REVIEW: Chainsaw Man-themed Drink From the Alley U.S.

This review is for promotional Chainsaw Man-themed drinks offered by The Alley.

The Alley’s Chainsaw Man collaboration began on Jan. 9 in the United States. Foolishly believing I could wait until my day off to venture out to partake in Tea Devil goodness, I ventured out to The Alley’s location in Rowland Heights on Jan. 11, only two days after the collaboration began.

Upon arriving, I didn’t see any decorations or signage on the door indicating they were participating in the event. After making my way to the cash register, I inquired as to whether they had the Chainsaw Man drinks, to which the cashier responded by pointing at an 8.5″ x 11″ sign posted nearby, letting me know that they, indeed, were participating. However, they were out of stickers. (Bummer!)

_{Signage for the Chainsaw Man collaboration}

I ordered both drinks despite not knowing what the flavors were because why not? While I waited for my order, I appreciated The Alley’s decor. Although the shop is small, it’s well decorated. All of the seats that are cushioned are stained or otherwise show signs of wear, which I think shows how well-loved it is by the community. Everything else, from the tabletops to the decor, was clean — at least from what I could see.

When my drinks were ready, I was surprised to see that neither came with a Crunchyroll sleeve or a Chainsaw Man straw accessory, which was a huge bummer. I was told they were out of stickers, but I didn’t expect them to be out of everything else. 🙁 The drinks themselves were… just okay. The strawberry drink was too sweet and tasted artificial. I strongly preferred the mango strawberry drink, which had a pleasant tartness to it. Both drinks had a fair amount of ice in them.

_{The Alley’s Chainsaw Man collaboration drinks (Strawberry, left; Mango strawberry, right)}

Without the incentive of the Chainsaw Man promotional items, I wouldn’t get either of these drinks again. Although, I enjoyed the ambiance enough at The Alley that I’d probably return someday to try something else if I was in the area.

Overall, this was a big disappointment for me. I feel that Crunchyroll and The Alley could have better prepared for the collaboration, considering how popular bubble tea and Chainsaw Man are. There was a 0% chance this collab would have flopped, and I wouldn’t have adventured as far as I did without having the incentive of Chainsaw Man merch, but I guess that’s the way the Denji toast crumbles.