The Best Episode with the Best Quality, 'Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc' Review

I succeeded in improving my constitution. As someone who saw 〈Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc〉 at a preview, I can assert that a lot has changed in the three years since the 2022 TV anime 〈Chainsaw Man〉 and this movie. The result is satisfying for both original fans and TV anime viewers. Let's take a closer look at the core of 〈Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc〉 which opens on September 24.

Faster and Stronger! Overwhelming Scale in Animation

The TV anime adaptation of 「Chainsaw Man」 by author Fujimoto Tatsuki was divisive when it aired. One of the most criticized aspects was the sense of speed and impact in the action. Of course, the original creator Fujimoto Tatsuki is not particularly skilled in action scenes. However, it is a common rule that animations adapted from comics must capture a dynamism that cannot be felt in the comics. Yet, 〈Chainsaw Man〉 applied a significant amount of 3D CG to ensure a variety of angles, which disappointed fans who expected the dynamism of traditional animation.

In response to viewer evaluations of 〈Chainsaw Man〉, 〈Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc〉 replaced the director with Yoshihara Tatsuya and re-evaluated the overall style of the work. Thanks to this, 〈Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc〉 maintains the overall consistency of the work while advancing the scale and depiction of action scenes. This improvement enhances the overall satisfaction of the film, which features a series of action scenes culminating in a climax.

This improvement particularly shines in line with the characteristics of the main villain, 'Devil of Bombs'. The various techniques used by the Devil of Bombs in this movie are unmatched in terms of speed. Scenes where it uses its own feet as bombs to track opponents or causes explosions before the enemy even realizes it highlight this sense of speed. While some scenes using 3D CG still create a sense of dissonance, the production team successfully minimized this by utilizing various effects.

The Tearful Narrative of 'Reze' and Denji

The greatest strength of the comic 「Chainsaw Man」 is its unpredictable story development. For example, the absurd development where a colleague who was laughing suddenly dies as soon as the page is turned is a specialty of author Fujimoto Tatsuki. This 〈Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc〉 deals with some of the most impressive parts of the original work. Denji, who became a devil hunter with the heart of the 'Chainsaw Devil', coincidentally meets a girl his age, Reze. Having lived alone since childhood, Denji finds Reze approaching him warmly, saying, "I will teach you everything you don't know and can't do." However, a threat targeting Denji's heart, the 'Chainsaw Devil', looms over the two of them.

Of course, there is a twist hidden here that can be understood if you just pay attention to the trailer, but I will refrain from spoiling it. What is certain is that the emotional depth of this part leaves a unique resonance in the generally 'spicy' and 'crazy' 「Chainsaw Man」. The film captures everything from the sweet romance where the boy and girl express their feelings for each other to the extreme and merciless spiciness of 「Chainsaw Man」, and the lingering emotions that erupt as all these events are wrapped up. In this process, Ueda Reina's delicate performance as Reze adds to her charm.

More Charm than Flaws, Bring on Season 2!

〈Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc〉 is not flawless. Some action scenes use quite extreme transitions or deformation to enhance the action, which can be somewhat burdensome to watch on the big screen. Although it was said that the 3D CG minimized dissonance with effects, there is still some disappointment in the characters' movements. Given that there is an original work, it couldn't be helped, but the action scenes that come in a rush in the latter half can be exhausting. Additionally, the original work's inherent male-oriented nature remains, and there is no summary of previous stories, making it difficult to attract new viewers.

However, for fans of the original or the TV anime (though that seems unlikely), this is a must-see. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is a work that meets the expectations of fans for 'Chainsaw Man'. The outstanding performances of the voice actors, the extreme action, and the direction that fills in the gaps from the comic book all contribute to the quality and scale suitable for a movie. Especially, Kenshi Yonezu, who is praised as 'Chainsaw Man itself' from his voice, is back again, and when his 'IRIS OUT' and opening sequence play, fans will already be mesmerized. Also, the song 'Blade Length 200 Million Centimeters' by Maximum the Hormone, which captures the 'not sane' aspect of 〈Chainsaw Man〉, welcomes fans once again. With the grand finale featuring 'JANE DOE.' by Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada, there is no line-up to skip. On September 24, meet the even stronger 〈Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc〉 in theaters.