Chainsaw Manis one of the biggest manga to come out ofShonen Jumpin recent years, and as such, there was a lot of fanfare when it was announced to be receiving an anime adaptation. The manga’s unique style of both action and writing made it unlike any other manga that was running at the time, and fans were sure the anime would definitively push it into the mainstream.
For the most part,Chainsaw Man’s anime wasas big as people expected it to be, but critical and fan reception was decidedly mixed. While the anime was largely liked worldwide, due to the specific way the anime adapted the manga,Chainsaw Man’s anime was quick to become divisive to the point that many people have written it off as an outright bad adaptation. While there’s some truth to the criticisms, much of it is exaggerated or entirely in bad faith, so it would be premature for anyone to immediately write it off as a bad adaptation.
Why Chainsaw Man’s Anime Adaptation Is So Divisive
The Chainsaw Man Anime’s Controversy Explained
WhileChainsaw Manis known for its dynamic and fast-paced action and plotting, the anime notably made things far slower and more methodical to tie into the Western film influence on the writing. To many people, however, that style just made things feel needlessly slow, thus inviting the opinion thatChainsaw Man’s adaptation missed one of the biggest reasons people loved the manga, in the first place, and with a few moments of notably lackluster animation and how it ended right before the manga truly began to pick up, there were plenty of detractors by the time it ended.
Everything that followedChainsaw Man’s ending also led to a lot of derision from fans.Chainsaw Man’s Blu-ray and DVD sales, for example, were infamously lackluster, especially compared toBocchi the Rock!, another major anime from the same season, and there’s still no word on a second season or even a release date for the theatrical adaptation of the Reze arc.The lack of attentionChainsaw Manhas received after it ended compared to other anime has, to many, only justified its criticisms, and the previous points and others continue to be major sticking points for fans and detractors alike.
Chainsaw Man’s Anime Is Far Better Than People Give It Credit For
Chainsaw Man’s anime is far from perfect, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing good about it. Not only is the writing as chaotic and heartfelt as it was in the manga, but as unconventional as the direction was, the unique direction ofChainsaw Man’s anime did wonders to give every episode a cinematic feeling, whether it was with its action or just from the quiet moments with the cast. That style did much to emphasize the strengths of the writing as well, and overall,the positives ofChainsaw Man’s animation and its overall adaptation more than outweigh its negatives.
Even if someone isn’t fully convinced ofChainsaw Man’s quality, there’s an easy enough way to change that. TheChainsaw Manmovie is still in development, and with how much the action and emotional writing begin to take root in that arc in the manga,Chainsaw Man’s upcoming Reze arc filmwill be what finally shows anime fans what’s so great aboutChainsaw Man. Ideally, that will happen sooner, rather than later, and while it won’t erase all the controversial elements ofChainsaw Man’s adaptation, it will go a long way toward giving it the recognition it deserves.
Chainsaw Man
Cast
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, a young man burdened by debt, who teams up with his pet devil Pochita to fight devils under the yakuza’s control. Released in 2022, the series portrays Denji’s struggle to achieve his dream of living a simple, peaceful life.
