Summary
While the lack of Chainsaw Man in episode two was disappointing, there’s still plenty of action to keep things interesting.
We recap the Crunchyroll anime series Chainsaw Man season 1, episode 2, “Arrival in Tokyo,” which contains spoilers.
After a captivating debut, Chainsaw Man hits the ground running and continues to impress into week two. At the end of the first episode, we saw Denji (voice by Kikunosuke Toya), a boy who has just fused with his pet chainsaw devil, become a hybrid named Chainsaw Man. He was picked up by the Public Safety Devil Hunters and given a choice to become one of them or be executed like a devil. This newest installment picks up where the last left off.
Chainsaw Man season 1, episode 2 recap
Riding in a car with the pink-haired woman he met earlier, Denji’s stomach growls, drawing her attention. She asks his name, only to inform Denji of their new arrangement. He is in her care now, like a dog, and she warns him that she has no need for disobedient pets. Disobedient pets get put down, after all.
Denji seems scared and resentful at being referred to as a pet, but the pink-haired woman still offers to buy him a meal despite her previous threats. She even allows Denji to wear her jacket, as his transformation into Chainsaw Man left him with minimal wearable clothing. His previous ill feelings toward her seem to disappear, as Denji recalls that no one has ever been nice to him before, especially no one this attractive. He declares that he loves her just before the opening credits begin.
As the two of them order udon, Denji almost faints. He thinks it’s because he lost quite a bit of blood in his chainsaw form, as the chainsaws also cut his body up. She asks Denji how he became Chainsaw Man, and he explains the process of Pochita dying and fusing with him. She reveals that while there isn’t much precedent for cases like his, she believes him because her sense of smell is so good that she can smell both a human and a devil inside of him. Just before Denji can reveal how cool he thinks that is, he passes out and wakes up again with his udon in front of him.
He asks permission to eat and the pink-haired woman asks if he is well enough to do it on his own. It’s hilarious to see Denji contemplate his answer before saying no so that his new companion will feed him instead. She continues to remind him just how similar he is to a pet, with Denji even barking in response to one of her questions.
Finally, Denji asks the pink-haired woman’s name, and we learn that she goes by Makima. Denji then asks what kind of men she is into. He’s hanging on to her every word as she pauses and replies that she is into the “Denji” type.
As Makima leads Denji to the Tokyo Headquarters for Devil Hunters, things are moving quickly. She explains that there are over 1,000 devil hunters in Japan, but Denji is too distracted by the thought of having a chance with her romantically to focus on anything else. The moment they’re in her office, she supplies Denji with his uniform. It consists of an outfit similar to hers, with a white button-up, black slacks, and a black tie, but no jacket.
When he’s changed, Makima introduces Denji to Aki Hayakawa, a coworker he will be shadowing for the day. He expresses his desire to work with Makima instead, but Aki tells him that he’s out of her league. As he is dragged out of the room, Makima promises Denji that if he does a good job, they may be able to work together one day.
In the field, Denji asks Aki questions about Makima, prompting Aki to lead him into an alley and begin beating Denji up. He demands Denji quit and warns that if not, he will be forced to beat him up again. Denji can’t help but wonder what brought on this sudden violence, and Aki explains that people who get into devil hunting for meaningless reasons, like money, often end up killed. Only people with “real motivations” survive in this business. If Denji only joined to get with Makima, which he did, then he should just quit now. Aki even offers to tell her that Denji ran off scared on his first day just before spitting on Denji’s body.
Denji counterattacks when Aki has his back turned, kicking him between the legs. As someone who just got treated decently for the first time in their life, this is a dream come true for him. This prompts Aki to attack him again, but Denji responds the same as before by kicking him between the legs, this time subduing him. We cut to Denji holding Aki up in Makima’s office as he explains that Aki was attacked by the “nut devil.”
Despite their malice towards one another, Makima says she’s happy they’re getting along before informing them that Denji will join Aki’s unit from here on out. Neither of them seems pleased, but it makes sense as Aki’s unit is an experimental one. He asks what exactly Denji is, and she explains that he is a human who can transform into a devil. She says he’s special and will receive special treatment, but all that means is that should he try to resign or become insubordinate, he will be disposed of like a devil. “It means we’re working together until you die,” Makima tells him.
Denji looks sullen as he and Aki walk down the street together. Aki says they will now be living together. Denji does not acknowledge him, instead asking if Makima is a bad person. He’s confused by Aki’s answer, but he clarifies by saying that she is, and she even saved his life. After remembering how kind she was to him, Denji declares his hope to hug her again, and his mood improves again.
The following day at Aki’s, Denji fulfills his first dream of having jam on toast while making an absolute mess. From here, he and Aki seem to butt heads all day. They report to work and are tasked with taking out a fiend that has taken up residence inside a nearby home. Aki explains to Denji that a fiend is what you get when a devil takes control of a human corpse. It differs from Denji because most fiends have distinctive heads with beatle-like pincers.
Chainsaw Man season 1, episode 2 ending
Aki tells Denji to attack the fiend with his chainsaw powers so he can see what he can do. Instead, Denji kills the fiend with an axe, explaining he wanted to make it painless for the fiend because he felt bad for him. Irritated, Aki pushes Denji against the window and tells him to stop sympathizing with devils. He reveals that devils killed his entire family and chastises Denji for not taking this job seriously. When he asks Denji if he’s trying to make friends with devils, Denji surprises him by saying that he would if he found one he could be friends with.
Once Aki leaves the room, Denji reveals his true motivation for not turning into Chainsaw Man. He did not want to get blood on a stash of dirty magazines he saw in the room. Denji suddenly remembers Pochita and feels good knowing he’s already fulfilled so many of his dreams with him. He wonders if Aki is chasing his own dreams as well, or even Makima, before he gets distracted by thoughts of touching her chest.
Suddenly, it hits him! While he doesn’t think he has far enough to score with a woman, touching boobs may be a more realistic goal. Aki said he wasn’t serious, but now Denji has a serious goal to work towards.
Back at the office, Makima assigns Denji a partner, as all smaller missions are carried out in two-person teams. In comes a tiny, feisty, pink-haired fiend with red horns named Power. He wonders how she can be both a fiend and a devil hunter, but like him, she is a special case. Since Aki’s unit is experimental, the higher-ups are looking for any reason to dismantle it. If that should happen, Denji and Power will be disposed of, so it would be in their best interest to show results.
The episode ends with Denji and Power on patrol together. While Power seems a bit intense in personality, she is still a female that Denji thinks he can put up with if it means one day getting close enough to touch her. Suddenly Power picks up the scent of a nearby devil and heads after it. With a blow from a hammer she crafted with her own blood, she easily takes out the Sea Cucumber Devil while Denji stares in confusion.
There’s a lot of information to take in this episode. As the viewers, we get a deeper look into characters like Makima, who aren’t quite what they seem. At times, there’s a lot of exposition to sift through, and the lack of Chainsaw Man is a little disappointing, but it’s still entertaining overall. Aki and Power seem like good additions to the cast that will help to round things out.
What did you think of the Crunchyroll Anim Series Chainsaw Man season 1, episode 2? Comment below.
