Chainsaw Man is one of the premier shonen battle manga series of today, and its anime adaptation ramped up the action scenes considerably. Few anime series can present a gruesome mixture of gory fights and terrifying monsters to the same degree as CSM, while still treading the thin line between shonen and seinen so masterfully. Season 1 of CSM not only adapted the manga source material accurately, it added a style and flare to the fight scenes that would only be possible in animation.
Chainsaw Man's first season doubled down on the series' over-the-top, Tarantino-esque action sequences, with nearly every episode putting Denji through brutal battles that would likely be considered part of the horror genre if they happened in any other series. With that kind of thing being the norm, CSM Season 1's best fights either bring something new to the table, or ramp up the intensity to such a degree that they stand out from the pack.
10 Division 4 Makes Short Work of the Zombie Devil's Minions
The Special Division's Introduction is a Stand-out Moment in CSM Season 1
Division 4's debut fight against the Zombie Devil's minions introduced a number of fan-favorite characters. While it would be Princi, Angel, Galgalgi and Beam's only time on screen in all of Season 1, their fight against the zombies still managed to make them memorable enough to get fans talking. Division 4 will have an even greater role to play in future arcs, so giving them the introduction they deserve will be important in making fans care about them in the coming arcs.
As Kishibe introduced each member of Squad 4, their abilities and personalities shone through perfectly despite their brief screen time. The Zombie Devil's minions mostly served as fodder to show off the Special Division's unique skill set, but it was also somewhat poetic having them casually kill the monsters who were the cause of Denji's death in the first episode.
9 Makima's Take-down of Katana's Gang Can Hardly be Called a Fight
The First Reveal of Makima's Power Makes Her an Even More Enigmatic Figure
While it can barely be called a fight in the traditional sense, Makima's takedown of the Gun Devil's Yakuza lackeys is easily one of the most intense scenes in all of Season 1. While the true nature of Makima's power has yet to be revealed in the anime, her onslaught against Katana and Sawatari's gang was a very telling moment. For one, it showed that Makima's power is truly overwhelming.
Additionally, it showed how little Makima cares for basic human dignity. She has absolutely no problem sacrificing one person to kill another, as long as it serves her version of the "greater good." It's a chilling theme that permeates Makima's character throughout the series, but her attack on Katana's gang is definitely the most obvious example of it in Season 1.
8 Katana Man Avenges His Grandfather's Death
Chainsaw Man's First Meeting With Katana Man Ends Badly For the Heroes
After Aki and Himeno are left utterly defeated by Katana Man and Sawatari, Denji finally steps in. The ensuing battle sets up the extent of Denji's inexperience in the face of an equal opponent like Samurai Sword. While Denji puts up a good fight, he underestimates how merciless Katana can be toward even his own henchmen.
In the end, Denji is left sliced completely in half, and Katana escapes with the upper half of Denji's body in tow. The reason that's important is that it sets up the true value of Denji's heart to the villains. There's a reason that the Gun Devil is out to take Denji's heart, and it has nothing to do with Denji himself. The fact that Denji's heart is a hot commodity is a truth that follows him throughout the series, but Denji's first fight against Katana was the first time the value of Denji's heart became apparent.
7 Kobeni Shocks Everyone With Her Combat Prowess
Kobeni's Cowardly Nature Made Her Skill in the Fight Against Katana Man and Sawatari More Surprising
A standout scene that is sure to have CSM fans talking for years to come is Kobeni's fight against Katana Man and Sawatari. What made this moment so incredible is the sheer shock of Kobeni's skill. As it was, Kobeni was presumed dead alongside her partner, Hirokazu Arai, after the Gun Devil's minions killed innumerable members of Public Safety in a simultaneous assassination attempt. Not only that, but Kobeni seemed like a complete coward who would never fight in a real battle during the Eternity Devil arc.
Kobeni being alive was not only powerful as a means of pure shock value: it was also emotionally impactful due to the death of Arai, who was revealed to have given his own life to protect Kobeni. While Kobeni made particularly short work of Katana and Sawatari, the animation of the fight was incredibly fluid and Kobeni's moves were some of the coolest in the anime, making the scene a standout moment of the series.
6 The Zombie Devil and the Yakuza Killed the Wrong Broke Young Kid
Denji's First Fight as Chainsaw Man Introduced Fans to What They Could Expect From the Series
Denji's first transformation into Chainsaw Man definitely starts the series off with a bang. It gives fans three important things they need to know about the series from the outset: Denji is not above being hurt, the Devils and their powers are ridiculous, and things will get bloody. The fight between Denji and the zombies is far from the typical shonen battle. Instead of awesome fight choreography and a benevolent hero, Denji is an inexperienced maniac who wildly slices through his enemies as though he's having the time of his life.
In some ways, it's understandable Denji would feel a sense of euphoric excitement; after all, he just came back from the dead. However, it's truly concerning when considering that Denji is a kid who never had a normal life, so the fact that his happiest moment comes from such a dark place is not a good sign of what’s to come for him.
5 Denji Was Willing to Kill The Eternity Devil Forever
Chainsaw Man's Fight Against the Eternity Devil is the Most Gruesome in all of Season 1
A routine mission to collect a piece of the Gun Devil turns into a terrifying mystery when Denji and his unit are trapped in the 8th floor of a hotel. No matter which direction they go, they’ll always end up on the other side, for all eternity. The truth of their fate is realized when the Eternity Devil offers the Devil Hunters a contract: hand over Denji, and the rest of them get to live. With no other options, Denji dives headfirst into the Eternity Devil’s mouth, Chainsaw's abound.
Denji repeatedly tearing the Eterntiy Devil apart from the inside, all while drinking its blood to restore his own energy, is one of the most unhinged moments in anime history. Denji ends up fighting the Eternity Devil for three full days, until it can no longer stand the pain and begs him to stop. It’s terrifying, hilarious, and a bit tragic all at once. After all, even though Denji is half-Devil, he’s also still human, and can feel all the pain of the Chainsaws protruding from his head.
4 Denji Slaughters the Bat Devil for Power's Chest
The Bat Devil Bites Off More Than it Can Chew When it Tries to Eat Denji
The Bat Devil was the first real threat Denji faced as Chainsaw Man. Even more interesting than the fight choreography and fluid animation was the surreal nature of the fight itself. This is the fight that sets the scale of the powers that Devils have in Chainsaw Man. The Bat Devil fires through entire buildings with its sonic shout, and Denji simply eats that attack like it was a hard punch. Additionally, Denji easily catches a car that is thrown at him, only to throw it right back at the Bat Devil while the driver is still inside it.
The fight with the Bat Devil also doubles down on Denji's status as something of an anti-hero, though he's not the typical cool, edgy anti-hero anime fans would expect. Instead, Denji is an awkward, selfish kid whose only real reason for fighting is to make good on Power's deal to allow him to fondle her breasts.
3 Denji Teaches the Leech Devil That Nothing Matters
Denji Fights the Leech Devil For the "Sleeziest Dream Ever"
A lot about Denji is the antithesis of what the average shonen hero would be. However, Denji's fight with the Leech Devil has many of the usual shonen trappings at first. Denji is up against an insurmountable threat, made even more hopeless by the fact that he has lost the use of most of his power. Still, Denji courageously chooses to stand up and fight like any great shonen protagonist would, though Denji's reason for doing so is what makes him different.
Denji turns the classic shonen formula on its head by showing that it's not whether a person's reason for fighting is right or wrong that causes them to win, but rather the person's resolve to win — no matter how deplorable their motivation may be — that's most important. At least, that's the story Denji would like to believe. Unfortunately, Fujimoto doesn't even take that theme seriously either, leaving Denji utterly helpless in the end, no matter how badly he wants to grope Power.
2 Himeno Gives Everything to Save Aki
Aki and Himeno's Fight Against Katana Man and Sawatari Explores the Full Spectrum of Emotion
In terms of action, animation quality and pure narrative significance, there are few scenes in Season 1 of Chainsaw Man that can compare to the initial fight against Katana Man. Even Katana's introduction into the series is perfect, as Akinuses the Fox Devil to swallow Katana whole, only for it to tell Aki that he forced him to swallow a true "abomination" this time.
The fight itself consists of two parts: Aki using the Curse Devil to kill Katana, and Himeno giving the ghost devil everything she has in exchange for it saving Aki. While Himeno's sacrifice is heartfelt, Fujimoto won't even let the heroes have that minor victory. As if Himeno's death wasn't enough, Sawatari summons the Snake Devil, who swallows the Ghost Devil whole, making Himeno's death seemingly for naught.
1 Denji Cuts Katana Man Down in Himeno's Name
Chainsaw Man vs Katana Man is a Grand Finale to an Epic First Season
CSM Season 1's big finale was a great send-off to an amazing first season. Denji trained as a Public Safety agent throughout the latter half of the season just to prepare for his rematch against Katana, who completely outfought him in their first meeting. While Denji was still wet around the ears, the only reason he ended up beating Katana Man was because he utilized the lessons that Kishibe taught him and Power during their training.
The fight between Katana and Denji was expanded from the manga, making Denji's training with Kishibe seem even more substantial. Not only was Denji's final move a clear indication of all he learned, but Denji's ability to fight toe-to-toe with Katana Man was a vast improvement from their previous battle. Not only was the fight narratively significant, but MAPPA clearly pulled out all the stops in terms of production for Denji and Katana's last fight. While the use of CGI in the CSM anime was criticized by some fans upon its initial release, fights like Chainsaw vs Katana show how CGI can be used as a means to enhance already-great animation, instead of just being a crutch to save time and money as CGI has historically been applied in other series.
