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MediaLink, MAPPA Announce Partnership, Distribution for Chainsaw Man Anime in Asia
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Hong Kong content distributor MediaLink Entertainment Limited and anime studio MAPPA announced on Wednesday that they have entered into a business partnership for anime distribution, licensing, and merchandising in Asia (including China), which includes the upcoming television anime of Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man manga.
Viz Media is publishing the manga simultaneously digitally, and is also publishing the manga in print. Shueisha's MANGA Plus service is also publishing the manga in English digitally. Viz Media describes the story:
Denji's a poor young man who'll do anything for money, even hunting down devils with his pet devil-dog Pochita. He's a simple man with simple dreams, drowning under a mountain of debt. But his sad life gets turned upside down one day when he's betrayed by someone he trusts. Now with the power of a devil inside him, Denji's become a whole new man—Chainsaw Man!
The anime will premiere this year.
Ryū Nakayama (Black Clover, Jujutsu Kaisen episode director) is directing the anime at MAPPA, and Hiroshi Seko (Ajin, Attack on Titan The Final Season) is writing the scripts. Kazutaka Sugiyama (Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation) is designing the characters, and Tatsuya Yoshihara (Black Clover, Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls) is directing the action. Makoto Nakazono (DARLING in the FRANXX, Little Witch Academia) is serving as chief technical director. Kiyotaka Oshiyama (DEVILMAN crybaby, Space Dandy) is designing the devils, and Yūsuke Takeda (Eden of the East, Vinland Saga) is directing the art. Naomi Nakano is the color key artist, and Yohei Miyahara is designing the screens. kensuke ushio (DEVILMAN crybaby, Liz and the Blue Bird, A Silent Voice) is composing the music.
Fujimoto (Fire Punch) debuted the Chainsaw Man manga in Weekly Shonen Jump in December 2018 and ended its "first part," the "Kōan" (Public Safety) arc, in December 2020. The manga will return with its second part titled "Gakkō-hen" (School Arc) on Shonen Jump+ this summer.
The manga was nominated for the 13th Manga Taisho awards in 2019, and ranked at #4 on the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2020 (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook's top manga for male readers. The manga won in the Best Shōnen Manga category at the 66th Shogakukan Manga Awards in January 2021. Additionally, the manga topped the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2021 list for male readers. The manga won the Best Manga award at The Harvey Awards last October.
Source: Press release
