TheChainsaw Mananime was one of the most highly anticipated ever during the lead up to its release, no doubt due in large part to the massive amounts of fanfare generated by Tatsuki Fujimoto’s original manga. And while the series was met with a generally favorable reception upon airing, many viewers weren’t entirely satisfied with studio MAPPA’s adaptation. Now, nearly two years removed fromChainsaw Man’s Season One finale,a new film covering the manga’s Reze Arcis in production, and there’s good reason to assumeit may come with a new visual style.
Unfortunately, since the release ofChainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc’s initial teaser trailer, very little has been shared about the film. The trailer itself is extremely stylized, though it didn’t go into enough detail to confirm whether the series' art direction would be altered.Due to some behind the scenes changes within MAPPA, however, the upcoming movie will likely have a new director at the helm, with an all-new vision forChainsaw Man.
Chainsaw Man’s Reze Arc Film Will Likely Have a New Director
The Series' Previous Director Has Since Left the Studio
Season One ofChainsaw Manwas directed by Ryu Nakayama, a self-proclaimed fan of the series who was intent on bringing the manga’s cinematic feel to life. While he ultimately achieved his goal with the anime, delivering an artistically grounded adaptation that emulated a live-action series,many fans disagreed with Nakayama’s vision forChainsaw Man. And early in 2024, the director announced on X that he would be opening his own animation studio separate from MAPPA, called Andraft.
Seeing as MAPPA still holds the rights toChainsaw Man,the likelihood of Nakayama returning for the Reze Arc movie is extremely low. The director’s reasons for leaving MAPPA and starting his own studio have never been revealed, though there is speculation that online backlash to the anime’s first season led to his departure. Regardless, a new director will certainly bring a new spin on the series, starting with one of the manga’s most popular arcs.
Chainsaw Man’s Anime Art Style Is Divisive Among Fans
Some Fans Disagree With the Series' Bleak Tone
The biggest critique ofChainsaw Man’s first season came with its desaturated color palette and relatively bleak tone. While the series is undoubtedly a darker one, many fans believe abrighter adaptation would have better fit the source material, partly because of Fujimoto’s own colored pages and volume covers. Often, the mature themes being depicted within the manga’s panels are juxtaposed by bright, clashing colors in distinct and unique ways. The fully-colored version of the manga follows a similar style, though it was done by VIZ and not the series' author.
While it cannot be certain thatChainsaw Man’s upcoming Reze Arc movie will adopt the brighter color palette of the manga, there will surely be a notable change as long as a different director comes on board. Tatsuki Fujimoto is a self-proclaimed film enthusiast, however, and it’s apparent in his work. Fans shouldn’t be surprised ifChainsaw Manretains its trademark cinematic feel regardless of its director.
Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Manis a dark fantasy manga created by Tatsuki Fujimoto. The series follows Denji, a young man who merges with his devil-dog Pochita to become Chainsaw Man. He joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters to fight devils threatening Japan. The series explores themes of violence, power, and survival. Since its debut in 2018,Chainsaw Manhas gained immense popularity, leading to a critically acclaimed anime adaptation.
