throughout Part 1 of the comic. Still, that gives you another reason to finish reading CSM ASAP! Once you're done, this book will be waiting to help fill the Pochita-shaped void in your heart.