Once again, Chainsaw Man’s newest episode, “Rescue,” was a delight to watch. There were some truly jaw-dropping moments, mixed in with comedic scenes that provided just the right contrast. Overall, Episode 4 was a lot of fun and I can’t wait for next week.
This Chainsaw Man Episode 4 review is for anime-only viewers. For the latest Chainsaw Man news, subscribe to our email list, choosing the “anime” category.
The Battle & Flashbacks Created a Compelling Start
The episode begins with an interesting flashback from Power’s pre-Public Safety days. We’re reminded of just how wild she used to be, feeding off the blood of animals (but seemingly leaving humans alone), while she slowly developed a closer relationship with Meowy. She really does love that cat.
Of course, I was thrilled to see that both Power and Meowy survived just fine! Meowy seems completely unfazed after being swallowed by the Bat Devil.
But there’s only a brief moment of respite before Denji’s facing another battle. This time it’s with a devil who was partnered with the Bat Devil — the Leech Devil. And she’s mad about the Bat Devil’s death.
Their battle was intense and really well-animated. Because he had lost so much blood, Denji couldn’t transform into his full form, but he could still do a ton of damage even with a tiny chainsaw. (This makes me wonder if when Denji first met Pochita, Pochita was so small because he was sick, and he just never showed Denji his most powerful form?)
However, even with such unbelievable strength, Denji was going to be overcome by this devil because he’s simply not at his strongest. Even when he’s emboldened with anger over everyone saying his simple dreams aren’t good enough, he still couldn’t muster up enough power to win the battle.
And that’s when what was perhaps one of the best moments in the anime so far happened.
Aki Hayakawa appears and uses a hand signal to call a Fox Devil named Kon.
Hayakawa Was the MVP of the Episode
He simply says “Kon” and the most amazing scene commences… An unbelievably huge white Fox Devil with crazy red eyes shows up out of nowhere and makes quick work of the Devil fighting Denji. Just like that, the battle is over.
We also get to see the rest of Hayakawa’s team for the first time. I’m sure there’s a story behind each of them. But we only see them briefly before the plot continues.
Although Power and Denji both made some pretty serious breaches of protocol, they’re going to get a pass. Two devils were killed (and Denji’s covering for Power as best he can.)
I really enjoyed the episode’s focus on Hayakawa, which helped make him a more sympathetic character that I want to see on screen more. He was more compassionate with Denji when he was in the hospital, and decides not to report what really happened to the higher-ups. He tells Denji that if he just listens to him from time to time, he can protect the lifestyle that he loves so much.
Next, we see him visiting Makima that evening, updating her on everything that happened. He mentions there were no traces of “gun flesh,” which I’m guessing is hinting at another devil who will play a role in the future. After their meeting, we continue with a Slice of Life moment with Hayakawa, and literally get to see what he’s like with his hair down.
It’s fun how they took care to animate such simple scenes so well, from splashing water on his face to brushing his teeth and making coffee. They pay just as much attention to every detail as they do during a devil fight. It’s a pleasing, relaxing scene that helps the viewer feel more at home with Hayakawa and realize that he’s just a regular, good guy with hopes and dreams of his own.
Of course, all that serenity comes crashing down when Makima decides Power gets to move in with them! I’m really looking forward to the funny moments we’ll see from this trio being together. The episode ends with Denji finally achieving his teen dream of touching boobs, which is pretty hilarious. But even better are the moments when we get to see Denji basically mirroring Hayakawa’s horror at how unsanitary Power is. I think these two are going to learn they have more in common than they think.
All in all, this episode gets high marks from me. I can’t get over how much fun it is to see a show rich in worldbuilding, a touch of mystery, lots of action, but also humorous scenes that literally have me laughing out loud. This is a great show so far.
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