It doesn't match up to Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, but Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc's opening box office in Japan proves anime movies are here to stay

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The anime film is releasing in US cinemas in October

Chainsaw Man Movie Reze Arc
(Image credit: Crunchyroll)

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is not the only anime film bringing people to the cinemas this month – the first Chainsaw Man movie is also raking in impressive numbers following its Japanese release last weekend.

Officially titled Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, the film grossed over 420 million yen (about $2.8 million) only on its opening day on Friday, with the film's distributor TOHO projecting a 5-billion yen ($34 million) run overall (via AnimeNewsNetwork).

It might not be the record-breaking results of the new Demon Slayer movie, which just became the highest-grossing anime movie of all time with over $555 million, but it clearly proves that anime movies are here to stay.

Something both titles have in common, too, is that they are not compilation movies (like the recent Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death) and instead offer fans the chance to watch a key piece of their respective manga adaptations on the biggest screen they can find.

Adapting the Reze Arc of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga after the popular season 1, the Chainsaw Man movie follows Denji now as part of Special Division 4’s devil hunters. "After a date with Makima, the woman of his dreams, Denji takes shelter from the rain. There he meets Reze, a girl who works in a café," reads the official synopsis.

According to MAPPA, they decided to make a film instead of a season 2 so the show can grow its audience. "From a business standpoint, we want to have as many people as possible enjoy The Reze Arc. When we did that, we aimed to maximize our business. It should go theatrical," said MAPPA President Manabu Ohtsuka in an interview.

"The revenue aspect wasn't really a factor at all. It's trying to deliver the product to as many people as possible," he added.

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is set to arrive in US cinemas on October 24, and on October 29 in the UK. For more, check out our guide on all new anime releases in 2025 and beyond, and the latest on Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle 2.

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Mireia Mullor
Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.

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