REVIEW: Chainsaw Man Episode 1: Dog & Chainsaw, Episode 2: Arrival in Tokyo, Episode 3: Meowy’s Whereabouts and Episode 4: Rescue by Hiroshi Seko, from the manga series by Tatsuki Fujimoto
TYPE: TV series
DETAILS: CSM1.1-1.4, 4X25 minute episodes
Chainsaw Man was one of those manga series that grew on me, albeit like a fungus at first. But it went from strength to strength, and I felt it was time to start the anime adaptation, created by MAPPA who also adapted Attack on Titan. But how would it fare?
In a world living in fear of Devils, teenager Denji is making a living killing them to pay a debt he owes the Yakuza thanks to his late father. He is helped by his only friend, a cute Devil known as Pochita, a dog-like creature with a chainsaw snout. After being betrayed and murdered by the Yakuza, Denji is revived by Pochita, and becomes the Chainsaw Man, a Devil Hybrid. Conscripted by the alluring and sinister Makima of Public Safety into becoming a Devil-Hunter for the Japanese government, Denji needs to figure out what his dreams in life are…
It feels like the adaptors took what was good about the manga, and polished it to a mirror shine. True, it’s still in the stage where the plot is finding traction, some of the humour (especially where Denji’s obsession with sexual activity is concerned) falls very flat, and there’s questionable character interaction. But they manage to polish, if not a turd, then something that was mediocre or average in its initial stages, and make it better.
The casting is superlative. True, Denji’s obsession with breasts gets old quickly, but Ryan Colt Levey infuses the crass, socially-impaired teen with relatable humanity. Reagan Murdock does well as Aki, a character I admittedly despise at this early stage. Yet aside from Levey, the stars in particular as Suzie Yeung as Makima and Sarah Wiedenheft as Power. Yeung infuses Makima with maternal warmth that can switch to cold pragmatism in the blink of an eye, all in the same gentle tones, while Wiedenheft channels Japanese voice actress Farouz Ai in doing a fun and chaotic take on Power who remains more human than the Blood Fiend would like.
The production values are where the series truly shines. Drawing on experience from Attack on Titan and other shows, MAPPA gives the series an energetic nature in a nonetheless realistic setting. The chaos of the opening titles, the cinematography of the quiet moments, the battles between Denji and first the Bat Devil, and then the Leech Devil, are great.
Chainsaw Man’s initial episodes take what is in the manga and polish it to a gleam. Not perfect by any means, but an impressive improvement all the same…
****
TYPE: TV series
DETAILS: CSM1.1-1.4, 4X25 minute episodes
Chainsaw Man was one of those manga series that grew on me, albeit like a fungus at first. But it went from strength to strength, and I felt it was time to start the anime adaptation, created by MAPPA who also adapted Attack on Titan. But how would it fare?
In a world living in fear of Devils, teenager Denji is making a living killing them to pay a debt he owes the Yakuza thanks to his late father. He is helped by his only friend, a cute Devil known as Pochita, a dog-like creature with a chainsaw snout. After being betrayed and murdered by the Yakuza, Denji is revived by Pochita, and becomes the Chainsaw Man, a Devil Hybrid. Conscripted by the alluring and sinister Makima of Public Safety into becoming a Devil-Hunter for the Japanese government, Denji needs to figure out what his dreams in life are…
It feels like the adaptors took what was good about the manga, and polished it to a mirror shine. True, it’s still in the stage where the plot is finding traction, some of the humour (especially where Denji’s obsession with sexual activity is concerned) falls very flat, and there’s questionable character interaction. But they manage to polish, if not a turd, then something that was mediocre or average in its initial stages, and make it better.
The casting is superlative. True, Denji’s obsession with breasts gets old quickly, but Ryan Colt Levey infuses the crass, socially-impaired teen with relatable humanity. Reagan Murdock does well as Aki, a character I admittedly despise at this early stage. Yet aside from Levey, the stars in particular as Suzie Yeung as Makima and Sarah Wiedenheft as Power. Yeung infuses Makima with maternal warmth that can switch to cold pragmatism in the blink of an eye, all in the same gentle tones, while Wiedenheft channels Japanese voice actress Farouz Ai in doing a fun and chaotic take on Power who remains more human than the Blood Fiend would like.
The production values are where the series truly shines. Drawing on experience from Attack on Titan and other shows, MAPPA gives the series an energetic nature in a nonetheless realistic setting. The chaos of the opening titles, the cinematography of the quiet moments, the battles between Denji and first the Bat Devil, and then the Leech Devil, are great.
Chainsaw Man’s initial episodes take what is in the manga and polish it to a gleam. Not perfect by any means, but an impressive improvement all the same…
****
