Sure, Denji comes off as an awkwardly relatable Shonen MC for many Chainsaw Man fans. But did you know that even his English voice actor, Ryan Colt Levy, resonates deeply with him?
FandomWire recently had the opportunity to interview Levy, where he shared that Denji’s constant optimism, even when facing dire life challenges, is something he personally relates to a lot. He is always positive, caring, hungry, and resilient; traits that Levy says he sees in himself as well.
I’ve always felt, for better or for worse, that I was stubborn when negative things happened to me. Instead of thinking, “Poor me,” I would take it like a challenge.
Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc has been a major box-office hit in the U.S., and knowing that the main character’s English voice actor is this passionate about the role makes it easy to see why. During the interview, Levy also revealed a few more things he loves about Denji.
English Voice Actor Ryan Colt Levy Could See a Version of Himself in Denji
How deeply Levy relates to Denji on a personal level is truly awe-inspiring. When he first discovered Chainsaw Man, he said it felt like a ‘lightning strike’. He immediately saw pieces of himself in the character. Surely, that’s why his performance felt so genuine both in the movie and season 1.
There was so much that I understood about Denji, resonated with, and had been through.
In his early life, Levy had spent years as a struggling musician, living what he called the ‘feral artist life’. That experience of chasing a dream while barely holding things together gave him a firsthand understanding of Denji’s messy but determined spirit.
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I was a struggling musician for a long time, and lived the feral artist life for a moment. I definitely understood his outlook and perspective…
Levy also praised how Denji’s story was written. Not as a perfect hero, but as someone who’s been “beaten up, thrown into a corner, and discarded,” yet still tries to find joy in the simplest things. It’s that raw honesty that Levy says makes Denji so different from typical shonen protagonists.
The Western Influence in Chainsaw Man Made Levy Fall in Love With It Even More
Another thing that instantly drew Levy to Chainsaw Man was its strong Western influence. He explained how Fujimoto’s storytelling style reminded him of the Western movies he grew up obsessed with. So, when he read the manga, that familiar flavor made it feel like home.
The way [Tatsuki] Fujimoto wrote it with an appreciation of Western movies, which I grew up obsessed with.
He said the more he read, the deeper he fell in love with the series. So when he actually landed the role of Denji, it felt almost unreal, as if everything had come full circle. This makes Levy the irreplaceable choice for Denji’s role.
Some basic info regarding the Chainsaw Man anime:
| TITLE | Chainsaw Man |
| CREATOR | Tatsuki Fujimoto |
| GENRE | Gore, Action, Urban Fantasy |
| WHERE TO WATCH | Crunchyroll (Season 1) |
Thus, Ryan Colt Levy getting the role of Denji in Chainsaw Man truly sounds like a dream come true, and it’s definitely inspiring for many aspiring voice artists. Don’t you also think so?
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is currently releasing in the theatres, and you can binge-watch Season 1 already on Crunchyroll.
