Himeno

The Katana Man Arc Unsheathes Its Sword!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chainsaw Man Episode 8 Review

Since I haven’t read the manga yet, I don’t really know what’s going to happen as Chainsaw Man progresses beyond a few facts. However, I keep hearing that the next arc in the series, the Katana Man arc, is supposed to be really good. Several people I follow on social media insist that it is. After witnessing the start to this new arc today, I see that the hype wasn’t exaggerated. Bodies are going to start falling, people!

They Have Standards, People. They Have Standards

At the end of the last episode, Himeno brought Denji back to her apartment after getting drunk at a company party. The next thing Denji knows, he’s lying on her bed as she comes walking in wearing her underwear and offers to do it with him. If you know Denji by now, then you know that his major goal in life is to get lucky with a woman, and now he’s getting that chance. 

Thankfully, he turns her down and sleeps on the floor. 

While this may seem weird, keep in mind three things. Firstly, Denji’s focused on Makima and the promise she gave him. She has him wrapped around her fingers with the promise that what she’ll give him will be far better. Secondly, Himeno’s drunk at the time, and thus, not capable of making responsible decisions. Thirdly, she’s an adult while Denji’s a minor. She could go to jail if she went through with that! Thankfully, Denji’s puppy love for Makima saves them both from making a stupid decision, and they end up becoming friends at breakfast.

Too bad she’s not going to be around for much longer, thanks to the Katana Man.

Yakuza Revenge

Remember that Yakuza boss that tried to kill Denji in the first episode after becoming a zombie? Denji gave him some well-deserved karma via his first massacre as Chainsaw Man. However, as the latter half of this episode reveals, that old man had a grandson. And that grandson wasn’t happy to learn about his grandpa’s death. Thus, he gets all his Yakuza associates together to get revenge on Denji and the Devil Hunters.

The results speak for themselves. The Yakuza attack the Devil Hunters on all fronts, and characters seem to start dropping like flies. I’m still betting that Kobeni and Hirokazu will die soon, and this seems like the right time for that to happen.

Sadly, though, the one confirmed death we get this episode is none other than Himeno herself. As Aki fights against the grandson, now a Human-Devil hybrid like Denji (albeit with katanas), Himeno sacrifices her life to help Aki win. Thanks to the contract with her Devil, she doesn’t even leave a body behind to bury. 

I feel like this is the moment where the gloves really come off. It serves to drive home how dangerous Denji’s new life really is. Even having a contract with a powerful Devil might not be a guarantee of victory. And this is the life that Denji’s now found himself in.

This is Going to be Good

I was told that the Katana Man Arc of Chainsaw Man was going to be good. So far, it looks like it’s meeting the hype surrounding it. And this is only the first episode of the arc. With less than three episodes left for the first half of the season, I’m hoping they dedicate them to this arc. Chainsaws and Katanas clashing sounds like the most metal thing ever!

I Give “Gunfire” a 4/5

Is Denji Very Lucky or Very Unlucky? I Can’t Tell

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime , , , , , , , , , ,

Chainsaw Man Episode 7 Review

I’m not sure whether I should call Denji lucky or very unlucky. On the one hand, he’s got cool Devil powers that turn him into an engine of bloody chaos. On the other hand, he’s working a job where making it past five years seems non-existent. Yet ever since he started working as a Public Safety Devil Hunter, he’s getting more luck with women than most people do on dating apps. Given what most of those women are like, I wouldn’t call it that lucky.

At least it’s still great for the camera.

Denji ENDS the Eternity Devil

So, after spending the last episode getting psychologically tortured by the Eternity Devil, Denji decides that the simplest solution is the best one. So like a teenage version of Alucard from Hellsing Ultimate Abridged, he dives right into the fighting like a madman. And it works. He just drinks up that Devil blood while ripping the Eternity Devil apart until he finally wins.

Like I said, Denji’s crazy enough to be a Devil Hunter. Because as Himeno’s mentor once told her, the best Devil Hunters are the ones crazy enough not to fear this job. Thus, after three days of being trapped in a hotel, everyone makes it out alive! Yay!

Now, it’s time for everyone to celebrate a successful mission with the time-honored tradition of going out to a pub and drinking the night away.

Denji: Lucky With Women or Unlucky? I Can’t Decide

Remember how I questioned how lucky Denji is? While his line of work means he’ll likely die young, I was questioning his luck with women. He did manage to get Power to make good on her promise…only for her boobs to be fake. 

The real surprise, though, is that during the work party, Himeno makes good on a promise to Denji: that if they lived through this, she’d kiss him! It was a French kiss, too; But then she ended up puking in his mouth from all the beer she had.

That, and this happened in full view of Makima, AKA the girl that he holds a candle for above all else. It’s never a good idea for someone to get a kiss from another woman in full view of their crush, even if Makima doesn’t react to it. 

Maybe I’m just overthinking this sort of thing and letting my bias get in the way. No offense, but I wouldn’t call any of the women in Chainsaw Man so far as the kind you’d want to date. However, given the dangerous nature of the job, and how bad his life’s been, I don’t think Denji has the luxury of being picky. Maybe he is lucky, in his own, weird way. After all, he wakes up in Himeno’s place…and she offers to do…that with him.

I can’t believe the mangaka got away with this in a Shonen series. 

I Give “Taste of a Kiss” a 4/5