Chainsaw Man Anime: Release Date, Cast, Crew, What to Expect, Where to Watch, and Is the Mange Worth Reading!

Though it's not a household name in the manga community, the anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man has garnered a lot of attention from netizens across all platforms.

Those who have read the manga swear that it's a "fresh breath of air" in the shounen genre and that, unlike famous Jump! titles, Chainsaw Man doesn't fall into the trap of serving shounen-esque characters and plot. This, as well as the fantastic trailer MAPPA released for the show, has put CSM amongst the most anticipated debuts this year. 

If this sounds appealing at all, read on to find out everything we know about the upcoming Chainsaw Man anime!

What Is Chainsaw Man About?

Struggling to pay back his father's debt, Denji is forced to work for the Yakuza as a Demon Hunter. With his demon pet Pochita, Denji serves the gang to the best of his abilities until they decide that he has outlived his usefulness and murdered him. Pochita merges with Denji and becomes his heart to save his life, reviving the boy as a half-human half-demon creature with a Chainsaw for ahead.

Though CSM is considered shounen, it mainly falls into the supernatural-horror category and leans heavily towards gore elements. However, the manga is also popular for its signature dark humor, and despite the bloodshed and violence, Tatsuki Fujimoto is known to make his readers laugh quite often.

Hopefully, the show sticks to these themes and remains uncensored because the show wouldn't quite be Chainsaw Man if it didn't make you feel guilty for laughing. 

Should I Read Chainsaw Man? Is the Manga Worth Reading?

Admittedly, the initial premise of CSM does sound wacky. But while the manga isn't a masterpiece, it's surprisingly good. The characters are well written, with their own motives and stories, and they don't fall into the cliche archetypes of a shounen series. The plot is quick and engaging, and there's not a single chapter wasted on fillers. It's perfect for a binge session.

Moreover, Denji is a fascinating shounen protagonist. 

He started out as a dumb teenager, but you actually see him develop as the series progresses — and the development is not always forward.

Not only does Denji make mistakes, but he also backtracks often. The author makes it a point to show his vulnerable moments, moments when he's confused about who and what he is, and his muffled suffering because he's just a child, not a hero who somehow rises to the occasion no matter what.

These elements truly set Chainsaw Man apart, and though it has its downsides (killing characters way too often, so much so that death feels impactless), the manga is definitely worth reading.

What Can Fans Expect From Chainsaw Man Anime?

Given the nature of the anime, be prepared for a lot of gore and uncensored mutilation. The action sequences in the manga are phenomenal, so expect some heart-stopping fight scenes in the anime as well. And though the artwork looks bright and colorful, keep in mind that the show will be dealing with darker, more mature themes.

It's best to avoid Chainsaw Man if too much blood and guts make you squeamish and if themes that deal with manipulation, traumatic childhood, being taken advantage of/betrayal trigger you. The show might also have a lot of dark humor, which tends to make some people uncomfortable.

The Cast and Crew of Chainsaw Man Anime

MAPPA has its best staff working on this project. Ryuu Nakayama and Keisuke Seshita, who previously directed and animated Jujutsu Kaisen, are also working on CSM. Tatsuya Yoshihara, the action director of Black Clover, and other famous names behind Vinland Saga and Dorohedoro are working together to bring this anime to life.

And judging by the quality of the trailer, the anime's production will be on-par with AoT The Final and Jujutsu Kaisen. 

As for the voice actors, there's no official news or any reliable rumor so far, but given that the studio is putting its all into this show, there's no doubt that the actors will be some of the most famous and talented in the industry.

When Will Chainsaw Man Anime Come Out?

There's no official confirmation from MAPPA yet. Still, based on previous release patterns, Chainsaw Man can be expected to release with the 2021 Fall/Winter season lineup, with a set of 24-26 episodes.

Of course, there might be delays, but it's not going to take longer than 2021. 

Will Chainsaw Man Dub Be Available on Netflix and Crunchyroll?

There's no official news on where Chainsaw Man will make its western debut, but based on Jjk's release, it's not hard to speculate that MAPPA will release the anime on both Crunchyroll and Netflix almost immediately. 

It might take MAPPA some time to get to the dubbed versions, but the subbed release should make its debut worldwide almost simultaneously. After all, studios realize that they have an enormous market to capitalize on outside Japan, so there shouldn't be any worrying about waiting a long time.