Chainsaw Man: Reze movie proves the anime needed a director change

The Chainsaw Man: Reze movie just came out in theaters, and everyone is buzzing about it. People are debating, memes are everywhere, and honestly, it’s pretty cool to see the excitement back in action. This movie isn’t just another piece of the story; it’s a major change in how Chainsaw Man is being approached. And let’s be real, changing directors was the best decision MAPPA could’ve made.

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How it began

When Season 1 dropped in 2022, it was epic. It was a down-to-earth lighting with a gentle color and calm cinematography courtesy of director Ryu Nakayama. It had more of the energy of an art film than a traditional shonen anime.

Some fans loved it, but a lot of others didn’t. The biggest complaint? It didn’t feel like Chainsaw Man. Especially in Japan, fans weren’t feeling it, and the Blu-ray sales showed that. Even MAPPA’s CEO admitted the show didn’t quite click with the audience.

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Why season 1’s style didn’t work

To be fair, Season 1 wasn’t terrible. But the Reze film actually reveals what it’s been missing. Contrast is at the heart of Chainsaw Man. It’s a mixture of very dumb jokes and brutal fights, sweet moments just before everything falls apart. The slower, somber course that Nakayama took sort of squashed that energy. The pacing was weird, the CGI made fights stiff, and it just took itself too seriously for something about a kid with a chainsaw for a head.

The Chainsaw Man: Reze movie fixes all that. When Denji coughs up a flower to impress Reze, it’s silly, sweet, and somehow perfect. The fight scenes flow better, so the hits land harder. And Reina Ueda absolutely nails her performance as Reze. The direction finally gives the characters room to breathe. As such, the emotional moments hit without slowing everything down.

So Nakayama went on to start his own studio, and good for him. As a result, he left Chainsaw Man behind.

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The new director of Chainsaw Man: Reze movie

Then Tatsuya Yoshihara stepped in, and man, you can feel the difference right away. The Chainsaw Man: Reze movie pops off the screen. The colors are bright, the animation is wild, and the characters actually look like they came straight out of Fujimoto’s manga.

Yoshihara isn’t new to the series either. He worked on Black Clover and was the action director for Season 1, so he knew exactly what this world needed. Most importantly, he got what the fans were saying.

The Chainsaw Man: Reze movie even opens with literal manga panels in black and white. It's like MAPPA telling us that they heard us. From the pool scene to the school festival to that insane final battle, it just gets everything right. It conveys the chaos, the vitality, and the downright odd appeal that made Fujimoto’s story so irresistible. It’s fast, it’s emotional, and it is pure Chainsaw Man.

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What this means for Season 2

To Chainsaw Man fans, it’s something that feels like a sneak preview at exactly what Season 2 could look like. The response online has been super positive. Fans are calling this the Chainsaw Man they always wanted. The consensus of the review is that this version is way better than season 1.

Of course, some people still like the first season’s artsy vibe, and that’s fine. It looked great, no doubt about that. But visuals mean nothing if they don’t match the story. The Chainsaw Man: Reze movie proves you can stay true to the manga and still make it look amazing.

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Conclusion

MAPPA took a risk changing directors, and it really, really paid off. All those early frets about censorship or shifts in tone? Completely overblown. The Chainsaw Man: Reze movie kept its R rating and didn’t skimp on either the violence or heart. And what we got was an adaptation that really does understand what makes Chainsaw Man so good. It is chaotic, heartfelt, and gloriously unhinged, exactly as Fujimoto meant it to be.