Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Review

Despite never reading Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga, I enjoyed the Chainsaw Man anime series, primarily for its supporting players like the mysterious Miss Makima and the animalistic Power. Ironically, though, the show could’ve used more of its titular character. With two chainsaws stretching out of his arms and a third for a noggin, you can see why this guy became every cosplayer’s dream. Yet, protagonist Denji spends most of the show in his normal teenage form. This would be alright if Denji himself were more layered, but most of his character arc revolves around getting his cherry pop, or at least getting a kiss that doesn’t involve vomit. That said, the series had laughs to go with its bloody set pieces, which revved up whenever Denji transformed.

Similar to the Chainsaw Man, the show was a bizarre hodgepodge, mixing devil-hunting action with humor and body horror. Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is all of the above, but it also works in more romance. Denji seems to be making traction with Makima, who takes him on a date to the movies. In fact, they watch several movies before finding one that makes them cry. Makima sees this as evidence that Denji has a heart, although that means it can be broken. Enter Reze, who has Denji second-guessing if Makima is truly his one and only. Always thinking with his chainsaw, that Denji.

It isn’t long until Denji and this cute café girl are frolicking in the pool and kissing as fireworks go off. Has Denji found his dream girl, or is Reze like a spider luring a butterfly into her web? Let’s just say, things eventually blow up in Denji’s face. Where the first half’s love story is a slow burn, act two completely shifts gears, becoming something out of a slasher flick. It only escalates from there, commencing an action sequence that keeps building momentum for almost forty minutes. This is where the movie finds its footing.

Not only does Chainsaw Man finally make a significant appearance, but he engages in what might be the most bonkers battle of the year. For its first hour, I found myself asking why this was a movie and not the second season of the show. Watching this spectacle, I suddenly understood why it needed to be saved for the big screen. Director Tatsuya Yoshihara and studio MAPPA go all out with an extended climax that can only be described as pure sensory overload. Like Ne Zha 2, you might not entirely understand what the characters are fighting for. When the animation is this awe-inspiring, though, it’s easy to embrace style over substance.

That’s not to say there’s no substance, as Denji does emerge as a slightly more well-rounded protagonist by the conclusion. This compensates for the fact that many characters get sidelined. A nice relationship between Aki and the Angel Devil blooms, even if both can become lost in a sea of typhoons and sharks. They still get more screen time than Power, which is a shame given her fan-favorite status. Makima’s presence is also limited, although the character has never been more morally ambiguous. No spoilers here, but the ending accomplished something I wasn’t expecting: I actually got invested in Denji’s love life. While he seems to routinely pick the wrong girl, hopefully Denji will get his flowers by the next installment.