Movie: Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc
Director: Tatsuya Yoshihara
(Voice) Cast: Kikunosuke Toya, Reina Ueda, Fairouz Ai, Tomori Kusunoki, Shogo Sakata
Theatrical Release date: September 19, 2025
Run Time: 1hr 40mins
The Reze Arc arrives with the weight of expectation, and it delivers a visceral reminder that Chainsaw Man isn’t just another anime—it’s an experience. In ninety-odd minutes, MAPPA condenses one of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s most beloved arcs into a film that feels at once faithful, daring, and emotionally devastating.
For fans of Season 1, this is the natural continuation they’ve been waiting for. For newcomers, it’s a bold but rewarding initiation—less a prologue than a plunge straight into the series’ most pivotal shift in tone.
Denji and Reze’s connection is the heartbeat of the film. Denji’s messy innocence and clumsy pursuit of affection collide with Reze’s disarming warmth and lurking menace. The direction frames their dynamic with intimacy—lingering gazes, hesitant touches—before twisting it into something volatile and cruel. It’s tender, funny, and then suddenly heartbreaking, embodying exactly why this arc left such a scar on manga readers.
The supporting cast ensures the world never feels hollow. Beam bursts with manic charm, Angel Devil brings an aching morality to every scene, and Kobeni, true to form, is both hilarious and tragic. If Division 2 feels slightly undercooked, it’s because the film wisely keeps its spotlight where it matters: on Denji and Reze.
Angel Devil. Love him and lose years.
— Chainsaw Man EN (@Chainsaw_EN) September 23, 2025
Chainsaw Man is coming to the big screen for the first time. See Angel Devil in the brand new movie, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc exclusively in theatres October 24.#ChainsawManMovie pic.twitter.com/5AbTF0vhJv
Technically, MAPPA continues to operate at the summit of anime production. The fusion of hand-drawn and CG is seamless, and action sequences—particularly the waterlogged showdown in the second half—are among the studio’s best work yet, rivaling even Jujutsu Kaisen 0. The film’s color design shifts from romantic warmth to cold brutality with surgical precision, never letting the viewer relax.
Music and sound design elevate the storytelling even further. The pounding rock score underscores the chaos, while delicate piano motifs haunt the tender moments between Denji and Reze. Silence is deployed with equal force; in the screening, you could hear the audience collectively holding their breath during key confessions.
If there’s a critique, it’s that condensing fourteen chapters inevitably trims away nuance. A few characters—especially Galgali and Division 2—are reduced to comic relief, and the thematic symbolism that Fujimoto wove into the arc could have been explored more fully. Yet the film rarely feels rushed; unlike many anime adaptations, it avoids the pitfall of breakneck pacing at the expense of emotional resonance.
What lingers is the emotional fallout. Denji’s choices, Reze’s revelations, and the film’s closing moments don’t just sting—they reshape the narrative going forward. For industry watchers, this is proof that mid-length arcs can thrive as standalone features, in the same way Demon Slayer: Mugen Train legitimized the model commercially. Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc may not carry the same box-office guarantee, but artistically, it sets a standard.
At its core, the film is about contradictions: sweetness and violence, desire and betrayal, love and manipulation. The screening audience laughed, winced, and finally sat in stunned silence—a testament to its impact.
Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc is not just a movie; it’s a turning point. It balances spectacle with soul, ensuring that the blood isn’t just there for shock but to carve something deeply human. For fans, it’s nearly everything they hoped for. For newcomers, it’s a bold initiation into one of anime’s most unpredictable worlds.
If Mugen Train was the template, Reze Arc is the experiment—and MAPPA has pulled it off.
Reviewed by Karan Sharma, an anime freak himself
