Chainsaw Man author Tatsuki Fujimoto has revealed in a pamphlet for Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, that the 1995 film Before Sunrise was one of the inspirations for Bomb Devil storyline.
According to comments from Fujimoto, the film left a strong impression on him with “how the emotional distance between the man and woman gradually shrinks.” He noted that the film’s protagonists later “listen to music together in a cramped listening booth and draw physically closer as well.”
Fujimoto stated that he wanted to depict that same kind of physical and emotional intimacy in the telephone booth scene between Denji and Reze.
Much like the leads of Before Sunrise connect deeply over a short period, Denji and Reze’s relationship blossoms quickly and intimately over the course of the Reze Arc. They first meet by chance while taking shelter from the rain in a cramped telephone booth, a scene that directly mirrors the “cramped listening booth” intimacy Fujimoto admired.
Fujimoto had also released a what-if scenario shikishi card for the movie, depicting Denji and Reze having a happy ending following the movie’s success.
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is currently experiencing massive success in theaters. The film is dominating the North American box office, where it topped its first weekend with earnings reported to be over USD 17.2 million. This continues the film’s blockbuster run in Japan, where it has already sold 4.69 million tickets and earned 7.17 billion yen (approximately USD 46.9 million) after 38 days in theaters, surpassing the early expectations set for it.
Produced by MAPPA, the acclaimed studio behind the anime’s first season as well as Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan The Final Season, the movie is directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, who previously directed Black Clover and served as an action director on the Chainsaw Man series.
