Last updated: 1 November 2026
Chainsaw Man is a dark action anime by MAPPA, adapted from Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga. Season 1 aired in fall 2022 with 12 episodes, following broke devil hunter Denji, who merges with his pet devil Pochita and becomes a chainsaw-wielding hybrid. The story continued on the big screen with the Reze Arc movie in 2025.
About Chainsaw Man
Denji is a poor teenager who hunts devils to pay off his father's debt, helped by his pet devil Pochita. When Pochita saves his life by merging with him, Denji becomes Chainsaw Man, a devil-human hybrid with chainsaws for arms. It is wild, funny, sad and completely unpredictable. The Chainsaw Man anime is produced by MAPPA and adapted from Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, and it looks and sounds like nothing else. Every episode of Season 1 even ended with a different ending song and its own animation. Under the gore and chaos is a strangely touching story about a boy who never had a normal life (a warm bed, good food, people who care) and would kill devils just to keep a small piece of it.
Chainsaw Man is a TV anime from 2022, first released in Fall 2022. It belongs to the Action and Horror genres. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
Denji's life is miserable: dirt poor, in debt to the yakuza, and hunting devils with his chainsaw-dog Pochita just to survive. When the yakuza betray and kill him, Pochita gives up his heart to save him, and Denji comes back as a human-devil hybrid who can sprout chainsaws from his head and arms.
Recruited by the mysterious Makima into Public Safety's devil hunters, Denji finally gets food, a home and a purpose, as long as he kills the devils she points him at, above all the legendary Gun Devil. Alongside the wild blood-fiend Power and the revenge-driven Aki Hayakawa, Denji learns that his new life comes with a price: everyone wants the heart of the Chainsaw Devil beating inside him.
Denji's goals stay heartbreakingly small (jam on toast, a date, a proper nap) while the world around him turns into a nightmare of devil contracts, betrayals and sudden loss. That contrast is Chainsaw Man's signature: the crudest jokes and the saddest goodbyes in the same breath, and a hero whose heart quite literally belongs to someone else.
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Chainsaw Man anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 1–2 | 2022 | Denji dies, Pochita saves him, and Chainsaw Man is born |
| Bat Devil | 2–5 | 2022 | Denji joins Public Safety as a devil hunter and fights the Bat Devil to save Power's cat |
| Eternity Devil | 5–7 | 2022 | Special Division 4 is trapped inside an endless hotel by the Eternity Devil |
| Katana Man | 8–12 | 2022 | A gun attack shatters Division 4, and Denji faces the Katana Man |
Why Watch Chainsaw Man
- Season 1 famously gives each of its 12 episodes a different ending song and its own ending animation.
- MAPPA produced the series alone, with no production committee, and gave it a gritty, film-like look.
- Denji's dreams are tiny (good food, a warm bed, a date) which makes the horror hit harder.
- Kenshi Yonezu's opening “Kick Back” became one of the most streamed anime songs in the world.
- Wild tonal swings: crude comedy, sudden grief and extreme gore often land in the same episode.
Who Is It For?
Chainsaw Man is rated TV-MA in the US, adults only. Expect graphic gore, strong violence, crude humour and sexual references throughout. It is not suitable for children or younger teens.
Main Characters
View all characters →
Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Chainsaw Man.
- DenjiDevil hunter who becomes Chainsaw ManJapanese voiceKikunosuke Toya
- PowerBlood Fiend; Denji's partnerJapanese voiceFairouz Ai
- Aki HayakawaPublic Safety devil hunter; Denji's seniorJapanese voiceShogo Sakata
- MakimaPublic Safety leader who recruits DenjiJapanese voiceTomori Kusunoki
- PochitaThe Chainsaw Devil; Denji's pet and heartJapanese voiceShiori Izawa
- HimenoAki's partner; senior devil hunterJapanese voiceMariya Ise
- Kobeni HigashiyamaNervous rookie devil hunterJapanese voiceKarin Takahashi
- Angel DevilA devil who drains lifespans by touchJapanese voiceMaaya Uchida
- RezeCafé worker with an explosive secret (Reze Arc film)Japanese voiceReina Ueda
- KishibeVeteran captain of Special Division 4Japanese voiceKenjiro Tsuda
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Tatsuki Fujimoto
- Animation Studio
- MAPPA
- Director
- Ryū Nakayama (TV series); Tatsuya Yoshihara (Reze Arc film)
- Series Composition
- Hiroshi Seko
- Music
- Kensuke Ushio
Manga & Source Material
Chainsaw Man is Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, told in two parts: the Public Safety Saga, which the anime adapts, and the Academy Saga that followed it.
- Written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto
- Part 1 ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2018 to December 2020 (97 chapters, 11 volumes)
- Part 2 ran on Shōnen Jump+ from July 2022 and concluded in March 2026
- The manga is complete: 232 chapters collected in 24 volumes, with the final volume released in June 2026
- Season 1 of the anime adapts the first 38 chapters
- The Reze Arc film adapts the Bomb Girl arc, from manga volumes 5–6
Music
Kensuke Ushio's electronic score drives the series. Season 1 has one opening and a different ending song for every episode (12 in all, one per episode) while the Reze Arc film brought Kenshi Yonezu back for both of its theme songs.
Opening Themes
- “Kick Back”by Kenshi YonezuSeason 1 opening
- “Iris Out”by Kenshi YonezuReze Arc film theme song
Ending Themes
- “Chainsaw Blood”by VaundyEpisode 1 ending
- “Zanki”by Zutomayo
- “Hawatari Ni-Oku Centi”by Maximum the HormoneAlso used as an insert song in the Reze Arc film
- “Dainōteki na Rendezvous”by Kanaria
- “In the Back Room”by syudou
- “Chu, Tayōsei”by ano
- “Deep Down”by Aimer
- “First Death”by TK from Ling Tosite Sigure
- “Jōzai (Tablet)”by TOOBOE
- “Dogland”by PEOPLE 1
- “Violence”by Queen Bee
- “Fight Song”by EveEpisode 12 ending (season finale)
- “Jane Doe”by Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru UtadaReze Arc film ending theme
Series Timeline
- 2018
Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga begins in Weekly Shōnen Jump on 3 December.
- 2020
Part 1, the Public Safety Saga, ends with chapter 97; a TV anime by MAPPA is announced.
- 2022
Part 2 begins on Shōnen Jump+ in July; Season 1 of the anime airs from October to December (12 episodes).
- 2025
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc opens in Japan on 19 September, continuing the story directly.
- 2026
The manga concludes in March with 232 chapters and its final volume follows in June; an anime sequel covering the Assassins arc has been announced.
Quick Answers
Is Chainsaw Man finished?
Chainsaw Man has not been announced as finished, so more of the story may still come in the future.
What genre is Chainsaw Man?
Chainsaw Man is a Action and Horror anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Chainsaw Man release?
Chainsaw Man first released in Fall 2022. It is a TV series.
Is Chainsaw Man very gory?
Yes. Chainsaw Man is an adult series with graphic violence and dark themes, balanced by black humour and surprising emotional moments. It is not suitable for younger viewers.
What should I watch after Chainsaw Man Season 1?
The story continues in Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, which adapts the next manga arc, about Denji's fateful meeting with a girl named Reze. Watch it after the TV season.
Why does Chainsaw Man have a different ending in every episode?
Season 1 was made as a love letter to cinema and music: each of its 12 episodes has its own ending song by a different artist, with unique animation. It is one of the most famous creative choices of the series.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Chainsaw Man and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1Chainsaw ManSeason 1 (2022): this series; Denji's story begins.
- 2Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze ArcMovie (2025): continues directly after Season 1.
Where to Watch
Chainsaw Man is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.