Just give him a chance!
Summary:
- Denji disappoints fans with his shallow motivation.
- Manga readers promise that it was the intention, and Denji will surprise you in the future.
Chainsaw Man does a lot of things differently when it comes to the shounen genre of anime. And its main protagonist, Denji, is another one of the examples.
What is the issue with Denji?
At the beginning of the story he’s just a broke kid with nothing and no one else but his devil friend, Pochita, to keep him company. We don’t know much about him, just the usual “dead parents, sad life” type of things, but still can’t help but sympathize with him. Denji seems quite likable in the first episode due to his tragic story. The peculiar bond with Pochita makes the main protagonist even more compelling, and we can’t help but feel truly upset when we see him suffering and almost dying. Denji’s merging with his little devil friend and gaining the chainsaw man powers promise something great to the viewers, but what do they see later?
Denji’s motivation turns mostly into “I wanna see and touch some tits and have a pretty girlfriend,” and while this provides a lot of comic moments and might be more relatable than the desire to save the entire world for some viewers, this all feels rather… disappointing. Looks like fans were hoping to see more complexity from the main protagonist and watching him being manipulated by the girls with a promise of kissing them or seeing them naked just doesn’t do it for everyone.
He gets better, we promise
These thoughts have led to some of the fans’ frustration. Since Chainsaw Man is such an enormously popular and fantastic show, it just doesn’t feel right if its main protagonist is entirely driven by the goal of getting laid. That’s why anime onlys started asking questions about Denji: maybe him being like that is just part of a clever plan that will give the author space for a significant character development? Manga readers confirm this theory.
If you’re here for a simple spoiler-free answer: Denji gets much better. His character development is not just important for the story of Chainsaw Man, it is nothing less than the story itself. Manga readers beg you to stay patient and give the anime a chance, because all the best parts are ahead.
Season one of the anime was there to introduce you to the world and the characters as well as some of the conflicts, but it was just the beginning. The entire story keeps exploring Denji’s need for intimacy but it will not remain just a thoughtless desire to see a naked girl. The manga readers promise that you will not be disappointed if you just wait a little bit, and we would like to agree with them.