[Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc Honest Review] Why Was Denji's First Love a Bomb? (Perfect Post-Credit Scene Analysis!)
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Hello everyone! I'm your blogger, Dano. The movie I've been waiting for, Chainsaw Man: The Reze Arc, is finally here! The speed of this release, almost simultaneous with Japan, is incredible! This film is the most beloved arc among original fans and marks the most crucial turning point in Denji's life.
Honestly, after watching it, it was hard to escape the lingering feeling that exploded in my mind like a bomb, with the melody constantly playing. I believe this is a work that maximizes the sensory pressure only possible in a film, rather than just being an extension of the anime!
So, without further ado, let's begin my in-depth, subjective review of the Reze Arc, guaranteed to extend your stay!
Chainsaw Man is a masterpiece that shook the world with the frenetic imagination and unpredictable developments of creator Tatsuki Fujimoto. It tells the story of Denji, a boy who makes a contract with the 'Chainsaw Devil,' Pochita, gaining a heart and working as a Devil Hunter to repay his debt.
The foundation of this world is 'Fear.' Objects of human fear become the source of a Devil's power, and Devils grow stronger by feeding on that fear.
▶︎ Reze Arc Plot (Spoiler-Minimizing)
This story takes place after TV Anime Season 1, while Denji is working as a Public Safety Devil Hunter under Makima's direction. While Power is briefly away, Denji accidentally meets the mysterious girl Reze in a phone booth on a rainy day. Reze instills a fantasy of 'normal love' and a 'normal life' in Denji, something he'd never felt before, and they grow close rapidly.
However, a huge bomb that would completely shatter Denji's life was hidden behind this sweet time. As Reze's true identity and hidden agenda are revealed, the story instantly shifts from a fatal melodrama to a mad bombardment. The core of this episode is that it was the important moment when Denji, for the first time, tried to choose his 'own story,' breaking free from Makima's control by his own will.
Enthralling Character Introductions: Innocence, Domination, and Explosion
Denji
Denji is simple. He's a boy driven by primal, juvenile desires—to pay off his debt, eat good food, and hold a woman. This very simplicity acts as an unpredictable madness in the complex world of Devils. The encounter with Reze was his first trial, making him realize there was another choice besides 'a life approved by Makima.'
Makima
The leader of the Public Safety Devil Hunters and an absolute, mysterious presence to Denji. She symbolizes the keyword 'Domination,' seemingly fulfilling Denji's needs but ultimately controlling him meticulously to prevent him from straying from the role she wants. In her relationship with Reze, Makima shows a cold ruthlessness that doesn't tolerate Denji's defiance. Her subtle confidence and inscrutable expressions are key to maintaining the film's tension.
Reze - The Bomb Devil
The protagonist of this film and the one who made Denji's heart go 'Boom.'
Fatal Charm: From her entrance in the phone booth, the outfit that seems to actualize a man's adolescent fantasies, and voice actress Reina Ueda's cute voice—Reze was the perfect character to penetrate Denji's unguarded emotions. In particular, her head-tilting and shy smiles are killing parts aimed straight at the audience's hearts.
A Brutal Warrior: Her true identity is the 'Bomb Devil,' a 'Weapon Human' once used in Soviet human weapon experiments. The commonality of having lived an abnormal life like Denji is likely why Reze was drawn to him from the start and the reason for her earnest desire to show him a 'normal life.'
Tongue-Cutting Kiss: One of Reze's symbolic actions is the act of 'biting off a tongue while kissing.' This simultaneously displays the horror and violence hidden within a sweet act of love, maximizing the work's characteristic perverse eroticism. The erotism stemming from her 'fizz' attacks and bodily harm is the very essence of the Tatsuki Fujimoto world.
Key Information: Gun Devil and the Chemistry with Shark Fiend Beam
The Gun Devil and the Chainsaw Man Worldview
The core mystery of the Chainsaw Man world and the main objective of Denji and Aki.
Overwhelming Terror:The Gun Devil appeared 13 years ago, killing over 1.2 million people worldwide in just 5 minutes before vanishing. It emerged when the global fear of firearms was at its peak, leading to extremely strict global gun control afterward.
Object of Revenge:Many Devil Hunters, including Aki Hayakawa, chase this Devil for revenge for their families, and Public Safety also tries to gather pieces of the Gun Devil's flesh to locate it.
Reze's Connection:The fact that Reze is an associate (ally) of the Gun Devil was the main catalyst that exploded the tension of this film.
The Cheerful Chemistry with Shark Fiend Beam
The Shark Devil Fiend, Beam, is responsible for the lightheartedness in the early part of the Reze Arc.
Denji Follower:Beam is a Devil Fiend who fanatically idolizes Chainsaw Man, proclaiming "Chainsaw Lord is the best!" and following Denji as a loyal buddy. Although his intelligence is low, he's also a powerful asset who fearlessly charges in to protect Denji whenever he's in danger.
Imparting Favor:Beam's clingy, endearing behavior towards Denji injects extreme likability, serving perfectly as the comedy relief that lightens the mood of an otherwise heavy story. The strangely good combination of these two adds to Chainsaw Man's unpredictable charm.
๐ฌ Direction & Aesthetics: Madness and Erotic Mood
MAPPA's cinematic delivery in this film transcended the original with sensory direction only 'possible in a movie.'
๐ฅ Direction and Sense of Physics: The Cinematic of Explosion
Intelligent Camera Work: The battle sequence with Reze is truly a masterpiece. The motif of explosion is realized as a mass of effects where light, color, and sound are at their maximum. The depiction of explosions, which feel like pressure and heat, far surpasses the TV anime level.
Long Shots and Close-ups: The bombardment in the middle of a lifelike city is shown in long shots capturing the entire area to emphasize the urgency. Then, the intelligent camera work, oscillating between close and far distances to track Reze's speed, delivers a powerful physical impact to the audience.
๐ง OST: Kenshi Yonezu's Perfect Tuning
Kenshi Yonezu perfectly translated the emotions of this work musically.
IRIS OUT: Expresses Denji's confusion and excitement at a rapid pace, escalating the tension of the story to its highest point.
JANE DOE: Represents Reze's tragic and sorrowful inner feelings, and the lyrics, portrayed entirely from Reze's perspective, make the audience deeply immerse themselves in her lingering sadness. The contrast between the completely different tension and temperature of the theme song and the ending song was the key device that pierced the Reze Arc's complex emotional core.
Cinematic Characteristics of Madness and Erotic Mood
Chainsaw Man is not just a shonen manga but maximizes the aesthetics of an adult manga where twisted desires and violence intersect.
Honest Expression of Desire: Denji's simple desires are dramatically revealed through his relationship with Reze, expressed with eroticism appropriate for a restricted rating. Scenes like the beautiful girl character exploding while enduring bodily harm frankly expose the author's characteristic perverse eros, which becomes a 'main ingredient' that makes this work so compelling.
Insane Frenzy: Especially Denji's madness shown during his fight with the Typhoon Devil was a frenzied depiction that amplified the original. Denji's figure, left with only survival instinct and a desire for Makima against Reze's overwhelming power, filled the screen with Chainsaw Man's unique uncontrollable energy.
๐ฌ 5 Reasons Why You Must Watch This in a Cinema!
You'll regret watching this at home. You absolutely must experience it on a massive cinema screen with theater sound.
Overwhelming 'Explosion' Physics: Reze's bomb ability and Denji's Chainsaw action are realized with the cinema's maximum sound and color. Experience the three-dimensional battle effects that feel like pressure and heat.
The Grandeur of Kenshi Yonezu's OST: You need to hear the speedy rush of the theme song 'IRIS OUT' and the poignant lingering feeling of the ending song 'JANE DOE' through the perfect sound system of a theater to truly enjoy them.
Maximizing Reze's Fatal Charm: The immersion doubles when you see Reze's delicate facial expressions, head-tilting movement, and her tragic backstory in close-up on the big screen.
Experiencing Denji's 'First Love' Narrative: Follow the poignant emotional line of Denji, who, for the first time, tried to make a choice for himself, escaping Makima's control, throughout the dense 100 minutes.
Unpredictable Emotional Drop:Chainsaw Man's unique extreme shift from sweet melodrama to brutal action in an instant delivers greater tension in the confined space of a cinema.
๐ก Recommendation for Prior Anime Viewing & Overall Review
▶︎ Is Preparation Necessary?
Yes, it is advisable.
The Reze Arc is the story immediately following TV Anime Season 1. You must understand the subtle relationship between Makima and Denji, the situation of Public Safety surrounding the Gun Devil, and Denji's basic character setting to perfectly feel the emotional depth and plot payoffs of the Reze Arc.
If 12 episodes of the TV anime feel too long, I highly recommend watching a compilation to familiarize yourself with the summarized content before seeing the movie. There are clearly important moments that can only be understood if you know the preceding context.
▶︎ Overall Review
This film has visually confirmed why the 'Reze Arc' of the original work is a masterpiece. The twisted first love story, where melodrama, violence, and madness are mixed, was Denji's growth pain itself. MAPPA succeeded in translating the expressions only possible in the manga into the sensory pressure only possible in a movie.
However, fans who were expecting the relentless frenzy unique to the original may feel a slight disappointment as the melodrama part's weight feels somewhat long. But I was deeply immersed in the moments when the two abnormal beings, Reze and Denji, shared the fantasy of a 'normal life,' so I felt a great lingering emotion in Reze's final moments and the sorrowful gaze that lingered on Denji's back. The overwhelming direction, the movement full of physical impact, and the harmony of the theme songs will be the greatest gift for fans who love Chainsaw Man.
๐คซ Don't Miss It! The Chainsaw Man: The Reze Arc Post-Credit Scene
Don't get up immediately when the movie ends! There is a short, but important post-credit scene after all the credits have rolled.
Post-Credit Scene Content: The scene shows Denji waiting for Reze at a cafรฉ near the phone booth where they first met, holding flowers. It is a sad yet beautiful scene revealing Denji's sincerity, as he rejected Public Safety's orders and waited for her by his own will to keep his promise with Reze.
Ending: The movie then ends as Power walks into the cafรฉ.
This post-credit scene is the emotional conclusion and the starting point for the next story, hinting at how Denji processes the separation from Reze and moves forward. It leaves a strong, lingering feeling, so I highly recommend watching it to the very end for a clean conclusion to your movie experience!
