All Chainsaw Man Episodes, Ranked Worst To Best

After its bloody and beautiful inaugural season, Chainsaw Man has established itself as one of the finest shonen anime of recent memory. While there isn’t a single bad episode, some are certainly better than others. Here are all of Chainsaw Man‘s episodes ranked worst to best.

12. Episode 2: Arrival In Tokyo

While Devilman’s first episode started off with a bloody bang, episode two slows the pace of the show for exposition purposes. There’s a lot of ground to cover. We need to know about The Public Safety Devil Hunter organization and get introduced to Denji’s coworkers. These intros are the best part of the episode. Denji makes Aki’s acquaintance by acquainting his foot to the man’s nuts, and the Blood Fiend power annihilates a giant sea cucumber with a hammer. Hell yeah.

11. Episode 10: Bruised and Battered

After the orgy of bloody chaos that was Episode 9, Chainsaw Man was forced to take a breather. But not by much! After their almost-defeat at the hands of Katana Man’ and company, Denji and Power are sent to train with the Devil Hunters’ best: Kishibe. The best part of episode of is Kishibe’s creative teaching methods, which essentially involve him killing Power and Denji over and over again in order to improve their skills.

10. Episode 3: Meowy’s Whereabouts

What starts as Denji’s newfound mission to get to second base with a coworker quickly develops into a heartfelt story of pet ownership. We find out through flashbacks that Power the fiend adopted a cat named Meowy, and the little guy is the only living creature that she loves. Turns out the poor cat was stolen by the Bat Devil, Power tells Denji he’ll let him touch her boobs if he can help her kill the beast and get her pet back. Hilarious, heartfelt, and gloriously bloody. Chainsaw Man at its best.

9. Episode 4: Rescue

After the Bat Devil is eviscerated by Denji, Power agrees to make good on her promise to allow him to touch her. His hand gets blown off instead. The Leech Devil attacks, and Denji and Power have to fend it off. The crowning moment? A tie between Denji’s glorious monologue about how he wants nothing more than a place to sleep, food to eat, and physical intimacy and the moment that Aki uses his badass Fox Devil bite off the Leech Devil’s head.

8. Episode 5: Gun Devil

Episode 5 begins with Denji learning a hard but necessary lesson about sexual intimacy. Power lets Denji touch her, but it feels… hollow? He doesn’t understand why. Makima has the answer: physical intimacy feels best when there is emotional intimacy present as well. It’s a surprisingly mature statement for a shonen anime to make, and one that ensure Denji is wrapped around Maxima’s finger forevermore.

7. Episode 6: Kill Denji

Episode 6 wins big points for giving us Kobeni at her best: anxious, adorable and totally unhinged. Trapped in an infinitely expanding building by the Eternity Devil, Kobeni intends to use her signature kitchen knife to murder her coworker Denji in exchange for the Devil allowing them to leave. Honestly, I can’t say I blame her. The Eternity Devil is easily the most terrifying foes the gang has faced so far.

6. Episode 11: Mission Start

After having recovered from the attacks orchestrated by Katana Man and Friends, Makima and the rest of Section 4 plot their counterattack. The best moment of the episode is Aki’s meeting with the Future Devil. The Future Devil is easily one of the most creatively designed creatures of the inferno in the show, and Aki’s conversation with the being is chilling. Meanwhile, Makima threatens that yakuza with a bag of eyes. Awesome.

5. Episode 1: Dog and Chainsaw

Chainsaw Man‘s first episode did what most shonen anime spend seasons struggling to do: it gave us a protagonist to root for. Unlike his “become the greatest fighter and save the world” shonen compatriots, Denji has no lofty ideals to fight for. He just wants food, water and a safe place for he and his puppy to sleep. And due to the Yakuza’s meddling, Denji can’t even have that! The crowning moment of the episode comes when Denji’s sweet little demon dog proves that he’s truly mans best friend by becoming Denji’s literal heart. Touching, shocking, and a little gross. All the things that make the show great.

4. Episode 7: The Taste of a Kiss

The Taste of a Kiss features the funniest moment in all of Chainsaw Man, which just so happens to be the worst of Denji’s life. After successfully defeating the Eternity Devil, Denji and friends celebrate by going out for drinks. A drunken Hateno tries to make good on her promise to French kiss Denji for defeating the Eternity Devil, but ends up throwing up in his mouth instead. It’s absolutely vile, and unforgettably entertaining.

3. Episode 8: Gunfire

Gunfire is moment sh*t gets REAL. While up until this moment the Public Safety Devil Hunters have had to fight off sporadic devils working solo, this episode introduces a complex conspiracy that leaves the team reeling. The assassination of Makima along with a slew of her subordinates was a true jaw dropper moment. Combined with the true tear jerker of Himeno’s sacrifice in order to save her friend Aki, this episode is one of the best.

2. Episode 9: From Kyoto

Episode Nine is full of insane moments: Kobeni losing it once and for all and cutting of Katana Man’s arm, Denji’s pitched battle with the group that killed Himeno, and Makima’s resurrection from the dead. But the cherry on top? Maxima’s freaky spell that allowed her to use the lives of death row inmates and reduce Section 4’s foes to a bloody pulp.

1. Episode 12: Katana vs. Chainsaw

REMATCH TIME . Katana Man and Chainsaw Man go blade for blade in what is easily the best fight in the show. Meanwhile Aki gets a heartfelt last message delivered to him from Himeno by way of the Ghost Devil that gives him the strength to go on. Power annihilates zombies. The most shocking moment? Akane’s involuntary suicide-by-Snake Devil after her capture by Section 4. While it might be the season finale, Episode Twelve proves that Chainsaw Man is just getting revved up.

(Featured Image: MAPPA)