Chainsaw Man is an incredibly popular manga (Japanese Comic) becoming successful over the past 2 years after winning several awards including the 66th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2021 and the Harvey Awards best manga category in 2021 and 2022. As of October 2022, Chainsaw Man has sold over 16 million copies in circulation. The series makes references to Western Cult classics such as Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, and No Country for Old Men. A theme commonly found through these films is the main character doing something not because he wants to, but because he has too. A theme used throughout Chainsaw Man’s main story. Studio MAPPA, behind the animation of hit anime such as Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen now take on the role of bringing Chainsaw Man to the anime world. Chainsaw Man is mostly 2D being hand drawn, however the action scenes are fully animated with the use of CGI. This unique use of both 2D and 3D animation creates fluidity between each motion. Reviewers on IGN (video game and entertainment reviewers) state “MAPPA delivers one of the coolest and bloodiest scenes to be animated in a long time, and it’s only the beginning.”

Chainsaw Man is widely known for its unique characters and apocalyptic world. Chainsaw Man‘s concept is complex yet simple. A concept which leaves a lot of open room from a writing perspective. The world of Chainsaw Man is where devils are born from human fears.  Dangerous and malevolent creatures that arrive from hell in order to feast on human flesh. In order to face off against the devils, the humans must make contracts or combine themselves with other devils. This concept is unique in that it creates a personal connection with the reader, catering to specific fears. When devils are created they’re given a special name, and connected to a popular fear. An example would be the gun devil, targeting those with a fear of guns. There is a linear relationship between the amount of humans in the game who fear guns and the strength obtained by the gun devil. Chainsaw man builds off this concept introducing its unique cast of characters creating a real world connection.

The show follows Denji, a young devil hunter with nothing to lose, working to achieve a normal life. Denji as a character is brash and naive, unable to socialize normally due to his lack of education. He comes off as childish and acts on instinct alone. He does have empathy for devil hunters and devils alike. Denji, alongside the other characters in the show, are major factors to Chainsaw Man‘s success. Each character has distinct flaws while working together for survival.

The significance of Chainsaw Man as a series originates from its incredible writing and character creation. While the Manga is incredibly successful alone, the series finally gets its own well deserved anime adaptation. The manga’s reputation and now the release of an anime adaptation, the series success looks to improve and impress the anime community.