Chainsaw Man’s first season didn’t disappoint. The anarchic, ultra-violent anime won over legions of fans with its blood-splattered visuals and visceral action. It stands to read, then, that Chainsaw Man season 2 has already shot up to the top of fans’ most-wanted lists and, while concrete info is in short supply, there’s plenty we can discuss and speculate on until we clap eyes on Denji (and Pochita) once more.
From a look ahead to a possible release window for Chainsaw Man season 2, to what manga chapters will be adapted, and even the likely streaming destination for the new season, we’ll cover all bases. The devil, after all, is in the details.
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Chainsaw Man season 2 release date speculation
Chainsaw Man debuted during anime’s traditionally busy fall window in October 2022 and ran for 12 episodes.
While there’s been no official season 2 announcement just yet, we don’t anticipate the show being cancelled anytime soon. In fact, given Studio MAPPA’s incredible output in recent years, we wouldn’t put it past them to pinpoint a fall 2023 return – though 2024 could also be a distinct possibility, especially if Attack on Titan’s return is pushed further back into late 2023.
Chainsaw Man season 2 story: what’s happened and what is it adapting next?
The first season of Chainsaw Man revolved around a boy called Denji and his Chainsaw Devil/dog companion Pochita. After inheriting his father’s debt from the yakuza, Denji becomes a Devil Hunter – but is killed by a Zombie Devil, one of many creatures that manifest from humanity’s fears.
Denji, however, is revived and fuses with Pochita to become the titular Chainsaw Man. By pulling the ripcord on his head, he can turn into what is, essentially, a sentient chainsaw.
Much of the first season saw him grow into his role as Public Safety Devil Hunter alongside partner Power, Aki, Himeno, and Kobeni. They face off against the likes of the Bat Devil, Ghost Devil, and Katana Man – who they eventually capture. The season ends with the Snake Devil killing Akane, the team being on the hunt for the Gun Devil, and the introduction of a mysterious new woman, who asks whether someone would rather be a "country mouse" or a "city mouse."
The first season of Chainsaw Man adapted the first 38 chapters of the manga. So, if you want to read ahead to see what the second season will cover, then you’ll need to start from chapter 39.
As of right now, it’s unclear how far the next season will reach in terms of adapting the source material. We’re about 40% of the way through the manga’s first part (the Public Safety Saga), though there’s likely a little too much material to cover for just one 12-episode season.
Unless the second season runs longer, we can see Chainsaw Man hurtling through the explosive Bomb Girl arc (chapters 40-52) and the International Assassins arc (chapters 53-70) upon its return. No spoilers here, but the woman seen at the end of the season 1 finale – Reze – will factor heavily into the next batch of episodes. The overarching threat of Gun Devil will also be keenly felt as the now-merged Division 4 of Public Safety and its team of Devil Hunters encounter new friends and foes.
Chainsaw Man cast: who could return for season 2?
We expect Denji (Kikunosuke Toya), Makima (Tomori Kusunoki), Power (Fairouz Ai), and Aki (Shogo Sakata) all to return. One major newcomer will be Reze (Reina Ueda), while we also anticipate much of the English dub cast to reprise their roles. More news as and when we get it.
When can we expect a Chainsaw Man season 2 trailer?
Don’t expect a Chainsaw Man season 2 trailer anytime soon. With no announcement forthcoming, we’ll be lucky to get even a snippet of footage in the first half of 2023. Keep an eye on Crunchyroll’s social accounts and the official Chainsaw Man Twitter account for more in the coming months.
Where can I watch Chainsaw Man?
The first season of Chainsaw Man is available to watch subbed (and dubbed, with the season 1 finale hitting in English in mid-January) on Crunchyroll for Premium members. It's safe to assume Chainsaw Man season 2 will also stream exclusively on Crunchyroll day-and-date alongside its Japanese broadcast time.
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