Review of Chainsaw Man

I think the hype around Chainsaw Man set my expectations way too high. The sheer amount and variety of people who I've heard demand "Read Chainsaw Man!" for the past good while makes it seem like it's one of the most interesting and unique pieces of fiction ever written. And, I mean, it is good…I'd just keep expectations in check. I think my main expectation was that Chainsaw Man’s plot was special. The overall premise of Chainsaw Man is that there are "devils" based on things people are afraid of, from blood to chainsaws. While it doesn’t necessarily feel unique, it’s still rather interesting. This conceptis further bolstered by their power being tied to how feared they are. But our protagonists are devils hunters, which is pretty standard fare. On top of that, there's a Big Bad which I also found weirdly standard, especially in a plot like this (though the concept of said antagonist is admittedly very funny to me). These aren't actually bad things, just things that brought those expectations of mine crashing down.

I believe the main appeal of Chainsaw Man is that the plot is shrouded in mystery that goads you into wanting to continue it. Makima is the biggest of them all as you're left wondering who she is and what she's capable of. The Chainsaw Devil's reputation among the other devils also makes you wonder what it did to gain said reputation and how it relates to the main character. Who are some of the devil hunters and what are their backstories? Plus, the concept of devils inherently makes you want to know what fears are going to be personified and how.

The other main appeal and the actual face of Chainsaw Man are the two main characters: Denji and Power. Which is weird to say because one is a pervert motivated by sex and the other is a loudmouth with no regard for anyone. Yet, they're somehow written in ways that make them funny and lovable idiots filled with charismatic insanity, not insufferable jackasses. I'd say that your mileage may vary, but considering the sheer amount of people who have said Chainsaw Man is great who I thought would be turned off by the two of them (especially Denji), I'm not so sure…
The other characters are good, but didn't stand out to me beyond wondering what their deal was.

The biggest problem is that the anime seems to only scratch the surface of Chainsaw Man. While a lot happens in Season 1, it still only feels like an introduction to the story. Unless you're really nonplussed by the end, I feel like you're going to be left just wanting to read the manga anyway. The anime at least has added/elongated scenes (especially fights) that help with recommending it anyway.
…Even if it's plagued by a lot of bad 3D CG. This isn’t usually something I care about or even notice, but it’s really bad here.

As a very specific aside, I really don't like how there are characters that glorify smoking cigarettes. They aren't like "Smoking is so awesome I love it", but a main character is peer-pressured into it (by a character I feel like most people will like) and it's portrayed exclusively as a comfort. And while the context is "We're demon hunters who are likely to die soon anyways”, I think that's still rhetoric that's relatable to people who are depressed and suicidal. It's an unnecessarily dangerous thing to lean on for plot purposes and I really hope it hasn't caused anyone to start smoking or relapse. Please be careful!

I think the overall plot of Chainsaw Man isn't too unique and a lot of the characters didn't grab me for it to be one of the best pieces of fiction of all time. The anime also left a lot to be desired at the end. However, the meat of it is still good! I'd give it a shot if it interests you (even on a surface, fad level). I'm not sure if I'm interested enough to keep reading beyond Season 1, but apparently it gets better. I imagine it does as more things get revealed.