Sorry Not Sorry: Here's Why Chainsaw Man Might Not Be as Deep as You Think

Chainsaw Man manga spoilers ahead!

The Chainsaw Man manga and anime are incredibly popular now, and people keep talking about them in every corner of the anime part of the internet. Some call it a masterpiece, some prefer to use the word "mid", and some are just annoyed that the series is getting this much attention, while it's fairly obvious that [insert anime name here] is better and more interesting!

The Hype Train: Why Chainsaw Man Is Breaking the Internet

It goes without saying that a project cannot become this big if it's no good. And Chainsaw Man is no exception. It's received thousands of positive reviews, fans keep making theories with each chapter of the manga, and the story and its character have become a frequent guest in all sorts of fan content. But let's try to be the killjoys today and talk about the criticism of Chainsaw Man.

Don't worry, CSM fans, we still love the series dearly!

Although some people admit that they haven't got much negative to say about the anime and manga, they feel like the conversations about Chainsaw Man being deep are very far-fetched. But let's first discuss what this word usually means to us.

When we call a series deep, we usually mean thought provoking. Such shows make us think about existential issues or look at the common life concepts differently. For example, Parasyte: The Maxim (Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu) questions the meaning of life and Vinland Saga explores a revenge journey and the way it can influence people's fate. These are the types of series that will leave you thinking about them long after you've finished watching. Is it the case of Chainsaw Man, though?

A number of fans think it's not.

Chainsaw Man is extremely entertaining. It provides the right amount of thrill and "what the hell" moments, it's packed with action and eccentricity, full of interesting characters and plot twists, but the readers just don't see a truly firm reason to think.

Love It or Hate It, It’s More Than Just Gore

Chainsaw Man has an intricate story, and is filled with puzzles and mysteries, so the viewer will be trying to solve them for sure, but the critics say it's not enough. If you're trying to predict a certain plot point and understand where it's all going, it's not deep, it just means that the story is compelling and engaging.

There's a lot of attention given to the theme of control in the series. One of the main antagonists and villains in the series is later revealed to be the Control Devil. Makima plays Denji in order to masterfully manipulate him. Fans think it's all rather straightforward and on the surface, there's nothing deep about it.

Fascinating to watch? Yes! Thought provoking? No.

It doesn't raise any questions outside of the Chainsaw Man world. And fans just think a series should bring awareness to some real life issues for the audience to talk about its depth.

However, that's not all Chainsaw Man has to offer. It's not just a mindless gore and sex fest. On the surface, the series is just a story about a kid wanting to have a girlfriend. But it's not the only way you can perceive it. Some fans even suggest that Denji's mindset comes from looking for something deeper. He's been constantly searching for a greater goal and bigger dream, but kept facing disappointment.

This all led to him deciding to settle on something smaller, but every time his life starts getting better, Denji gets hope again and goes back to wishing for greater things. The story also explores the concept of blissful ignorance versus painful truth. Something to think about, huh?

The Emotional Weight of Chainsaw Man

Although Chainsaw Man might not talk about deep philosophical dilemmas in each chapter and throw them into your face every chance it has, the themes are there. The real core of the story is its characters, their growing bond and the trauma of losing each other.

Seemingly selfish and sometimes narcissistic characters learn to care for someone besides themselves, and that's the beauty of Chainsaw Man. Yes, it has this "blood and sex" facade mixed with a sense of madness, but the series isn't limited to that.

Grief is another major theme in Chainsaw Man. The death of Denji's friends leaves him shattered, and he's still shaken by the horrors he's experienced.

The events of part 1 of the manga did a lot for his personal character development, and haunt him throughout part 2. May we remind you of the moment in the manga where Denji encounters a demon that can bring back traumatic memories. Denji experiences the horror of losing Power and Aki all over again.

At the end of the day, you don't need to have a PhD or pass all the IQ tests with the max result to enjoy Chainsaw Man, that's for sure. But it doesn't mean that the entire story is nothing more than a thoughtless fun ride with a lot of blood. It is perfectly capable of exploring important issues.