This year’s most anticipated anime series, undoubtedly, is Chainsaw Man. 

The manga is written by Tatsuki Fujimoto, and is currently serializing Part 2. Fans of the series have been eagerly waiting for the anime adaptation of Part 1. Their desire came to fruition when MAPPA announced on December 14, 2020, that they would produce the fan-favorite series. The first trailer of the series set the internet ablaze with streamers and YouTubers live-streaming their reactions to it.

The release date is on October 11, 2022. Means we only have a few more days to wait, YAAY. 

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As the premiere of the show gets so close, it’s appropriate to ask, why has an original anime series that is not a sequel or a spin-off to any prior anime is universally awaited? What is it about? Why is the hype so palpable? And will it deliver?

What is the Plot About?

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These fears can range from animals to inanimate objects, extending even to more primal fears. The stronger the terror something inspires, the more powerful the devil becomes. On the contrary, an entity that brings joy and praise from people would manifest into a very weak devil.

Once a devil is incarnated in Hell, it will reside there until it dies.

Subsequently, it will reappear in the human world, devoid of any memory from its prior life. This cycle perpetually continues, thus making them effectively immortal. The devil’s that rule over Hell are the strongest devil’s in existence, with frightening powers. However, fear is not the only means for a devil to strengthen itself.

Devils primarily feed off of two things: fear and blood. Though the fear they possess is partially dependent on people, their yearning for human blood is what makes them a menace to society. Although, they can survive off vegetables or drinking the blood of other creatures, the regenerative and power boosting properties of human blood are distinct, which is what most devils go after – thus clashing with Devil Hunters. This where the main conflict of this story lies.

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The devils that crave human blood are naturally very hostile and powerful beings. Yet, there exist other devils that wish to get along with humans and find alternative means of feeding. They willingly form bonds with humans and help them by forming contracts with them in exchange for a sacrifice. This contract allows humans to abridge the disparity in strength between humans and devils by receiving some of the devil’s powers. As a rule of thumb, the more human-like a devil looks, the friendlier they tend to be towards humans.

Another faction of devils become Devil Hunters themselves. They strive to become a part of society and enjoy all the pleasures of a normal life. Unfortunately for them, they do not possess the same rights as humans. This means they can be murdered or maimed with impunity. This leads to some devils being coerced into helping humans instead of them helping voluntarily. Devil Hunters sometimes capture devils, rather than killing them, in order to get into a contract. Having said that, different devils have different dispositions.

Most devils found on Earth are normal devils. In other word they fit the description of the devils already mentioned in this article: seek human blood, inspire fear, originate from human fears etc. Adding on to that, there exist Primal Devils. They are named so because they are born out of our more primitive fears. They have always existed in Hell as they have never been killed, which underscores their sheer force. I’ll stop here before going into spoiler territory.

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Another form of devils are Fiends. These are devils, with the alignment of certain conditions, that have taken over a dead body. They can gain fragments of the corpse’s memories and personality. Even though, they can regenerate after consuming human blood and possess devil powers, the efficacy of their abilities is limited. Unlike normal devils, they can not form contracts with humans, and they can die if fatally wounded.

Lastly, there are devils called Hybrids. Much like Fiends, Hybrids are formed when a devil takes over a corpse under different circumstances than a Fiend. Hybrids possess a human body and all its memories. A bodily trigger – unique to each Hybrid – allows them to shed their human form and bring forth their more devastating devil form. With the presence of adequate blood, their regenerative abilities are limitless. So much so that they can be revived with the consumption of a particular amount of blood.

The Plot

The story follows Denji. A young, lonely man who is trapped into poverty, forced to pay off his father’s debts to a criminal outfit. With limited talents and the need for abundant money, Denji becomes a Devil Hunter along with his pet Pochita – the Chainsaw Devil.

When the Yakuza – under the influence of a devil – betray and slaughter him, he forms a pact with Pochita where he fuses with Denji’s body and becomes his heart in exchange for him showing his pet devil his dreams. Once revived and now the “Chainsaw Man”, Denji murders the Yakuza.

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There is So Much Hype About The Chainsaw Man 

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Commercially, Chainsaw Man has been a major success. As of August 2022, there are 15 million copies in circulation. In 2021, it was the 7^th best-selling manga in the world. The New York Times ranked it in its Monthly Graphic Books and Manga bestseller list since 2021. It was the 3^rd most efficient manga franchise for retailer bookshelves based on their calculation of which manga franchise has the highest sales per volume.

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Will It Live Up To The Hype?

With all eyes anxiously waiting for its arrival, Chainsaw Man is presented with an unprecedented opportunity for an anime to hit out of the park without any prior experience in the field. The author, Fujimoto, has said that Jujutsu Kaisen is an enormous inspiration for his own manga. With Jujutsu Kaisen looking to become the new Attack on Titans, it is entirely possible that Chainsaw Man will, in turn, become the new Jujutsu Kaisen.