Chainsaw Man The Movie Reze Arc Is Here and Kenshi Yonezu Just Won Best Anime Song for It

Chainsaw Man: The Movie — Reze Arc brings one of the most anticipated story arcs in the manga to the big screen with MAPPA’s full theatrical production commitment. The film covers the Bomb Girl arc, introducing Reze — a character who arrives in Denji’s life with warmth and charm before gradually revealing an agenda that becomes one of the most emotionally brutal sequences Tatsuki Fujimoto has ever written. The theatrical format suits this material. Reze’s arc has a contained, intense energy that works better as a film than it would have as a television season.

Kenshi Yonezu contributed “IRIS OUT” as the film’s signature song and walked away with Best Anime Song at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Yonezu has had a long relationship with major anime properties — “Kick Back” for Chainsaw Man’s television run was one of the most streamed anime songs of 2022 — and “IRIS OUT” continues that track record. The song sits in the emotional register of the Reze arc without over-explaining it, which is exactly what a great anime song does.

The film was nominated for Film of the Year alongside Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. It did not win — Demon Slayer’s box office dominance and emotional scope gave it a structural advantage — but the nomination reflects how strong the theatrical production is. MAPPA maintained the visual identity of the television series while elevating the production budget to match the theatrical setting. The action sequences in the Reze arc are among the best MAPPA has produced for this franchise.

For viewers who watched the television series, the film follows directly. For viewers who have not seen Chainsaw Man, start with the television series. The film does not recap the earlier story and Denji’s emotional state going into the Reze arc requires context. The television series is 12 episodes. Watch it, then go straight to the film.

My take: Chainsaw Man: The Movie is proof that the right anime story told in the right format with the right production budget is something genuinely special. The Reze arc hits harder as a film than it would have as a television season. And “IRIS OUT” is a better song than most artists release in a career. Kenshi Yonezu winning Best Anime Song is fully deserved.