Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is a 2025 anime film directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara (action director on the original Chainsaw Man series), produced by Studio MAPPA, and distributed by Toho in Japan and Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures internationally. Running 100 minutes and rated R for intense violence, gore, and brief nudity, it adapts chapters 40–70 of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, serving as a direct sequel to the 2022 anime's first season. The film explores themes of fleeting romance, betrayal, and the dehumanizing cost of survival in a world overrun by devils—manifestations of human fears that gain power from blood and belief. It blends rom-com elements, psychological horror, and over-the-top shonen action, with a haunting score by Kenshi Ushio (featuring themes like "IRIS OUT" by Kenshi Yonezu and the ending "JANE DOE" by Hikaru Utada). Released in Japan on September 19, 2025, and worldwide on October 24, 2025, the movie has been praised for its vibrant animation, emotional depth, and explosive set pieces, earning an 8.6/10 on IMDb and strong critical acclaim for elevating Denji's character arc.
Opening and Setup: A Glimpse of NormalcyThe film opens with a brief recap of Denji's origin, narrated through dreamlike flashbacks: As a debt-ridden teen in 1990s Japan, Denji hunted devils for the yakuza alongside his chainsaw devil companion, Pochita—a loyal, dog-like entity who fused with Denji's heart after a betrayal, granting him the ability to transform into the hybrid warrior "Chainsaw Man" by pulling a cord on his chest to rev up chainsaws from his head and arms. Revived and recruited into Tokyo's Public Safety Devil Hunters Special Division 4, Denji now lives with his devil-hunting roommates: the stoic smoker Aki Hayakawa (contracted with the Fox Devil for instant summons and the Curse Devil for fatal stabs) and the boastful, horned blood-manipulating fiend Power.Fresh off his "reward date" with the enigmatic, manipulative superior Makima—the object of Denji's obsessive crush—the story picks up with Denji on a routine patrol. Feeling unusually generous after Makima's vague promise of a "normal life" (including dreams of bread, baths, and a family), he donates his pocket change to devil attack victims. Caught in a sudden storm, Denji shelters in a phone booth, where he meets Reze: a striking, purple-haired girl with green eyes and a playful demeanor, who works the night shift at a nearby café. Impressing her with a "magic trick" flower pulled from his mouth (pilfered from a charity event), Denji shares a cigarette and walks her home. Their chemistry sparks instantly—Reze teases his simplicity, and Denji basks in her warmth, a stark contrast to Makima's aloof control.Rising Romance: The Illusion of ConnectionDenji becomes a regular at the café, where Reze serves him coffee and engages in flirtatious banter. She opens up about her "lonely" life in Japan, far from her Soviet roots, and invites him to sneak into her high school after hours for a taste of "normalcy" he's never had. Their escapades escalate: midnight swims in the school pool, where Reze's lithe form and vulnerable confessions about missing out on childhood draw Denji closer; a fireworks festival where they share cotton candy and stolen kisses; and a heartfelt talk by a bridge, where Reze gifts him a seashell necklace as a "promise" token. For Denji, starved for affection, Reze represents genuine connection—someone who sees him as more than a weapon. Visually, the film bursts with color during these scenes, shifting from the series' muted grays to vibrant blues and pinks, underscoring the rom-com fantasy.Interwoven are glimpses of Denji's Public Safety life. Makima pairs him with the eccentric Beam, a shark fiend (Devil form: a humanoid shark) who worships Chainsaw Man fanatically and speaks in broken third-person ("Beam will serve master!"). Aki, mentoring Denji with brotherly tough love, grows suspicious of Denji's distractions. Subtle hints of Reze's duality emerge: a scar on her neck, her aversion to questions about her past, and a brief nightmare sequence revealing her as a hybrid—fused with the Bomb Devil, a Soviet-engineered assassin who detonates her limbs as grenades or headbutts for nuclear blasts. Flashbacks show Reze's horrific origin: orphaned and experimented on in a USSR lab (where the Soviet Union bizarrely persists in this alternate world), she was rebuilt as a weapon to infiltrate Japan and steal Chainsaw Man's heart, coveted for its ability to erase devils from existence.The Betrayal: From Date Night to BloodbathThe turning point arrives during Denji and Reze's "official" date at an aquarium, interrupted by a knife-wielding assassin sent by a rival devil-worshipping group tied to the USSR. Reze slaughters the attacker with brutal efficiency, her eyes flashing with cold precision. Shocked but aroused by her ferocity, Denji confesses his dual crushes—on her and Makima—prompting Reze to reveal her true nature: the Bomb Girl, dispatched to seduce and kill him. Heartbroken yet defiant, she admits her feelings were real but her mission overrides them; she detonates the café in a suicide bid to end her suffering, but Denji survives, revived by Pochita's heart.Reze escalates by bombing a Public Safety training facility, massacring trainees (including a young girl who begs for her life) to lure Denji out. In a visceral car chase through Tokyo's neon streets, Reze/Bomb Devil leaps between vehicles, detonating limbs in fiery explosions while Denji/Chainsaw Man revs his blades in pursuit. The sequence shifts to horror-thriller aesthetics—handheld camera shakes, distorted synth score—highlighting Denji's rage-fueled confusion: "You said you wanted normal too! Why?!" Reze counters with her own anguish: "Normal? We were made to explode!"Climax: All-Out Devil War and Shark-Riding SpectaclePublic Safety mobilizes: Aki summons the Fox Devil to swallow Reze's arms mid-explosion, while the Violence Fiend (a hulking, muscle-bound ally) grapples her in a gore-soaked brawl. The Angel Devil— Aki's aloof, winged partner with the power to drain lifespans via touch—joins, his ethereal halos clashing with Reze's blasts. But Reze's backup arrives: the Typhoon Devil, a towering, storm-summoning behemoth that whips up hurricane-force winds, scattering the hunters and turning Tokyo into a debris-filled maelstrom.Grievously wounded and "killed" multiple times (revived by blood ingestion, a Chainsaw Man perk), Denji hits rock bottom, questioning love's worth. Angel and Beam rally him: "Use your chains wisely, master!" Misinterpreting, Denji chains Beam into his full shark form as a makeshift surfboard, riding the fiend through typhoon gales like a chainsaw-powered missile. The film's action peaks here—an absurd, exhilarating set piece blending Jaws-style shark thrills with Mad Max-esque vehicular carnage. Denji bisects the Typhoon Devil's watery avatar, chains its core, and detonates it in a Pochita-faced explosion (a brief, poignant callback to his origins).In the finale, Denji drags a battered Reze into the ocean depths, their chains intertwined. She confesses her experiments stole her humanity—"I just wanted one real day"—and detonates a final, suicidal blast. Denji absorbs the shockwave, emerging victorious but hollow, clutching her severed head as she whispers regret.Resolution and Bittersweet AftermathBack on shore, Makima arrives, her smile as inscrutable as ever. Unbeknownst to Denji, she orchestrated Reze's elimination off-screen via her Control Devil powers, viewing the hybrid as a threat. Denji, bandaged and oblivious, waits at the café with a bouquet for their makeup date, munching wilted flowers in heartbroken silence as Power crashes in with ice cream. Aki, who touched Angel's hand to save him from the typhoon (costing two months of his lifespan), lights a cigarette, his quiet resolve masking growing despair. The film closes on Makima watching Denji from afar, hinting at her web of manipulations, with a post-credits tease of international devils plotting Chainsaw Man's downfall.Key Themes and ImpactThis arc humanizes Denji, contrasting his puppy-love for Makima with Reze's tragic authenticity—both "hybrids" craving normalcy, yet doomed by their origins. It critiques exploitation (Reze's Soviet lab mirrors Denji's yakuza debts) and love's fragility in a brutal world. Visually, MAPPA's fluid animation shines in intimate pool scenes and bombastic fights, with gore that feels earned. The ending leaves Denji more isolated, setting up future arcs like the International Assassins Saga, while underscoring Fujimoto's blend of absurdity (shark-riding) and pathos (eaten flowers). No major characters die here except Reze and minor hunters, but Aki's shortened life foreshadows tragedy. For fans, it's a "feel-bad rom-com" masterpiece; for newcomers, a self-contained thrill ride into devil-slaying chaos.[wide]
Post a Comment