Chainsaw Man isn’t just an undeniably popular anime -- it’s also a good one in several regards. The series’ often interesting worldbuilding, high-quality animation and excellent soundtrack mean there are plenty of reasons to tune in for its all-but-inevitable Season 2 whenever it airs. Moreover, especially in its quieter moments, Chainsaw Man has proven that it can be a subtle title when it wants to be, reining in its usually far more bombastic nature to showcase a more reflective, even poignant side.

However, despite these positives, there are likewise plenty of reasons why Chainsaw Man fails to live up to its own hype. Like most anime, its pros and cons work to balance each other out, but this is all the more obvious in a series like Chainsaw Man, where numerous viewers proclaim the show’s superiority yet said show ends up being, if not necessarily bad, then certainly decidedly overrated.

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Denji Is a Non-Subversive Character Who's Neither Likable Nor Relatable

Denji from Chainsaw Man.

Many viewers see Denji as a clever subversion of the classic shonen hero -- a figure typically full of determination who strives with everything they have to achieve their goals, often relying on the power of friendship to help them succeed. However, while Denji may be the opposite of this in some respects -- inherently immature, simple-minded, and apathetic to the plight or fate of others, at least in part due to his unconventional childhood -- this does not make him a subversion but simply rather one-note. There is nothing in Denji’s character that challenges or undermines the standard hero role, and in fact, several of his personality traits are not uncommon to older shonen protagonists, such as his childishness (Goku, Naruto), his gluttony (Luffy, Goku, Edward Elric) and his inconsiderate nature (Naruto, Yusuke Urameshi).

Moreover, Denji’s personality, regardless of his past circumstances, makes him not only unlikeable but also unrelatable. Not every shonen protagonist fits into the classic hero mold, as seen by the likes of Death Note and Attack on Titan, but their motivation still needs to be understandable and at least somewhat engaging. Although Denji’s impetus for his actions makes sense at the most basic level given his background, his simplicity and complete apathy do not make him a compelling lead; they make him dull at best and distasteful at worst. His character might be interesting if he received any significant development or underwent any real change, but viewers cannot be expected to root for or even care about watching the actions of someone who cares so little for not only the fate of others but also of themselves.

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Chainsaw Man's Audience Pandering Is Painfully Obvious

chainsaw man aki and denji kicking katana mans balls

Chainsaw Man is practically infamous for its crass sense of humor, detailed level of gore and sexualization of certain characters such as Power. While these things might come off as fun, even oddly charming if they were balanced well with the main story, Chainsaw Man doesn’t merely depict over-the-top violence or characters making crude jokes as part of its narrative -- it relies on them. There is of course nothing wrong with enjoying violent action anime or purposefully dumb or offbeat comedy; these traits are exactly what make creations like Dorohedoro and Akudama Drive such a blast to watch, and a title like Kakegurui would be nothing without its unapologetically and hilariously exaggerated sexuality.

What makes Chainsaw Man different from these kinds of anime is that the sex, violence and vulgarity are neither properly integrated nor cartoonishly excessive enough to come across as funny, creative or meaningful. Rather than being smart or humorous, its comedy tends to feel cringe-worthy, and its fan service doesn’t add anything of significance to the story or even the story’s general tone. Instead, its extreme violence and other 'adult' content seem largely there as a way of appearing "dark" and "edgy" in an attempt to be trendy. Unfortunately, the transparency of this endeavor is exactly what drags the anime down, as when audience pandering becomes too noticeable, it tends to do the exact opposite of its intent, becoming tiresome, lazy and outdated.

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Chainsaw Man’s sheer popularity is not completely unwarranted. The anime has a lot going for it, and at its core, the story has real potential. Moreover, as an ongoing title, it’s not too late to reverse direction on some aspects or further develop key characters and events. Nonetheless, the series leaves plenty to be desired, and these flaws are obvious enough that they turn what could be a genuinely good show into a mediocre one.