Jujutsu Kaisen is often compared to Chainsaw Man because of the similarity in their storytelling styles and their dark demon/curse-oriented visuals. While both are shonen animes that were released in rapid succession, fans have often resorted to comparing the two.
Although both also feature ghostly beings that pose danger to humanity and are animated by the same studio, there is enough to distinguish them from each other. In a recent interview, MAPPA's CEO revealed the production costs, reception and financial success of both, and that has generated a substantial buzz on social media platforms.
MAPPA CEO talks about two of its best-performing series, Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen
The CEO of MAPPA was interviewed about both series, to which he replied:
"Financially, it was a complete success. However, I'm still not satisfied with whether it has the same impact as "Jujutsu Kaisen", which I worked on most recently.
@CSPerfectShot referred to this interview:
"Some works sell a lot of packages (DVDs and Blu-rays), while others get a lot of views through distribution To be honest I wish I could have reached more audiences who pay for the package. We will explore how to approach the target audience who will pay money for the work of CSM."
In his interview, Manabu Otsuka claimed to have never seen such unprecedented love for an anime. He also explained their process in detail. He also spoke at length about his exposure to the production committee's work in Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, such as the intricate processes for rights, licencing, and product planning, has been beneficial for his learning.
Chainsaw Man features the story of a young boy who is forced to become a demon after he is killed, and after which he merges with his demonic dog Pochita. Meanwhile, Jujutsu Kaisen features a boy who swallows a magical finger and merges with an ancient demonic being.
As such, while both seem similar, the latter features a high-school setting where the characters attempt to train and fight curses (the universe's version of demons). Chainsaw Man on the other hand features a secret society fighting demons and hence involves a work work-like setting.
Chainsaw Man was really popular even before it aired and already had a great fanbase. Jujutsu Kaisen on the other hand found a way to ride on the hype-train after gaining long-term popularity when the anime aired. Both were also published by Shonen Jump.