Chapter 170: The Debate on the Plot

Chapter 170: The Debate on the Plot

With the success of the "Edgerunners" anime, Lin Qingshan's fame has soared, with his unique portrayal of a mentally unstable character adding to his distinct appeal and popularity.

As a result, both "Flame Fist" and "Chainsaw Man" have seen increased attention, with more people drawn to them. However, the recent shocking "female protagonist's death" plot twist in "Chainsaw Man" has caused a major stir.

"Isn't Makima the female protagonist?" Yang Shuzhun was surprised after seeing the latest episode. "Is the heroine really killed off this early?"

Being an experienced manga artist himself, Yang Shuzhun wouldn't jump to conclusions about Makima's death. Even if she were dead, there could still be resurrection arcs, right? In his own series, he planned a major plot where the female protagonist would die, and the male protagonist would sacrifice himself to save her and defeat the enemy.

But seeing Lin Qingshan kill off the heroine so soon is hard for him to grasp.

"This is too early for a protagonist's death," Yang Shuzhun muttered.

[Translator: sauron]

It's only Chapter 22!

Even for their previous mid-length manga entries, they were only halfway through the plot. Killing off the heroine at this point seems premature. There hasn't been enough character development or interaction between the heroine and the protagonist, Denji. The emotional connection is not deep enough to make such a death impactful for readers.

"What is Lin Qingshan thinking?"

Yang Shuzhun couldn't fathom his intentions.

The fans, too, are baffled by Lin Qingshan's plot choices.

On the official "Chainsaw Man" discussion forum:

"Wasn't Makima the heroine? I've always seen her as the main female character!"

"This is uncertain. We only know Denji is the protagonist; the heroine isn't clearly defined."

"Could it be Himeno is the heroine? She did kiss Denji after all."

"But Himeno likes Aki Hayakawa, so it's unlikely she's the heroine."

"The heroine's death came too soon. Isn't "Chainsaw Man" supposed to be different from 'Edgerunners'?"

"Speaking of 'Edgerunners'... Could it be Lin Qingshan is planning to kill off the heroine early?"

"Is he really that unpredictable? Killing off the heroine like this is certainly unexpected."

"What about those black-clad attackers? They appeared out of nowhere and killed the heroine without any foreshadowing."

"Woo, my Makima! Is she really gone?"

"Could this be a setup for her return in a resurrection arc?"

"On the bright side, Makima might be the first to prepare for a comeback..."

"Thank goodness! If you can't even prevent a surprise attack, how can you be sure of winning a key match like a resurrection? Make sure your security measures are up to par!"

"Let's see how Lin Qingshan handles this. He should clear things up soon."

Fans are mostly joking around, though some express their disappointment with Lin Qingshan.

Despite the unexpected death of the heroine, Lin Qingshan's reputation assures fans of his storytelling prowess. They remain hopeful that the plot will eventually make sense, given his track record of never disappointing with his previous works.

Lin Qingshan, however, is indifferent to the external opinions. He has always been confident in his work and is focused on the more pressing matter: the second "Edgerunners" volume signing event.

This signing event, held in celebration of the anime's success, is even larger than the previous one. Both the publishing company and Lin Qingshan are taking it very seriously.

His three assistants, however, are more concerned.

"Mr. Qingshan... Some fans are saying the recent plot in 'Chainsaw Man' lacks logic and that you're out of ideas," Wu Shiqing reported angrily. "They're making these judgments without even seeing the rest of the story!"

The assistants have been involved in the latest chapters of "Chainsaw Man" and know that Lin Qingshan's plot decisions are intentional.

Yet, they didn't expect Himeno's death.

But Lin Qingshan had previously discussed using death to complete character development, highlighting their charm and impact. The team now realizes the depth of this approach.

Wu Shiqing, Chen Chunqiang, and Jie Jianyu understand and appreciate Lin Qingshan's method of using character deaths to enhance the story.

"Don't worry about the outside opinions," Lin Qingshan said, waving his hand. "Shiqing, remember not to let others' views affect you."

"But they don't understand, Mr. Qingshan. They're criticizing you here..."

Wu Shiqing remained concerned but chose not to pursue the matter further.

[End of Chapter]