The adventures of Denji and Power, Operation: Save Meowy
Chainsaw Man once again goes for the balance of gore, comedy, and tenderness. And yes, it keeps working. Along with this, the third episode expands on the bureaucracy surrounding the Devil Hunting division. There’s a process to it all that isn’t solely “kill, kill, kill.”
For both Power and Denji, it’s a process that seems it’s in their best interest to obey.
If you aren’t caught up, go ahead and give the last episode a watch and our review a read!
How does Public Safety work?
The first scene is all too familiar. Receiving a lecture from a higher authority.
Denji and Power’s recklessness isn’t just going to fly past Makima. There are rules and certain “rights to kill” Devils. Even in a world where Devils haunt the human world, there’s litigation to be considered.
There’s a short interaction where Power plays to her strengths and lies her butt off, claiming Denji coerced her into striking first. Denji is quick to defend himself, but Makima is even quicker to shut down the feud. She doesn’t care who killed the Devil as long as they have the same understanding going forward.
Denji and Power will work together under the strict guidance of Makima.
All the Power to Power, a layered character
Denji’s will to live comes down to desiring a pair of breasts. Power’s driving force isn’t grandiose, either. She just wants her cat Meowy back.
Unlucky for her, it’s been taken captive by the Bat Devil. And he won’t give it back unless Power brings her Denji (Chainsaw Devil included) for him to feast on. An oblivious Denji is happy to help her get the cat back. But it’s not so selfless. Power promises to let him cop-a-feel if he manages to deliver.
Power’s a compulsive liar. Although here, her connection to Meowy is real. Power and Meowy share a nice parallel to Denji and Power. Although the stakes are slightly different, the fur ball connection gives Power a delicate layer akin to Denji’s. This is also what sets up Denji’s will to follow through with his aid, even if she does betray him.
That scene of baby Denji and Pochita is enough to cue the tears.
Fujimoto’s love of cinema
As mentioned before, the manga’s author is a fan of all things cinema.
I’m not sure how intentional some of the shot compositions are, but the anime feels indicative of a film at times. From the wide shots to the low-to-high tilts, there are Hollywood-like moments that add another element to this dynamic medium.
It’s not something completely new to an anime, but it’s worth noting. MAPPA studio seems to be putting their best foot forward in not only adapting the anime in a 1:1 for one copy but evoking the spirit of the author’s style.
Including these shots usually have meaning, and it’s fun to see how their impact can affect the viewer! Here’s a guide if you’d like to dive deeper into film and camera techniques.
Verdict
The episode caps off in Chainsaw Man fashion. Denji finds a way to pull through and put the devil in its place. It’s nice to see him have some more command of his abilities. It will be fun to see what else he can pull off by pushing his limits.
As for Power and Meowy, the episode leaves on a cliffhanger. But I’m sure it won’t be the last we see of her. Next week should introduce some characters that hopefully advance the plot.
