Denji is robbed of a normal teenage life, left with nothing but his deadbeat father's overwhelming debt. His only companion is his pet, the chainsaw devil Pochita, with whom he slays devils for money that inevitably ends up in the yakuza's pockets. All Denji can do is dream of a good, simple life: one with delicious food and a beautiful girlfriend by his side. But an act of greedy betrayal by the yakuza leads to Denji's brutal, untimely death, crushing all hope of him ever achieving happiness.
Remarkably, an old contract allows Pochita to merge with the deceased Denji and bestow devil powers on him, changing him into a hybrid able to transform his body parts into chainsaws. Because Denji's new abilities pose a significant risk to society, the Public Safety Bureau's elite devil hunter Makima takes him in, letting him live as long as he obeys her command. Guided by the promise of a content life alongside an attractive woman, Denji devotes everything and fights with all his might to make his naive dreams a reality.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
TheNinthRequiem
Chainsaw Man is not overhyped, not in the slightest. I’ll repeat it again for the people in the back. Chainsaw Man deserves the hype and is every bit as good as it’s made out to be. Maybe it doesn’t have as many universally appealing ideas as Demon Slayer or Jujutsu Kaisen. And its much more prickly exterior might serve as a barrier to entry for fans that have grown accustomed to the generic shounen-type stories that are regurgitated every season like that once-cute now-tiresome Christmas ornament that your family brings out every year. But I believe that it is exactly that prickly exterior derived fromits damaged characters that makes this series so endearing and beloved by fans (including myself). It is the struggles, tantalizing aspirations, and challenges that the characters go through that make Chainsaw Man the emotional masterpiece it is.
*Early disclaimer, I will be touching upon a couple of character traits, noteworthy aspirations, and backstory details, but nothing that I would consider spoilers as they are either described really early in the series or are minor details that are negligible to the plot. But if you want to experience Chainsaw Man completely fresh without a preconceived perspective, just know that I am giving this a 10/10 and would recommend this to you over your Epipen if you were suffering from an allergic reaction. Even just catching the OP as you’re fading in and out of consciousness is worth it.
The characters of Chainsaw Man are extremely misunderstood, but this is precisely the reason why I believe Chainsaw Man is worth your time. Behind their infamous personalities lies compelling well-thought-out characters that are driven by personalized goals. While these aren’t always the most virtuous, once you find out why they have these goals to begin with and their pitiful outlook on life; how society has beaten each character to become who they are and what little they want, it’s heartbreaking. And none of this is more prevalent than in the titular character the Chainsaw Man himself, Denji.
Denji is not the one-track mind breast-obsessing pervert you’re told he is. After the untimely passing of his debt-ridden father, he is offloaded with an insurmountable debt that he is forced to pay off. Pushing the juvenile Denji to work odd jobs and even sell his organs to try to cover. After some unforeseen circumstances and an impressive display of his powers, he gets recruited by Makima to join the public safety bureau, specifically, special division 4: an experimental unit that consists of expendable devils-hybrids and fiends. The classic, Suicide Squad fighting-fire-with-fire type of unit. It is here where he meets his coworkers and where we get to see how Denji truly views himself.
Denji has simplistic desires because he’s never had the self-confidence or understanding of what the world can offer. He is enticed into the dangerous profession of being a public safety devil hunter through the promise of basic provisions such as food and shelter. Initially, he accepts this offer because he thinks that that is all there is to life. In that sense, he is no different to a dog. He is complacent with what little he has been given and will fight tooth and nail if anyone or anything threatens to take it away from him. That easily misguided tenacity is ultimately what demonstrates his vulnerability but also his value. We see this when Makima starts teasing him with any sort of affection, he’s infatuated. He’s raring to do whatever she wants because she shows him that there is more to life than he knows. But she also engrains the idea that she’s the only one that can and will provide it to him. With this, you come to realize that the reason why he has this perverted obsession with breasts is because he has never had any truly meaningful relationships with anyone, romantically or platonically. From this, we ultimately realize that what he truly wants is not to cop a feel, but to love and be loved.
Many people in the anime community believe that Denji is dumb or stupid by nature which just isn’t the case. Due to his cruel upbringing and lack of human interaction, once he’s brought into the city, he shows himself to be both naive and gullible which people mistake for pure stupidity. He’s constantly played like a fiddle and led on by things everyone watching can easily recognize to be traps. Worst of all he’s also easily preyed on emotionally and taken advantage of by the sheer mention of an attractive female. But that’s not his fault, it’s his childhood. Shounen anime has conditioned people to have this perfect idolized main character in mind. Where characters with similar backstories as Denji, miraculously become these cunning, all-knowing, and unnaturally righteous protagonists once they switch into another environment or gain powers. It’s so unrealistic it’s obscene. Why would these characters suddenly become society's most upstanding do-gooders after they’ve been oppressed and treated like shit for their whole lives. They’re much more likely to become what Denji is, a guy that puts himself first and only looks for his own happiness. And it is that growth beyond this mindset as he begins to care for others on an emotional level that makes him such a great character. Through Denji, Fujimoto expertly tackles 2 shounen fallacies. The first being that: omnipotence does not equate to virtue or righteousness. The second being: sheer increases in power level does not equate to actual character growth.
Aki Hayakawa is the admirable older brother that makes you feel ok. Aki is the complete opposite of Denji in appearance and the way he conducts himself. His uniform is neat and ironed compared to Denji’s disheveled one, his hair is tied compared to the scruffy one of Denji’s. Even in personality, Aki is relatively calm and collected compared to the easily riled Denji. Aki is realistic, he knows his limits, he knows what it takes and knows what he needs to give up to achieve what he wants. Initially in the series, his aloof and stoic demeanor clashes heavily with Denji’s because of his disdain for Devils and how animalistic Denji is at the start. This is only exacerbated by their subsequent living arrangement that forces them to constantly interact. Once we get more screen time of him through this, we come to find he does feel. In fact, he’s probably the most emotional character of the series. He wallows in his own pain and suffering because he believes that showing it is a sign of weakness, especially in front of Denji. But even worse, deep down he’s afraid if he opened up about his feelings, no one would care. As the series progresses, we see them warm up to each other. They try to fight the bromance at first, but they really can’t. They learn and grow from each other, both of them learn that the other one cares for them and they are not alone in this world. This blossoming relationship is heartwarming to watch and a definitive strong point for anyone who wants to see a well done hybrid of a mentor-mentee/sibling relationship form.
Power is the mentally deranged sister that ticks you off but you also can’t help but want to protect. Power serves as the main comedic relief of the show; she's brash, belligerent, and comes to some hilariously stupid conclusions. She also shows no mental fortitude or backbone and folds whenever something becomes too difficult. She’s introduced in the show much to the displeasure of both Denji and Aki. With her joining the household only adding even more chaos. Indirectly, serving as a catalyst for both Aki and Denji to bond over their mutual disapproval of her actions. Similarly, she also individually benefits from this relationship as in the trio, specifically with Denji. She learns from this trio how to work together and that the summation of efforts can accomplish what she individually can’t. As a side note, one of the scenes I can talk about as the anime didn’t adapt it for some reason is the Operation Super Smart panel. It is a very cute panel that any anime-only watchers should check out.
The trio of Denji, Aki, and Power in this dysfunctional household and their interactions is the driving force that makes Chainsaw Man so emotionally charged. They fight, they bicker, it feels so real and relatable. You recognize the habitual responses each of these characters have towards one another. When Power shows her lack of hygiene or says something so out of pocket that everyone shakes their head in disapproval. Or when Denji gets too revved up over something childish. You're always waiting for Aki to rear them back in line. While I appreciate these moments in and of themselves, their nuances in delivery shape the tone of many of the scenes. Especially important, these little idiosyncrasies each character has serves as horrifying indicators when you realize one of them isn’t ok. When the humor stops or when the characters have a slight shift in expression, you realize the characters are hurt and they are feeling something that they can’t muster up the courage to say. This makes it all the more poignant when something happens to them. In addition, the growth in each character also feels well drawn out and actually stays in effect later on in the show. That’s why I believe this trio of characters alone makes this show worth your time.
*I don’t want to talk about the other characters as I don’t believe I can divulge into any meaningful discussions of them without any spoilers of the anime and manga. Just know I also hold them in really high regard and that some of these other characters have some of the strongest emotional moments in the season.
The devils in the series are another strong point of Chainsaw Man that adds creative freedom. Chainsaw Man is set in a world where any kind of human fears spawn devils, they take forms and have powers resembling those fears. With the more people fearing a fear the stronger its corresponding devil becomes. However the devils aren’t as binary in good or evil as one would imagine. Humans can form contracts with these devils to gain certain powers in exchange for sacrifices that can come in many forms (quite literally the “deal with the devil”). Even further, some devils are willing to lend powers to humans to take down other devils. The devil's act as their own separate entities and function with a level of autonomy that makes each of them feel unique.
Another positive for people that are looking for a narrative-driven anime. Chainsaw Man has a story that also feels extremely logical and flows well. As each episode progresses you genuinely feel the story is progressing. There also isn't that sort of serendipity you’re used to in typical shounen where the power of friendship rules all and somehow no one on either side dies. The outcomes of each battle are unclear and vary in complexity due to the diversity of devils present. Leading to some very suspenseful showdowns. It’s also not only the fights themselves that show serious tact. The human drama and careful writing really shine in these showdowns and you can see how each of these characters unravel as the battles progress. Most of these arcs span multiple episodes and once you start, you can’t really stop thinking about what happened and speculating what could happen next until you finish that arc. This anime pushed me to pick up the manga because I couldn’t wait.
To the manga readers that were wondering whether the anime is worth a watch. I believe it’s worth a try but the anime is very faithful to the manga and you wouldn’t be missing out if you didn’t. There are some merits and faults of the anime regarding the animation and music I would consider before making your decision.
The animation in Chainsaw Man is absolutely stunning, it adds a sense of realism that really excels at showing different facial expressions. In the case of background art, Fujimoto saves himself in the manga and doesn’t go all out with the background art except for certain scenes that add to the shock-value of a panel but loses potential immersion. Conversely, the anime fills in everything, which is expected and it’s done rather well. Both have their own advantages and I could see arguments for both.
The OST is really one of a kind and complements the show extremely well. The visuals in the opening contain many western film references that will be appreciated by some. The actual opening released by Kenshi Yonezu fully embraces the unpredictable and erratic nature of Denji. The soundtracks composed by Kensuke Ushio also play perfectly into the fight scenes. Additionally, the eeriness of some of the other tracks in his soundtrack leaves the audience unsettled and pushes them to think if there is more to the scenes than meets eye. The 12 different ending themes was an original idea that were delightful touches to end an episode off on. The abstract visuals in the endings were also solid inclusion that referenced what happened in the episode nicely.
Overall, Chainsaw Man impresses on so many levels I think it’s safe to say it delivers on the hype it got. From its extraordinary characters to its technical brilliance, Chainsaw Man is really a cut above any recent shounen that's easily become one of my favorites. As someone who has recently read part 1 of the Chainsaw Man manga, I can definitively say this is only the beginning of something exceptional and I’m really excited to see how they animate the upcoming arcs.
rrakku
Why Chainsaw Man would even have a tad of bad reputation is baffling to me: it is close to being a perfect Shounen. While there are still definitely flaws, I can say with confidence that there are no deal-breakers in the series, as long as you are an anime fan. But before I praise Chainsaw Man into high heavens, let’s get the caveats out of the way. If you watch Chainsaw Man for eye candy, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Although the designs and cinematography are to be commended, the action animation itself sails just above decent in a post Demon Slayer world. With the exception ofthe fight just aired in episode 12 (honestly it wasn't even that impressive), much of the fights are at best slightly above average fight sequences. The subpar animation is masked with clever use of framing that makes the fights less coherent and more awkward to watch, but delivers better action and makes the 3D animation more palatable.
That in my eyes, however, is a tiny flaw and easily overlooked on the mountain of great things Chainsaw Man brings to the table. Its fights do still work even with its limited animation all thanks to its amazing tone/atmosphere that the script and cinematography has crafted. The generous use of silence and occasional awkward dialogue, counter-intuitively, works to the show’s advantage. It creates an unsettling and eerie tone that’s matched when the push comes to shove and the fights begin. Each fight is genuinely terrifying and holds incredible stakes that make them feel important, which can’t be said for much of Shounen nowadays.
To avoid getting the show from being too heavy, Chainsaw Man contrasts its dark setting with Power and Denji, two of the most apathetic and stupid characters out there. Denji especially, as our point of view character, would be unworkable as the protagonist in any other environment. His cluelessness of his surroundings and, for lack of a better phrase, devilish stoicism would render him utterly unlikable if not for the show’s setting. Instead, in Chainsaw Man, it juxtaposes the serious and borderline hopeless situations our characters are routinely put in. Sometimes it diffuses tension and creates humour, sometimes it’s vital to the plot and it would simply not proceed if not for his character. My point is that Denji is impeccably designed with the whole story in mind. He didn’t just rely on the Excalibur in the stone to become a hero, he needed to be who he is to be the one.
Part of the appeal of Denji, and to an extent Power and Makima’s character can be attributed to the fact that humour surrounding the anime and manga subculture has become very ironic, self-aware, and self-deprecating. You’ve probably seen Tik Toks of people barking to Makima cosplays or Power fondling her chest. This ties into why you need to be an anime fan to truly enjoy Chainsaw Man, because this would just be cringe otherwise. But I digress.
The cast of Chainsaw Man, while not huge, have great chemistry. Denji and Power play off each other very well, and Aki provides the much needed straight man character to contain their stupidity. Makima on the other hand, we know barely anything about other than that she’s really powerful. But the sublime delivery of Tomori Kusunoki compliments this and she is in fact the main mystery of the series. We’ve also yet to see much from Kishibe and Kobeni and that’s intentional. If Makima is the main mystery then Kishibe and Kobeni are the side ones. People that criticise any one of them lacking depth to their characters are simply missing the point.
That’s because a majority of this season of Chainsaw Man functions as an introduction to the actual story, but what it did show is immensely promising. The voice acting, pacing of the dialogue, and momentary editing and framing has created an eerie tone, but what came of it? Well, without getting into spoilers, the actual story starts in episode 8, and what happened resolves the dissonance between the tone and the actual story. The tone foreshadowed the event not specifically, but you know something is up and due. This sort of atmospheric foreshadowing is rare in Shounen, and the result is one of the most cohesive, consistent, engaging, yet subtle introductions in anime ever. The plot then progresses naturally building up to the hype confrontation in episode 12. Much of the mystery in Chainsaw Man is still left unsolved though. I haven’t read the manga so I can’t make any guarantees for the plot later, but from what I’ve heard and seen this season, I really look forward to season two.
The last thing I’d want to mention is the banger opening and endings. Kick Back is truly one of the songs of all time. And I find each and every ending gorgeously drawn, although I can’t say the same for the music, some of them are just not fitting to my taste. Some might say Chainsaw Man would be better off giving some of the ED budget to the animation, but that’s beyond the scope of this review.
In the end, those that said this show did not live up to the hype are either manga readers that had unrealistic expectations, or just antis magnifying what little flaws Chainsaw Man has to hang on to their unfounded beliefs. Or maybe it’s because I came in blind and pleasantly surprised, you be the judge.
RebelPanda
Chainsaw Man is the latest dark shounen manga adaptation to take the internet by storm, and for once, I get the hype. It is a grim, action-packed series that follows an orphaned street punk desperate to make ends meet. After an encounter with a devil, Denji is transformed into a human-devil hybrid with the ability to manipulate chainsaws to fight devils. He is then recruited by the Public Safety Devil Hunters, an organization that makes contracts with helpful devils to hunt devils that threaten the world. In exchange for fighting devils, he'll receive food, housing, and possibly romance with the high-ranking devil hunter who tookhim in as her so-called pet, Makima.
There are a lot of characters here, but the leading players are easy to keep track of because of their distinctive character designs, vibrant personalities, and the devil they've contracted. Denji and his first partner, Power, bounce off one another hilariously—as a devil and fiend, respectively, they have a lot in common as outcasts fueled by blood and gluttony. Denji's chemistry with Aki, his superior and constantly annoyed roommate, is also quite funny. They never seem to agree on anything but slowly develop a quite rewarding friendship. Other side relationships flesh out the cast members, so you know who you're rooting for while watching. A few of the dark-suit devil hunters were a bit forgettable, so their minimal involvement in the season felt underutilized. Kobeni, uniquely, was a tertiary comic-relief character until one scene that attempts to make her more unique.
Makima is nearly the antagonist of the season, with how she manipulates Denji from the beginning so effortlessly that everyone but him can see through her. Denji looks up to her, but she controls his inceldom and naivete to use his Chainsaw Devil. She is overpowered, which can be countered later in the series if she has a weakness. Various intriguing relationship dynamics are presented through Makima's involvement, such as codependency, manipulation, girl bossing and gaslighting, some deep, some less so.
The story has some plot contrivances, but overall it's a good vehicle for the action. Plenty of the fanservice makes sense, and it usually fits within the story. Denji being offered some kind of sexual reward for fighting and nearly dying highlights the insanity of the premise. Showing fanservice from Denji's perspective ties into his motivation, and it wouldn't be very believable without it. The pacing here is fine, a couple of thoroughly engaging episodes, then the shifts between arcs can sometimes seem jarring as the show shifts gears suddenly, and the occasional exposition-heavy scenes slow it down. Though there's a fair bit of world-building, it leaves you wanting more, but since explanations aren't the show's strong suit, it is best left for the next season.
With its intense action scenes, compelling plot twists, and, most importantly, thought-provoking themes, it's no surprise it has become such a sensation. The themes are not the deepest or most intricate, but they give you plenty to ponder; Grief, pursuits, death, and further hidden recesses of humanity. These are the most consistent themes throughout because of how expected death is in the world of Chainsaw Man. Denji struggles with grief in naturalistic ways, which goes a long way in humanizing him. The score during these melancholy scenes aids our compassion for the characters.
The music for the series is composed by Kensuke Ushio and merits praise for its unique blend of styles and ability to capture the gritty mood of the series. The opening's visual is loaded with homages to iconic scenes from classic cinema, including The Big Lebowski and one of the best horror films ever, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The OP shows respect for the classics and a boldly modern approach to the genres. Every episode has a different ending song and visuals from various musicians and genres, including rock, metal, punk, and hip-hop. The ED visuals reflect a theme or highlight a key devil hunter from the episode. Chainsaw Man's adaptation deserves every bit of praise it's gotten for its stellar soundtrack. Visually, it is just as, if not more, praiseworthy.
The series is animated by MAPPA, the studio behind popular anime series like Attack on Titan, Yuri!!! On Ice, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more. MAPPA's animation style is unique and stands out amongst other shounen series. The fighting sequences in Chainsaw Man are incredibly detailed and fluid. The disturbing devil creatures have grotesque, deformed bodies and move at an inhuman speed only achievable with animation. The humanoid character designs are highly expressive and dynamic. Utilizing CGI models for Denji's transformation allows for more dynamic direction and gives the scenes more sense of speed. The solid lighting and shading make the CGI appear more natural. Almost every frame feels poured over by a vast committee of artists and animators, to the point that it is sometimes 'overly' polished but impressive nonetheless. The blood and gore visuals and realistic sound effects are very compelling, both enough to disgust horror fans but also over-the-top in a ridiculous way that it doesn't come off as gratuitous.
Chainsaw Man has gained much popularity since its release and will be considered one of the best manga adaptations of this generation. It boasts some of the best animation on television, intense action sequences, unpredictable twists, memorable characters, and dark subject matter, such as death, grief, and violence. Its unique take on the traditional hero/monster story sets it far apart from its peers. An absorbing blend of comedy, horror and the supernatural makes Chainsaw Man a thrilling and consistently entertaining experience.
Marinate1016
Chainsaw man is the fulfilment of shonen, the zenith of the medium, the apex of creativity…. At least that’s what you thought I’d say, right? In reality, chainsaw man is nothing more than a cheap gimmicky shonen that plays on the horniness of teenaged males, relies on shock value and uses flashy animation to make people overlook the mediocre plot. For the past 2.5 years now, I’ve heard nothing but incessant hype from CSM stans on twitter and Reddit about how this series is so peak and so gas etc etc., and like most of the things these kids hype up these days, this was overblown.It seems like all MAPPA have to do is give kids some sakuga and nice designs and people lose their minds.
The whole idea of a dude getting manipulated by women into doing their bidding simply by being promised sexual favours or a boob grab is so painfully stupid and dull that I genuinely wanted to throw my remote at the tv at points. I love fanservice in anime, but this wasn’t just that. It was something way worse. Throwing up in a dude’s mouth during a kiss, grabbing titties while on a literal shitty toilet, etc. etc. it’s like the show relies on shock value consistently to keep it going. That didn’t resonate with me at all.
Then there’s the makima simps. As I said earlier I’ve seen people hype up this series for years like it was the second coming of Christ and a massive part of that hype was the Makima dog walking memes/cosplays and just general thirsting over her character in general. Of course when we finally got to the anime and got to see her I was underwhelmed. She’s a conniving manipulative obviously evil character that has really no redeeming qualities. For the life of me I can’t see how people fell for her. Even her design is OK at best. This really extends to all the girls in this series too. It’s almost like just how Denji gets manipulated, so too were readers/viewers of this series into falling for these toxic women.
The first half of my review makes me seem like a hater.. well I am. But I still will always give credit where credit is due. There are some scenes in this show that will absolutely knock your socks off and leave your jaw on the floor with how beautifully rendered and animated they are. Some fight scenes in Chainsaw man are just exquisite works of art. We’ve come to expect this from MAPPA and it shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the production levels are top notch.
The CGI is pretty wonky at times, but for the most part I think it worked well. The 2D animation and art is obviously incredible. Voice acting castings were good with the exception of Makima who for me had a voice that didn’t really fit her. I don’t quite know how to describe it, but it just doesn’t sound right.
Chainsaw Man is one of the most popular anime in recent years and truthfully I can’t understand why. Other than the MAPPA sakuga and Fujimoto twisted fetishes, I don’t see much to speak of from the anime. The story feels like an early 2000s generic shonen rip off that relies on shock value and gore as its primary tools. I know this won’t be a popular opinion or one that receives a lot of backing, but I just don’t think this show is very good. It’s not even top 5 of this season, nonetheless the year.
Chainsaw man gets 6 out of 10.
Raptor2213
The anime has an overreliance on CGI, though it's fortunately passable, but loses some marks due to bad CG messing with immersion with sudden quality changes in how things are animated. As far as the plot goes, it start out strong in the first two episodes, then drops off a cliff. Episode 6, for example, could be completely cut from the series without anyone except those who read the source material noticing. The anime does somewhat "redeem" itself in the final 3 episodes, although two of them are basically just a training montage. Still, it's not nearly enough to pull a season that'smostly garbage out of the trash bin for me.
The majority of the characters are garbage-tier, and the majority of the decent characters get killed off.
In no particular order:
Denji (the MC) is basically a hobo without ties to anything. He's an okay character, but not terribly interesting. He has no real motivation throughout the entire season other than "existing", which is just bland and disinteresting.
Aki is one of the few passable side characters of the series, but even his well-rounded "leader" personality is pretty vanilla/bland.
Power is just an annoying and largely incompetent narcissist. It's really a shame that she's so underpowered for all of her talk.
Himeno is one of the few decent side characters, giving out strong Misato (EVA) vibes. Ultimately though, we don't see enough of her.
Kobeni is the absolute worst characters of the series. She's simultaneously a whiny, useless crybaby in 90% of the series, but then randomly becomes competent when the writers need to insert a character in and can't think of anyone else to use.
Later on in the season, when they randomly decide to kill off a ton of people, the "main" characters fight two people who wipe the floor with them, utterly decimating a group of them, only for them to do a 2-episode training montage for two of the survivors. One of them proceeds to 1v1 one of the people who literally just killed an entire squad (including them) earlier on, and win without anywhere near as much difficulty as we saw literally just a few episodes ago. The other BBEG goes up against one of the weaker ones and doesn't even use the power that decimated the entire squad earlier, and is instead overpowered without a fight.
The writing of this series is garbage. The characters are almost all annoying or disinteresting, and the entire season feels like a filler season of an sub-par anime.
moustafa356780
like it or not chainsaw man is one of the most hyped and waited-for animes and undoubtedly the biggest anime this year with over 500k people having it on their list before it even begins and about a million at its end in just 3 months. I didn't read the manga but for the last 2 years, I heard that the anime is gonna change the shounen anime definition, but did it deliver what I hoped. of course not it was the biggest disappointment, and from what I saw that some of the manga readers were disappointed either from the heavy use of CGI or thepacing, etc.
IMO it is one of the most over-hyped and overrated and over popularity animes I've ever seen
I mean it's just another action Shonen and is no better than anything we’ve had in recent years
CSM is not the worst anime. But it is not an anime that I would recommend for someone who has self-respect.
this anime has a specific audience and fans and I am not one of those who just wanted legalized porn
I am shocked by how many fans of this trash I mean you can find much better and respectful anime
I've watched over 200 animes and I have almost never seen a kiss or touching oppai or a character(Himeno) ask a 16-year-old boy "wanna do it?"
I basically watch shounen and anime in general because it is a clean or semi-clean industry away from Netflix shows
and I am just writing this review to prevent new watchers who have self-respect "run! don't watch it"
summary
Denji is a boy whose father committed suicide after paying off debts.
Denji gets to know Buchi, a demon dog in the form of a chainsaw and helps him live in exchange for helping him live by killing demons to pay off his father's debt. They sell him his eyes for sale and one of his testicles until he pays off a small amount of debt and lives on scraps of food or garbage. One day, the gang summons him to a secret place, and then it turns out that they are giving him to another demon to kill him with pleasure. In moments, Denji turns into four pieces, completely torn on the brink of death, so that Buchi gives his heart for Denji, and the chainsaw man appears for the first time to cut and kill everyone in the place.
Denji uses these new abilities to brutally eliminate other devils, supernatural creatures born from the fears of humanity. Denji then joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters, an official organization authorized by the Japanese government whose mission is to protect civilians from devils by hunting and eliminating them.
This is just the beginning of the anime. The anime is heavily filled with gore, ecchi, and killing.
I will talk about some points about the anime
-the main character is the worst you can find in any anime and I think if he was replaced by anything else the anime would have been way better he has the most irrelevant and illogical life goal and it's not just a temporary one! no, it develops and increases more and more from touching an oppai to the worst his motivation is going to evolve from sexual desire to a more decent one and you can't convince me that this is normal under whatever circumstances he witnessed
-fan service is what this anime is and I think if the writer minimized it a little the anime would be so good but I think the writer just wanted to give us the worst things about the anime industry plus a little story I was shocked by the number of inappropriate scenes featured within the episodes. For those unused to such scenes and I think it would be acceptable only for hentai fans
-Chainsaw Man reached a new level of disgusting in episode 7 presenting the worst scene any anime could have of course, it is pointless and that reflects the writer's character and this anime fan type who were upset because it was censored
-Denji’s voice actor once proves to be a brilliant choice for the character as he has the worst VA I ever heard, his voice makes me disgusted
-side characters are annoying uninteresting and have bad personalities.
-characters VAs sound too much as if they are reading the script. This removes any immersion or depth from the series, as it sounds forced and too obvious that the VAs are acting.
-the animation is very good and there are also very good camera angles but there is heavy Cgi which was not so bad it made the scenes less satisfying and there were over-animated scenes that looked so weird and awkward that the way they move starkly different from other animes.
-the characters' design (faces) in anime was empty and emotionless and cold just like Sitama
-there is not a single remarkable ost and some scenes in the anime feature too much silence that I don't even remember ever hearing a good one, making it unsettling and even borderline boring for some watchers
-the pacing is not good because too many things happen in one chapter of the manga, making it incredibly difficult to keep track of what is going on and what aspects are vital to the story, and due to the fast pacing, some characters' deaths are glossed over. They could be alive on one panel and dead on the next.
-the opening is very good also the endings are very good but I find it pointless to have 12 different one
-imo there is not much of anime only fans that loved the anime i guess they are just manga readers' fanbase
Stark700
If there's one show that can be summed up in two words that reached a level of unpredecented hype, it would be Chainsaw Man. Even before its anime announcement, fans were eager to see how the franchise would translate into anime form. It's a series that showcases the magnificent talent of a creator and their devotion to entertain us. And to my delight, Chainsaw Man lives up to its absolute hype. Tatsuki Fujimoto somewhat earned a reptuation even before the debut of Chainsaw Man. Their previous work 'Fire Punch' earned a cult following and when his new manga debuted, fans had high expectations. What fans maynot have expected is how Chainsaw Man reached to an international level of success as a franchise. With over 20 million copies sold and a Shogakukan Manga Award, you'd best bet that Chainsaw Man isn't your normal dark supernatural action thriller. With that being said, you should expect to see the author's style of dark humor and recurring gags at work. Chainsaw Man isn't just an anime that tries to be edgy and or be violent for the sake of violence.
Going into Chainsaw Man, I was familiar with Tatsuki's work so I was not entirely caught unprepared for his new work. What did catch me somewhat off guard is the higher detailed level of violence. Even for an supernatural action series, some of the violence may throw people off. The series is no stranger to body horror, gruesome scenes, and fights that pushes the boundary of violence. Some may even call it as a work of art, as the scenes showcase of how powerful supernatural entities can be. What was the author's message? You'll soon fight out as the violence appears to be crafted to match with the series' context and themes. Let me just say that Chainsaw Man's violence is one of the few series I believe is done right. The anime explores its violent context through by showing the weakness of humanity. Yes, some people will call it repulsive and over the line. Others will celebrate it as a testament of how violence can be satisfyingly entertaining to watch when it's done right. This is one of those times.
Enough about all the talk about violence though. We should take a deeper look at the premise, storytelling, and characters of Chainsaw Man. From what the promotional material has shown us, it's a show that takes place in a world where entities known as Devils exist. Born from the emotions and fears of humans, these Devils are the personifications of humanity's vulnerabilities. It's as if the show made it look like the humans are their own worst enemies. Because in reality, fear is developed by one's inner emotions triggered by an effect. Chainsaw Man's Devils represents the consequences of those effects. My first impression based on this premise didn't feel too ectastic at first as there are familiar shows similar to this, most noticably Jujutsu Kaisen. Chainsaw Man obviously amps up the violence and made this much more darker.
From the first episode, we meet Denji. He is part of a group of Devil Hunters, individuals who are contracted to hunt down and kill other Devils. And honestly, Denji's first impressions are not exactly what I call impressive. He's branded with a childish-like personality with poor social skills and high libido. He lusts after the head of Public Safety Division 4 Makima and has no quirms about feeling other female characters' breasts when given the chance. Don't believe me? Just ask Power, another Devil Hunter who offered Denji the chance of a life time. Nontheless. this season only scratches the surface of Denji's character and as a consequence, most of his character details relies in the manga, at least for now. Getting there would take more animated episodes but Denji may give mixed impressions for audience. Thankfully, we also have Power, the childish yet highly entertaining Devil/Devil Hunterwho speaks whatever is on her mind. Power represents a balance of Devil and humanity as she displays traits from both species. One, she is childish and demanding with awkward social skills. However, she also displays a strong degree of lust for killing and battle, a trait similar to most Devils seen in the show. Compared to other characters, Power is perhaps most entertaining to watch for her personality and character chemistry with others. Still, we can't forget other colorful cast of Chainsaw Man with characters like Makina. Introduced with an aura of mysterious vibe, she displays leadership skills with a sense of authority and control. Watching her character this season doesn't do full justice to the anime but will spark an immense amount of curiousity about her ambitions in the show. This similarly applies to characters such as Aki who gets their spotlight but only on the surface for now. However, the one character that stands out above all others is Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil. He is the reason that Denji became a Devil Hunter. We don't actually see Pochita much this season but he remains one of the most important characters in the series.
You may ask yourself what draws the audience to Chainsaw Man? Is it truly because of the gratifying violence and gore? Is it for the creative story? Or perhaps its colorful cast of characters? It's a bit of complicated question because this show is not aimed towards everyone. Parents of young children would definitely raise some eyebrows after they've seen the first episode. This is more geared towards yound adults and more specifically, fans who'd appreciate a supernatural action thriller with a touch of mystery and dark humor. Still, Chainsaw Man promoted itself exceptionally well with its artwork, previews, and hype. It's no surprise that even if you're not an anime fan, you may have heard of this title on social media with our ever expanding social media age.
As one of the biggest shows to air this year, Madhouse and its staff had their hands on and carefully planned this out from day one. Their creative direction made it clear that they wanted the anime adaptation to be the best that it can be. Thankfully, our eyeballs are treated with glorious uncensored violence and gory scenes that stays faithful to the material. Can I just say that every episode felt like it wanted to surpass the previous? While this isn't always the case, the animation quality definitely lives up to its expectations. With 12 different ED theme songs and eyecatchy opening sequence of references, it feels like the anime itself is an art piece.
Chainsaw Man doesn't take rocket science level of logic to understand but it can take some time to adapt to watching yourself especially for new viewers. This is just the first part because the manga dives so much more into the character narrative and storytelling. Let me just say that from what we've seen thus far, this is just the tip of the iceberg. For all of its hype, there's no doubt Chainsaw Man will be talked for generations to come.
IBN5100_
Before this was released, people were like omg chainsaw man. It ahs to be peak. My friends really said that it deserves a 10/10.Some even said it would be at the level of AOT S3 P2. So I had my expectations high for this. And guess what , it disappointed. It failed to amaze me in every aspect. It is better to say the good things first so I'll start with it's good points. Now it has some uniqueness to it. So much gore in a shonen anime, that's out of what you expect. 2 or 3 episodes were good. Denji is not a trashmc from my perspective. Some cliiffhangers were truly unexpected.
Flaws:
Firstly, the female characters(except makima cuz I haven't read the manga) are just in one word CRINGE. From Himeno's puke kiss to Power's shitty attitude all of them managed to be so unlikable that I dont even know it was possible for characters to be so insanely unlikable.
The plot is nothing amazing and the first 5 or 6 episodes were just bs. Then it kinda kicked in but still doesn't manage to satisfy the hype. Shock value was used to simply drive our attention away from the plot that is not that good. Now it is sad that the community hyped it like it was going to be a masterpiece lol.
Nihiluskun
First off the animation looks great and the fight scenes looked pretty badass. Almost everything else though.. I did not enjoy. Denji is probably the worst mc I have ever seen in an anime. He has no charisma whatsoever. He is not an endearing character we want to protect because of his bad life until the point the story starts. For that to happen he would have to be a better person with a good heart, which clearly isn't the case here. He also isn't a very funny or inspiring character that we enjoy to see because he is amusing or makes us want toroot for him to fulfill his dreams. And he also isn't a badass cool character every boy dreams to be. No, Denji is just a plain boring character that in most shows would be some side character because he is a little edgy and maybe gets a short spotlight for a cool fight or something.
All those attributes that would make a main character are completely absent in the Chainsaw Man. I often read that he is a very relatable character because of his realistic dreams. Which is utter rubbish! Denji's dream is to have sex with a girl he has somewhat of a crush on. I'm sorry to break this to some people, but that is a side quest. If this is your main goal in life you should think about some changes in your life. That is a fun side activity, not something your life should revolve around. But it is for this mc, which is as mundane as it can get.
This mc has no agency whatsoever, he is just dragged along by his "supporting cast". But I couldn't get into any of those side characters either, because they are either boring or just straight up horrible people, or both and I couldn't care less when any of them died, fake deaths included. In a decent show Aki would have been the protagonist and to be perfectly honest I am more or less convinced that he actually is. He still lacks a bit of emotional depth for that, but he would have definitely been the better choice, since he actually has a goal beyond touching a boob or getting a girl to kiss him. But that's the next thing about the show, almost all of the cast show very little to no emotion. Yeah I get it, "they live in a world with demons around, they had very hard lives and death is only a step away for them at all..." Aah will you shut up?! Yes, they have hard lives, but guess what, so do many others, in the real world and in anime, yet they still possess human emotions. It's like the Katana guy said, Denji has no conscience left, is he even human anymore? Who knows, if he is, he sure as hell isn't showing it.
I really tried to give this anime a chance, considering how hyped it was, hell after the trailer I was actually fired up, but things kept on dragging and just got worse over time. The last couple episodes were probably the best of the anime, which isn't saying much since I was bored out of my mind for most of the show. I cannot comprehend why this show is getting the spotlight it is getting. Not even the setting is very original, they are hunting demons, yeah.. haven't heard of that one before... Everything about this show up to this point just screams average at you. That's already including the good animation, if it wasn't for those this would be far below average.
Overall I think this show has a terrible and unoriginal story with one of the worst, if not the worst mc in anime history. The animation is great, I will give Mappa that but that can't save the boring and lackluster story as well as characters. Chainsaw Man is actually very well represented by it's mc who is a giant simping unlikeable disappointment of a main character with no agency whatsoever. 4/10
SoldierZoom
Did it live up to the hype? Short Answer: No Longer Answer: Chainsaw Man or CSM for short is undoubtedly the biggest anime this year with over 500k people having it in their PTW before its release. With many claiming it to be one of the of the best anime this year but in reality CSM isn’t anything special, it's just another action Shonen and is no better than anything we’ve had in recent years.Story (spoilers for 1st episode):
CSM is about Denji a teenage boy so broke he had to sell his left nut working as a devil hunter with his pet chainsaw dog for the mafia to pay of his deceased father’s debt. Until one day his boss calls him for a job but it turns out it was a trap, shit happens and now Denji got his pet chainsaw dog for a heart and is fighting the zombie devil. And from then on, it’s your typical action Shonen.
Now as for the plot in CSM there ain’t really much to say apart from the fact that it’s average and a bit more ruthless in some areas than most shows. As for the most part, CSM is just Denji killing devils or some plain dialogue and maybe some progression towards the main antagonist the “Gun devil.”
Animation:
Generally I’d say the animation in CSM is fairly good, however I was surprised to see CGI in a project as big as this and whilst it’s not the worst I've seen it doesn’t make it any better with most of the fights just looking janky, goofier and overall, just less satisfying and it doesn’t help when the main character’s “fighting form” or “chainsaw mode” as I like to call it probably has the worst CGI. Although this does improve considerably after the 1st episode with the exceptions of episodes 8 and 9. Now outside the fights the animation is infinitely better with a much more detailed approach to the animation style than most anime. Which I think was generally well done besides a few moments when the shading looked off.
Characters (easily one of if not the worst part of this show):
Denji - Around the time of CSM’s airing I started a thread about people’s most hated protagonists and was surprised to see Denji pop up fairly frequently although it didn’t take me long to see why. Denji isn’t like most Shonen protagonists, no he’s in it for the oppai. His character pretty much consists of being either horny or stupid which can a nice change for some people who are tired of the same old protagonist, or he can just be an immature twat you’d hope dies in a ditch, but I digress. Either way I'd say altogether he’s a pretty weak main character which I'd say is made arguably clear after the first several episodes as it’s not even evident he’s the protagonist half the time.
Makima - Easily one of the blandest characters in the show, I mean all she does is tease Denji or in other words treat him like a dog, order people around or start some plain dialogue and be ominous in the most uninterestingly way possible. But maybe some people find her ominosity and dead personality interesting or maybe they just want to be stepped on, who knows.
Power – Basically the female version Denji but instead of horny is overconfident and not gonna lie there’s not much else to say as all she does is either goof off with Denji or tend to whoever got injured.
Aki - Probably a close 2nd to Makima when it comes to bland characters in this show but still the best out of these 4. Aki is probably the sanest character in this show which is nice since most of the cast lacks any intellect and is generally alright for the most part despite his rather dull personality.
Conclusion:
All in all, CSM is just your average action Shonen that got hyped like crazy with your pretty stereotypical plotline, animation that’s only good when they’re not fighting, awfully designed characters with an atmosphere so dull you might as well watch paint dry. At the end of the day this all subjective so if you like action Shonen or you're bored of the same old protagonist I'd say CSM is worth a try but if you don’t typically like Shonen or came here for the action prepare to be disappointed. If you made it this far through my rant I just want to say thanks for reading!
Additional Notes:
- Don’t tell me to read manga/it gets better or whatever as after the 3rd episode I read all of the manga and personally I don’t think it is or gets any better and so I will not watch the anime beyond this season
- Feel free to critique my review
- Also, I was never the best at English so please tell me if there are any grammatical errors
Tatwss
I gave it a one because it is number 1 in my heart, incredible anime, great power! The show was not predictable, well some parts were actually. Again I gave it a one because it's the best anime for me! I really liked the part with the chainsaw it was honestly very enthralling, I myself am an occasional chainsaw enjoyer so I found that part very relatable. My firancée is a big anime watcher and we watched this together, it made for some great bonding moments. If you have friends I recommend forcing them to watch this show because it's good. Once again this animeis top anime and number 1 for all enjoyers.
Zephyr2004
I don´t know much english, sorry. Denji is a teenager who lives with a chainsaw demon named Pochita. Due to the debt left behind by his father, he has been living a life on the rocks as he pays off his debt by collecting demon corpses with Pochita. One day, Denji is betrayed and killed. As his consciousness fades, he makes a contract with Pochita and revives as "Chainsaw Man", a man with a devil's heart. (SOURCE, ANIMEFLV) Denji is a demon hunter, but there came a day where he practically had to choose between life and death, since he knew things about the demon hunter agency. Heliterally was like; Makima telling Denji, you are going to be my pet (dog specifically) You are going to have water, food etc, what do you prefer, that or die?
Honestly, from my point of view, the plot seems to me to be the simplest there is, Demons vs. Humans, nothing more.
And on top of that I honestly find it very boring.
2:
Let's see, I'm only going to talk about 5 characters (Makima, Kobeni, Denji, Power, Himeno)
Makima: I find his personality unfortunate, and within my likes and values, it seems ridiculous that he treats his people as his slaves and/or pets. He is a plane character who shows no empathy for anything, no sadness or anything, he is asentimental or something. Nothing of development or evolution is shown, which I don't like. He is a character that nothing has been explained to you in the series so far, so I'm not going to talk much, if i say something wrong.
Kobeni: Let's see, honestly, she has no personality, development or evolution, she's always scared, she's afraid of demons (TOTALLY LOGICAL), but I don't like the way they portray what she feels at all times, no I can talk more because literally her personality is living scared (LOGICALLY)
Denji: Honestly, I really like Denji as a character, he has a very good development and very good evolution, I totally understand what it's like not being able to live in contact with anything because of the Yakuza and the debts your father left you, but there are some things I do not understand.
First of all is: Denji, why did you sink so low by admitting to being literally Makima's dog? You even barked at him, man.
Second thing: I can't admit that you're a slave, yes, you can be a free slave, have everything you've never had etc, I don't care, you're still a slave when Makima orders it.
I understand that Makima can be your "savior" and all, but honestly, I would rather have been killed than accept being Makima's slave/dog.
Third:
I honestly don't understand how you could enjoy your first kiss, worst of all is that you ate it.
It's disgusting and ridiculous. I don't understand how people could enjoy watching that.
Four:
It's silly that you want to f... with Makima, there are many better women for you, Denji.
Your dream of touching a boob is the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life, I swear.
power:
Let's see, I don't know much about her, but: I like her personality, she has a good character, but it's the same as with Denji, I can't allow to be Makima's slave / pet. Both Power and Denji have sunk very low.
No evolution or character development is shown, it's always the same he started appearing in the series.
And finally, Himeno:
Look, from my point of view, Himeno is the badly done attempt of a cute girl, nothing of development or evolution of her character is shown, it is only shown that when she gets drunk, she wants to f... Aki and Denji, that I find it unfortunate for the point of view that exposes women. Himeno's death was decent, let's leave it at that. Himeno's background with Aki, the same, it's very simple, they were friends and that's it, he wanted to try cigarettes but he was underage and she gave him one to smoke when he was 18 etc.
In fact, the post-credits scene is Aki smoking her cigarette, honestly it was more or less good.
FINAL OPINION
It is a series that I have not been able to enjoy or that I have not been able to appreciate, but from what I have understood, it is highly overrated. I wouldn't recommend it for myself, but you can watch it, although I think the only thing that will happen to you is that you will waste your time if you think like me. You may like it, so, without looking at my likes, I would recommend it.
RiddlerKml
truly awful. I wanted to like this, it seemed fairly interesting and I liked the art style and it seemed like I'd have a good time for it. But holy shit is this an overrated piece of trash! There isn't a single interesting character in the story, all of them are annoying and the anime tries to add some depth by inserting sentimentalist backstories in between scenes, but it's so lazy (wow, you have to feel attached to this character because.. theyre funny and they have a traumatic past!) and all of the characters are just so one-note and there wasn't a single moment whereI wanted them to stick around for longer. The worst offender of this is the main character, Denji, who may be one of the most annoying characters in anything I've seen. An annoying/silly/morally bad main character isn't necessarily a bad thing, but he is insufferably annoying to the point where I wanted to stop watching it because of him. There's no depth to his psyche, he's a character written to make teenage boys laugh, and normally this wouldn't be that terrible of an offense, but the faux sentimentality and the sudden increase of stakes in the season makes his character so offensively annoying. Another quite dumb element was the 3D animation, which looked uncanny and I predict it won't age well. The world-building is also extremely shallow, uninteresting and derivative.
As for the redeeming elements, the action was somewhat fun but ultimately it's hard to care when it is impossible to care about any of these characters. And the art style is good. There's some fun-to-watch moments every once in a while and it didn't seem to be heading towards a bad direction in the first episodes, and there were some interesting ideas throughout, but this just feels like such a disappointing failure. Sad!
GranzchestaRev
I hate post-Maruyama MAPPA. I can't help but hate this studio that treats its animation and production staff as if they are lower than human. Masao Maruyama founded this studio with a passion. He put his everything and created a studio where directors could bring their visions to life. And what was the purpose of all of that? Did he do all this only to see his beloved studio turn into a factory-like environment that doesn't give a damn about its staff? Also, what will happen by keeping this business vision? Will they produce as much anime as possible before most of their talented staffescapes to other big studios and turn this studio into the disaster MADHOUSE is nowadays? Is watching his beloved studios turning into garbage Maruyama's curse, or does MAPPA's higher-ups only care about stuffing their pockets as much as possible before the inevitable end? You might say, "Why are you talking about this in a Chainsaw Man review? Even though MAPPA's higher-ups are evil, Chainsaw Man's production has no problems!" but this will be just sweeping the problem under the rug. Although Chainsaw Man's production is still better than most other TV anime, its shortcomings are as plain as day. But let's talk about the story and characters first because I don't want to sound like an obnoxious swine that complains about everything, as if I already didn't for some people.
The story follows Denji, who made a contract with Chainsaw Devil Pochita. Their days are going with poverty because he is trying to pay the debt his father left behind. He constantly dreams of an ordinary teenage life—where he will have a warm bed, three meals a day, and a girlfriend. The golden opportunity finally knocks on his door when he dies and returns from the death by Pochita sacrificing himself, replacing Denji's heart. After this point, Denji is no more human. He is a special case who can turn into a devil, the Chainsaw Man. He joins the Public Safety's one of the devil hunter divisions with the help of a woman named Makima from the Public Safety. Here, he finally obtains a warm bed and three meals a day, and the only goal left for him is to get a girlfriend, he decides to be lovers with Makima after she was the first person who treated him like a human.
Chainsaw Man (2022) is the first 12 episodes of a series that will probably consist of 24-25 TV episodes and one cinema film in its first "saga". So, if you still haven't watched the show, mind this while setting your expectations. The first seven episodes of this season pass with character introductions and plot setting, and the real deal starts with the eighth episode. Spending more than half of the season with set-ups might sound boring for some people, but I assure you it is one of the best set-ups in this genre. It gives every needed information to the audience without spoon-feeding them. It presents its world and characters to us without relying on over-exposition. The scene where Aki warns Denji about the dangers of empathizing with devils and fiends is a prime example of this. We, as the audience, don't have a clear idea about how Chainsaw Man's world works. We know there are devils and devil hunters, but we don't know if the public has information about them. Then, instead of a character looking at the camera and explaining everything as if the audience are morons, we get a tense scene where Aki reminds Denji almost every people in this world has someone close to them killed by devils or fiends, and some of them are working for getting revenge or not letting the same thing happen to the others. Even if Chainsaw Man falls into laziness sometimes, it hugs the principle of "show, don't tell" more than all the other works in the same genre.
We see a similar fashion in the characters too. Characters in Chainsaw Man are introduced in situations where they can shine by showing their personalities. We first briefly learn how they act in certain circumstances and their personality traits, and only then dive into their inner worlds or backstories. It might seem like a feature that is easy to achieve since it's a simple aspect of writing, but you can't believe how many works try to throw tear-jerker backstories at their audience before introducing the characters properly; therefore fail at this. Chainsaw Man constantly achieves this with its supporting characters like; Power, Aki, and Himeno. Denji's case is a bit strange because we start the show by watching a sequence that can be called his backstory, but it still is a fair way to introduce Denji's character without being too much of a tear-jerker. However, we don't get character developments this season since the main focus here is serving as an introduction to a story that will be almost three times longer than the first season. There is story progression in the second half—which makes things very interesting and puts one of the characters in a very mysterious place—but that's all. Don't expect a storyline with an ultimate conclusion in this season. But you can expect highly unstable production values.
I don't know how much truth there is in it, but I believe MAPPA planned the anime adaptation of Public Safety Saga as a 2-cour TV series and a cinema film in the first place, but for some reason, the higher-ups insisted they needed to release the TV anime in 2022, even if it's during the Fall season. Once they realized there was no way they could finish a 2-cour TV series in the given time, so they divided it into two parts. I will repeat myself, I don't know how much truth there is in it, but I can't come up with another explanation for this unstable mess. On the one hand, we have scenes with beautiful backgrounds, stunning directing, creative camera work, staggering voice actings, fire soundtracks, and fluid character animations. On the other hand, we have scenes with backgrounds filled with 3D objects and crowds that look like student projects made on the weekend with a hurry, bland directing that conveys no emotions, tedious camera work, bland voice actings, unimpressive soundtracks, and janky animations. One side of this project flourishes with passion and creativity, and the other side crumbles on MAPPA's stubbornness. It's despairing to see because if MAPPA higher-ups didn't hold back the talented staff of Chainsaw Man, we could witness a production that comes twice or thrice in a decade. We still would be stuck with these dull colors, but at least everything around them would be stably good.
Also, I wonder what would Ryuu Nakayama's directing look like under ideal conditions. Because he said this in an interview:
"When I was in junior high school, "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" was broadcast late at night, and anime boomed. However, there is a certain "type" of TV anime. The so-called Akiba-kei, moe, and other fixed concepts in subcultures, such as girls having green or pink hair, are examples of this. However, animation is not an expressive technique that can only be achieved by relying on such things. I always wanted to make something that could be seen by adults, something that would be powerful enough to withstand the viewpoint of appreciation of the work. When it came time to make an animated version of "Chainsaw Man," I looked for links to what I wanted to do, and since I love movies and Mr. Fujimoto also loves movies, I thought it would be interesting to incorporate the essence of the realistic and cinematic. Rather than personal selfishness, I'm convinced that this would benefit the work."
Even though I disagree with his "something that could be seen by adults" statement since, in recent years, we got shows that have some of the aspects Ryuu Nakayama points out and still can be seen by adults too, I still admire his passion for trying to find different ways to approach animation. So, seeing he couldn't convey his vision perfectly in this project made me sorrowful. Like the other aspects of the show I talked about, the directing is also unstable. There are scenes with a cinematic approach Ryuu Nakayama talked about, and they are a treat to get in a TV anime, but there are also scenes that are held back by this approach and end up being tedious. Also, I'm not sure what he meant by "cinematic" essence because the number of scenes that use techniques you would see in other anime is more than the number of scenes that feel cinematic. The former still has the usual directing we see in other anime with high-production values, but it doesn't have the aspects that can only be achieved through animation, which makes it automatically bland compared to the shows in the same genre, like Jujutsu Kaisen and Mob Psycho 100. As a result, all episodes except the eighth—which had Shouta Goshozono as the episode director—feel messy in the directing.
Chainsaw Man has a very talented staff that needs to be applauded since they still were able to bring an excellent show to us even though they faced MAPPA's shenanigans. It's an incredible set-up season despite being shaky in some areas. I wonder how long MAPPA can go like this before almost all of their irreplaceable staff members leave the studio, similar to what happened in MADHOUSE and Shaft. Because spending tons of money on twelve different endings while underpaying their staff members is an iniquitous thing to do.
I loved Chainsaw Man's first season and recommend it to everyone who likes to watch action shows, but I despise MAPPA's work ethic even stronger than before.
JabaCsmHater
Most of my friends seemed to have liked the anime. Personally ive found it average at best and most of the times quite boring. The characters are not really likeable at least from my point of view and their design isnt really making me say:"wow they really did something new!". The story is very slow and the fight szenes somewhat mediocre the animation is pretty good but doesnt compensate for the lack of reason to be interested in the story. I really hope the second season picks up the pacing a little and kinda alters the motivations of the main characters as at the momenti find them quite blant. The promised anime that would change the medium as a whole didnt really deliver in my opinion and I dont think ill be back for a third season if the second keeps to the formula of the first.
MizunoWaveRider
The first season of the CSM anime is done, and it's pretty uneventful thus far due to the slow pacing and depressing tone. The adaptation decided to be a bit of a slow burn and take its time to establish the protagonist and general atmosphere. It's a strange decision considering that the manga is fairly fast-paced by comparison and has a high emphasis on campy action. Instead of focusing on the fun parts, the anime decided to go for a more serious tone similar to a social drama and spend a lot of time on showing Denji walking through the streets or lying in bed whilelooking sad and so on. It picks up a bit of speed in the second half but still feels uncannily slow compared to the manga.
This also shows in the focus of the animation. The action scenes are fine except for the overuse of (bad) CGI on the main character, making fight scenes with him a bit of an eyesore. The choreography of the battles is also mediocre at best for modern shounen standards. The slice of life parts on the other hand, where characters just talk to one another or walk through the streets or do their morning routine *cough* or groom minors *cough*, are animated with absurd detail to the point I'm wondering why this effort wasn't spent on making the action scenes look good instead.
The comedy is similarily strange as it's played very straight to the point it's almost unnoticable that certain scenes are supposed to be comedic, like when Denji kicks Aki in the balls or when Makima fed Denji some noodles. I didn't expect it to go full chibi-style, but it seems to not even try to present the comedic scenes as funny.
The coloring of CSM can also be described as bland. They go for a very realistic style, and by realistic I mean lots of gray.
So generally, this is one of those adaptations that tries to make everything realistic and depressing in tone and appearance, and honestly I'm not sure if I like that. But this will highly depend on what you like about the source material and how you interpret it. I interpreted the manga as a campy schlock gorefest with a schizophrenic style that has the main goal in being unpredictable, fast-paced and fun, but it seems like the director of the anime saw it more as a slow-paced drama that takes itself very seriously.
So if I had to describe this adaptation thus far in one sentence, then I would say it's a schlocky shounen story that tries to be a Scorcese drama. The characters aren't really deep or interesting enough to support that type of presentation, the comedy consists of toilet humor and barfing and most of the future run-time will be filled up with mindless action. I can respect the ambition to make it more than a fun gorefest but I don't think the direction it's going is utilizing the strengths of its source material.
Lov_Anime_review
**"Chainsaw Man" Anime Review: A Thrilling Ride with an Unconventional Twist** If there's one thing I can say about "Chainsaw Man," it's that this anime isn't afraid to take risks and stand out from the crowd. I embarked on this journey with high expectations and a curious mind, and boy, did it deliver an experience that left me both intrigued and slightly conflicted. First things first – the level of excitement and action in "Chainsaw Man" is undeniable. From the very beginning, the show plunges you into a world of intense battles, supernatural creatures, and unexpected twists. The pacing is relentless, and the adrenaline rush is practicallypalpable as you follow the main character's tumultuous journey.
I must admit, however, that the abundance of ecchi elements gave me pause. At times, it felt like the show was pushing the boundaries of comfort, making me question the necessity of some of these scenes. But here's the thing – as the story progressed, I began to understand the reasoning behind it. The main character, Denji, has endured a life that's nothing short of brutal, and his interactions with the opposite sex are a reflection of his unconventional upbringing.
While I can't say I fully embraced the ecchi moments, I found myself empathizing with Denji's journey. His life has been a rollercoaster of hardship, and his actions are a product of his circumstances. In a way, this added depth to his character and made me appreciate the complexity of his emotional landscape.
The animation and art style in "Chainsaw Man" are another commendable aspect. The world is vibrant, the action scenes are meticulously choreographed, and the character designs are distinctive. The show's ability to seamlessly transition between heart-pounding battles and quieter, introspective moments is a testament to the direction and storytelling prowess.
In conclusion, "Chainsaw Man" is an anime that's not afraid to explore the darker and edgier corners of storytelling. While I may have had reservations about certain aspects, I found myself ultimately captivated by the overarching narrative and the development of its characters. It's a thrilling ride that challenges conventions and offers a fresh perspective on the genre.
So, if you're ready to embrace an anime that pushes the boundaries and immerses you in a world of supernatural chaos, "Chainsaw Man" is undoubtedly worth a watch. Look beyond the surface, and you'll find a story that's as intriguing as it is unorthodox. Get ready to be both thrilled and contemplative – "Chainsaw Man" might just leave you pleasantly surprised.
verbinflection
Widely praised, even before its release, as a revolutionary achievement for the medium, or for art in general, 'Chainsaw Man' is a dark subversion of the superhero genre, like an R-rated 'X-Men'. It's well animated, fairly stylish, sometimes funny, and gruesome enough for teenage boys. Unfortunately, as a standalone story, it lacks direction and depth. By the end, I wanted to shower off the bloody slime and curl up with 'Bocchi' instead. You can get a lot done in twelve episodes if you pick one thing and focus on it, whether that's a character or a theme. In 'Chainsaw Man', a lot of things happen, oftenviolently, but not in great detail or depth. It wanted to deliver a series of shocking moments, and the plot had to be stretched pretty thin to cover them all. I guess you can patch it up with flashbacks, but the end result lacks the polish and precision of, say, 'Akiba Maid War'.
Typically, to deliver a shocking moment, you put a normal person in an extreme situation. There are essentially no normal people in 'Chainsaw Man': innocent bystanders barely exist; ordinary emotions barely register. It can be intense, but without that normal baseline, it's difficult to know how to feel about strange anti-heroes fighting equally strange villains. It's certainly dark: darkness takes centre stage, in Hot Topic eyeliner. Characters obsess over death and revenge; get drunk or go insane; kill brutally and die horribly. Again, it can be intense — more so if we knew them better, but that takes time and restraint. You can't ask me to care about someone you've already blown up, no matter how big the explosion.
Flashbacks are not actually a substitute for proper pacing and structure. If you want to introduce a major threat, consider foreshadowing it. Change the source material if you have to: there's no law against it. Imagine if, say, the work relationship between Aki and Himeno developed in parallel with Denji's origin story; it might highlight the difference in the characters' motivations. The first eight episodes could have been stretched to a full twelve, with a little extra world-building along the way: it was really at its best in the mid-season as a monster-of-the-week workplace action romantic comedy. As it is, Himeno, a fine character, is given too little attention; with enough flashbacks, we do learn quite a bit about Aki; Power's comedy is always welcome, and Kobeni's too. Unfortunately, the protagonist is Denji, a shiftless idiot defined by his lack of both depth and agency. Denji works fine as a joke; as the show's main character, he fails to drive the story forward.
All art is dedicated to joy, said Schiller, who invented dark, and I wish there were more joy in 'Chainsaw Man'. Is a beach episode too much to ask for? What I mean is, I've seen joyless, nihilistic subversions of the superhero genre, and other genres, many times. I know you can kill people with a chainsaw. Maybe next season we'll find out why that matters.
Mr_Popepo
I said I completed it, but I lied I couldn't finish the last episode. I am going to start off with the fact that I am a manga reader, and I did not like the manga in the end, but I was still enjoying it at this point in the story in the anime. I had higher hopes with the anime given that it was shown to be a high budget project with amazing animation, but the last episode was giving me Berserk flash backs so I noped out of there. I'm not going to go into details about it, but at it's core the storyis really bad, characters are bad aside from Aki and it's going to be a poorly explained mess when this is all over. The fight scenes are atrocious, plagued with CGI and terrible choreograph. I know they didn't have much to work with from the panels in the manga because it was mostly simple movements, but I was expecting like different angles, dynamic movements, and close up and all that to make the fights a lot more fun but it fell even below my expectations of the worse case scenario. It seems like MAPPA bit off more than they could chew, with all the projects they had because this is an embarrassing attempt on of the most hyped series to come out in years, and feels like a soulless cash grab from the crazed fanbase and everything about this season felt passionless. They've only proved the doubters right, and alienated new viewers who didn't drink the koolaid, but there's always going to be the die hard fans who would defend this abomination.
