Do I really need to do an intro? It’s freakin’ Chainsaw Man! The most-hyped show of the year! I’m sure you’ve heard of it and want to know if it truly lives up to the hype, right? Well, for me, I’m a manga reader and have finished Part 1 of the series. So, for me, it’s not about living up to the hype. It’s about living up to a proper adaption. Does it?
Let’s Go!
First Episode Synopsis
Denji’s father passed away via suicide. He did so because he was heavily indebted to the yakuza. They basically took his father’s debt and placed it on Denji’s shoulders. They did so because, on the day of his father’s funeral, Denji meets Pochita… a cute little devil on the verge of death. He lets Pochita suck his blood which heals him. Together, they work for the yakuza as devil hunters as devil corpses fetch a good price on the black market. Denji is to work until he pays off his father’s debt.
One day, they call him out for a job in an abandoned warehouse. Here, we have the plot twist that the yakuza were under the control of the Zombie Devil and he happens to hate Denji (well, devil hunters, more or less) and wants him dead. The Zombie Devil gets his wish as he kills Denji and throws his dismembered body into a dumpster.
Pochita is in there, too, and ends up tasting some of Denji’s blood. This heals Pochita and causes him to remember a promise they made. If Denji were to die, then Pochita can have his body to live out a normal life. Pochita fuses with Denji and brings him back to life but now Denji has a brand-new power… to grow chainsaws on his arms as well as from out of his forehead. And thus, Chainsaw Man was born!
From here, it’s party time! He slaughters everything in sight. All of the yakuza members that were turned into zombies and the Zombie Devil himself. In the aftermath of the chaos, a girl with long pink hair and a couple of suits come to kill the Zombie Devil but discovers that Denji beat them to the punch. She makes Denji an offer… to work for her in Public Service and kill devils!
Worth Watching?
YES! – Being a manga reader, I already knew how great the series is. All of the hype that this show has gotten is well worth it. From beginning to end, Chainsaw Man is a fantastic action-packed series that doesn’t skip on the gore. There is so much more in store for anime-only viewers and you’ll have to trust me when I say that you’re in for one hell of a ride. Especially with some of the huge plot twists that will happen later on down the line (don’t worry… no spoilers from me).
As for a proper adaptation, so far, it’s pretty spot on. It’s only the first episode though so there are plenty of opportunities for this show to take some liberties but given how popular the series is, they would be incredibly stupid to do so. (It didn’t stop The Promised Neverland, though.) I don’t see it happening. I see this getting a faithful adaptation.
If gore, action, a bit of ecchi, and a compelling plot are what you’re looking for, this show will most likely deliver that in spades. I’m sure this is already going to be some people’s Anime of the Year contender and as long as it stays true to the manga, it’ll probably be on my list of contenders as well!
