Audio Japanese, Subtitles English

Denji, devil hunter and half-chainsaw devil, knows two things for sure: his job is to kill devils so he can continue to enjoy luxurious privileges like a bed and three meals a day, and his heart belongs to Makima, the woman who made that possible for him. But now he´s met a cute girl named Reze and suddenly that second part seems not so certain anymore…

As the title suggests, “Reze-Arc” is a story arc in Chainsaw Man’s larger main plot and serves as the second season of the successful anime. Is it a good idea to watch this film if you haven’t seen the first season? Yes and no. Inexperienced viewers will be thrown into the middle of a supernatural world full of established characters, so it helps to know their backstory if you want to understand their motivations (especially in the case of main character Denji). On the other hand, CSM has always been a story that relies more on emotion than logic, and Studio MAPPA conveys the tender romance at the film´s core with ease. It´s also the ideal movie if you want to burn the hardest action this side of Kimetsu no Yaiba into your retina, because bombastic set pieces that set the screen ablaze are MAPPA’s second strength. “Reze-Arc” offers a semi-ideal, but highly entertaining introduction to CSM´s very own brand of violent madness with touching emotional depth. (SaL)