There is a reason that people love action shows. Something about good fight choreography and visually striking cinematography get the adrenaline going in a way that satisfies an almost animalistic urge. Sometimes what a viewer really needs is a chance to just unwind with something more grounded and realistic. Episode 7 of Chainsaw Man, "The Taste of a Kiss," provides a good contrast to the high-octane carnage that the show is often associated with to connect the audience with its characters through a familiar situation. In doing so, the series may have pointed out a hurdle that it will need to overcome in the long run, setting itself up with a brand new challenge if it wants to keep things fresh.
Episode 7 begins, expectedly, with its central character Denji viciously hacking apart a Devil in a grotesque gore fest. The fight is animated in such a way that it feels like it could last forever, with each graphic blow adding a minuscule splash of red to the fathomless sea of blood, fitting for the battle against the Eternity Devil. Even so, this conflict only stretches for the first third of the episode before getting to the true substance of it -- a stunningly commonplace drinking party with the members of the Public Safety Devil Hunters, devoid of any violence or physical altercations.
At first glance, one might attribute the pacing to the flow of the original manga's chapters, as the show has followed a fairly consistent rhythm to the source material. However, the attention to detail and fluid animation in the drinking party shows that the staff under Episode Director Makoto Nakazono wanted to highlight the easily recognizable event of drinking with co-workers. By treating the typical happenings with the same level of detail as other episodes, Studio MAPPA demonstrates equal respect for the everyday world and the fantastical alike. In doing so, they drive home the idea that they are producing an anime more about human interactions than the bizarre setting it takes place in.
In large part, the juxtaposition of the largely jovial and low-stakes get-together against the deadly showdown with the Eternity Devil illustrates the flexibility of the narrative. The episode starts off seeming like it's going to be more of the same slasher horror gimmick seen earlier in the season, but viewers will be pleasantly surprised when it tones down the savagery for something more level-headed. While the move does provide a subtle subversion of expectations, it does also set up a possible conundrum for future episodes.
Even with the abundance of effort put into the horror elements of the early moments of Episode 7, visual similarities suggest the animators borrowed some from similar brawls earlier in the series. This is likely so that the switch over to the "slice-of-life" content of the later half can function as a palate cleanser, promising much more than the routine splatter flick that the title has come to be known for. Still, though the decision helps the episode stand out and reinforce Chainsaw Man's image as innovative, it also creates a standard for the show to resist devolving totally into its most animalistic tendencies.
Regardless, this week's focus on the most ordinary aspects of its characters' lives is not without its own twists, and Studio MAPPA meets each of these in turn. There is a particular instance where the conversation between the Public Safety agents shifts towards more serious content, during which the animation's original framework serves to underline the uncanny terror of their situation. Inversely, a later segment ingeniously uses pixelation censorship to accentuate both the hilarity and utter repulsiveness of truly revolting party foul that gives the episode its name.
In short, Chainsaw Man continues to push against expectations, both from its broader genre and demographic, as well as the image it has made for itself. In lampshading its renegade approach to storytelling, it has raised the bar for itself in a way that will demand similar inventiveness for the remainder of its run. With all the hype that the anime received prior to the adaptation's release, there is definitely the possibility that it could run out of steam before its conclusion. With that in mind, hopefully, the latest installment is a sign of more to come rather than a promise that will go unfulfilled.
Chainsaw Man streams on Crunchyroll weekly, with new episodes airing every Tuesday.