“Chainsaw Man“was released in 2022 as a new anime from MAPthe one for which the Japanese study I had bet like in no other case. While it may not have received all the rave reviews it wanted (though it didn’t lack any either), it still rocked the international stage. The story of how Denji becomes this human-demon hybrid After merging with Pochita, it is already one with many followers, and that is why today I leave you Some Anime Recommendations to Kill Time Until I Return.
Jujutsu Kaisen
If I have to start the article recommending an anime similar to “Chainsaw Man” with a first proposal, it must be clearly”Jujutsu Kaisen“. Both anime focus on organizations that, in contemporary Japan, must fight life or death with demons (in “Jujutsu Kaisen” they are called “curses”, but for convenience they end up being the same thing). Likewise, just as Denji has Pochita within him, the demon that allows him to transform, Itadori in “Jujutsu Kaisen” has Sukuna within him, a curse of enormous power. In general, they share that dark touch in which fights with fantastic powers are what advance the plot the most.
- Release date: October 3, 2020.
- Number of episodes: 24 (Season 1).
- Where to see: Crunchyroll.
Dorohedoro
There’s a lot of things that “Chainsaw Man” and “Dorohedoro“, starting with the fact that it is the same MAP whoever is in charge of making this latest anime (albeit with a little more CGI presence which, to my personal taste, doesn’t look bad at all). In “Dorohedoro”, we are also in a dark fantasy world in which its main character, Caiman, was transformed into a kind of human-reptile in the same way that Denji is a human-demon. Likewise, the anime is also full of gore and people with special powers that will definitely remind us of what we saw in the “chainsaw kid” anime.
- Release date: January 13, 2020.
- Number of episodes: 12.
- Where to see: netflix.
Heaven from Hell: Jigokuraku
Where do we find the closest resemblance between “Heaven from Hell: Jigokuraku” and “Chainsaw Man” is definitely in its protagonists. No, Gabimaru has nothing in him or turns into a demon, but he is someone who, like Denji, offers himself to a chance in life you can’t refuse. Moreover, “Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku” also has this goal of dark fantasy which forces us to face all kinds of aberrations that could well pass for demons. Finally, although Sagiri and Makima are not too similar in character, in the end they are two female characters controlling the main male.
- Release date: April 1, 2023.
- Number of episodes: 13.
- Where to see: Crunchyroll.
Devilman: Crybaby
It’s easy to say that “Chainsaw Man” was inspired at the time by “Devilman: Crybaby“, basically because both stories begin the same way: a teenager merges with a demon and from there it will change his life forever. In “Devilman: Crybaby”, yes, we come across a plot that will eventually trigger a war between angels and demons that will unleash chaos on the entire Earth. Obviously the action of “Chainsaw Man” is more centralized in this sense, but it’s still another dark fantasy proposal with demons involved that will surely convince more than one.
- Release date: January 5, 2018.
- Number of episodes: 10.
- Where to see: netflix.
Kimetsu no Yaiba
Two stories that have at the center of the action organizations dedicated to hunting demons. Yes, there are differences, like that the demon Denji has inside in “Chainsaw Man” that Tanjiro has as a sister in “Kimetsu no Yaiba”, or that unlike most of the proposals on the list, Tanjiro’s story is set in feudal Japan, with “Chainsaw Man” set in a contemporary setting. Well, Tanjiro has a “bigger” goal than catching Denji’s coin. Despite this, both are anime that show fast-paced battles against demons with abilities of all kinds.
- Release date: April 6, 2019.
- Number of episodes: 26 (Season 1).
- Where to see: Crunchyroll.
Parasite: The Maxim
“Parasite: The Maxim“really presents a story about how an alien race is planning to invade earth. So how is it supposed to look like what “Chainsaw Man” offers? Because Just as Denji merges with Pochita at the beginning of the story, in “Parasyte” we see how Shinichi, its protagonist, does the same with one of the aliens.. In fact, in this case, the fusion is a mistake, because the alien’s goal was really to take over the host as a parasite. This scenario, however, will lead to Shinichi having to fight savagely against other aliens the same way Denji hunts down demons.
- Release date: October 9, 2014.
- Number of episodes: 24.
- Where to see: netflix.
Gantz
“Gantz” and “Chainsaw Man” share a clear similarity: Overnight, its protagonists are involved in an event that will change their lives forever, and which will force them to expose themselves to deadly powers in a world threatened by supernatural beings.. Specifically, Kei’s story in “Gantz” revolves around a “game” he participates in after his death that will give him the chance to come back to life if he wins. Of course, for this you need to put an end to all sorts of strange extraterrestrial beings of great lethality. Plus, it’s got plenty of gore (and it doesn’t cut too sexually either).
- Release date: April 13, 2004.
- Number of episodes: 13 (Season 1).
- Where to see: netflix.
FLCL
And finally I leave you with “FLCL“, an anime that the author of “Chainsaw Man” himself mentioned as inspiration for his work. In “FLCL” we surely have the most “funky” and laid back section of “Chainsaw Man”, not to mention that it has a soundtrack that will surely delight those of you who have enjoyed the many themes of the MAPPA anime. Also, what both animes look like is also that, ultimately, The two protagonists meet a female character who changes their lives forever.. Of course, it can be said that Naota’s life in “FLCL” is even more disturbed than Denji’s, especially because of the small detail that the robots start to come out of his head.
- Release date: April 26, 2000.
- Number of episodes: 6.
- Where to see: Currently not available in Spain.
And those are all the anime recommendations I have for anyone looking for something similar to “Chainsaw Man”. Obviously each work is unique in the end, but I think that Many of those I’ve mentioned share that element of gore, dark fantasy and demons that characterizes so much of the general essence of MAPPA’s work.. Oh, and don’t forget that these recommendations are for killing time, because the “Chainsaw Man” anime still has a long way to go.
More Anime Recommendation Articles