Perhaps it’s the cynic inside, but it felt natural to brace for the possibility thatChainsaw Man’s execution would be a bit more uneven as it went further along. There’s still time obviously, but the urge to needlessly wallow in the cynicism tends to wash away after an episode this good.
Last week, Power betrayed Denjito trade him to the Bat Devil for her cat, but ended up getting double-crossed by the Bat. Denji, in turn, realized he and Power weren’t so different, and went all out against the Bat Devil, saving some innocents along the way. This week’s “Rescue” opens with more of Power’s flashback to her past in what feels like a rehash of the prior episode, but it ties nicely into the beginning of the new one. Power and Denji have been slightly humbled by each other, realizing that their dreams are a little silly in the context of their respective positions.
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Running on Fumes
To follow up such a brutal fight with another, arguably better one in the following episode, was a bold choice that did not disappoint. Furthermore, the fight showsjust how tough Denji iseven when he isn’t in full Devil form, letting the fight still be fluid and crazy while still giving him a handicap.
And then Aki shows up and eschews the entire battle for the sake of the animation staff with some devilish flare of his own. It’s a sign of more character introductions to come and even with limited screen time, the animation adds so much personality to Aki’s crew. Even with all the bloodshed in the first half, this episode is almost more impressive in its quieter moments.
In motion, character animation is crisp, towing that line between 2D and 3D that viewers keep mixing up. When the actors are still, the camera is constantly framing the scenefrom the most striking angles, taking advantage of a birds-eye view and some gorgeous perspective shots. It’s more than looking good for the sake of looking good; the artwork is carrying the story beats in stride.
Aki takes a big focus this week, namely in his interrogation of Denji about Power’s innocence and his continued reluctance to treat them as equals. Makima assesses the situation and implies Aki is changing in response to Denji, and however slight it might seem at first, Aki in Episode 2 likely would not have accepted Denji’s lie that Power was innocent.
A Day In The Life
Perhaps the patience of the episode’s second half is what makes it feel oddly superior to the opening salvo of violence. Aki and Denji’s morning routine is charted with meticulous construction and almost no sound. At first, it feels like the show is askingthe audience to reflect on Aki tolerating Denjias per Makima’s previous assertion of Denji yielding change in him.
And while that point is undoubtedly true, it’s all really just the calm before the storm. No matter how much this episode felt like Aki’s, Power stole it right at the end, even dominating the end credits theme. With Episode 4’s end, the show establishes what appears to be a home base and a norm for these characters, from which the next true chapter can begin.
Ending Theme Week 4
As stated above, Power snatched this week’s crown and rode the episode to the very end, propelled by a quirky and wild music video. The pallet and the use of a static single-color backgroundfeel reminiscent ofJujutsu Kaisen’s first ending theme, but if that ED was sped up by two times.
After such a gorgeously animated episode, the somewhat choppy effects for comedic effects are hilarious, yet Power’s dancing looks like a rotoscoped dancing video. The song, “Tablet” by TOOBOE, is another contribution from a self-proclaimed fan of the source material honored to lend their talents. It seems to be a trend among the artists for the endings, and it’s a welcome one.
