The Chainsaw Man Movie Took Unlikely Influence From One Of The Best Romance Movies Ever

Chainsaw Man is no longer merely a manga and anime star; now he's officially a movie star too. "Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc" is an international hit at the box office. However, Japanese audiences got an extra treat that ones here in America didn't: A 52-page pamphlet available at theatrical screenings, which features a roundtable discussion with "Chainsaw Man" creator Tatsuki Fujimoto.

Some "Chainsaw Man" fans who've gotten their hands on the pamphlet have shared what's inside, including English translations of Fujimoto's words. Fujimoto's works are filled with references to movies he loves, and it turns out, "Reze Arc" is no different. What was one of his primary influences for the story? Richard Linklater's 1995 romance "Before Sunrise," of all films. After all, this "Chainsaw Man" movie isn't just an action anime, it's somehow also the year's best romcom.

"Reze Arc" adapts material from chapters 38 to 52 of Fujimoto's original "Chainsaw Man" manga, chapters which can also collectively be called the "Reze Arc." Our hero, Denji, a dimwitted Japanese teen, works for the Japanese government killing monsters called Devils, which personify fears. Denji is bonded to and can transform into the Chainsaw Devil.

Denji, an orphan who lived in poverty without love, is strung along by his controlling boss, the beautiful and eerie Makima. He hunts Devils because Makima's promised that she would really like it if he obeys and delivers results for her.

In Chapter 40, Denji has a meet-cute with a young girl named Reze, who falls for him instantly. Denji is left confused; should he stick with Makima or commit to Reze? The first half of "Reze Arc," where there's little action as Denji and Reze are spending time together, is where the "Before Sunrise" influence comes in.

"Before Sunrise" follows two young strangers, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy), who meet on a European train. With nothing to lose, they spend a day and night wandering around Vienna together, sharing thoughts about life, music, philosophy, etc. 

In the "Chainsaw Man" movie pamphlet, Fujimoto said that with the "Reze Arc," he wanted to tell a story like "Before Sunrise" — a man and woman meet by chance and grow closer slowly. The "emotional distance between [the two]" gradually shrink in "Before Sunrise," he said, and he wanted to show it shrinking between Denji and Reze too. 

Fujimoto cited one early moment in "Before Sunrise" when Jesse and Céline visit a record store. They stand in its listening booth, playing Kath Bloom's "Come Here," and for the first time are truly alone together. The scene holds for about 90 seconds on a low-angle shot of them backed up against the wall, bringing you into the cramped space and emotional intimacy. They both move their heads around a lot, trying not to make held eye contact that'll draw their lips in for a kiss. When Jesse looks away from Céline, her eyes go back to him, and vice versa.

Fujimoto used that scene as the blueprint for Denji and Reze's first meeting. During a rainstorm, they both run into a phone booth. They chat, Denji vomiting up a flower he previously ate as a gift to Reze, and she tells him to stop by the cafe she works at. When she gets to work, he's already there. Their "first date" is sneaking into a school at night, so Reze can give Denji a taste of the normal childhood he never had.

Reze asks Denji about the tale of Country Mouse and City Mouse, and which he'd prefer to be. It's a philosophical conversation out of "Before Sunrise," but Denji's too slow to appreciate the question ... or see Reze manipulating him.

"Before Sunrise" feels akin to David Lean's influential "Brief Encounter," where two strangers meet at a train station but pass up running away together. "Before Sunrise" ends on a more ambiguous note; Jesse and Céline promise to meet up again in six months. 2004's "Before Sunset" and then 2013's "Before Midnight" followed Jesse and Céline at different points in their lives.

Fujimoto, though, said in the movie pamphlet that he prefers stories where the boy and girl don't get together. Reze is really the Bomb Devil, sent to kill Denji for the Chainsaw Devil in his heart. Once she reveals herself, the movie switches from romcom back to action. Denji developed some real feelings for Reze, though, and before Reze leaves Japan, she realizes she had some for him.

Reze rushes back to the cafe to meet a waiting Denji ... and walks right into an ambush by Makima. As Reze dies mere feet away from him, Denji is left never knowing she was coming back to him. Though the "Reze Arc" manga story predates this film, the movie I'm reminded of is Park Chan-Wook's 2022 romantic neo-noir "Decision to Leave" (which Guillermo del Toro compared to "Brief Encounter"). A detective (Park Hae-il) falls for a murder suspect (Tang Wei), who is hiding things about herself. Both "Decision to Leave" and "Reze Arc" end with the male lead damned to never know the truth about what happened to their lover.

"Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc" is playing in theaters.