Tatsuki Fujimoto is a standout in the manga world. His art is raw and visceral, and this aspect of his art, along with his apologetic way of storytelling that is equipped with hints of social commentary, has made Chainsaw Man a massive hit. When the Chainsaw Man anime debuted in 2022, Studio MAPPA delivered a visually stunning adaptation.
While this animation was dazzling, it wasn’t “Fujimoto” enough for fans, who pointed out that the animation failed to capture the essence of Fujimoto’s artwork. Enter Look Back, Fujimoto’s one-shot manga adapted into a film by director Kiyotaka Oshiyama. This adaptation succeeded where Chainsaw Man failed. It preserved the details of Fujimoto’s work and showed us what Chainsaw Man could have been.
Chainsaw Man didn’t feel “Fujimoto” enough
All of us can agree on the fact that the Chainsaw Man (the story that broke every rule in Shonen) anime was a technical marvel. Studio MAPPA did a great job on it. The fight scenes were fluid, the color scheme matched the dark and gory world of the manga, and the aesthetic screamed high-budget production. Everyone expected MAPPA to deliver, and it did.
Yet, for all its visual splendor, it missed the mark in translating something crucial. The anime looked fabulous, but it didn’t quite feel right. Something felt amiss. Eagle-eyed fans were quick to point out that Studio MAPPA failed to translate Fujimoto’s distinctive art style into the anime.
Fujimoto’s art style in the Chainsaw Man manga is defined by jagged lines, chaotic panel layouts, and an almost sketch-like quality that conveys raw emotion and intensity (intense enough to make us cry over Reze). The jagged lines and rough edges gave a unique feel to the manga, and the anime felt so different from the manga due to the lack of his art style.
Instead of translating this art style, the anime, instead, smoothed out the rough edges and opted for a clean look. It seemed as if MAPPA was prioritizing polish over personality. The art style of Chainsaw Man was a reflection of its story. It was chaotic, rough, and conveyed an anxious feel. The anime lacked all these things and looked like just another generic project.
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This lack of rough edges affects Denji the most. Denji in the Chainsaw Man manga exuded a rugged charm due to Fujimoto’s art style. In the anime, however, he appeared too pristine. Fans wanted to see the unrefined Denji from the manga, and didn’t feel like Fujimoto’s work was accurately brought to life by the studio. They left like there was a gap between the manga and the anime.
Look Back showed us what Chainsaw Man could have been
In case you’re wondering how Fujimoto’s art style would look when translated accurately onto the screen, then let’s “look back” to Look Back (ba-dum-tss). The adaptation of Look Back, a one-shot manga by Fujimoto, was directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and is a masterclass in staying true to Fujimoto’s unapologetic vision.
Just like Chainsaw Man, Look Back is filled with expressive aesthetics, and Oshiyama perfectly captured these in the film. In an interview with ANN, when the movie was praised for how closely it reassembled the manga, he revealed that he was aware of how certain details from the manga tend to get lost in anime adaptations, and that he wanted to translate them to the best of his abilities.
He further stated that he wanted to craft a movie that preserves the hand-drawn look of the manga, even when it was animated. The result is an adaptation that feels like Fujimoto’s pages in motion. The film embraces the texture and imperfections of Fujimoto’s art, and this enhances the story, making every scene resonate with us.
Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s Look Back did what Chainsaw Man couldn’t by preserving the essence, emotion, and imperfections of Fujimoto’s art from the manga. Due to its focus on the sketch-like quality of Fujimoto’s work, Look Back feels authentic and deeply connected to its source. It shows us that embracing imperfections and staying true to an artist’s vision can create something transcendental in nature.
Chainsaw Man is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
