Chainsaw Man: The Chaos

[Brian G.]

The very first thing I said -- "What if anime and otaku culture in general is (to put it politely) not our cup of tea? Is it somehow unfair to see some FanFest-ificaiton of HHN and feel kinda . . . annoyed? What am I missing here?" -- is still exactly what I'm saying. I am kinda annoyed by the FanFest-ification of HHN, and I'm explaining the reasons why. The goalposts are firmly in place.

I don’t care whether or not it's your cup of tea; it’s all a matter of preference, and I'm not arguing you have to like or attend anything at the event.

I am no fan of FNAF - but that's horror. It may be aimed at a younger audience. It belongs at the event.

I am middling on Fallout - but that's horror-adjacent, and features enough to interpret into a maze. It belongs at the event.

Now, whether they end up good or not remains to be seen, but they belong at the event.

The issue with your argument is that your definitions are incorrect. Fan Fest is not strictly an anime event; it’s a pop culture event that includes anime. Halloween Horror Nights is a Halloween-themed event. Period. There isn’t a "line in the sand" regarding what medium is included. If a property is horror or horror-adjacent, they are willing to feature it, and this isn’t something new.


They've featured video games, comics, musicians, magicians, a game show, a musical, wrestlers (twice), almost had a board game, and now are including anime as well. Hell, Bill and Ted were a staple of the event, and that's not even close to horror. This has always been their core lane.

It's one thing to have a "spooky-adjacent" niche sprinkled in sometimes; quite another to have something unrelated to horror (Fallout) as a marquee headliner of your horror event. Marvel, Fear Factor, even Beetlejuice -- those properties were side attractions, not headliners. They were filler compared to the main lineup of horror films and slashers that anchored the event.

What’s happening now is different. Fallout and FNaF aren’t side flavor — they’re centerpieces. Combine that with anime, and suddenly a decent enough chunk of the lineup has veered pretty far off the beaten path. That’s a major shift from the pattern you’re pointing to.

And the bigger context here is that Universal already has FanFest for gaming, anime, and broader IP tie-ins. If anything’s arbitrary, it’s shoehorning those properties into HHN rather than keeping HHN focused on what made it distinct.

Beetlejuice served as the marketing icon in the early years. Buffy, Rob Zombie, and Undertaker were used in marketing. I'd call those centerpieces.


Hell, they even had a Nightmare Creatures video game giveaway that was a focus, too.

This all boils down to...

No, I'm not.

So let's try this again:

You were not quoted.

This is also THE Chainsaw Man thread. I've yet to hear a compelling reason as to why it doesn't belong at the event...

This was nearly 25 years ago. Can we really faithfully compare these eras? Early 00's Orlando HHN is the same thing as the arms race that has defined the last six to seven years? That feels like a major stretch, and it's continued cherry-picking.

Dude... that wasn't your point. You said.

It's one thing to have a "spooky-adjacent" niche sprinkled in sometimes; quite another to have something unrelated to horror (Fallout) as a marquee headliner of your horror event.

Now you're goal post is moving because of the time difference? Cmon man. Don't accuse others of cherry picking and being obtuse when you keep changing the parameters.

 

[mccgavin]

FanFest catered largely to anime and the otaku culture, no?

No, not really. None of the 3 headlining properties (BTTF, Star Trek, D&D) were related to anime. The anime representation was relegated to just a meet & greet and a ported over show from USJ. While we will likely see more prominent anime representation as a result of how popular those minor experiences were, pretty much anything that is a popular non-horror property seems to be on the table for Fan Fest going forward.

 

[LPCaptainDeath]

This was nearly 25 years ago. Can we really faithfully compare these eras?

Apparently, HHN is not fair play when discussing HHN. Let's pack up, guys.

I'm questioning whether it's good. Because even if it's inevitable, that doesn't mean it's good. So back to my very first question: Why are people wrong for feeling that way?

I don't even think you know what you're arguing about at this point.

Dude, don't be obtuse. I'm not doing that to you. FanFest catered largely to anime and the otaku culture, no?

Back to the Future, Star Trek, and D&D all had walkthrough attractions and definitely headlined the event. The anime was the dark horse of it all.

Should we include Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory next year because of the boat ride sequence? Or Roger Rabbit because of the Judge Doom scene? It's the same line of thinking.

Who's being obtuse?

Dude, don't be obtuse. I'm not doing that to you.

Oh.

Despite everyone's best efforts to paint me otherwise, I am not close-minded.

 

[Tobias]

I don’t care whether or not it's your cup of tea; it’s all a matter of preference, and I'm not arguing you have to like or attend anything at the event.

I am no fan of FNAF - but that's horror. It may be aimed at a younger audience. It belongs at the event.

I am middling on Fallout - but that's horror-adjacent, and features enough to interpret into a maze. It belongs at the event.

Now, whether they end up good or not remains to be seen, but they belong at the event.

The issue with your argument is that your definitions are incorrect. Fan Fest is not strictly an anime event; it’s a pop culture event that includes anime. Halloween Horror Nights is a Halloween-themed event. Period. There isn’t a "line in the sand" regarding what medium is included. If a property is horror or horror-adjacent, they are willing to feature it, and this isn’t something new.


They've featured video games, comics, musicians, magicians, a game show, a musical, wrestlers (twice), almost had a board game, and now are including anime as well. Hell, Bill and Ted were a staple of the event, and that's not even close to horror. This has always been their core lane.



Beetlejuice served as the marketing icon in the early years. Buffy, Rob Zombie, and Undertaker were used in marketing. I'd call those centerpieces.
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Hell, they even had a Nightmare Creatures video game giveaway that was a focus, too.

This all boils down to...



So let's try this again:

You were not quoted.

This is also THE Chainsaw Man thread. I've yet to hear a compelling reason as to why it doesn't belong at the event...



Dude... that wasn't your point. You said.



Now you're goal post is moving because of the time difference? Cmon man. Don't accuse others of cherry picking and being obtuse when you keep changing the parameters.

And something to add to the angle of why not have the show at FanFest instead of Horror Nights?

One simply has to look over at Universal Studios Japan, which runs the annual Cool Japan event which is very much anime focused. However, Chainsaw Man does NOT play during that event, it's only played during Halloween Horror Nights. What a surprise, the Horror Anime is played at the Horror event and not the event where anime is front and center, and that's Japan of all places! It just makes sense to put the Horror Anime attraction at the event that's about Horror, and not the event where it felt like Anime was given a backseat over here.

 

[chris.g]

Can we get twin peaks s3 e8 next year in 3D in DWT at least.

I do think Chainsaw Man belongs btw, but I do echo viking's statement that it's weird for a horror-core event to draw pleads from people asking for it to be "less horror focused".

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

I am middling on Fallout - but that's horror-adjacent, and features enough to interpret into a maze. It belongs at the event.

The issue with your argument is that your definitions are incorrect. Fan Fest is not strictly an anime event; it’s a pop culture event that includes anime. Halloween Horror Nights is a Halloween-themed event. Period. There isn’t a "line in the sand" regarding what medium is included. If a property is horror or horror-adjacent, they are willing to feature it, and this isn’t something new.

Maybe let's avoid criticizing definitions seeing as your definition of "horror-adjacent" isn't exactly sound. Plenty of non-horror things have scary moments in them, but that doesn't make them even "horror-adjacent," let alone horror. Fallout is an action-comedy that satirizes the nuclear age, and within the satirization you see some crazy monsters and stuff. I watched No Country For Old Men again recently. Anton Chigurh is really scary. Like literally terrifying, every time he's on screen. Should we put him in a scare zone because he's horror-adjacent? You guys keep accusing me of moving goal posts and having the incorrect definitions but like . . . come on lmao.

In any case, I never said FanFest was strictly an anime event but there's no doubt that otaku culture fits better at an event like that compared to HHN, otherwise why not have it at HHN years ago? It's always been a viable fanbase, they love spending money. If it fits horror so well, why did they wait so long?

They've featured video games, comics, musicians, magicians, a game show, a musical, wrestlers (twice), almost had a board game, and now are including anime as well. Hell, Bill and Ted were a staple of the event, and that's not even close to horror. This has always been their core lane.

You're not catching me off guard with this stuff. I already explained what I see as a fundamental difference between the oddball occurrence and tentpole products. I don't need to keep spinning these wheels.

Now you're goal post is moving because of the time difference? Cmon man. Don't accuse others of cherry picking and being obtuse when you keep changing the parameters.

Yes, because of the time difference lmao. That makes a huge, very obvious difference. If you're gonna act like HHN in 2002 is the same exact thing as HHN in 2025, then there was never any point in having this conversation. Nobody even thought to use IP back then in the way they do now. Not a single parameter has been changed here, you just don't like what I'm saying.

 

[Brian G.]

Yes, because of the time difference lmao. That makes a huge, very obvious difference. If you're gonna act like HHN in 2002 is the same exact thing as HHN in 2025, then there was never any point in having this conversation. Nobody even thought to use IP back then in the way they do now. Not a single parameter has been changed here, you just don't like what I'm saying.

You really need to stop the condescending tone. I'm done having the convo because it's clear you won't admit being wrong and are saying nothing at this point.

 

[Allison]

But "part of the makeup" is not part of the "core focus," you know? This convo has expanded far beyond just Chainsaw Man and anime. Like I said, when you have something unrelated to horror as a headliner for your horror event, I think you've officially veered off course. There are a few scary moments in Fallout, no doubt. Should we include Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory next year because of the boat ride sequence? Or Roger Rabbit because of the Judge Doom scene? It's the same line of thinking.

And I totally agree your second point. I've even said multiple times here that I could end up loving Fallout, FNaF and Chainsaw Man when the event rolls around. There have been houses in the past that I was very skeptical of and ended up loving. Despite everyone's best efforts to paint me otherwise, I am not close-minded. Opinionated? Definitely. But I'm open to being wrong, always. On this specific topic, though -- the topic of whether or not these properties are a good match for HHN -- I don't think that I am. There are people in this very thread saying HHN would better if there was less horror. So I don't think I'm all that off-point here.

I mean Penn & Teller was also a headlining IP, and while I know nothing of this Chainsaw Man from what I’ve had to Google a chainsaw wielding demon hunter—to me—has just as much of a place in HHN, and its varied history, as a comedy duo of magicians.

It may not fit with what you want to see, it may not be the direction you want HHN to go in, but it clearly has its place at the event. Like @LPCaptainDeath alluded to, one of this year’s headlining IP’s is the Drake to my Kendrick, I’ve got Mrs. White flames-on-the-sides-of-my-face feelings about its director & writer, but, my solution is to attend when he’s no longer involved. If you’re that against this property’s inclusion, I’d recommend considering doing the same.

 

[Brian G.]

We should just put a pin in the convo. It's clear he's going to talk down to anyone who disagrees with him, so let's just call a spade a spade and leave this thread to discussing Chainsaw Man.

 

[Legacy]

EDIT - Sorry, I was writing this while Brian was posting and missed it.

I mean, the entire basis of the argument boils down to “anime doesn’t belong at HHN,” right? Because you acknowledge Chainsaw Man IS horror. But, because (I’m assuming) it’s animated or, potentially, Japanese, it belongs elsewhere. The issue is the medium of Chainsaw Man is strictly the medium.

Historically, HHN has never cared about medium. That’s why, yes, the HHN of 25 years ago still matters. Movie, TV, comics, video games, music, and magicians are all mediums that have been represented at the event. The only connective feature of those mediums is an adjacency to horror. That’s it. Hard horror slashers, entry-level spookiness, not really scary but intense imagery have all made appearances. To say that HHN is changing NOW—to say they’re catering or softening—willfully ignores what HHN has ALWAYS been: a celebration of things that can scare us or make us uncomfortable.

Dismissing the fact that video games are animated because the featured video games always strove for realism, this is the first time a hand-animated IP is appearing. Even with that, if the concern is that Chainsaw Man is “featuring,” it’s not. It’s a secondary show. Its presence is perfectly acceptable and, potentially, opens up the potential for more variety in what is presented at the event.

 

[Jerroddragon]

If you are interested in the Anime its Dubbed/Subbed on Crunchyroll and has only 12 episodes so you can finish the first season if you want before the show pretty easily

 

[viking_wizard_eyes]

We should just put a pin in the convo. It's clear he's going to talk down to anyone who disagrees with him, so let's just call a spade a spade and leave this thread to discussing Chainsaw Man.

So, just gonna ignore @LPCaptainDeath for posting sarcastic memes and just generally being a jerk? It’s not like you were gracious to @DTH when he shared an honest opinion that you just didn’t like, but I digress.

You really need to stop the condescending tone. I'm done having the convo because it's clear you won't admit being wrong and are saying nothing at this point.

Wouldn’t have been condescending were it not for my above comment, but good to know that the whole point of this convo was about me getting to admit I was wrong even though I don’t feel like I’m any less wrong than you feel like you are.

Like @LPCaptainDeath alluded to, one of this year’s headlining IP’s is the Drake to my Kendrick, I’ve got Mrs. White flames-on-the-sides-of-my-face feelings about its director & writer, but, my solution is to attend when he’s no longer involved. If you’re that against this property’s inclusion, I’d recommend considering doing the same.

But I’m not against it. I said a couple times that I’m gonna experience each of these things and keep an open mind, and I may end up liking them. I’m skeptical of their inclusion, but I can be persuaded. So yeah, these attempts to paint me as closed minded are pretty unfair. This statement alone makes me feel like people are just pissed about what I’m saying and not actually hearing what I’m saying.

 

[Brian G.]

So, just gonna ignore @LPCaptainDeath for posting sarcastic memes and just generally being a jerk? It’s not like you were gracious to @DTH when he shared an honest opinion that you just didn’t like, but I digress.


Wouldn’t have been condescending were it not for my above comment, but good to know that the whole point of this convo was about me getting to admit I was wrong even though I don’t feel like I’m any less wrong than you feel like you are.


But I’m not against it. I said a couple times that I’m gonna experience each of these things and keep an open mind, and I may end up liking them. I’m skeptical of their inclusion, but I can be persuaded. So yeah, these attempts to paint me as closed minded are pretty unfair. This statement alone makes me feel like people are just pissed about what I’m saying and not actually hearing what I’m saying.

I'm not having a convo with Capt, I was having a convo with you. And every time, you posted a condescending remark (and to others not named Capt.)

And if you think what I said to DTH was problematic, that says more about you.

Again, we're done. Move on.