Denji in Chainsaw Man—The Movie: Reze Arc
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Chainsaw Man–The Movie: Reze Arc takes place after the first season of the Chainsaw Man anime series, based on the “Bomb Girl” arc of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga.
You don’t need to have watched the series to enjoy the film, as the story of Denji and his tragic love story is fairly self-contained.
The film boasts the spectacular visuals, imaginative ideas and dense worldbuilding that Chainsaw Man is known for, but above all, it’s a strangely romantic story about a relationship that just didn’t work out.
What Happens In ‘Chainsaw Man–The Movie: Reze Arc’?
Denji’s obsession with his sociopathic boss, Makima, continues to grow, as the two enjoy a movie date, and Denji realizes that the two seem to have something in common.
Both Makima and Denji find it difficult to be emotionally affected by most films, but when they watch a true work of art, they both appreciate it.
At Denji’s age, liking the same media is enough to justify falling in love, but his obsession with Makima is interrupted by the arrival of a pretty stranger, Reze.
Reze is just flirty enough for Denji to take the hint, and constantly blushes in his presence. While Denji is actively trying to resist temptation, saving himself for Makima, he is simply powerless when facing a beautiful woman who is paying attention to him.
Denji begins to regularly visit Reze at the cafe she works at, and she expresses concern when learning about his life, wondering why a teenager isn’t at school.
Denji is struggling at work, having been paired with the erratic, annoying Beam (the Shark Devil), and appreciates the kindness and sympathy of Reze.
Reze steadily draws Denji into her orbit, until the two are alone, exploring an empty school after dark, sharing an intimate swimming lesson, and Denji begins to fall in love.
The date is a golden opportunity for one of the many players vying for Denji’s valuable Chainsaw Devil heart to make their move, and sure enough, a particularly unhinged assassin is sent on the trail.
This assassin is a deeply violent and depraved man, and immediately targets Reze when she is alone, chasing her to the roof of the school, hoping to use her to blackmail Denji.
However, when the assassin attempts to stab Reze, she reveals a glimpse of her true power, and effortlessly murders him.
It’s clear that Reze is far more dangerous to Denji than any mortal assassin.
When Denji and Reze finally share a kiss, she strikes, biting Denji’s tongue off and relishing in his suffering, only for his partner, the Shark Devil, to come to the rescue.
Beam proves an invaluable asset for Denji in this story—the Shark Devil might not be the partner Denji wanted, but he’s absolutely the one he needed.
Reze then reveals her true Hybrid form as the Bomb Devil, and shows that she can ignite a powerful explosion with a click of her fingers.
Reze is absolutely merciless in her battle with Denji, blowing apart Chainsaw Man until only a smoldering torso is left.
Denji is saved once again and given blood to regenerate. He resolves to team up with Beam, using the Shark Devil as a vehicle, loosening his arm chains to use as ropes and whips.
Meanwhile, Reze has teamed up with the Typhoon Devil, and the two are tearing apart the city.
Denji’s chainsaws and Beam’s agility prove a potent combination, and Denji manages to slice the Typhoon Devil into ribbons, leaving Reze alone.
The finale really highlights the strength of anime in depicting inhuman ultraviolence and epic, superpowered battles—the weight, momentum, and timing are beautifully depicted, interrupted by silky billows of smoke and smeary explosions.
While Reze’s blasts are exceedingly difficult to navigate, Denji and Beam manage to evade her for just long enough, until Denji and Reze are drawn together in one-on-one combat.
Finally, Denji uses his chains to bind Reze, and the two plunge into the ocean, where she is unable to light her fuse—the doomed lovers sink peacefully below the depths together.
Reze awakes on shore next to Denji and Beam, shocked to discover that Denji chose not to kill her when he had the chance. Denji reveals that he still has feelings for Reze, and hopes that she feels the same.
Reze laughs at him, revealing that their blossoming relationship was a ruse—she even taught herself to blush in order to seduce him and remove his heart.
Reze refuses Denji’s offer to run away together, and leaves the lovesick boy in the sand, while he pleads for her to meet him one last time in the cafe, where they used to hang out.
The Ending Of ‘Chainsaw Man–The Movie: Reze Arc,’ Explained
The relentlessly horny, endearingly naive Denji waits for Reze in the cafe, and it turns out, the Bomb Devil does have feelings for him.
Reze is about to take the train, until she dwells on her time spent with Denji. Despite her best efforts to crush her feelings, there was something real between them, a connection that she can’t quite ignore.
Reze relates to Denji’s wretched life, having been robbed of a normal childhood too.
It is revealed that as a child, Reze was the subject of brutal, torturous experimentation in the Soviet Union, where she was fused with the Bomb Devil and turned into a living weapon.
Reze never had the chance to develop romantic feelings for anyone, and her attempt to steal Denji’s heart was just another mission at first. Yet, there was something there.
A flicker, or perhaps a spark.
Hence, Reze decides to go back and meet Denji in that cafe.
Unfortunately, Makima is waiting for her, along with the Angel Devil. Reze doesn’t have the chance to pull her cord and transform, as the Angel Devil slices her up in a cold, calculated surprise attack.
The scene plays out in stark contrast to her prolonged, immensely destructive fight with Denji—Makima makes sure Reze goes down quickly and quietly, with no chance of an explosion.
Makima has big plans for Denji, and she cannot allow Reze to interfere.
The post-credits scene sees Denji waiting fruitlessly in the cafe for Reze, before being rudely interrupted by Power, with the two fighting over the flowers he meant to give to Reze.
Tragically, Denji is left to believe that Reze never cared for him.
Is Reze Still Alive?
Reze is a hybrid, and is practically indestructible, as long as somebody pulls her trigger. However, Reze’s specific role in the narrative is over, with the tale of her and Denji being one of doomed love.
They had a connection, but circumstances forced them apart.
Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc adapts chapters 38-52 of the manga, so for fans who want to know what happens next should check out volume 7, which starts from chapter 53 and begins the International Assassins arc.
Will There Be A ‘Chainsaw Man’ Season 2?
Fans are confused about the status of Chainsaw Man, considering that the film bridges the gap between the first and presumably second season—but the second season has yet to be announced.
A second season seems inevitable, as the ending of Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc clearly teases incoming plot twists, revealing the extent of Makima’s villainy and sociopathy.
Reze was a dangerous love interest, but there are many others out there who seek to steal Denji’s heart.