Chainsaw Man Episode 10 review: A cutthroat catch-up

Chainsaw Man cuts both your heart and your throat in Episode 10, with the fallout of previous episodes taking a toll on our characters.

Chainsaw Man has been one of the most hyped-up anime in recent years, and its first season has finally arrived on Crunchyroll, with just a few episodes left now, including Episode 10.

The plot is described as Crunchyroll as: “Denji is a teenage boy living with a Chainsaw Devil named Pochita. Due to the debt his father left behind, he has been living a rock-bottom life while repaying his debt by harvesting devil corpses with Pochita. One day, Denji is betrayed and killed. As his consciousness fades, he makes a contract with Pochita and gets revived as ‘Chainsaw Man’– a man with a devil’s heart.”

This episode deals with the fallout of last episode, while also bringing in new elements. So, before we get into it, spoiler warning for Chainsaw Man ahead…

Chainsaw Man takes a breather, but only a short one

Episode 10 follows the deaths of multiple characters, including the rather likable Himeno, so it obviously takes a moment to dwell on grief – not too long though, which seems to match the tone of the whole show. People die, but we move on.

The show does take care to mention this, however, as Denji – who is unable to cry at the thought of losing those he works with – wonders if becoming a demon has destroyed his heart in more ways than one. It’s a coldness that gives an edge to our protagonist, setting him apart from others of his genre.

But he does go through it in this episode, as does Power. They are both introduced to a new – and very intriguing – character, the drunken Demon Slayer veteran Kishibe, who takes the role of teacher to the two demons.

Kishibe brutally kills them again and again in order to train them, and we can only wonder the extent of his powers. He’ll certainly make for a great action scene in the future, though the fight scenes are mostly played for comedy in this episode, with Denji and Power literally wearing glasses in one scene in order to try and “outsmart” him.

Aki gets plenty of focus

Aki is also going through it in Episode 10, albeit in a more emotional sense. After losing his partner and his demon contract power, Aki is forced to sit in the hospital with the weight of all he’s lost. We see him reading painful letters, crying, and continuing to move forward, albeit in a not-so-healthy way. It’s funny how the show’s most stoic character is also its emotional center. The animation is oddly fluid in many of his scenes, which is a little off-putting, but perhaps this is intentional, to visualize his vulnerable state.

The episode also ends with him in an effectively unsettling scene; Aki goes to create a contract with the Future Demon, which will no doubt have a severe cost. The demon is hidden in a darkened cell, and the music that plays over its reveal is arguably the most impactful ending that the show has had so far.

It’s somewhat unclear how the season is going to progress from this, considering that we’ve only got two more episodes left, but it’s certainly intriguing to think about.

Chainsaw Man Episode 11 premieres on Crunchyroll on December 20.

Want more Chainsaw Man reviews? Check out our other episodic reviews below

Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Episode 9 | Episode 10 | Episode 11 | Episode 12