Chainsaw Man: What’s the Story Behind Its Popularity?

Anime is one of the world’s biggest entertainment industries, but that doesn’t guarantee box office success. Even when a film breaks records in Japan, anime has often struggled to draw large audiences in U.S. theaters. Chainsaw Man, however—a series that wears its wild concept on its sleeve—had no trouble making money on the big screen. Its theatrical success highlights just how deeply the series has resonated with anime fans.

What is Chainsaw Man?  

Chainsaw Man is a manga series by Tatsuki Fujimoto. It currently has 22 volumes and is still ongoing. The story takes place in an alternate version of Earth where the Soviet Union never collapsed. In this world, devils from Hell threaten humanity. In Japan, the Public Safety Devil Hunters fight these devils when they become too dangerous. Here, a teenage boy named Denji makes a contract with his devil dog, Pochita, allowing them to fuse into the chainsaw devil.

Now able to sprout chainsaws on his arms and out of his face, Denji joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters and gets to work. The series is known for its solid characterization, black comedy, and the ridiculous nature of its intense action scenes. For a show with such an absurd premise, Chainsaw Man has proven to be one of the biggest and most successful anime series in recent years.

How It’s Performed At The Theatres

As stated previously, it’s rare for anime movies to perform exceedingly well in the States. Many films are relegated to limited theatrical release, and while they perform well enough in their own right, it’s never anything too spectacular. Recently, another anime, Jujutsu Kaisen, has enjoyed a very profitable theatrical release with its own film.

This is worth noting because the movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0 became one of the highest-grossing anime films in the United States. That’s an impressive feat. However, Chainsaw Man’s recent film, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, has surpassed Jujutsu Kaisen’s earnings. It now ranks among the best-performing anime movies of all time.

This is particularly interesting due to Chainsaw Man’s unabashed R-rating. Usually, PG-13 films perform significantly better than R-rated films for a very simple reason: they can reach a larger audience. Anime in particular has adhered to that ideology, with Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s PG-13 rating being a prime example. So, for an R-rated anime film to perform so well is a stark example of how animation studios shouldn’t feel pressured into censoring their content in hopes of performing well in international theatres.

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Why is it so popular?

Aside from the release of its current film, Chainsaw Man also has a novel adaptation, a stage play adaptation, a browser game, and numerous pieces of merchandise to its name. You know, the garden variety of tie-in material for anime that makes it big. It might seem like old hat to focus on the success of a popular anime series, especially as fellow series like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, and Dandadan are currently experiencing tons of success themselves. Still, it’s the raw and graphic nature of Chainsaw Man that makes it so unique.

Sure, there have been plenty of anime about a young protagonist fighting devils and monsters. There have been numerous anime series about young heroes finding themselves, even while contending with seemingly impossible odds. And, boy, have there been a decent amount of anime that excel at dishing out a lot of intense action, but Chainsaw Man manages to blend it all into a surprisingly palatable mix.

While some products are averse to intense action, Chainsaw Man leans completely into it. It’s a fine testament to the quality of its storytelling, characterization, and overall animation that allows people to accept and embrace the violence for the sake of its narrative.

Why should you check out Chainsaw Man?

Anime series come and go, and in recent years, the refresh rate on shows has become insanely fast. Just as a series becomes a hit and the next big thing, another show emerges and dethrones it just as quickly. And as many series are judged season by season, rather than by the entirety of their output, the transience of anime series is blisteringly fast. The fact that Chainsaw Man has lasted for seven years and remains strong means something. 

Add in the fact that it’s not only doing well after seven years, but is currently smashing the backboard at the movie theater, and that’s a pretty good indication that the series knows what it’s doing. Have you watched Chainsaw Man yet? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Is it really that good? Please let us know in the comments below!

Cited Sources

• Tokyo Weekender. “Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc Slices Through Box Office Records“.
• The Japan Times. “Kenshi Yonezu, ‘Chainsaw Man’ and the art of pop ubiquity“.
• Anime Hunch. “Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer & 5 More Anime Films Eligible for 2026 Oscars“.