On December 4, "Chainsaw Man" with the subtitle "Reze Arc" finally reached Russian theaters. The feature film became a direct continuation of the first season of the anime and revealed the arc of the Bomb Devil. We tell you how MAPPA changed the appr...

On the last mission, Power drank too much blood, which gave her a second pair of horns. To fix the situation, Makima takes the demoness and gives Denji a new partner. At the same time, the guy still adores his boss, so he immediately accepts her invitation for a date, after which he decides: after defeating the Gun Devil, he will ask Makima to be his girlfriend.

Elated after the date, Denji gets caught in the rain and decides to take shelter in a phone booth, where he meets a charming stranger, Reze. The teenagers start talking and spending a lot of time together. That's when his feelings for Makima begin to crack, and the focus shifts. However, this happens until it turns out that instead of a sweet girl, Denji was taught to swim by a ruthless Bomb Devil straight from the USSR.

The first season was a novelty in every sense. But what I want to talk about here is not Denji's role as a new archetype of the shonen protagonist, but the visual aspect and narrative delivery. The "cinematic" shots, angles, and play with light set "Chainsaw Man" apart from its anime brethren. Just look at the opening, where almost every fragment is a reference to cult Hollywood films. Back then, MAPPA apparently found a successful formula for mixing 3D with 2D, making the animation not jarring, smooth, and fresh in its own way. Roughly speaking, "Chainsaw Man" began to aspire to realism from a visual standpoint and, apparently, to an "Oscar," judging by the references and cinematic quality.

Evgeny Belousov

Japanese Chainsaw Massacre: Review of the Anime "Chainsaw Man" (Season 1)

On December 27, 2022, the first season of the anime "Chainsaw Man" ended. The adaptation of the eponymous manga was eagerly awaited worldwide, including in Russia. We tell you what it was like

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The series, despite the cynicism of the characters, vulgarity, and humor, remained serious. It could take a pause in time, take a break from dynamic battles, and shift the focus from comedy to drama, and the Hollywood-style shots in such moments only added a plus to the "why "Chainsaw Man" is a groundbreaking title" piggy bank. For example, when after a fierce fight there is a scene with Himeno's self-sacrifice, or the episode where Aki goes down to the basement to make a contract with a new devil. All such moments showed that the title is not just a comedy where the main character only dreams of female breasts, but a full-fledged work that can boast drama.

The manga maintained the same level, so important fragments were read and hit the mark. Which cannot be said about "Reze Arc." Because "Chainsaw Man" was received coldly in its homeland, MAPPA decided to change the presentation to give the anime a chance for a second season. The animation changed noticeably, at times it seemed that the film was "sagging," as if the FPS was dropping in a video game. Landscapes and people became more cartoonish, and there was no longer any talk of anything close to realism, as in the first season. The start of the title spoiled us too much with interesting animation.

The project lost some of its visual uniqueness. With it went a huge share of cinematic angles and shots. The film became more like a typical representative of the genre. And as sad as it is, it's clear why this was done. Japanese projects focus on fan service and sales. After the first season, "Chainsaw Man" did not become a hit, and they didn't manage to fill their pockets as much as they wanted, so MAPPA had to partially dampen freedom and individuality to please the viewer, appeal to fans, and give the series a chance for continuation. And apparently, there are developments, because the film managed to go down well in Japan.

The Reze arc is considered one of the favorites among manga fans. It reveals the story of a girl who, against her will, became part of a Soviet experiment to create half-demons. Against the backdrop of the desire to get Denji's heart (in every sense) and personal drama, Reze meets Chainsaw Man. Their relationship is unlike what happens between the guy and Makima. Here, the hero doesn't need to run after the girl like a puppy—Reze is just like him. They are both hostages of circumstances, and therefore can understand each other so well.

But as deep as the arc is, in the form of a feature film, it gets spoiled. The anime seems not to allow itself to stop and make more necessary accents, at least visually. Yes, half of the runtime is simple dialogues, walks, and conversations. But during this time, you don't have time to get invested in the characters' relationships, whereas in the manga, by the way, everything is in its place.

Everything on screen happens too quickly, and it becomes possible to understand Denji's emotional turmoil only at the end, because at first it seems that he is drawn to Reze solely due to puberty. Perhaps the perception of this story could have been different if the film had returned to the narrative style of the first season: mixing dynamics with proper pauses. But, alas, you need to work for fan service.

A truly dramatic moment, besides the ending and the post-credits scene, can be called the fragment where Aki grabs the Angel Devil's hand to save him. The character, despite having only two years left to live, is ready to sacrifice a few more months to help his comrades. The fact is that every touch of the angel, depending on the duration, takes away a certain amount of life. It's interesting how the authors play with the viewer in such moments. Back in the first season, the Future Devil said that Aki would die the most terrible death. And now every scene where the hero plays with his life is perceived as a challenge. By the way, this is not the first or last such episode. The manga will make you worry more than once, and then will fully play on the fans' feelings. Conclusion: read the manga.

Despite the questionable moments, "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc" is a worthy project, even considering that it may be perceived as a filler arc. It is much more difficult to talk about a breakthrough and a challenge; after all, the anime's presentation has strongly changed its vector and deviated from the canons of the first season. I want to believe that "Chainsaw Man" will get a series continuation. And whether it will be "anime-like," "cinematic," or original, to be honest, doesn't matter. The story deserves to be known by a mass audience, not just manga fans.