English Dub Review: Chainsaw Man: “Gun Devil”

 

Overview: Makima (Suzie Yeung) tasks Denji (Ryan Colt Levy), along with the rest of Tokyo Special Division 4, to eliminate the Gun Devil. 

Our Take: Once we obtain our dreams, what happens when we have our perky, squashy aspirations at the palm of our hands? That is the question that informs a new stepping stone for Denji through the help of his object of desire in Makima. It allows him a deeper exploration of arousal that arises through mutual intimacy in relationships that lay the foundation for more organic and meaningful sexual experiences. It is a sexy, alluring scene that proves without a shadow of a doubt why Makima is so goddamn mesmerizing in her sensual touch with Suzie Yeung becoming an entrancing seductress.  

With Makima granting any wish he so desires, Denji’s carrot on stick is set in stone with his new assignment of taking out the Gun Devil. The Gun Devil works juggles various motivations in not only Denji’s but also Aki’s in it being the core of his hatred and vitriol towards Devils in the jaw-dropping death of his family that is all the more scarring in how sudden it was and loving his relationship with them were. The concept of the entity is also just engaging in how its existence manifested and its strength was heightened from public fear and paranoia regarding gun violence, a concept not too dissimilar seen from that of cursed spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen. However, the colossal scale of its last attack intensifies the threat surrounding it well. 

Grief makes for a shared connective bond between Aki and his partner Himeno in her consecutive loss of partners that builds an instinctually caring connection between them. More than that, she is such a fun character in her bright, shiny personality, despite her tragedies, along with being a pure flirt that makes her a delight, especially in her challenge to Denji and her other operative, Hirokazu, for a juicy smooch as reward for killing the Gun Devil.

There is also a good balancing act in the jovial bonding amongst the gang in Hirokazu’s straight arrow attitude clashing with Denji and Power’s carelessness and attitude that transitions into tension, due to their forced servitude and circumstances, with the Blood Devil’s cheeky threats against Kobeni stirring the pot. Himeno’s ghost abilities are especially eerie in the unknown extent and range of her power along with the appearance of the spirit. Kobeni is an adorable girl that I just want to put a warm blanket around and comfort in her constant fear that I can not help but sympathize with in how afraid she is of, seemingly, everything. She especially intrigues in the high praise of her abilities she receives from Himeno as they face off against a Devil who messes with their perception of reality. How the entirety of division four faces off against it, especially as there is still an air of uncertainty regarding their demonically powered teammates, will be where the bloody fun lies.