The life of a devil hunter isn't always about the day-to-day near-death experiences; they're still humans, after all. This means that they do the things regular humans do, and yet it came as a surprise when the Chainsaw Man anime chose to add a scene that showcased exactly this.
Aki's morning routine is absent in the original manga, but its inclusion is a refreshing palate cleanser from the regular doom and gloom of the world of devils and carnage that is Chainsaw Man. Fans online were quick to praise the scene upon the release of the episode, with many gushing over the animation quality and its overall relaxing tone.
Aki's Morning Routine Follows a Recent Trend in Anime
Aki's morning routine stood out for some fans due to the quality of its animation -- a true testament to the love and care Studio MAPPA is giving to the highly anticipated anime adaptation. Ignoring the fact that the scene didn't need to be included at all, the animators similarly didn't need to put in the effort they did into a montage that doesn't include any action. The shot of Aki splashing water on his face is particularly notable, as his face gets larger in the reflection of the water.
Great animation seems to be the trend these days in anime as it becomes increasingly important to fans. Although Chainsaw Man is certainly a standout this season, gone are the days when high-quality animation is only found in one or two shows per cour. Now, it seems as though low-quality shows are the rarity, which often leaves fans wondering why studios bothered adapting those IPs at all if they weren't going to get much attention in the first place.
Should Anime Adaptations Add Scenes That Weren't in the Source Material?
While manga fans certainly didn't mind the inclusion of Aki's scene, and anime-only viewers would of course have had no idea it wasn't originally in the manga, there's something to be said for the fact that many adaptations have been adding scenes. Bleach, quite infamous for the number of narrative problems in its final arc, is using its return to the anime format to fix, extend or otherwise add additional scenes.
However, there have been cases in the past where this has gone too far. The first anime adaptation of Fullmetal Alchemist, due to the number of things it changed from the source material, essentially became its own story completely separate from the one in the manga. Different canons depending on the medium a story inhabits can be confusing for a lot of fans, proving to be a slippery slope of sorts. In contrast, while it was only a morning routine this time, it's possible that MAPPA will add more scenes in the future, and the studio has definitely earned fans' trust with these additions moving forward.