Guys, remind me to not read the manga first I’m also going to do episode reviews of a show. I guess that’s the wrong way around. By the time I decide to do episode reviews, it will be too late. You know what, I,m sure you’ll figure it out. I’m counting on you!
The whole opening sequence was great. I think this is exactly the sort of thing you need to see animated. I’m pretty sure I got contact drunk, and I wasn’t even in contact with anyone. Anyone who’s ever had one of those sloppy nights could recognize what Himeno was going through. No dialogue needed. And although I’ve never been in quite that exact situation, there was still something primordial in seeing her stupor through her own eyes. I have never said this before and will likely not say it again, but I think the scene could even have used a bit more CG. The beer can POV was impressive!
Also, regardless of how scary she is, Makima is a really good boss. I don’t think anyone I’ve worked for would go out of their way to nurture my feelings like she did with Denji. Of course, Denji is pretty special to her. Or should I say useful. She has a vested interest in keeping him happy. But I’m useful too… Ok, I am not jealous of Denji. That’s going a bit too far.
Ok This. THIS is what makes Chainsaw Man special. It’s a gore-filled tense splatterfest with occasional moments of astounding poignancy and some gross-out sex comedy to lighten the mood, right? It might be a bit all over the place but gore and sex have long been staples of horror fiction so it’s not that out there to pair them together.
But how in the heck did it become an adorable high-school romantic comedy? Himeno and Denji each have an unrequited crush and they are secretly going to team up to help each other get their dream lover. Oh, I’ve seen this romcom before! Let me guess, there will be a series of hilarious misunderstandings due to ridiculous miscommunication that could be instantly cleared up with simple questions but no one will ask. Throughout the episodes they will get closer to their chosen crush, maybe one will be more successful than the other. They’ll also become really good friends through their shared hardship and by the end, they’ll realize they were perfect for each other all along!
That’s it, right? We’ve all seen this story, haven’t we? But why is it here? What type of person thinks, you know what this blood-soaked devil-filled tension bomb is missing? A little John Hughes! To me, this is the type of stuff that gives Chainsaw Man an edge and keeps me hooked.
And it’s perfect. Himeno and Denji have a secret pact! Himeno and Ghost have a contract. Dejin and Pochta have an understanding. Everyone who works at Public Safety has an agreement. The world of Chainsaw Man is built on treaties and dirty deals.
Here we go. Feces, fans and realness.
This is what I was whining about in my opening paragraph. How should I handle this? Do I act like I didn’t know and I don’t know what’s going to happen next? So far, I’ve been trying really hard to put myself in the mindset of someone who is just watching the anime with no previous knowledge of the story. But it feels a little silly sometimes.
So I’m going to play it safe and not comment when I think I might be giving something away. I will say that I refuse to believe Makima is dead. it’s just too anticlimactic. And with everything that happens later, it would be too much for one episode, no?
Then again, wouldn’t it be just like Fujimoto to kill off one of his most intriguing characters in such a completely unceremonious way? Just the fact that both are a possibility will keep us all on our toes.
While I was watching this it seemed to take a long time. You know, from the moment that the rookies got shot patrolling the street, the gang was having lunch together and the whole fight between Aki and that nail demon(?). I’m not saying it was dragging on but it seemed like a good part of the episode and the animation during the fight was spectacular. The curse was insane, my jaw dropped.
But when I went over my screencaps, I saw that I only had a handful. Meaning that the sequence was a lot shorter than I thought. It was just so…imposing!
I have said a few times that for me, the experience of reading the manga was a lot heavier and tenser than watching the anime. This moment was no exception. I had a tough time getting through it in the manga. I was just thinking over and over again, don’t die Aki, don’t die. And I got distracted. I was looking at the wrong person.
There’s a trope that’s generally considered cheap or bad writing, where a character gets development right before they die. People make jokes about series where when a character finally gets a backstory, you know they’ll probably get killed by the end of the episode. I feel like this episode is how you’re supposed to do that trope. It’s how you get it right.
It’s not like Himeno wasn’t developed before mind you. In fact, for the past 3 or 4 episodes, she’s had recurring flashbacks and character-building moments. But this week is when she really got her humanizing spotlight. She was sloppy and lost but kind of endearing. She admitted her faults and owned her messiness, somewhat. She became a romcom heroine, getting into a convenient little arrangement with the main character, what more can you ask for?
It must be tough being in a job where you constantly lose your partners. I bet you stop crying after a while. You probably stop missing people after a while too because how can you miss them all? If your mind can bear it then your heart certainly won’t. For what it’s worth, I will miss Himeno. I miss her already. She was a good kid in her way and I hope she gets to be happy now.
Previous Posts
- Chainsaw Man ep1 – A Normal Life
- Chainsaw Man ep2 – The Power
- Chainsaw Man ep3 – Motivations
- Chainsaw Man ep4 – Little Dreams
- Chainsaw Man ep5 – House of Mirrors
- Chainsaw Man ep6 – Power for President
You know, it took me way too long between people getting shot left and right to make the connection with the gun demon. I’m not getting a great awareness score this week.
Loved Himeno, going to miss her (if we’re not getting time reversal or something, which is always a possibility). And I don’t really think Makima’s gone either, but who knows. It’s not impossible. (And I said “gone” rather than “dead”, because I’m not convinced that being dead means being gone in this show.) What struck me most about her scene beforehand was that she said the bosses she was about to meet were scary. I’m now curious about them.
Also, I’m so used to overpowered characters, that this level of threat is refreshing. It’s probably the first time since “So I’m a Spider So What” that a shounen fighter pulled this sort of thing off for me. They really feel like they’re in too deep this time round. (Loved “ghost” saying “nope, that one’s bad news.” And then did it anyway, like any good junky would for their junk. And paid the price.)
Chainsaw Man just knows what it’s doing. It reminds me most of Jujutsu Kaisen, but it seems more ideosyncratic and less predictable.
Chainsaw Man surprised me a coupe of time and it’s pretty good at conveying a sense of helplessness and overwhelming antagonists.