Chainsaw Man - What We Know So Far

The biggest problem with the world today is that mankind has lost a great deal of its affinity for using chainsaws as weapons in fiction. "Evil Dead," "Scarface," and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" once awed and horrified viewers with splatter-fests of gore galore. Now, our fictional characters keep their chainsaws locked up in a shed, and it's just not right. Guns are too easy, and swords aren't nearly as fun or loud. No, what the world needs is a chainsaw.

Thankfully, one manga has been doing its best to re-inspire humanity's faith in the chainsaw. Created by Tatsuki Fujimoto and originally published through Shonen Jump in 2018 (via Anime News Network), the irreverent and twisted supernatural manga "Chainsaw Man" has done everything in its power to re-enchant its readers with the gross gratuity of chainsaw combat. So far, it has succeeded. "Chainsaw Man" quickly became one of the most talked-about topics in the manga world.

Naturally, such a popular series was destined for an anime adaptation — something we recently gained further confirmation on with the release of its first trailer. Following the demon-slaying adventures of protagonist Denji, a human high-schooler who forms a pact with a devil dog to become "Chainsaw Man," the series takes viewers on a dark journey through its brutal world. So fill up your gas tanks and rev your motors, cause things are about to get dicey. Here is what we know so far about "Chainsaw Man."

Despite the recent reveal trailer from "Chainsaw Man's" animators, studio MAPPA, we actually don't know when the anime is set to be released. Production appears to be rolling along smoothly, as MAPPA's work looks polished and expressive enough to live up to its illustrious reputation (it's also responsible for "Jujutsu Kaisen" and the final season of "Attack on Titan). However, there is no way of telling when "Chainsaw Man" will be released with certainty until the show's creators say otherwise.

That being said, we can still extrapolate a rough idea of when "Chainsaw Man" might release based on MAPPA's other shows. For instance, "Jujutsu Kaisen's" anime adaptation was officially announced in an issue of Weekly Shonen Jump in 2019 (via Anime News Network) and was released in late 2020. Meanwhile, "Dorohedoro" received a similar announcement in 2018 but was not released until early 2020. With this in mind, we estimate that "Chainsaw Man" will see the light of day sometime within the next year or so.

Luckily, if you can't bear to wait a single extra second for "Chainsaw Man," the first part of the manga has been completed for over half a year now. It's unknown how faithful the anime intends to be to its source material, but nowadays the industry standard is for adaptations to stick closely to their manga progenitors. So, it'll likely be the same story. You'll just have to wait for some time to see every bloody, gory second rendered in animation.

There's another huge mystery associated with "Chainsaw Man." No official cast members for the show have been announced. Heck, the reveal trailer doesn't even feature any voice-over work. Unfortunately, this means manga fans who were excited to hear Denji and the rest of the "Chainsaw Man" roster speak will have to wait.

Even if MAPPA has yet to come forth with an official cast list, we do have a good handle on the cast size since the manga has long since introduced a core cast of characters. In addition to our main chainsaw-slinging chum Denji, "Chainsaw Man" focuses on his adventures with a squad of Public Safety Devil Hunters led by Makima. Apart from Denji, she has recruited the fiends (devils that possess human corpses) Power and Aki to her cause. Assuming MAPPA's adaptation of "Chainsaw Man" stays faithful, these four characters (and whoever plays them) will make up the bulk of what viewers will see once the anime finally releases.

The chances are high that we will learn more, and hear more, about the cast of "Chainsaw Man" as we approach the show's inevitable release (whenever that is). Information may seem sparse now, but the excitement for a new show hinges on how well it is built up through promotion. The juicy details probably won't leak until fans have been given a little more time to stew in their own suspense.

While MAPPA has yet to announce a release date or cast for "Chainsaw Man," we don't need their seal of approval to clue you in on what you're bound to see when the anime finally debuts. The "Chainsaw Man" manga is roughly three years ahead of its animated counterpart, so there's plenty of plot to go around. Still, here are the basics.

Set in an alternate version of the year 1997, where Devils (creatures manifested from human fears) are as commonplace as house pests, "Chainsaw Man" follows down-and-out high schooler Denji. Forced into doing work for the Yakuza in order to pay off his father's debts, Denji engages in low-tier devil hunting on behalf of the organization. His chainsaw devil/dog Pochita assists him.

Things change, however, when Denji contracts a sudden case of death courtesy of his Yakuza buddies. In order to prevent this fate, Pochita signs a contract with his master. The two fuse into a devil-human hybrid and Denji becomes "Chainsaw Man." Now armed with a chainsaw in place of his hands and face, Denji continues to slay demons on behalf of the government's Public Safety Division. The following events are rife with horror, gore, and more than a little R-rated comedy, but it is sure to be a captivating ride for people who love their fiction imbued with flavors more than a bit of twisted surrealism.