With the release of the second Chainsaw Man movie trailer, some “fans” have flipped their stance, calling Season 1 “mid” and praising Ryu Nakayama’s exit from the director’s chair. So, was his vision off the mark?

The Director Swap

It all started when Keisuke Seshimo initially tapped Tatsuya Yoshihara to direct Season 1. At the time, Tatsuya was swamped with deadlines across multiple projects, including the Black Clover movie, so he suggested Ryu Nakayama as a stand-in. After reviewing Ryu’s portfolio—highlighted by a well-received episode from Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1—Seshimo offered him the gig.

Unlike Tatsuya, who’d honed his directing chops, experience, and crew management through the grueling Black Clover production, Ryu was still green when it came to leading a massive team. He may have jumped at the offer too quickly, eager to test fresh ideas on his debut project. That vision sparked controversy—not just among viewers, but within the production crew too. Shinsaku Kozuma was likely among the first to clash with Ryu’s artistic direction, followed by names like Naoki Miyajima and Miso.

A Vision of Restraint

Ryu’s style leaned hard into faithful designs and realistic movement, prioritizing storytelling and motion consistency. That choice, though, cramped the action scenes, boxing out freestyle animators who couldn’t fully spread their wings. Enter 3D—a tool to boost that consistency, and the crux of years-long debates (cue the “PS2 game” jabs). Even 2D layouts of devils got swapped for 3D for the same reason, streamlining the animation directors’ focus on human characters. Benjamin Faure later revealed Ryu knew fans were split on the 3D use and tried tweaking it in Season 1’s final episodes. Too little time, too late.

Peaks Amid the Critique

Still, you can’t deny Season 1 was a audiovisual feast. Some action, acting, and storytelling moments hit perfection. Despite the realism push, Ryu gave episode directors room to flex their flair while staying true to his vision. Take TNK in Episode 3, Tatsuya in 4, Shun in 6, and Gosso in 8—each screams their signature style at a glance. The acting? No over-the-top goofiness like Bocchi the Rock or Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, but its grounded realism had its own charm and appeal.

Not Wrong, Just Different

Ryu’s vision for CSM Season 1 wasn’t wrong—it was his take as a director. Sure, he lacked experience and needed to experiment to refine his choices, as Benjamin’s interview hinted with Ryu’s late adjustments. Had he stayed on for the movie, I’d bet he could’ve matched Tatsuya’s heights with a sharper grasp of his own direction. Fun fact: Ryu and Tatsuya’s styles align more than you’d think—storytelling, action, the works. Watch Yatterman Night, and you’ll see how close they are.

Blaming a director’s vision when judging an adaptation feels off to me. Everyone sees things their way—Ryu included. He wanted to tweak some elements and test others in his debut. The mixed reception could’ve clarified his path, but the toxic backlash and threats? I get why he’d ditch the chair. Growth comes through missteps—not because the movie looks better doesn’t mean Season 1’s trash. Both shine in their own right. Tatsuya and Masato still carry Ryu’s legacy forward; they just unhooked the one chain sparking all the fuss: that “realistic consistency” from Ryu’s first swing at directing.