Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has officially slashed its way to the top of the North American box office, earning an impressive $17.3 million during its opening weekend across more than 3,000 theaters. The Japanese animated dark fantasy action film, produced by MAPPA and directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, represents another major win for anime at the multiplex, continuing a remarkable trend that has seen Japanese animation dominate theatrical releases throughout 2025. Released in the United States on October 24, the film has now pushed its global total past $108 million, adding to the $77 million it previously earned in Japan and international markets since its September 19 debut.
Critical Acclaim and Audience Response
The film has received extraordinary praise from both critics and audiences, achieving a rare perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a remarkable 99% audience score. This R-rated continuation of the popular Chainsaw Man anime series adapts the beloved Reze Arc from Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, focusing on protagonist Denji as he encounters the mysterious café employee Reze, who drags him into his most perilous battle yet. The film maintains the same voice cast from the television series, with Kikunosuke Toya voicing Denji in Japanese and Ryan Colt Levy providing the English dub.
Enhanced Theatrical Experience
At New York Comic Con, assistant director Masato Nakazono explained the team's approach to expanding the story for theatrical release, noting they "inherited the strengths of the TV series" while making strategic visual enhancements, including making character details "more vibrant" to stand out on the big screen. The film was released in premium formats, including IMAX, 4DX, and RealD 3D, offering audiences immersive "amusement park ride" action sequences that showcase MAPPA's stunning animation work.
Anime's Box Office Dominance
Industry analyst David A. Gross described the opening as "an excellent start for an anime film," noting the weekend figure is "more than double the average for the launch of an anime series". This marks Sony and Crunchyroll's second consecutive anime box office winner following Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle's record-breaking $70 million debut in September. The success demonstrates that anime has become "a worldwide phenomenon," thriving not just in Asia but also across Europe and Latin America.
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