Last episode, Chainsaw Man made it’s characters deal with death in an intimate way as Aki mourned Himeno and Denji tried to figure out why he couldn’t cry. But outside of the emotion, Makima mobilized Public Safety Division 4 in an attempt to make them stronger leaving Aki at the doorstep of the Future Devil and Denji and Power mentored by the devil-hating Kishibe. Now, in Chainsaw Man Episode 11, “MISSION START,” audiences see the fruit of that labor.
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Chainsaw Man Episode 11 opens up with Aki and the Future Devil. Expected to give away a large part himself, the devil instead just asks to live in his eye —so he can watch Aki’s death. Yet again, Aki’s future is certain: he will die, and now the Future Devil will be present to it. Balancing Aki’s impending doom with humor, we also see Denji and Power complete their training with Kishibe. However, Kishibe’s training ending is more about the Captain’s attachment to the chaotic gremlin pair than their completion of it. But that only manages the first half of the episode, as the back half takes our team into direct conflict with Samurai Sword and his companions, zombies and all.
Like each episode before it, Chainsaw Man Episode 11 has layers to its story. Here, we get a vengeful Aki looking to defeat his enemies but carrying Himeno’s memory, particularly in the episode’s final moments. This episode shows the importance of crafting emotion with visual storytelling and few words. As Aki fights the devil that took Himeno’s life through her contract, it’s painful. Painful because he’s overwhelmed by its power, but because he knows it’s hers.
On the other hand, while we see Aki being pushed by emotion, Kishibe teaches Power and Denji to do the opposite. Chaos gremlins through and through, the dynamic duo are driven by their desires to the point that they lose perspective on the battles around them. While we don’t see this come into play in this episode, it does set the stage for the finale next week. But while we see Power and Denji able to center themselves for a future battle, Chainsaw Man Episode 11 goes big. It introduces four new fiends and devils that push studio MAPPA’s animation prowess.
The first is the Shark Fiend. A shark head and human body he swims through surfaces, walls, surfaces, you name it and munches down on enemies. The Violence Fiend is unbridled strength with a gas mask keeping his uncontrollable power dampened. Then there is the Angel Devil, a beautiful face, a small body, but a touch that drains you of your life. And finally, my favorite, the Spider Devil. Human on the outside with a line down her face, she pops up to reveal murderous spider legs that move in a way that absolutely pushes MAPPA’s action choreography.
But in all of this, Makima is the star of Chainsaw Man Episode 11. She is terrifying in her calmness, and her ability to perform violence without a blink of an eye because of her dedication to the State is terrifying. While we’ve seen Makima manipulate Denji with her sexuality, her stoicism in a room full of yakuza, coupled with her ability to kill with a look showcased the last episode, makes her unique in the series. Where other characters wear their emotions and devil contract on their sleeves, Makima is a fortress, and that’s what makes her scary.
Chainsaw Man Episode 11 may not be the most shocking of penultimate episodes for a season, but it has turned the dial all the way up on the action. Now, all episode 12 has to do is let it rip.
Chainsaw Man Episode 11 — "MISSION START"
TL;DR
Chainsaw Man Episode 11 may not be the most shocking of penultimate episodes for a season, but it has turned the dial all the way up on the action. Now, all episode 12 has to do is let it rip.
