There is a world of people and there is a world of demons. Demons feed on people’s fears and are often their offspring. In the human world, a special department has been created to combat demons, where both people who have signed contracts with demons (usually unprofitable for themselves, but giving superhuman abilities) and the demons themselves, whose loyalty to humanity is a big question, work. The boy Shinji Denji was left without parents early and was forced to survive on the street, paying off his father’s Yakuza debts. He meets a wounded chainsaw demon, Pochita, and makes a contract with him. An orange toaster with a ridiculously protruding tool becomes his faithful assistant and pet, and then Denji himself will find himself in the role of a service dog, which, however, will suit him perfectly.
Initially, the anime Chainsaw Man (Chainsaw Man, 2022) may seem like a cruel and crazy action, but in fact it is deeper than it seems. The senen genre is designed for a young audience and in fact it is a fight club with humor. In addition, there is mixed in the story of becoming a boy into a man and the desire for the “first time” (remember Onizuku, but he looks like an intellectual compared to Denji).
The presence of female characters “waifu” with their explicit sexual objectification makes this anime on steroids even more interesting and attractive. Another more modest work would have shown the adventures of our teenager-in-love differently, but here a young fighter is offered to touch his chest, suck it, or even promise sex in plain text as a reward for his work.
Someone may wrinkle their nose and say what a vulgarity, but this understandable and strong physical motivation works much more effectively than far-fetched high matters. Denji’s naive and stubborn pursuit of his tangible dream makes the hero a “spermotoxic” and a loser who was once deprived of childhood. Among his simple life values are to be treated well; to eat deliciously; to live with acceptable minimum comfort and finally to make love with a girl!
A standard senen anime would offer us series after series to watch the dream team fight various opponents, but here the setting is played out completely non-linearly, the viewer is expected to have exciting twists and a ragged rhythm of narration. It benefits the cause and the Chainsaw Man looks exciting and in one breath. To defeat a demon, you have to be nothing but a crazy jerk, a headless jerk. “Your blood is disgusting and smelly!.. – but when I slurp it, it’s like strawberry jam for me!” – such maxims can be heard from the mouth of the protagonist.
Anime “Chainsaw Man” from Mapp Studio is not only a bloody action, but also a life-affirming story, albeit tragic in places. Here is a loser who has surpassed himself: born to lose, live to win. Instead of philosophical higher goals and ideals, Denji is driven by simple bodily motives. Other characters’ intentions are not so obvious, but heroes can overcome seemingly impossible problems and emerge victorious from stalemate situations. If you love black humor, and are also ready for cruelty and painted violence, then this anime will be extremely exciting for you.
