EXCLUSIVE: Tatsuya Yoshihara & Masato Nakazono reveal how The Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc team evolved from TV to big screen

When MAPPA’s Chainsaw Man anime ended, fans wondered how the studio would top its gritty brilliance. The answer lies in The Movie: Reze Arc, where the same creative team scaled up every element for the cinematic format. Assistant director Masato Nakazono, who served as chief episode director on the series, recalls, “I said yes instantly when asked to assist Yoshihara. Our teamwork on the series built a foundation of trust.”

Yoshihara adds, “At first, I felt anxious about leading a film, but because the team trusted me, I decided to push boundaries. We went back to the basics revisiting what made Chainsaw Man so raw and unpredictable.”

The directors emphasize the collective spirit behind the production. “Every department from animators to sound designers pitched ideas,” says Nakazono. “We discussed and refined them until they aligned into one vision.”

Yoshihara concludes, “We didn’t start from zero. We built, piece by piece, until everything clicked. Seeing it all come together was emotional it reminded me why we tell stories in the first place.”

The result is a film that feels familiar yet newborn from the DNA of the anime, reborn for the cinema.

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Tatsuya Yoshihara & Masato Nakazono walks us through Chainsaw Man – Reze Arc action and sound design; reveal, “The typhoon battle will be spectacular”