Compared to the US season, this one feels more brutal and deceitful. The traitors are master manipulators and it is interesting to watch it all unfold. It definitely feels like episodes are still way too long but if you got it going in the background while doing something else, the pacing is perfect for that. My wife also watched the Australian version and still came back and said the UK was her favorite.
Episodes are too long, jokes don't really land, and it has such a brainless ending that I didn't even realize the show was over.
It's not all bad though. If you're just looking to have something on the TV while you game or something you may occasionally look up and be treated with one of its rare funny moments. But the show is so drawn out you really don't have to pay attention to know what's going on.
Truthfully, I would advise not giving your full attention to this as you'll probably get bored and feel it's a poor waste of your time.
I read through CSM earlier this year, and I have to say, I'm really impressed with this adaptation. You can tell that the MAPPA team really cares about the source material, so much so that the small expansions that they do have here and their with their own flair fit the characters and the world at large beautifully. This is the bar that I wish all manga adaptations could hit.
That being said, I don't think it's perfect, MAPPA's continued use of CGI is frankly just as gross as CGI from anime 10+ years ago when I first saw that technique. It's not used much but it does take me right out of the show. I think the other drawback comes from the limitation of the length of the season. While a truly impressive adaptation, it really is a double edged sword in that we don't get to see a lot of character or even plot progression. Maybe it feels different if you're just coming into it with no knowledge of the manga, but as someone who KNOWS where the series is going and how we're going to hit some important character moments in future seasons... it's hard to enjoy some of this earlier stuff that just serves to introduce the audience to everything.
Those thoughts aside, overall Chainsaw Man is a greatly unique premise with a lot of passion, violence, and intrigue that I think would make many Shonen fans happy, especially with how it turns many of those common tropes on their head and uses the subversion of expectations for some fun payoffs and light humor. The characters are likable (in their own unique ways), and MAPPA does an excellent job adapting from the source material. The soundtrack is also filled with bangers. If you've read the Manga it's an easy recommend, and if you're new to the series, try the first few episodes and maybe go in with tempered expectations.
