Review of Chainsaw Man

So, the hottest show of the season, Chainsaw Man, is finally over. And oh boy was it one hell of a ride. It's easy to call a show like this overrated. Based on a popular manga series with a cult following, adapted by Studio MAPPA, who have created some of the most popular shows of the past few years with Jujutsu Kaisen and the final season of Attack on Titan, you can't escape the hype if you use the internet. It certainly had a lot to live up to. So, did it deliver? Absolutely. Let me make it clear that I am not a manga reader,but I have made myself aware of the changes made to the anime version so far, and most of them are either not that important or possibly even good for the adaptation. Mangaka Tatsuki Fujimoto's vision is still a large part of why this show is as good as it is. The guy took a story about a dude who can turn into a chainsaw to kill devils and somehow made that ridiculous premise work, and this anime adaptation absolutely does it justice. It strikes just the right balance between being both fun and dark at the same time.

Chainsaw Man offers a wide variety of characters, all of which are more or less interesting. There are the obvious fan favorites, like Power, Makima, Kobeni, Aki, Himeno and our main lead Denji, who are all really good, but the other side characters, especially Kishibe and the various fiends and devils, are never boring to follow either. They are perhaps the biggest reason why this series works. They are entertaining to watch, but are also quite well written below the surface.

Many have criticized Denji for having simplistic goals and being a really perverted character, but I feel like those complaints are really meaningless. His backstory, the fact that he has lived his whole life in really poor circumstances and mainly fights for himself, to survive, to live a better life, it all makes him a very interesting protagonist. He also does get some nice character development, but most of it is likely coming later on, as this season just gets the story started.

Now, I want to talk a bit about the production value and direction of this adaptation, because it is great. The animation quality is consistently really good. It's not perfect, but you can't expect it to be perfect. It's a TV anime production. Of course some parts won't look quite as good as others, but the overall attention to detail and the excellent blend of 2D and 3D animation, especially in action sequences, is some of the best you will find in anime. The direction and use of different camera angles, as well as the use of blur effects really elevate the experience, and the use of music is just the cherry on top. The director has said he wanted to make the series really cinematic, and different from the stuff we typically associate with the term "anime", and that really shows. Frankly speaking, that made the show such a fresh experience. It's the best of both worlds, animation and cinematic style.

I have to also talk about the use of music. This soundtrack slaps, and fits every moment. Many scenes hit a lot harder thanks to it, and the opening and ending themes are excellent. Some are better than others for sure, but each of them offers a great song and some really creative visuals. The movie references in the opening were also a delightful surprise, especially for someone like me who recognized many of them and loves the films they're from.

So, should you watch Chainsaw Man? Yes. Yes you should. It's not necessarily for everyone, but most viewers will likely really enjoy it, and it is one of the most popular shows at the moment for a reason. So I would recommend everyone to at least give it a try, and hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I did.