Beebom Score
When fans were worried about the future of the Shonen category, the titles that would carry on the torch from its predecessors were. That’s when MAPPA Studios came in and delivered two brilliant anime adaptations of the dark shonen titles, Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, in the 2020s. While JJK’s adaptation progressed swiftly, Chainsaw Man took a step back. Reze’s introduction was teased in the finale of the first season, but MAPPA kept us waiting for a while for the movie adaptation of the Bomb Girl arc, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.
After a long wait, the Chainsaw Man movie was released in India, and I made sure to attend the first premiere show. As someone who has read the manga before, here is my review of Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.
Denji and the Girls, a Neverending Story
The CSM: Reze arc movie picks up right where the first season left us off. There is no recap, and the movie dives straight into the next chapter in Denji’s life. Denji’s heart remains deadset on Makima-san and continues his devil-hunting adventures with Aki and Power. While things start to look bright for Denji as Makima takes him out on a movie date, his life takes a sudden turn when he meets a new girl named Reze at a telephone booth on a rainy day.
Denji is, of course, taken aback when a new kawaii girl (who likes him) steps into his life. Without spoiling anything, Denji is thrown into a dilemma about whom he should give his heart to. While he is figuring out his love interests, the Bomb Girl and the Typhoon, two new devils join the party to steal the heart of the Chainsaw Man. In a nutshell, Denji’s new chapter in life is torn between love and chaos, setting up for Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.
Beloved Oddball Characters Brilliantly Brought to Life
All the main characters of the Chainsaw Man series return, but they take a back seat as Denji and his romantic interest Reze take the center stage in the new movie. Denji finally gets to live his fantasy of having a girlfriend, and anime-only fans can quickly find out why Reze is one of the fan-favorites after her introduction here. Other favorites, such as Beam, Aki, and Angel Devil, have brief screen time; nevertheless, it feels so good to see them back, and this time on big screens.
Fujimoto once stated that Reze’s character was born in his mind when he was conceptualizing the idea of Denji starting to catch feelings for a new girl other than Makima. Now, it serves as the ideal setup to explore the early stages of Denji’s growth with a new romantic presence.
Both voice actors, Kikunosuke Toya (Denji) and Reina Ueda (Reze), deliver a spot-on portrayal of their characters who undergo a wide range of emotions from wackiness to tenderness. Undoubtedly, this is the year of Reina Ueda, as she portrayed the roles of Kanao Tsuyuri in Demon Slayer, Chinatsu Kano in Blue Box, and Shizuka Kuze in Takopi’s Original Sin in 2025. And now she absolutely nailed the role of Reze, which I found to be her best work after Shizuka this year.
MAPPA Goes Godmode Switching Up the Styles
Everyone is aware of the criticisms thrown at MAPPA Studios for the usage of CGI in the first season of Chainsaw Man. As the Bomb Girl is 80% full of action, the animators preferred fluidity over visual fidelity, which turned out to be an excellent decision now. The difference in animation style, i.e., switching to 2D animation instead of completely relying on CGI like in the debut season, is noticeable, but it’s extraordinary nonetheless. If you have seen JJK season 2, this animation style is very reminiscent of MAPPA’s animation switch in the Shibuya arc adaptation.
In the first half, Denji’s dates with Makima at first, and then with Reze, look fantastic as every frame is full of vibrance. The gory and explosive action becomes the focus in the latter half, and MAPPA’s dynamic yet flowing animations make them some of the best action sequences I’ve ever seen in an anime. The high-octane fight scenes, such as Denji vs. the Bomb Girl and the Typhoon devil, feel cinematic and epic on big screens, further complemented by Kensuke Ushio’s energetic background score. I can understand why MAPPA decided to adapt this mini-arc as a movie now.
Verdict: Absolute Fujimoto Cinema!
2025 is one of the best years for anime movies as two of the most favorite shonen franchises, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze arc, were released almost back-to-back. Coming back to CSM, the new Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is a triumphant adaptation of one of the best arcs in the series.
Opting for a movie adaptation instead of a new season turned out to be the best decision the production ever made. MAPPA may have taken its sweet time to animate and kept us waiting in line for a long time, but it was more than worth it in the end. The mundane slice-of-life moments of Denji’s blooming romance in the first half may not appeal to some, but they are essential for learning more about Denji’s goal and Reze’s introduction.
The Bomb Girl arc has the right dose of Fujimoto’s signature storytelling aspects, namely wacky humour amidst chaotic action sequences, and complex characters. MAPPA gives this arc the necessary treatment and gets everything right for the big screens. The Bomb Girl is one of my all-time favorite arcs in the Chainsaw Man series, as it is for many fans. MAPPA Studios has successfully pulled off the impossible, and their masterful adaptation turned a great arc into a must-see cinematic masterpiece on big screens.
Unexpectedly, the CSM Reze arc movie worked better for me as it doesn’t suffer from any pacing issues, unlike the Demon Slayer: Infinity movie. Therefore, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is my pick for the anime movie of the year, and it is not just a must-watch for Chainsaw Man fans but also for all the fans of shonen.
Shashank Shakya
