Chainsaw Man pilot review: Does MAPPA’s latest heavy-equipment-headed protagonist live up to expectations?

IT’S FINALLY HERE. Having waited nearly two years, Otakus world-over rejoice, with the series premiere of Chainsaw Man. But has it really been worth the wait?

Adapted from creator Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Weekly Shonen Jump Manga of the same name, Chainsaw Man follows the story of Denji, an impoverished young man who after making a contract with a dog-like devil named Pochita, fuses with Denji, granting him the ability to transform parts of his body into chainsaws. Denji eventually joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters, a government agency focused on fighting against devils whenever they become a threat to the world.

Here’s the trailer for the series:

With expectations for the anime skyrocketing, the pilot episode of the series packed a hefty punch delivering a balanced introduction to the world of Chainsaw Man and its protagonist.

The series wastes no time in its set-up, as we’re flung into a depressing sepia-washed environment where we find Denji and his absolutely absurd-looking (albeit really cute) chainsaw-demon dog, Pochita.

woof #chainsawman #pochita pic.twitter.com/CJWPMjRjme

— kyouka (@shobatodoroki) October 11, 2022

Moving away from the grandiose, saviour-complex motivations of your typical Shounen anime protagonists, Denji’s motivations are simple and straightforward - he just wants to live a normal life.

Carrying the burdens of debt of his father, Denji serves as the personal devil-hitman for the Yakuza, who he owes just enough money to buy a small island nation. As Denji walks towards his next devil target, wielding his dog as a weapon in Ash from Evil Dead fashion, he makes some quick mental calculations.

For the ridiculous amounts of money that Denji owed, his actioned kidney, eyeball and testicle as well as multiple devil-assassinations have barely made a dent, and is the exact kind of satirical black comedy that the Manga was most renowned for, and has now effortlessly been adapted to screen.

After a bunch of nonsensical bureaucratic deductions, Denji’s hard day’s work earns him a nutritious slice of bread. One that he hopes could perhaps be enjoyed with a spread of jam one day. From the get-go, Denji’s impoverished circumstances have been cleverly crafted to incite a quick laugh rather than empathise with his situation.

Soon, having been tricked by his Yakuza employer, Denji finds himself hacked and chopped up in a dozen pieces by a mob of zombie-fied men at the behest of a hideous-looking devil. Faced with the violent death of his friend, the chainsaw-headed canine Pochita fuses with Denji’s mortal remains, instructing him to live out whatever jam-filled dreams he had.

The scene The cameraman#chainsawman pic.twitter.com/QSJZonrj3R

— RONOA ロノア 🏳 (@BayroneF) October 11, 2022

What follows has been the moment that Otakus have dreamt of since times immemorial. Our first glimpse at the titular character.

As the music slowly swells to a crescendo, we know what’s coming. A swift slash separating the horde of zombies from their torsos reveal our gorgeously-designed Chainsaw Man, sporting two chainsaws sprouting from his hands and a massive one protruding from his skull. 

The spectacular blood fest that ensues in the series’ first action sequence involves a bunch copious amounts of dismembering, decapitation and chainsaw-inflicted carnage, and serves as a not-so-subtle reminder of why the series’ production company MAPPA is one of the finest in the world.

As the violence settles, an exhausted Denji falls straight into a hug from a mysterious new woman who arrives at the scene with red-spiraling irises, our first look at another popular Chainsaw Man character, Makima.

As Makima poses two options to Denji - either the same fate as the zombie-corpses that decorate the scene or one that includes a breakfast of bread and jam - the fantastic pilot to Chainsaw Man draws to a poetic close.

In a befitting start to what is certainly shaping out to be a generation-defining new anime series, Chainsaw Man surpasses expectations in its execution and will leave you desperate for more.

We’re going with 5 out of 5 stars for the Chainsaw Man pilot.

Chainsaw Man is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.