Summary
- Chainsaw Man's unique qualities make it suitable for various game genres, but choosing the right design is challenging.
- A horror-infused hack and slash game or RPG could effectively adapt Chainsaw Man's atmosphere and character relationships.
- The series' sense of intimacy and daily life could be incorporated into an RPG with odd jobs and relationship-building mechanics.
Chainsaw Man is one of the most popular anime of recent years. By contrast, anime video games have had their fair share of ups and downs throughout the years. However, with a few promising titles coming down the line, it's becoming more apparent than ever that Chainsaw Man has yet to make any kind of foray into the world of video games.
Despite its lack of video game titles, Chainsaw Man is brimming with potential. Chainsaw Man has a number of unique qualities, such as its immense appetite for extravagant violence, which could lend the series well to any number of genres. Although this broad potential presents a number of options, it also turns selecting the specific design of a Chainsaw Man game into a difficult task.
Chainsaw Man Deserves a Video Game Adaptation
Chainsaw Man Features Brutal Action
One of the first priorities for any Chainsaw Man game would be nailing Denji's fighting style. The titular Chainsaw Man has a unique fighting style that largely involves brutalizing his opponents in a beautifully bloody fashion. There are only so many genres that allow for such an erratic way of fighting, yet there are some among them that would perfectly compliment the series' style.
Fighting games are often considered shoe-ins for adapting any popular shonen manga. Dragon Ball and Bleach are some of the most influential shonen of all time, and both have upcoming arena fighters. Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact is an upcoming traditional fighter as well, showing there's plenty of breadth within the genre.
However, Chainsaw Man should steer clear of the fighting game genre, at least for its first outing. After all, several other action-packed genres suit the series much better. Chiefest among them, Denji and friends could fit right in to a sufficiently creative hack and slash game. From the stylish combat of Devil May Cry to the more straightforward brutality featured in God of War, there's plenty of inspiration to go around.
Chainsaw Man Should Bring a Horror Flavor to Any Adaptation
Chainsaw Man is chock-full of thematic horror, so no video game adaptation of the series would be complete without leaning into the horror genre. While most design elements of survival horror games like Resident Evil wouldn't translate well, there are a few essential lessons to pick up.
For one, some of Chainsaw Man's most menacing Devils could already fit in with the best nightmare fuel. The Devils themselves don't do all the heavy lifting, as the encounter that surrounds them is often just as bone-chilling. Chainsaw Man already nails the atmosphere and monster design of the horror genre, and should carry this over into a video game adaptation.
Chainsaw Man is About Much More than the Fights
Although Chainsaw Man may be infamous for its lightning-fast pacing and constant peril, some of its most beloved moments are in the downtime its characters share together. Denji lives with his two closest friends, and forms a familial bond with them that lies at the heart of the series. The depth of character development at the heart of Chainsaw Man means the series could find its home as an RPG.
As important as it is to nail brutal combat and a terrifying atmosphere, all of that doesn't become uniquely Chainsaw Man in its tone unless developers roll in the characters. Denji may not have a grand goal like his shonen anime counterparts, but his desire for intimacy is still an integral part of the series' message.
The game wouldn't need a social system with the depth of something like Persona 5, but the ability to directly influence and engage with Denji's relationships would go a long way. Second most important to Denji's bonds is the fact that he's always down on his luck. Many RPGs provide the ability to do odd jobs, which would really sell players on Denji's desperation to make a buck.
With the distinct mixture between over-the-top action and down-to-earth daily life, something like No More Heroes could serve as a perfect blueprint for allowing players to really live the experience of being Denji. If developers wanted to adapt Chainsaw Man more directly, a more straightforward hack and slash action game could also do the job. At the end of the day, Chainsaw Man deserves a video game adaptation after its immense success, and it's no easy task to get just right.
Chainsaw Man
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022
Chainsaw Man is an action-heavy shonen anime that follows Denji, a guy who fuses with a devil called Pochita. The show is based on a manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto.
- Studio
- MAPPA
- Seasons
- 1
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Tatsuki Fujimoto
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, Crunchyroll
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.47
