Chainsaw Man is back with a new installment this week, and of course all eyes are on Denji thanks to its release. After all, the anime’s premiere sparked worldwide interest, and episode two promised to throw Denji into the action as he teamed up with the devil with a chainsaw. But right now, well – it seems like fans are a little busy debating the cut scene in the second episode with the boy.
As you can see below, the conversation started after the second episode started and fans watched as Denji arrived in Tokyo. After being recruited by Makima, the boy is smitten by the older woman and is all too eager to become a Devil Hunter if it gives him regular food. Along the way, Denji even takes a long bath, and this is where fans noticed the cut.
What’s the problem?
If you’ve read the manga, you’ll know what happens during Denji’s bathroom scene. The character is seen singing to himself while tapping the side of the tub to make the beat. He sings about the joys of his job because it’s professional and gives him lots of PTO. However, none of these benefits were mentioned in the anime. Denji keeps his mouth shut while bathing and the scene does not sit well with the fans.
Logically, the cut was probably reduced due to pacing or recording allocation for Denji’s voice actor. Yet these explanations mean little when Chainsaw Man is talking about an issue near and dear to the anime industry. In the past decade, working conditions in anime have deteriorated significantly, with workers barely being paid a living wage. Denji’s blocked song about his own union-backed PTO reminded the world how anime employees are treated. And apparently the debate over why the dialogue was cut is getting uglier by the second.
First season so far
Want to learn more about Chainsaw Man now that the first season is here? You can read the official synopsis of the series here: “Denji is a poor young man who will do anything for money, even hunting devils with his pet devil dog Pochita. He is a simple man with simple dreams, drowning under a mountain of debt. But one day his sad life is turned upside down when he is betrayed by someone he trusts. Now with the power of the devil within him, Denji has become a whole new man – Chainsaw!”