Chainsaw Man Chapter 100, How to Walk Shoeless Review: Short, Slice of Life.

Going into Chapter 100 of Chainsaw Man, “How to Walk Shoeless”, I wondered if Tatsuki Fujimoto would commerate his 100th chapter with a big event, like other mangakas do when they reach such a milestone.
Instead, Fujimoto opted for a short, slice of life chapter that works perfectly well by building up relationships between the characters, specifically the growing friendship of Asa Mitaka and Yuko, the girl who was placed in Asa and Yoshida’s devil hunting group at the end of the last chapter.
Picking up from where “Two Birds” left off, Chapter 100 begins with the three of them walking the halls at their school, searching for devils, weapons in hand.
That last detail makes me think the devil hunting club really is serious about sending potential members after dangerous devils, and I am still wondering how the teachers feel about it?
This is not relevant to the chapter, however, which sees Asa, Yoshida and Yuko introduce themselves to one another as they walk the halls.
Yoshida and Yuko both confess to being fans of Chainsaw Man, but Asa dodges the subject by saying she likes him “as much as the average person”, all the while stewing in embarrassment over being paired up with Yoshida, after the War Devil failed in asking him out.
And it certainly does not help that Asa is now in a group with two people who say they are fans of Chainsaw Man, who she dislikes.
Unfortunately, things get more uncomfortable for Asa, as she passes some of her classmates, who begin to talk bad about her behind her back, being disgusted by the War Devil asking Yoshida out after Asa accidentally killed Bucky.
At first, this had me disappointed in Yoshida because I thought he had told everyone about Asa asking him to be her boyfriend but his confusion at what they are talking about made me remember that the War Devil was not exactly quiet when she propositioned him.
So, it makes sense that these students overheard and now have further motive to hate Asa, sadly leading to bullying, where Asa finds they have stuffed raw meat in her locker when she runs away from Yoshida and Yuko.
How messed up would it be if that raw meat was chicken?
An insult to Bucky’s memory is what it is.
Joking aside, Asa then leaves the school where the War Devil surprisingly offers to take care of Asa’s bullies.
Asa refuses and this is probably for the best considering that the War Devil’s way of helping things would probably be to blow them up with hand grenades made of literal hands.
Although, Asa would need friends in order for the War Devil to transform them, so they could be used as weapons.
Fortunately for Asa and unfortunately for Yuko (if the War Devil plans to use her as a weapon), the latter shows up to support Asa, offering her one of her shoes, since walking without shoes must make her feet hurt.
Asa is reluctant, so Yuko leaves the shoe with her, forcing Asa to chase her home, the two of them in constant, humorous, minor pain as their bare feet race across the sidewalk.
Upon reaching Yuko’s home, she gifts Asa with the other shoe, allowing her new friend to walk home with shoes.
Yuko really is proving herself to be a good friend, which is exactly what Asa needs, now more than ever.
However, as I have stated, this may not turn out to be a good thing in the end because then the War Devil could end up killing her and using her body parts as weapons to take on Chainsaw Man.
Speaking of Denji, I have heard a really weird theory that Yuko is actually him in disguise.
At first, I thought this theory was a joke but it seems there are some readers who buy it somewhat.
Personally, I think this theory is incredibly unlikely to be the case.
I mean, I do kind of think there would be a resemblance if Yuko took off her glasses, but not enough to convince me.
Along with this, given what we know about Denji’s character from Part One, I highly doubt he would work well undercover.
There are also plenty of general plot holes with this theory, like why Yoshida would allow Denji near Asa, who he probably suspects of being a devil at this point, and, most obviously, why would Denji be pretending to be a girl in the first place?
So, safe to say that the Yuko being a disguised Denji theory is as dead as Bucky.
Too soon, I know.
Let Yuko stay her own character who slowly becomes Asa’s friend, breaking down her walls until the War Devil literally breaks her body to make a weapon out of it.
I’m joking about wanting that last thing to happen.
Back to Chapter 100, after Yuko gives Asa her shoes, we get the cliffhanger, which is a simple yet comedic exchange between Asa and the War Devil.
When Yuko gives Asa the shoes, she suggests Asa sell them if she does not want to wear them, to which the War Devil concurs when they are alone, only for Asa to ask if they are an idiot.
This brings the relationship building Chapter 100 to a close.
Overall, “How to Walk Shoeless” is a good chapter that plays off well with the first two.
Since we did not see Denji in this chapter, it is most likely we will not see him for a while.
We may even get an entire arc without him.
But, as I said in my previous review, I actually like this.
Denji being absent for a while will give us more time to become attached to Asa, the War Devil, Yuko and Yoshida.
A long absense will also make Denji’s return more epic when it happens.
Although, Fujimoto being Fujimoto, he could also introduce Denji in the simplest way imagineable, like just having him randomly bump into Asa.
Either way, I am looking forward to the next chapter.