Review of Chainsaw Man

"...that is it?" Those three words really summarize my feelings towards Chainsaw Man Season 1. After a recent rewatch, I finally felt inspired to write my first review here on MAL and explain why I felt this show so far has been rather disappointing. One can only get disappointed by going in with expectations, and oh boy did the online anime community hype up this show. Basically, to me it looked like CSM was destined to be the successor of Attack on Titan as the next big subversive or surprising gory Shounen, with its own "Basement moment", an interesting plot and great animation. The latter, to startwith something positive, really did come true in my opinion. Yes, there is CGI, but it never looked jarring to me. If anything, some of the characters and their animations were even a bit too detailed for my taste. Sometimes it felt like the picture was "wobbling" and wavering as too many small pieces and lines were moving at once. It's the Mappa style, I think, but really you can't complain about that. It's fairly cinematic. Animation: 8/10

Now, on to the characters. At first glance, our protagonist Denji is a fresh and new spin on the shounen protagonist. Surely has the typical tragic backstory and even the very common orphan trope. However, unlike most other shounen protags, he has no higher ulterior motive. His goal is purely to be well-fed and get some booba (yes I physically shivered writing that). He's driven by the most primitive, basic instincts a neglected, starved and endlessly horny teenage boy could have. He is also rather simple-minded and stupid. In a way, that is incredibly innocent and almost wholesome. Unfortunately, it doesn't make for a good main character. He doesn't care for others except hot girls, and even then only on a superficial sexual level. He has no morals, no interesting motives, no noticeable character development. And the anime spends, or dare I say wastes, a lot of time on showing Denji lusting after almost every girl he comes across. Most of his interactions with the women are of sexual nature, just verbally or physically. His very primitive nature is also sexualized by introducing the whole dog-owner dynamic with him and Makima. I don't know if this will lead anywhere down the line, but currently it's just played for the kink and to simp for Makima as the dominant woman/mommy.

Every other character is either super bland, one-note or doesn't stick around long enough for any interesting development or for forming any emotional connection to them. Makima is the mysterious super powerful boss and waifu, Power is the loud, egoistic and equally stupid waifu #2, Aki is stoic, overly serious and rule-abiding, with a tragic backstory and a modicum of character dynamic with Makima and Himeno. But mostly, he is rather bland and emotionally not very accessible. And Himeno, well she is, taking the role of the more "sinful, mature woman" who smokes, drinks and has sex. Really, any other character is not worth mentioning cause they don't get enough screen time or focus to earn their own description, and most are very one-note anyway. Characters: 3/10

And finally, the plot. Well, we do have a clearly defined end goal alright. At least for now: collect all the pieces of the gun devil to hunt him down. It's a simple mission. A lot happens over the course of 12 episodes, and yet the main plot moves along erratically at best. We get the introduction to Denji and his background (with the aforementioned issues), a monster of the week format mixed with very sudden and drastic events, then a mini training arc and a rather low note conclusion to the season. As a viewer, we don't really get a grip on the world this takes place in, only a vague idea. Much time is spent on gore and hacking devils to pieces. What little characterization for out protagonists we get during those interactions with the devils is overshadowed by Denji and Power acting stupid, Denji having a horny boy moment or the villains saying their boring irrelevant part. Overall, it felt like the story never really got going and emotional moments or character development didn't have enough room to breathe. Plot/Worldbuilding: 4

So, what else to say? Well, I really like the opening and the endings! They are very unique, and getting 12 different endings is truly a treat! The show is definitely bloody and you will 100% be surprised by at least a few scenes. Whether those moments really have any lasting effect on you or have much impact to begin with is a different story though.

To summarize: Chainsaw man is a rather typical shounen just with the gore dialed up to 11 and mostly bland or unlikable characters. It never gets good momentum and at the end of the season there's not really much anticipation or tension how it's gonna continue. It most certainly will, but so far I don't see anything promising waiting at the horizon. This show is, in my opinion, mostly carried by the great production level. It still can be brainless entertainment if you're into gore and don't mind the horny part that is really prominent and overused.

Final Score: 5 (which might almost look generous after my review, but it was after all still mildly entertaining to watch ^^)