Power [Recurring visual gag - anytime the word POWER is mentioned, we should show the
character Power].
That’s why you clicked on the video.
The answer to why you should watch Chainsaw Man is Power.
But other than this anime’s best girl - fight me Makina fans - and the subject of next year’s
most popular Comic-Con cosplay, there are a ton of reasons [very rapid sseries of cuts]
to check out the biggest premiere this season and there are some on this list, especially
the last one, that you’re not gonna believe.
Everybody’s been sharing still frames from the trailers and foaming from the mouth out
of pure anticipation.
And now it’s finally here.
So what exactly is all THIS?
Well, Chainsaw Man is adapted from a manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, also known for some more
niche, but nontheless fantastic stories like Fire Punch, Look Back, and Goodbye Eri.
In theory, it’s your typical Shonen.
But really only in theory.
Here’s the premise of the story: Denji is a teenage boy rendered homeless after inheriting
his father’s Yakuza debts.
He lives in a world populated by what the show calls devils, creatures created from
human fears, whose strength and power depend on…well pretty much how much people piss
their pants because of those fears.
After being ki-…uhm put to rest by one of these devils, Denji’s life is saved by the
mandatory cute mascot, Pochita, a little chainsaw doggo.
How does that work?
Well, Pochita becomes Denji’s heart, thus granting him the power to fuse with the Chainsaw
Devil, and as a result becoming Chainsaw Man.
By far, and this is just my personal opinon, which is right, the most badass looking anime
protagonist i have ever seen.
By pulling the cord that now emerges from his chest, Denji can now activate his Chainsaw
Man transformation.
Chainsaws come out of his arms.
[blood spash animation] Chainsaws come out of his legs.
[more blood spash animation] A chainsaw comes out of his face.
[even more blood spash animation] I’m a sick fuck for enjoying this, but hey, so are
you, so-we’re good.
With this newfound power, Denji becomes a Public Safety Devil Hunter: What is that you
ask?
Well it basically means, that he’s joining a team of *clears throat* ‘good’ people
that keeps the world safe from the threat of devils.
Now at first glance you might say that this is a premise that’s not too far distant
from the likes of Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho, or Jujutsu Kaisen, where irresponsible adults
who are too lazy or incompetent to take care of things themselves find unwitting kids gaining
supernatural powers that they use to protect humanity from evil entities.
But whereas those shows fit the basic mold of their Shonen Jump peers, even while having
a darker edge than even more mainstream shows like Naruto or One Piece, Chainsaw Man assuredly
does not.
In reality, Chainsaw Man is anything but a typical shonen.
The biggest selling point of CSM is the super unique tone and feel of the story.
The chainsaws in question are not of the lumberjack variety, but have more of a Texas Massacre
vibe going for them.
In case you’re not sure, that’s code for fucked up.
This series is violent.
This series is bloody.
This series is gory.
It’s dark and twisted and messed up.
If that sort of thing appeals to you, then Chainsaw Man might just be the show for you.
Fujimoto’s artwork has a way of bringing the intense action of this series completely
to life even in a static black and white image.
I mean just looking at some of his panels you can see the violent intensity of saws
ripping through flesh and bone.
And you now you don’t have squeeze your eyes to imagine, but can actually sit on your
couch, eat your popcorn and watch those epic bloody sequences and panels come to live in
color and motion, - where you can listen to the roar of the chainsaws and the gushing
fountains of blood, you sick sick fu- [cut away]
Is this the most violent manga?
Of course not, Berserk exists.
But if you’re into the dark, the gritty, and the gruesome, then this is something new
for your repertoire.
It’s certainly not the only show with a dark and violent aesthetic, but to read something
like Chainsaw Man in the pages of Shonen Jump alongside One Piece and My Hero Academia can
come as quite a shock to some people.
With MAPPA at the helm of the adaptation, fans have plenty to be excited about.
The studio has already proved itself capable of some great action animation with the final
season of Attack on Titan and the brilliantly rendered Jujutsu Kaisen series.
And in addition to the action, MAPPA has experience in more tender, emotional storytelling, being
the studio that brought us Yuri on Ice.
And speaking of that tender, emotional storytelling - A-HA, I’ve tricked you all.
The biggest selling point of this manga isn’t the gritty violence at all!
One of the most POWER-ful [reminder: Recurring visual gag - anytime the word POWER is mentioned,
we should show the character Power] assets that Chainsaw Man has is its world building.
It starts with that simple premise, but what seems standard and procedural at first becomes
a web of political intrigue, conflicting character motivations, and deepening mysteries.
Hmmm…where have I heard that before?
[Insert One Piece footage]
Again, it starts off similar to a show such as Bleach or Yu Yu Hakusho.
In the former, Ichigo Kurosaki finds newfound powers as a Shinigami and uses them to dispatch
Hollows.
In Yu Yu Hakusho, Yusuke Urameshi finds himself as a spirit detective hunting rogue demons.
However, both of these shows quickly abandon their early premises in favor of a more battle-heavy
format.
Bleach trades it for the tried and true formula of fighting a new set of cool guys each arc
and Yu Yu Hakusho features perhaps the greatest tournament arc of all time.
And while these series are legendary among Shonen anime, Chainsaw Man opts for a different
approach.
It doesn’t skimp on the violence, obviously.
This is the most blood you’re going to see this season.
However, beneath that tide of bombastic action is an undercurrent of genuine philosophical
exploration on a level you don’t see in many series.
Chainsaw Man takes place in a world of devils.
And while these devils fill a definite Monster of the Week role, they’re also so much more.
These monsters are fear manifested.
Their strength correlates to how much cumulative fear the human population has of the concept
which they represent.
Therefore, things like the Shark Devil or Spider Devil are fairly strong - many people
are scared of these concepts.
In this way, the general premise is similar to Jujutsu Kaisen, where curses are also borne
of fear and negative energies.
However, Chainsaw Man tends to imbue their devils with a greater level of social commentary
than JJK’s cursed spirits.
This is not a dig at JJK - I still love you, Jogo.
You’re the bestest personified volcano around.
But sharks and spiders are just the tip of the ice berg.
Chainsaw Man’s devils explore much deeper, existential fears and that’s where things
get crazy.
It’s no mistake that a central antagonist of Chainsaw Man is the Gun Devil - an unspeakable
monster borne out of humanity’s collective fear of gun violence.
It’s no surprise that this series has resonated strongly with an American audience.
It’s a country plagued by gun violence at rates higher than any other developed nation.
The Gun Devil and the looming threat it represents is all too real.
Chainsaw Man uses its devil premise not only to set up awesome gruesome action, but to
make real political and philosophical statements.
And Fujimoto takes his characters to hell and back - literally - to explore the depths
of human fear.
This is a no spoiler zone, but just you wait for the Darkness Devil to be animated.
Let’s just say I’m looking forward to seeing one of the wildest panels in all of
manga in motion (and I know that sounds like hyperbole, but if you know, you know).
When CSM tackles fears fundamental to the human experience, things get absolutely bonkers.
Yeah, lots of the abilities come from conventional weaponry (like chainsaws) but some devils
have some insane POWERS on display.
But wait a minute, this is like still the beginning of the story.
Like, you see how much longer is left in this video.
Like, this isn't the story.
What's crazy about Chainsaw man, is what comes next.
Because despite all the epic action and the crazy powers,
this is nothing compared to chainsaw man’s biggest selling point.
Becuase this is where the story gets very juicy.
After mentoining POWER about 269 times already, I know you didn’t come here for me to not
talk about Chainsaw Man’s characters.
They rock.
Every single one.
Every cast member of Chainsaw Man is my best friend.
Denji is my best friend.
Aki is my best friend.
Power is best girl.
Makima is my actual mom.
Pochita is not Denji’s heart.
Pochita is MY heart.
The characters in Chainsaw Man are fully realized.
Each is lovable, but they’re also flawed, corrupt, and corruptible.
Fujimoto clearly went to the Shrek school of character design, because much like an
ogre - or an onion - these characters have layers.
Let’s start with Denji.
He’s your typical teenage boy - a homeless debt slave to mobsters.
Okay, this show has some definite commentary on capitalism, wealth inequality, etc.
Maybe he’s not your typical teenage boy, but in a lot of ways he’s a more realistic
teenage boy than a lot of other shonen protagonists.
Luffy wants to be the pirate king.
Naruto wants to be hokage.
Midoriya wants to be a great superhero.
Denji wants to get a girlfriend and - more importantly to him - he wants to touch boobs.
Which sounds more like the teenage boys in your life?
Denji is a kid who’s never had a normal life - he’s never had steady meals, gone
to school, had friends, held a real job, or anything.
As a result, his personality is brash, rude, and immature - but he’s not without a level
of empathy, and a willingness to play the hero and save lives.
As much as Chainsaw Man is about being a hero, it’s about trying to find a purpose and
a role to play in one’s life.
It’s about holding down a job.
There’s a good reason that his transformation into Chainsaw Man maintains a button-down
shirt and a tie.
He’s not wearing a superhero’s cape.
This form, even with a chainsaw exploding from his face, is his workplace attire.
Denji wants a normal life and violently slaying devils is the only way to achieve that goal.
Makima - another fan favorite character, because let’s face it, they’re all fan favorite
characters - is the one who coerces Denji into becoming a Public Safety Devil Hunter.
It’s either work for her and be treated as a human, or hunted as a devil.
Denji, for one, is more than happy to become a contributing member of society and get three
square meals a day.
It doesn’t hurt, either, that she tempts him with the promise of a potential relationship
and he jumps at the chance to achieve his dream of dreams.
As a leader of the Devil Hunters, Makima is as powerful as she is mysterious and has always
has a way of getting what she wants.
Aki is the edgy character of our main trio because every series needs a Sasuke.
However, Megumi Fushiguro of Jujutsu Kaisen is a more apt comparison, given that Aki,
too, summons beasts to do some of the fighting for him.
Aki has made contracts with devils who will lend their power in exchange for a price.
For instance, he can summon the Fox Devil for the low-low price of letting the devil
consume a part of his body.
Truly a steal.
Aki as a character is motivated wholly by revenge.
He has a personal stake in the fight against the Gun Devil.
His entire family was killed by this monster the last time it appeared.
As a result, he takes his job as a Devil Hunter deadly seriously and can’t stand other characters
- like Denji - who don’t.
Many characters - human and devil alike - are morally grey.
Aki and other Devil Hunters (as well as governments and other organizations) regularly make contracts
with devils.
Devils are not a united front of evil - just like humans, they are mostly looking out for
their own self-interest, and if that means working alongside humans, then so be it.
Of course, there are also plenty of human characters who demonstrate that in many ways,
humans can be just as vile as devils.
Oh, and before I forget…there’s one central character I still haven’t talked about much…POWER.
Power is a Blood Fiend, a fiend being a devil that’s possessed a human corpse.
Power is childish, greedy, a compulsive liar, rude, unkempt, and unsanitary.
She’s also taken 1st and 3rd place in the two Chainsaw Man popularity polls and for
good reason.
As the blood devil, she can manipulate her own and others’ blood, shaping it into various
weaponry - often a scythe. Power is the only character who can match Denji’s extreme
immaturity, much to the dismay of the orderly Aki.
Other than comic relief, what is her appeal, though?
Well, be sure to watch the anime for all the spoilery content that deepens her character-
but for now suffice to say that she loves her cat very much, and loving a cat is easily
enough to redeem any other negative personality traits.
Chainsaw Man has the typical shonen structure, but it’s subversive on every level.
It has extreme violence and gore, but still maintains a real emotional resonance.
It’s absurd and comical, but explores deep philosophical topics with expert precision.
Oh, and all of the characters are hot - which makes Chainsaw Man the show you have to watch
this season.