The Animation Studio Behind the 'Chainsaw Man' Anime Is a Decorated Team in the Anime Biz

Of the many eagerly anticipated anime adaptations coming down the pipe, few have as much buzz as Chainsaw Man. The manga's unfiltered narrative and starkly violent art have helped the manga garner popularity among fans. In 2021, Chainsaw Man won for Best Shōnen Manga at the 66th Shogakukan Manga Awards and Best Manga at the 2021 Harvey Awards. In 2020, Chainsaw Man ranked #10 in a list of Japan's "Most Wanted Anime Adaptations" at the time. That anime adaptation is currently on its way.

Chainsaw Man was originally written by Tatsuki Fujimoto. It follows a young man named Denji who tries to pay off his debilitating debt by hunting down devils. But after suffering betrayal, Denji becomes a devil himself with chainsaws for a head and arms.

News on Chainsaw Man was featured at Jump Festa 2022, including a preview for a continuation of the original manga and a release window for the anime adaptation. But who's in charge of bringing this decorated fan-favorite manga to life?

The anime was first announced in December 2020 at Jump Festa 2021. The upcoming series will be animated by none other than MAPPA. First founded in June 2011, the studio is known for its work on Shinichirō Watanabe's Kids on the Slope, Yuri!!! on Ice, and Dorohedoro on Netflix. They rose to prominence for their celebrated work on 2020's Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan: The Final Season. The first trailer for the Chainsaw Man anime was unveiled in June 2021 during the studio's 10th anniversary.

The animation team at MAPPA is known for their unique blend of 2D scenes and 3D action sequences. While anime fans typically look down on the use of CGI in anime, MAPPA has previously utilized detailed and ambitious 3D models in their action scenes to great success. Their work on Jujutsu Kaisen earned the series the title "Anime of the Year" at the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

Aside from series, they've also worked on anime films like Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie, Garo: Divine Flame, and the upcoming Yuri!!! on Ice and Zombie Land Saga films. They also provided the opening animation for the critically acclaimed game Persona 5 Royal. They were also previously working on an anime film with the late but legendary anime director Satoshi Kon, but the film was canceled due to a lack of finances.

Chainsaw Man is known for its high-octane actions and intense visuals, and MAPPA is already delivering on that front. The first trailer already puts their trademark 3D action and fluid 2D animation at the forefront. The trailer is already ominous and captivating all at once while being unafraid to put MAPPA's talents to the test.

The anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man is currently scheduled to premiere in 2022. The second part of the manga will begin in the summer of the same year.