At last, the fall anime season has arrived, and it is just as busy as you thought it would be. So far, My Hero Academia and Spy x Family are dominating the cour as both shows returned to the air on October 1st. Of course, superhero fans were quick to check out the premiere given how intense season six of My Hero Academia is looking. And in its first episode, well – fans noticed a familiar figure from Chainsaw Man hiding amongst the crowds.
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The whole thing came to light when season six dropped and kickstarted a raid on Shigaraki’s army. The pro heroes are split in two as some have gone to target Dr. Garaki while others focus on the Paranormal Liberation Army. The latter group has dozens if not hundreds of heroes on hand. But if you looked closely, you would have seen a knock-off Chainsaw Man lurking in the wings.
Of course, the hero himself wasn’t used as Chainsaw Man has its own anime coming up under Studio MAPPA. As such, fans were introduced to Knifesaw Man. The hero in My Hero Academia has traded in Denji’s white button-down for a blue one, and his tie is a brick red here. Of course, this hero has some sort of knifesaw for a head rather than a chainsaw to prevent any copyright infringement. But if you are just taking a quick glance, it is easy to mistake this guy for Chainsaw Man.
Of course, this nod is an intentional one as My Hero Academia did feature a Chainsaw Man cameo in the manga. This exact scene was inked with Denji in this knock-off’s place, and fans lost their minds over the unexpected cameo. Kohei Horikoshi, the creator of My Hero Academia, is a known fan of Chainsaw Man so the reference was hardly surprising. However, no one expected Denji to show up in the flesh.
READ MORE: My Hero Academia Director Hypes Season 6 With Izuku Sketch | Chainsaw Man: Top Scariest Devils, Ranked | My Hero Academia Season 6 Shares First Episode Synopses
Now, Horikoshi’s anime has welcomed its own take on Chainsaw Man, so this knock-off has big shoes to fill. It won’t be long before Denji himself hits the screen, so fans of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s series can rest easy. Chainsaw Man is slated to debut on October 11th, and it will be simulcast on Crunchyroll stateside.
Have you checked out the premiere of My Hero Academia season six? Did you catch this little nod…? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.