Is Chainsaw Man worth the hype?

Chainsaw Man is an action-fantasy anime. It’s the most anticipated and hyped adaption of 2022. Chainsaw Man has swiftly risen to prominence among the other popular ongoing series, receiving a favorable response from the audience.

What’s this read about?

Is Chainsaw Man your must story?

What are the best and worst aspects of anime?

Is Chainsaw Man worth the hype?

8.9 / 10

Average viewer ratings across different platforms.

Is Chainsaw Man your must story?

It’s a must watch

If you appreciate excessive violence and gore.

If you enjoy the monster-hunting type of progression fantasy (where the character levels up or gains powers over time) like Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and similar ones.

If you prefer urban fantasy (a fantasy with an urban setting).

What’s best?

- Anticipation

The introductory phase is the most anticipated phase of any narrative journey. It’s the segment where we’re unaware of what the story has in store for us. And with the audience in a fresh mood, which comes with an extra bonus of excitement.
Chainsaw Man effectively preserves the anticipation and keeps the excitement lingering through the first half of the series with plot events, such as fight sequences, comical salacious interactions, and backstories. Additionally, these events keep the story moving at a fast pace. The anime also builds anticipation for its sequel with a tease of its upcoming formidable nemesis. The narrator knows how to hold the audience and keep them invested.

- Unapologetic

The narrator’s intention is what characterizes a story and what it wishes to convey. Chainsaw Man is unapologetic in its intent, delivering every aspect with conviction, from the protagonist’s prurient intentions to the bold display of violence. The main character, Denji, is driven by basic needs, which the anime presents in a serious yet humorous tone. Its unapologetic purpose for the protagonist in a serious storyline and the possible fascinating character arc distinguishes it from other stories. Most stories are usually obliged by the necessity of always having a significant purpose.

- Mood

The mood is how the audience feels about the story. Creating the right atmosphere for the storyline and theme can be a game-changer for any narrative work.
“Tone” refers to the storyteller’s feelings, and “mood” refers to the viewers’ feelings. However, the precise translation from tone to mood is what counts. Chainsaw Man is a dark fantasy, and the setting demands a morbid and hopeless feeling in the plot, for which the anime successfully creates a suitable ambiance with its plot events. And, at times, counters such dark moods with joy and optimistic sentiments. But, given the nature of the show, developing the dark tones is the priority, which it handles quite well.

What’s Worst?

Plot holes

Plot holes are inconsistencies (the moments when something doesn’t feel right) in plots, including characters. This anime brims with plot holes. Inconsistencies can be overlooked or sometimes overshadowed by other prevalent elements in the story. In this case, it’s the action sequences. But when inconsistencies affect the narrative, it’s a no-no.
Let’s zoom in on a few of the plot holes.

Spoiler Alert

1) The character of Power: In the backstory, Power is shown to be a powerful fiend. Yet when confronted with the same monster, she stays helpless, even though there is no reason for hesitation. The character appears to have been forced to act in this way to carry out the protagonist’s heroic deeds.

2) The character of Kobeni: The wimpy character who literally tries to kill the protagonist to save her life suddenly turns out to be a highly proficient combatant with an imposed trembling to mask the inconsistency. It’s a minor inconsistency, but indeed a plot hole if not provided with proper context.

3) Sacrificing Himeno: Hinemo’s self-sacrifice was unnecessary. The situation didn’t demand such a turning point. It clearly shows that pulling Denji’s pullstring at the beginning of the scene rather than at the end would be the right course of action for the character. Since she was well aware of the protagonist’s power. It was not true to the character’s disposition and further affected the story arc.

4) Unjust use of Makima: Makima is the most powerful character in the current context. She has the power to destroy anyone, even without her presence. But in a dire situation, her powers were unjustly used by only eliminating the sidekicks and sparing the main villains, just to keep them for the final showdown with the main characters. This is also a noticeable plot hole if not addressed clearly. As it certainly affected the plot.
The anime appears to concentrate solely on the protagonist and his participation in the sequence of events, throwing context and reasoning out the window. The story has the potential to be one of the most well-executed in anime history if it answers or fills these gaps in subsequent seasons. However, there are far too many inconsistencies for a mere 12-episode season to be addressed or ignored.