'Chainsaw Man– The Movie: Reze Arc' makes more than just a buzz
One of my best friends just won’t pipe down about the Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc movie.
Every night I hop on a group call with our friends, he can’t help but blow my eardrums out; asking me if I’ve seen MAPPA’S $157,841,000 return investment.
The latest movie adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed Chainsaw Man manga, continues off of the end of the animated Season One, this time focusing on Denji’s relationship with the eponymous Reze.
Though Season One’s director, Ryu Nakayama did not return for the movie, Director Tatsuya Yoshihara joined to masterfully expand on the 14 chapters of the original Bomb Girl arc into a soul-stirring 1 hour and 40 minute film.
The true horror of this movie is not in the victims of secondary antagonist Typhoon’s city-wide destruction, or in the grimy shots of the unnamed serial killer.
No, very quickly the audiences realize that the most horrific thing about this movie is love, and the murky deceptions that pain the protagonist Denji in understanding his emotions.
Our main character said it best: “Everybody’s after my chainsaw heart. What about my heart? Denji’s heart? Does nobody want that!?”
This movie continues directly after the end of Season One, where now Denji seems acquainted with his life as a Public Safety Devil Hunter. Now having a comfortable yet action-packed life, Denji struggles with understanding his emotions towards the people in his life.
Denji must then juggle the impossible task of figuring out his feelings about the girl-next-door Reze while trying to prevent the Bomb Devil and Typhoon Devil from destroying the city of Tokyo.
The plot of the Reze arc, and truthfully the character progression for Denji, is one about a misguided individual trying to find validation and care in a world that is vicious.
“What [Denji] wants is to be just seen and loved and valued as a person, and he doesn't even know how to ask for that, because he doesn't have the economy of words,” said Denji’s English voice actor, Ryan Colt Levy in an interview for Polygon.
Despite Denji’s hormonal fantasies for the women in his life, his story of tragic proportions is still directed with the absurdity, the emotional rawness and moroseness it deserves.
The chaotic cinematography in the battle against Typhoon immerses you into being a speck of dust in the storm. The disarray in the compositions of the frames and the fluid animations of wind, water and debris all assist in selling the apocalyptic vibe.
The Bomb Devil taking the stage only to flashbang the audience with motley-colored explosions in the night sky adds to the exhilarating climax.
As for the art style, I favored the more grounded and defined colors of Season One. The movie has more hue to it, and its contrast is more noticeable. The line art is thicker and the characters mimic more of Fujimoto’s original manga art style.
To contradict myself, I think this change in art style does favors for the cartoonish, inhuman movements of the movie, but I enjoyed the impact and direction of the characters in the first season of the anime more.
But visuals are half the battle.
Known for his ineffable composition in legendary animated works like “A Silent Voice,” “DEVILMAN Crybaby,” “DAN DA DAN,” and more, Kensuke Ushio returns to work for Chainsaw Man.
The heavyweight musician poured his all into making sure you, the audience member, feel nothing but bliss, misery, angst, and love all in one sitting.
With tracks like “past” giving you a taste for reminiscence, Ushio also slaps you around with adrenaline pumping music like “ride the storm”. Continuing the leitmotif of doomed love, “in the sea,” Ushio proceeds to twist the knife in your heart (or in this case, ear?).
Of course, the movie’s famed pool scene would not be complete without Ushio’s gut-wrenching titular composition “in the pool.” The song has proved its popularity with fans, outclassing his other works on Spotify and sitting as his most listened to song at nearly 17,000,000 streams.
Though it is important to address the elephant in the room regarding MAPPA: its controversies in the treatment of their employees.
Long hours, NDAs and impossible deadlines stain the reputation of this film and its production, requiring a larger conversation about how to go forward if beautiful animation so often comes at the great cost of those who worked to produce it.
Overall, to consolidate my opinion: this movie was phenomenal.
As echoed by many before me, and many well after me, this movie is truly a work of art.
To capture such emotional depth and compress it into one viewing while mixing the exhilaration of action, destruction and authorial intent all require a great level of dedication by the entire production team.
As the credits rolled, a friend who I watched the film with turned and asked me: “Kaysea, what did you think?”
Taking heartbreak into consideration, I replied: “This movie makes me depressed for my friends, for Denji, for myself. I just feel depressed.”
And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.