Reservation! This review about CHAINSAW Chapter one contains spoilers. If you haven't seen the episode yet, I recommend you watch it and then come back to read the review.
Episode 01. Dog & Chainsaw
CHAINSAW Chapter one starts with a POV in which we see the entrance to a certain place in an alley, and then proceeds with the restless awakening of our protagonist who is about to go to work. Denji is a guy who hasn't had an easy life, he lives in debt and his only dream is to have a normal life. In order to pay off his debts faster, he works as a devil hunter for the yakuza thanks to the contract with the demon Pochita, who always accompanies him. Despite his poor health, Denji has to keep working and embarks on a new mission. However, the reality is that the yakuza have teamed up with a zombie demon and he wants to kill all the devil hunters, including Denji.
He is irretrievably killed and as a last will he wants Pochita to possess his body, but in contrast, Pochita merges with his heart and gives him another chance. With his new power, a chainsaw head and arms, Denji eliminates the demon and zombies. Eventually, a woman posing as a public safety devil hunter appears in front of him. She offers him two choices, be a demon and die there by her hand, or live as a person but be her pet. Faced with the prospect of one of his fantasies of normalcy, Denji quickly accepts the proposal.
The most awaited premiere
CHAINSAW MAN is the animated adaptation of the manga of the same name, written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto. When publication began in 2018, many of us could already guess that this story was going to be a boom. When the production of the anime was announced in 2020, there was already an expectation that it would be generated. As time progressed and more details of the production were gradually revealed, the excitement didn't stop growing. And so we finally got to the big day of the premiere. The excitement didn't let up as thousands waited patiently for the premiere on our trusted platform. The result was simply spectacular. We can say that the series will be one of the pillars of the season, maybe the year, but that's yet to be determined.
At the moment, the series has fulfilled its mission, it has generated immense hype in the community and created a lot of conversation. As the studio behind this work is none other than MAPPA, we can anticipate that at least a decent adaptation is expected. Working with the author turned out to be beyond expectations, now it's just a matter of waiting for the quality of the animation and of course not letting up with the strong script that the story already has. It's not an easy task, but that expectation and hype must be maintained throughout the series, which was unfortunately announced to fans with only 12 episodes. Hopefully this is just the first season of several more.
we always want more
Hype aside, let's talk about what we saw in the episode and why not start with a hard-spoken review. What is certain is that the circumstances of each individual will always be different, and that bad luck or blessings do not reach us all in the same way. However, there is something that affects us equally, and that is craving. Desire is very human, being happy with what you have is the ideal, but hardly realistic, for better or for worse there will always be a desire to have more: more money, more happiness, more power. While desire isn't necessarily a bad thing, it can work against us when we make our choices to fulfill those desires. The example of the yakuzas is one of the simplest: in their desire for power, they ended up losing everything, including their lives. And in the end, that didn't even give them what they wanted.
On the other hand, we have Denji who constantly wishes for a normal life, but we cannot condemn this wish, the reality he faces is too harsh. His desires cease to be selfish as soon as the prospect overwhelms us. Denji is someone who only craves for what everyone else has, and to begin with, it was never in his power to achieve that simple craving. First, because of the terrible debts that were imposed on him when he was a child, and second, because even with those debts cleared, he obviously wouldn't have much time left to live. This poor boy's wish was never within his reach and that gives him some freedom in his choice. For him it was only possible to continue living, wishing and dreaming, making these decisions.
think of the other
The above inevitably leads us to the relationship that Denji and Pochita have formed. A relationship born of mutual interest and benefit, because to survive they needed each other. At least that's how it was when they first met, time and coexistence transformed that initial need into a much deeper bond. Although we know from the start that Denji and Pochita have a strong bond, it's not until Denji's final moments that we understand the true depth of that bond. For Pochita, Denji was a companion, but more than that, it was her world. Both have shared everything they had and this has led to them depending on each other and of course only thinking about the good of the other. Denji eventually came to terms with dying, but couldn't help but worry about his partner, which is why he made a request to own his body.
Somehow Denji knew that even though he was gone he should protect his friend, but how can he protect someone, the one who has nothing but his body arises by itself. Pochita on her part had a similar desire, he wanted too Keep helping Denji, he wanted to be with him even beyond the predicted end. For Pochita, her reaction was similar but at the same time different than Denji's. So he offered to prolong his friend's existence. Pochita wants these dreams and desires that the young man shared with her to come true and she can see them through him. The resulting merger happiness is the greatest proof of the great love that both shared. Denji had nothing and what little he had he always shared with Pochita, both were always a part of each other.
It's actually a movie
The chapter can give us a lot to talk about, but in the end we all know that this prologue was only meant to make us love Pochita and Denji. That's how great stories begin, with a hero who can't go any lower and now has to go up. Too bad this isn't such a stereotypical story, and what lies ahead is really far from "the hero's path".
I mentioned above that working with the author was beyond expectations, and as many already know, Fujimoto is a movie buff, more specifically he's a big fan of Tarantino and B-movies, and it shows in the series. The obvious example is the beginning, which as you know has a lot of cinematic references. But the script work itself and the use of scenes in the episode is another example of Fujimoto's cinematic passion. This first episode is lucky enough to make me feel like I'm suddenly watching one of those tapes.
Much has already been said about the opening that made the It's Cinema meme canon effective, but the opening couldn't be less worthy. Of course I'm talking about the montage that MAPPA uploaded to their networks. The episode's scene selection was a work of art, the way the music fits into the sequences so well is a feast for the eyes. I'm really looking forward to seeing the other 11 endings ahead of me, this first one has raised my expectations quite a bit.
Final comment
CHAINSAW Chapter one was an episode that lived up to expectations, it's not just any prologue and it certainly isn't a bad introduction to this story. That first chapter was like dipping your foot in a warm bathtub, but in the dark. The feeling was nice, but we're not sure if we're going to get into clear water or something turbid. Manga readers know it, of course. But those who begin this journey with anime will no doubt face a sweet uncertainty. In any case, anyone who already knows the story cannot avoid the uncertainty, since an adaptation always brings with it some fears. This has started very well so far, of course there are details in the animation that many have pointed out, but let's be fair the quality hasn't lost, not yet.
Before closing on this review, I'll clarify that I know the work, I'm a fan, but I plan to limit myself to just talking about the anime. From now on I will pretend I never read the manga and will only write from what I saw in the anime. So how excited I feel for the devil hunter that appears at the end to take Denji away and finally give him bread and jam. I look forward to seeing her in action alongside Denji.
As far as the review goes, I'll leave the usual questions: What do you think of this chapter? Did you like this first episode? Can I write without spoilers? Honestly, who wants a pochita? Without seeing any videos or publications, how many references did you find in the opening?
