Highlights
- Chainsaw Man defies expectations with its captivating plot, impressive animation, and dynamic characters.
- The protagonist, Denji, undergoes a transformation from a struggling teenager to a skilled devil hunter.
- Denji’s fighting style evolves and becomes more refined as he gains experience and training, leading to a greater understanding of the consequences of his actions.
Chainsaw Man, an anime featuring a protagonist with a chainsaw for a head and hands, defies initial expectations with its well-earned respect. The show is praised for its captivating plot, impressive albeit gory animation, thanks to MAPPA, and its dynamic and layered characters.
The protagonist, Denji, begins as a teenager and yakuza minion struggling with his father’s debts, but transforms into a skilled devil hunter, empowered by the chainsaw demon Pochita within him. He is brash and naive, but there is more to Denji than meets the eye. The person we see in episode one is not the same one we saw in episode twelve. How does he change throughout?
Denji’s Unique Journey to Becoming Chainsaw Man
Denji is introduced as a brash, naive and financially struggling teenager. Denji’s father dies and his debt is transferred to his son. When we first see Denji, he is wearing an eye patch. That is because he sold organs in order to alleviate some of his financial burden. This included his right eye, a kidney, and a testicle. His overall physique is a testament to the harsh conditions he was living in, including sunken eyes and protruding ribs.
After dying at the hands of the yakuza’s contral with the Zombie Devil, Denji forms a contract with Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil. This contact leads to a complete physical overhaul for Denji. Not only is he brought back to life, his lost organs are restored, and he transforms from a malnourished state to a more muscular form. Now Chainsaw Man, he has a chainsaw cord is sticking out of his chest, as well as chainsaws coming out of his arms and head.
Denji’s Fighting Style Gets More Refined as the Season Goes on
Denji’s early battles showcase a reckless and chaotic fighting style, which shows little concern for himself or those around him. He often fights for personal “prizes,” displaying a lack of discipline and focus. However, with each new adversary and training training with characters like Kishibe and Power, we see a change in Denji’s fighting style. He evolves into a more skilled and confident fighter. Training contributes to refining his techniques, and the influence of his experiences leads to a greater understanding of the consequences of his actions. The reckless abandon is gradually replaced by a more measured and strategic approach.
In his final battle of season one against Samurai Sword, the grandson of the yakuza’s Debt Collector, Denji shows off this newfound confidence and intelligence in combat. Instead of relying solely on brute strength as per usual, he uses more strategic thinking to outsmart his opponent. When Samurai Sword tries to aim to cut off the chainsaw on his head, he does not realize that Denji has a chainsaw in his leg, which he uses to slice him in half. This is a completely different Denji than the one we saw flailing around battling the Leech Devil.
Denji Goes From Being a Loner to Having a Close Group of Friends
When we see a young Denji all alone at his father’s gravesite, he is crying. No one is there with him. He is just a child mourning. After being threatened by the yakuza, he is soon approached by Pochita, who is badly wounded. Denji gives him some blood, which revives him, and they make a deal. Pochita is Denji’s first friend. He helps him, and Denji cares for Pochita.
Even as he lay dying in a dumpster, he was concerned about leaving Pochita behind. After becoming one with Denji, Denji mourns losing his friend. However, after joining Public Safety, he forms friendships with Aki and Power. We see Denji getting to live some of the normal life that Pochita wanted him to have, as he, Aki, and Power are seen at the end eating, drinking, and having fun — resembling the family and normalcy Denji always wanted and that Pochita helped give to him.
Chainsaw Man is now available for streaming on Prime Video.
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