22-26: Fujimoto Tatsuki Tanpenshuu
Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 22-26

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Mod Edit: This review was originally posted for Yogen no Nayuta (98960) and has subsequently been merged into 22-26: Fujimoto Tatsuki Tanpenshuu (141294).


This is my first review. If it sounds wonky- It's because it is.

Seeing that there was an absence of any other reviews on this oneshot, I think it'd be a perfect place for it.

A wicked child and an older brother with a heart of gold make the story somehow warm in the midst of a cold undertone. Though Kenji doesn't understand his sister Nayuta, it brings a light to the oneshot that makes it all worth reading. A bond that is hard to ... understand, both by reader and character, yet simple and clear to show it's unbreakable. A simple trope that Yogen no Nayuta hones in on the entirety of the chapter.

Eerie as it is, it's sweet and plays on a tale that's done quite often in fiction (killing the 'chosen one') but polished by the author to 'Chainsaw Man'. This meaning- it's spooky, ruthless, and stomach churningly sick. Had it been more than it was, I'd assure it would have been darker than it already let off. This is why I particularly liked the tone it was set in. And this is why I wished it was longer than just a chapter.

It's worth a read if you like Chainsaw Man for its bittersweet relationships, and its much more if you're a sucker for a good brother-sister bond in a shonen. I really liked this simple and sweet tale, and will read it again.

Mod Edit: This review was originally posted for Yogen no Nayuta (98960) and has subsequently been merged into 22-26: Fujimoto Tatsuki Tanpenshuu (141294).


It's ages since I've left a review on anything, and I thought I'd read some of Fujimoto's other works.
I'll be reasonable with my review, as I'm working under the assumption the one-shot has page limitations and other guidelines.

• STORY: The premise is simple to understand, and the overall tone is neutral. With the lack of pages, the pacing feels odd in places. If I could describe how the story felt, it was like a sandwich missing some flavorful ingredients in-between.

• ART: There ... is nothing missing in the art department. The characters and backgrounds look good, however it could have been more expression (...though this issue is solved in works like "Fire Punch" and "Chainsaw Man."

• CHARACTER: The characters are all-right for the time they have to establish themselves. They aren't anything special. The way Nayuta (sister) speaks is annoying, and I feel Fujimoto could have chosen another confusing way to speak that wasn't random word vomit.

• ENJOYMENT: I can't say I enjoyed reading this very much. I can't complain either, because it was so short I don't feel like I've wasted any time.

Mod Edit: This review was originally posted for Me wo Sametara Onnanoko ni Natteita Yamai (109436) and has subsequently been merged into 22-26: Fujimoto Tatsuki Tanpenshuu (141294).


When it comes to the gender bender genre it's quite refreshing to see this one-shot tackle the dire fear one would experience when their social status does a 180 flip. There is a section of this one-shot where the guys in his class want to use the main character (Toshihide) for their sexual desires, thinking that they can do whatever they want to Toshihide now that he's a girl. Many GB stories usually go for the acceptance or prejudice ... route, but it's really interesting to see a story where the character has fear of how their new gender will affect their everyday life, in this case, school.

It's also really interesting that the gender-bent character already had a girlfriend before their transition and there's a scene where they sort of actually talk about their situation. It felt fairly mature.

What made me rate this so low was actually the constant reference and ideology of straight relationships. Toshihide laments the loss of his manhood and says to his girlfriend that now that they're both girls they can't have sex or a relationship anymore. And while I appreciate other characters telling him how stupid he is for thinking like that they lose me again when those same characters tell Toshihide that he should act like a man and that he is a man. It's really frustrating how this story sets up an interesting talk about non-hetero relationships but then goes right back to the binary standard.