The Wasteland Reviewer

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (2025) Written Review

What is the biggest issue in the life of a demon possessed warrior? You would think that it is probably the demon being inside of you that would be the most challenging. You might also think a role that includes fighting other demons might also take that cake. But if said individual is a horny and awkward teen as well…it just might be navigating a romantic life on top of all of that. You never know…those differing aspects of your life could even overflow into one another! That is the wild ride that the anime warrior must face in the latest big screen anime Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. 

How does Tatsuya Yoshihara bring this beloved anime back to the big screen? Well…with plenty of ferocity and big energy, that is how! From the cool opening montage set to a big and exciting anime theme, you know what kind of wild ride you are in for. Like any great anime, Reze Arc is stacked to the gills with plenty of entertaining and exciting music beats. You also have some fascinating and engaging animation as well. There is an opening nightmare sequence rendered with perfect black-and-white, hand drawn animation that shifts quickly into the bright and sharp animated world of Chainsaw Man. Yoshihara’s vision boldly explodes on screen with blood, guts, and plenty of pulsating and brutal action as well. Yoshihara doesn’t pull punches when highlighting these demon battles that are bound to do plenty of damage (which they do). The demon designs are quite grotesque as they are intricate and creative. This 100-minute film has plenty of propulsive energy, emotion, and good pacing that will keep you engaged. 

How does Hiroshi Seko translate Tatsuki Fujimoto’s work into this new arc in the world of Chainsaw Man? The audience is dropped into this world quickly with a thrilling opening montage that throws some basic information at you to catch you up. There are a few characters who are saddled with exposition dialogue to make sure any new audience members get the basic idea of this demon-infused world. Reze Arc does a fine job of balancing two key pieces to a film that is part of an ongoing anime. One, Reze Arc is still able to build the world of anime in a way that opens the door for more to come. More impressively, the film features a contained arc that fits nicely into the context of the greater story without being undercut by the rest of the world building. You might not have expected Chainsaw Man’s latest film to be a new romance that has gone wrong, but it fits well in the story of Denji, our awkward and horny protagonist. A love triangle is boiling with Denji caught between the reserved cinephile (also his handler), Makima and the titular Reze, a cheerful and adorable young woman who is nothing what she seems. Reze Arc is full of romance, betrayal, and tragedy without skimping on the action. This is a thrilling ride that also puts Denji through quite an emotional journey with each of these layers working quite well.

Does Reze Arc have a quality batch of characters and voice performances to make this a worthwhile experience? There is obviously a key trio at the heart of the film. Denji is a strong protagonist who has a nice balance of mercurial teenager energy as well as a capable demon hunter as well. Kikunosuke Toya delivers so many high energy reactions to the feminine advances of the story that we can empathize with this character who is completely out of his depth. Makima is a cold, intriguing, and mysterious presence. Her interactions with Denji are complex and controlling with Tomori Kusunoki offering up a voice performance that is so steady and confident. Then you have Reina Ueda as Reze. This performance really feels like two completely different and authentic personas and a lot of credit should go to Ueda for making that work. The big eyed, cheerful, and doting Reze is adorable, and we can see when Denji becomes so smitten. But when Ueda unleashes Reze’s true nature, there is something powerful too. There are plenty of cool and interesting side characters along the way who fill out the experience and make up the greater Chainsaw Man world as well, who each add a little something to the film. 

Does Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc deliver another great anime experience on the big screen? Reze Arc is a thrilling, bold, and entertaining ride with plenty of emotion. The great balance of romance, betrayal, tragedy, blood, and violence feels so natural in the hands of Yoshihara who brings so much life to this big screen continuation. A strong voice cast, colorful animation, and a compelling tale make Reze Arc a great entry way into the Chainsaw Man world.