Chainsaw Man episode 3 demonstrates MAPPA's technical prowess, dedication to manga readers, and more

Chainsaw Man episode 3 was released in the early afternoon of Tuesday, October 25, bringing with it an incredibly beautiful and engaging episode.

It is truly a celebration of everything that makes author and illustrator Tatsuki Fujimoto’s original manga series great- from its warmth to its ultraviolence and everything in between.

Chainsaw Man episode 3 is also very clearly, in a way, a love letter to manga readers, with the Bat Devil’s introduction sequence and character design particularly showing this. Those experiencing the series for the first time via the anime are given a fantastic treat as well, with the second half of the episode focusing on Denji’s fight versus the Bat Devil.

Follow along as this article reviews Chainsaw Man episode 3 fully, focusing on the highlights of what the episode did great and what, if anything, could stand to be improved.

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Chainsaw Man episode 3 continues to be masterclass in anime production and adaptation from MAPPA Studios

Chainsaw Man episode 3 review

Chainsaw Man episode 3 is, from front to back, a perfect example of why MAPPA Studios deserved the series and how great a job they have done and will continue to do. Even seemingly mundane moments like Makima berating Power and Denji are filled with subtle, eerie teases ripe for manga readers to pick up on.

This is exacerbated by the brilliance of the overall production, with animation and voice acting standing out as highlights. Although some criticized the adaptation team’s choice in casting lesser-known voice actors for the core cast, everyone has delivered in their roles so far, especially Tomori Kusunoki’s Makima and Kikunosuke Toya’s Denji.

MAPPA’s dedication to having their adaptation completely uncensored is prevalent in this episode as well. Power was still naked during her flashback, Denji was just as crass and obsessed with boobs as he is in the manga, and the ultraviolence was still, well, ultra-violent. The series’ warmth also particularly shined through in this episode during a few key scenes.

It’s MAPPA’s ability to translate these themes and the core identity of the series as well as the manga, if not better, which proves why they were the perfect choice in the studio. The series so far has been nothing short of amazing to experience, even (or rather, especially) for those familiar with the manga, and Chainsaw Man episode 3 continues that trend.

Especially deserving of praise is lead character designer Kazutaka Sugiyama, whose Bat Devil concept perfectly captures what fans felt when meeting the Devil in the manga for the first time. The creepiness and grotesqueness of his image is just as prevalent in the anime as it is in the manga, if not more obnoxious in the former than the latter.

While the first half of the episode is seemingly made with manga readers in mind, the high-octane second half of Chainsaw Man episode 3 is clearly built with anime fans in mind. From the moment the music starts, it is a heart-pumping, nonstop battle between Denji and the Bat Devil, with MAPPA Studios’ unique and incredibly smooth animation strutting its stuff.

Every motion Denji and the Bat Devil take is incredibly fluid, with such smoothness that it is genuinely hard to tell which parts of the scene are 2D animation and which are 3D CGI. MAPPA’s ability to seamlessly blend and transition between these two animation styles is worthy of praise in and of itself, but even more so after seeing what they do with it action-wise.

For those fans who have read the Chainsaw Man manga, episode 3 is a reassurance that they were the right choice, with a clear love for the series coming through in almost every scene. For anime fans, the series’ third episode is another dive down the rabbit hole that is the absolute, unadulterated madness that Chainsaw Man immerses itself in.

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