Coming out of seemingly nowhere is Chainsaw Man, a manga beginning in 2018 that's become incredibly popular over the last year. The end of the series' first phase has only increased the hype for the second part -- as well as its upcoming anime adaptation, courtesy of the illustrious studio MAPPA.
The Chainsaw Man anime doesn't have an official release date yet, or even a teaser to show off what it will look like. Even so, fan anticipation is massive, and the series is set to appear at MAPPA's 10th-anniversary celebration. Here's a look at the increasingly popular Chainsaw Man manga, and why fans are so pumped for the anime to debut later this year.
Chainsaw Man: The Plot
Chainsaw Man, the creation of Tatsuki Fujimoto, is based around a world full of antagonistic Devils. The hero, Denji, tries to pay off his father's exorbitant Yakuza debt, but ends up getting involved with some nefarious Devils. After being killed by one, Denji is fused with his dog Pochita, who is actually a Devil but looks like a chainsaw. Now revived, Denji joins a group of Devil Hunters, hoping to avoid being killed now that he is part Devil.
The series is praised for its colorful and unique designs, as well as its cast of developed characters who refrain from falling into tired tropes and cliches. It's also set apart by the way it revels in crude humor and incredibly graphic gore. This isn't done merely for fan service either -- it all adds into Chainsaw Man's world building. The characters all have their own individual ambitions, backstories and personalities, elevating the series as a whole above the surface level violence and other sometimes distasteful content. This quickness to push the envelope has only continued to attract more and more readers over the past year.
Why Fans Are So Excited for the Anime
Part of why the anime is so highly anticipated by fans is the track record of the studio behind it. MAPPA has been responsible for several fantastic series in recent years, including adaptations of Banana Fish, The God of High School and especially the final season of Attack on Titan. Perhaps its most recent success story, however, is Jujutsu Kaisen. MAPPA's adaptation of the acclaimed manga is one of the few anime to be considered as good as -- if not even better -- than the source material. Jujutsu Kaisen's success has also seen the manga sell even faster than before, making it one of the best-selling manga ever.
This fidelity to the source material is only part of the equation, as Chainsaw Man is likewise already massively popular. The manga started in 2018, and since then its volumes have sold more than 9 million copies, an astounding number. The constant demand for merchandise shows how huge Chainsaw Man has already become, even before a screen adaptation. The anime will only increase the rate of posters, figures and other collectibles for consumers to buy. It will also push the franchise further into the mainstream, increasing the already burgeoning fandom to new heights.
The Chainsaw Man anime will help to diversify mainstream anime just like the manga did -- particularly those based on Shonen Jump titles. It isn't another battle series, isekai or school-based drama, and combined with its colorful gore, Chainsaw Man should easily stand out among most of the competition upon its release.
