It’s not often that an anime episode is better than the manga it’s based on, but Episode 6 of Chainsaw Man is one of those rare cases. Watching that was such a treat that I forgot how quickly time went by.I guess Denji and the others weren’t the only ones who didn’t feel the clock ticking…

If you’ve read any of my other episode reviews, you’ll know that I give considerably higher marks to the more subdued, character-driven episodes than the more high-octane ones. One reason is because I’m still yet to see a a seamless action scene with no frame rate drops.

The other reason being that the show explores human psychology extensively, and episodes like this one show how the mind of the Devil Hunters are tested when it’s backed into a corner and confronted with claustrophobia and a dread of the unknown.

Himeno nailed it on the head when describing the ideal Devil Hunter. Strong and bold Devil Hunters don’t inspire fear in demons; rather, it’s the slightly deranged among them who get the job done. This was not lost on Aki, who knew that he couldn’t succeed in his goal to kill the Gun Devil if Denji and Power were still alive.

The rest of the group sank farther into their sorrow, but those two numbskulls acted as if everything was hunky-dory.

As I watched Power mock Kobeni’s mental breakdown, I couldn’t refrain from laughing out loud. Denji fell asleep pretty quickly while waiting for others to figure things out as he found the bed to be quite comfortable. Only those who are deranged can act so asymmetrical while the world burns around them.

That’s why Aki resorted to such lengths (taking the stab from Kobeni’s knife and willing to sacrifice his lifespan to use a sword) to safeguard the blonde haired Denji.

Speaking of asymmetry, some folks on the internet found Kobeni’s tantrums to be more annoying than the Manga, which I found was odd.

I believe her voice acting and body language was accurate. Karin Takahashi made sure her voice wasn’t unbearably squeaky while maintaining the necessary high pitch.

Her random noise making was actually adorable and contributed to Kobeni’s already lovable gestures. How so?

The Manga’s representation of those little shocks and squeals was limited to variations of a generic “Huh! HUUUUHHHHH!??” while the Anime had more dynamic tones and movements.

These minor details can only be explored with the right direction. Chainsaw Man Episode 6 Director Shun Enokido was the key animator for 2 One Punch Man episodes and the Opening sequence of “No Game No Life”. No wonder the quality of this episode was topnotch!

I couldn’t help but be reminded of Jujutsu Kaisen’s Cursed Spirits drawings as I examined the Eternity Devil’s intricate design. A proper blend of terror and irregularity. The sequence of events following the Devil’s name drop was genuinely haunting.

I would be lying if I said I didn’t get chills when the Devil opened its infinite amount of mouths, waiting for Denji to fall to his death. I sat there watching in awe.

The fact that practically everything in Episode 6 of Chainsaw Man was done by hand makes it an outstanding piece of animation. The blend of 3DCG and 2D animation, while the characters are fleeing the Eternity Devil, was wonderfully executed and felt seamless.

The directing was so good that even some dialogues from the original Manga (English translation) were fixed in the anime.

For example, Himeno described Aki as those who join the Devil Hunters with a chip on their shoulders in the Anime as opposed to Viz limiting the description to “Dark and Broody guys”.

Another one is Power using the word “Spycy” rather than “Pie” in the Manga as a pun to the word “spy” as Kobeni accused Arai as one.

However, there’s a small modification in one of the lines when Himeno reasons with Aki to smoke. In the Anime, she says “It’s great for socializing” whereas Fujimoto wrote “We’re gonna be working together closely, so you should do it.” in the Manga.

This changeover kinda undermines the close bond Aki will have with Himeno in the future, lacking a personal touch which is present in the Manga version.

Another feedback from some fans is the lack of blood-pumping action sequences in the last two episodes.

These two episodes felt like cutscenes within a game. Where are the dukes? I wanna hear the Chainsaw’s vroooom again.

I believe that expositions are necessary for the right amount of impact generated during the action. When characters go through hell, we learn more about them and develop a sense of attachment. Without that, a death scene wouldn’t be so impactful. That’s all I’m sayin’…

Overall, Chainsaw Man Episode 6 was a fun rollercoaster blended with inner psychological warfare in order to pass the test of the survival of the fittest.

Chainsaw Man Episode 6 rating: 9/10

So what do you think of Chainsaw Man Anime Episode 6? Let me know in the comments below!

CHAINSAW MAN © 2018 by Tatsuki Fujimoto/SHUEISHA Inc./MAPPA