Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc stands apart from many anime films because it is not a recap, a side story or a standalone spin-off. It continues the TV series directly, and it did so with the scale of a theatrical release. Here is what makes it different.
A Direct Continuation, Not a Spin-Off
The film picks up where the 2022 anime left off and adapts the Reze arc from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga. It was the series’ first appearance on the big screen. Many anime films retell earlier episodes or tell side stories, but this one moves the main story forward, which gave it extra weight for existing fans.
A Bittersweet Love Story Inside an Action Series
The arc follows Denji as he gets close to a girl named Reze and then learns she has been deceiving him. Reviewers describe it as a bittersweet love story wrapped in intense action. It is also an R-rated film in the US, which sets it apart from most family-friendly anime releases.
A New Director and a Big-Screen Budget of Craft
Tatsuya Yoshihara directed, replacing Ryu Nakayama, who directed the TV series. Yoshihara had been the TV series’ action director. Hiroshi Seko wrote the script, MAPPA produced it, and Kensuke Ushio composed the music. The theme song “Iris Out” is by Kenshi Yonezu. The film runs 100 minutes, and critics singled out the fluid animation and action.
The Box Office Numbers
The film opened in Japan on September 19, 2025. Crunchyroll released it worldwide through Sony Pictures Releasing. It topped the US box office in late October 2025 and finished with about $191.4 million worldwide, including roughly ¥10.81 billion in Japan and $43.4 million in North America. It also holds a 96% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, according to one review.
What Comes Next
A sequel anime titled Chainsaw Man – Assassins Arc was announced at Jump Festa in December 2025, and Yoshihara is set to return. For the latest on that project, see our guide to when Chainsaw Man Season 2 is coming out.
Sources: Wikipedia, Pajiba, OtaHub, Chainsaw Man TV series (Wikipedia).