The highly anticipated Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has finally arrived in North American theaters, and is quickly reminding fans why the series was one of the biggest of 2022. Adapting one of the most popular sections of the original manga, the Reze Arc movie was poised for success, and early reviews are touting it as a masterpiece.
Fast-paced, high-energy, action-packed, and unrelentingly fun, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is everything fans of the original series could have asked for and more. Despite taking on the tall task of adapting Tatsuki Fujimoto’s highly acclaimed manga, the film not only captures the essence of its source material, but greatly improves upon it.
Chainsaw Man’s First Movie Dramatically Improves Upon Its Already Perfect Source Material
The Reze Arc Is Everything Chainsaw Man Fans Wanted and More
Chainsaw Man‘s Reze arc is typically when readers of the original manga begin to think, ‘something special is happening here’. The section puts a spotlight on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s visual storytelling talents, and both the explosive action and the budding relationship between Denji and Reze, are masterfully crafted.
Studio MAPPA had a daunting task taking on that visual storytelling, and to say they nailed it is an understatement. When the movie shifts into action, it’s an absolute feast for the eyes. In its slower moments, each expression from the characters, big or small, is deliberately crafted with the intent of conveying the twisted feelings of romance between two abnormal teens.
Thanks to the medium of film, MAPPA was also granted some freedom to build upon the story, and that’s where the movie is able to ever so slightly surpass the manga. The pool scene during their after-dark school date was extended quite a bit, and viewers might expect the moment to be filled with added fan service.
However, the soundtrack work by Kensuke Ushio and the framing of the scene by MAPPA’s artists turns the moment into an emotional climax in the budding relationship between Denji and Reze. Other added scenes and lines have a similar effect, allowing the viewer to become all the more connected to the characters.
The Reze Arc Movie Is MAPPA’s Best Work to Date
The Prominent Animation Studio Is Stunning Audiences with Chainsaw Man’s First Movie
Studio MAPPA has led some of the biggest anime productions of the last decade. Titles like Attack on Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen have dominated the spotlight, receiving endless acclaim in recent years. However, it’s fair to say the studio has entirely outdone itself with Chainsaw Man‘s first movie.
Story aside, the Reze Arc movie is one of the most visually impressive works in anime history. For roughly half of the film’s 90-minute runtime, the action is unrelenting, and the quality of those fighting sequences is something words fail to express.
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is currently shattering expected totals at the global box office, and studio MAPPA’s work on the film is likely to shatter the expectations of fans around the world. Not only does the movie do justice to the original manga, but it has managed to improve on it.
- Release Date
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September 19, 2025
- Director
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Tatsuya Yoshihara
- Writers
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Hiroshi Seko
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Kikunosuke Toya
Denji (voice)
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