The head of Studio MAPPA reveals that Chainsaw Man was not as successful as they had hoped and was outperformed by Jujutsu Kaisen
A report from Sportskeeda outlined Otsuka’s assessment of the Chainsaw Man anime’s performance, expressing that he had hoped for more. The CEO stated that while the series was a financial success, it did not sell as many DVD/Blu-Ray copies as he expected, with most of the views coming from its TV distribution. “I wish I could have reached more audiences who pay for the package.” In addition, he claimed that he didn’t think it had the same “impact” as Jujutsu Kaisen.
Studio MAPPA Invested 100% into Chainsaw Man
Studio MAPPA poured a lot of their efforts into Chainsaw Man, with the same interview featuring assurance from Otsuka that the company invested 100 percent into the production of the series, as per Anime Senpai. This almost exclusive ownership of the property meant the studio was heavily dependent on the anime’s success, explaining the reaction to the lackluster DVD/Blu-ray sales. Despite the alleged underperformance, Otsuka confirmed that the company will work to “approach the target audience who will pay money for the work of CSM.”
Chainsaw Man, written by Tatsuki Fujimoto, follows an unkillable young man named Denji, who fuses with his devil dog to become the titular Chainsaw Man, a human/devil hybrid. From there, he joins Public Safety as a devil hunter and comes under the guidance of the mysterious Makima. The manga is currently in its second major arc, the “Academy Saga.” Chapter 130 of Chainsaw Man will release on May 23, 2023.
The Dark Shonen Trio
Fans often link Jujutsu Kaisen and CSM as part of the “Dark Shonen Trio,” which also features the 2023 Studio MAPPA title Hell’s Paradise. These anime properties are considered some of the industry’s most influential modern projects, exploring dark themes, violence, and traditional shonen tropes. Despite the bleak and horror-heavy elements in the shows, they are also known for their unique humor, impressive visual styles, and positive depictions of friendships and relationships.
Hell’s Paradise is currently in its first season, with Jujutsu Kaisen ready to return for its second on July 6, 2023. All three shows, including Chainsaw Man, are available on Crunchyroll. Studio MAPPA is also producing Vinland Saga Season 2, Attack on Titan: The Final Season and Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou at the time of writing.
