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.