Anime is increasingly making its way to the big screen, often exploiting fans’ interest in sequels. However, the feature-length debut of “Chainsaw Man” stands out because the change in format doesn’t feel like an attempt to lure viewers to theaters at any cost. Instead, it becomes a way to faithfully convey the source material—without losing the dynamic, emotional underpinnings, internal logic, or depth of meaning. In this article, we explore how “Rese’s Story” differs from the first season and why this whirlwind of blood and emotion is worth seeing on the big screen—even if it breaks your heart.
A world where fears take shape
“Chainsaw Man” is a film adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga, set in a world where demons are born from human fears. The protagonist, sixteen-year-old Denji, lives in poverty and deep in debt until a contract he makes with a chainsaw demon transforms him into a hybrid and leads him to serve as a demon hunter for the Public Security Bureau, led by the mysterious Makima.
The first season of the anime from studio MAPPA was a sensation, captivating viewers with its unique blend of bloody action, dark humor, and unexpectedly sincere emotions. The feature-length film “Chainsaw Man Movie: Reze’s Story,” which premieres in Russian theaters on December 4, picks up immediately after the first season’s finale and adapts chapters 38–52 of the manga. It follows the seemingly mundane daily life of Denji, who, after recent events, is given the opportunity to breathe for the first time, reflect on his new life, and try to understand his feelings for Makima and his place in the world.
A sudden downpour catches Denji in a phone booth, where a purple-haired girl named Reze, who works at a nearby café, is also taking refuge. This chance encounter changes his life: for the first time, someone shows him attention not because of his strength or abilities, but simply as a human being—sincerely and warmly. And despite his feelings for Makima, he cannot resist the open, kind-hearted Reze. Thus begins one of the most touching stories of teenage love, which takes up almost half the film’s running time.
The calm before the storm
The first half of the film is built on the soft, almost mundane dynamics of Denji and Reze’s relationship. This is an unexpected choice for a franchise typically viewed through the prism of frantic action, but it is here that the film shows its maturity. MAPPA deliberately slows the pace, removes loud scenes, abandons the usual choppy structure, and gives the characters space to simply be—talking, laughing, awkwardly flirting, sharing small details that, in the moment, seem infinitely more important than any global events. Everything in these scenes works to give the viewer a rare intimacy in Chainsaw Man, the breath of the moment, and the ease that only first love can provide.
There are many wonderful moments here, from a night swim in an empty pool to Reze’s song in Russian in the rain. Describing them in detail would be almost a crime for those unfamiliar with the manga. Such viewers can only be envied: ignorance is the best way to absorb this part of the story. It is this quiet, bright half that becomes the dramatic foundation of the film. MAPPA constructs it as an emotional trap, giving the viewer time to relax, appreciate Denji’s human side, feel the chemistry between him and Reze, believe in the possibility of a normal life, and, at least for a moment, get a taste of it.
What’s most remarkable is that this trap snaps shut within the film’s first seconds. The opening track, “IRIS OUT,” by Kenshi Yonezu, creates a deceptive illusion of lightness: the melody sounds like the opening of a film about youth and romance. It lifts the mood, enticing the viewer into a state of emotional openness, and the visual language of the first half picks up on this momentum.
Soft lines, a muted palette, fluid camera movements, and the warm light of everyday scenes all contribute to a sense of simplicity and warmth, as if MAPPA deliberately softens the harshness typical of Chainsaw Man. This is a deliberate decision, made specifically for the first half of the film, structured as an intimate, chamber chapter. But viewed as a whole, its visual signature is noticeably different from the entire first season.
The first season, directed by Ryu Nakayama, strove for cinematic realism and created the effect of a live-action production, employing muted, slightly dirty colors and soft, blurred lines. Tatsuya Yoshihara’s film, by contrast, takes a step toward manga and animated expressiveness. The lines become thicker and clearer, the colors brighter, and the movements sharper and more emotional. In this way, MAPPA consciously aligns its visual language with Fujimoto’s signature style, transforming Reze’s Story into a work artistically closer to the original manga.
Detonation of normality and the roar of a chainsaw
Gradually, dark clouds gather in the background—both literally and figuratively. Fujimoto reminds us that in his world, the very concept of normality is fragile, and the idyll cannot last forever. This entire beautiful story is meant to tear the serenity to shreds with a deafening flurry of fireworks, unleashing thirty-five minutes of nonstop, uncompromising, spectacular, and bloody action, the very reason so many fell in love with Chainsaw Man.
The action staging here is inventive to the point of brazenness—MAPPA seems to challenge the viewer, screaming: when you see this, just try to say it wasn’t made for the big screen. There are large-scale urban battles and intimate skirmishes where the space is compressed to a few meters, and at times the action even switches to first-person perspective to place the viewer as close to the epicenter of the action as possible.
And when Denji, riding his partner Shark, weaves between high-rise buildings under the onslaught of the Bomb Demon’s explosions, the film displays a boldness and dynamism that can only truly be experienced in a theater. MAPPA once again showcases its signature blend of 2D animation and precise CG, enhancing the scale without deviating from the manga’s visual style.
Despite its scope, the action never becomes mindless entertainment. Even when the screen is bathed in colorful explosions, the characters don’t get lost in the background, thanks to precise camerawork, visuals, and color schemes. Most importantly, the action here maintains an emotional connection with the characters: every dash, every attack, every change of location is subordinate to the story, and not the other way around. Unlike many other anime, where fight scenes often serve as filler, here they feel like they continue the narrative, translating the characters’ feelings and emotions into action.
That’s why the film feels more mature than you’d expect from a pure action film, and deeper than the entire first season. It can be fast and frantic, throwing the characters into a whirlwind of events, but it never forgets that the audience isn’t just there for the spectacle. “Rese’s Story” builds its dramatic arc to a tragic, emotionally charged climax—one that evokes mixed feelings and leaves a lump in the throat—Fujimoto has a knack for creating characters you fall in love with along with them, and writing stories with a bittersweet aftertaste.
The film was released in Japan in September, and since then I’ve seen several negative reviews directed at director Tatsuya Yoshihara and his team, which is strange, to say the least. Not a single plot decision here is a MAPPA invention. On the contrary, the full-length Chainsaw Man takes the manga’s faithfulness to the extreme, subordinating everything to this idea—from the smallest strokes and character outlines to the bittersweet ending of the “Reze arc.”
This story naturally lends itself to the format of a full-length film: its concentrated presentation allowed for an emotional power that would have been much more difficult to achieve in a season. While this isn’t the most significant break in Denji’s development, it is significant in its own way, leaving a deep mark on the character. He will have to endure it with him, as far more difficult trials await him.
Diagnosis
“Chainsaw Man the Movie: Reze’s Story” is more than just a sequel to the popular anime series. It’s a standalone film, emotionally charged, spectacular, and, most importantly, cohesive. The film blends intimate scenes with large-scale action without any genre lapses: the transition from romance to bloody tragedy feels seamless, logical, and dramatically precise—no sagging, using every minute of its running time to build to a powerful emotional impact.
MAPPA has treated the source material with rare care—without any improvisation or attempts to “improve” the manga, but with attention to every detail. This will definitely be appreciated by dedicated fans and perhaps surprising to those unfamiliar with the original. However, to get a sense of the context, it’s worth watching the first season—it only takes one evening. Ultimately, these emotional roller coasters, accompanied by the roar of a chainsaw, are definitely worth the time.
And here it’s appropriate to recall Makima’s words: only one film in ten truly captivates you, and some of them can even change your life. This one may not change yours, but it will certainly brighten it for an hour and a half.
