In mid-December 2022, a petition with over 1,500 signatures appeared on Change.Org in Japan, requesting the animation studio MAPPA to restart the production of the anime adaptation of Chainsaw Man (originally titled “Ningen no Kiba”).
Fans have expressed that anime director Ryuu Nakayama’s vision for Chainsaw Man is one of the main reasons why the adaptation did not resonate with audiences. The director has been perceived as not fully grasping the source material, which resulted in a version that did not align well with the original work by creator Tatsuki Fujimoto.
In Japan, the Change.Org petition has become “definitely reputable,” and many people are taking it seriously, unlike in many other places where such petitions often go unnoticed.
The content of the petition to remake the Chainsaw Man anime is as follows:
However, the adaptation of Chainsaw Man has sparked significant controversy since its launch. The reason is that while the animation quality is high and the production is top-notch, there remains a considerable gap between director Ryuu Nakayama and the fans when discussing the interpretation of the core material. It is not an exaggeration to say that the adaptation has objectively failed, as evidenced by the lack of notable online discussions and engagement from the fanbase.
Prior to this situation, I had sent a formal letter to Shueisha and Studio MAPPA requesting a remake of the Chainsaw Man anime with a new director who has a clearer understanding of the source material. The voices of many fans will help realize this endeavor, so please make your voices heard by signing the online petition.
Regardless of whether you agree with the Chainsaw Man fans or not, the petition is currently public and is approaching 3,000 signatures. This has drawn attention on various discussion boards in Japan, with many mixed opinions.
In conclusion:
- First of all, the number of signatures is growing steadily.
- Sales of Blu-ray/DVD are nearly complete, and we will then see if it has truly failed commercially.
- Many Chainsaw Man fans are very supportive of the source material, but are not willing to pay to buy the merchandise.
- The number of anti-fans is increasing.
- At least this petition keeps everyone talking about Chainsaw Man, because nothing significant has happened since it concluded.
- In the final showdown, it will come down to the number of signatures versus the number of units sold to see which side will lose.
So, what do you think about the petition to remake the Chainsaw Man anime with nearly 3,000 signatures collected so far? Although it may not fully satisfy all fans, the Chainsaw Man anime remains a notable work that deserves a second chance.
