This article contains major spoilers for “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.”
Shonen manga/anime (action-packed stories that are primarily aimed at a young male demographic) have always had a female character problem. Even the most promising and well-written arcs often feature female protagonists reduced to their sexuality or their status as lovers. In cases where they are given some depth, they are deliberately written as helpless or underpowered to contrast with the ambitious heroism of their male counterparts. There are of course exceptions to the rule, but this glaring problem has been normalized enough to become an expected problem. trope. While most traditional shonen entries move away from these clichés, it’s rare to see examples of the genre with complex, well-written characters across the board.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s “Chainsaw Man” manga has broken the mold since its first serial issue, casting Makima and Power up as Denji’s potential love interests, eventually subverting expectations completely. Fujimoto’s brilliantly layered storytelling deserves all the credit here, as Denji was never meant to be a conventional shonen protagonist, even if he fulfills the role of “hero” in a way. Even beyond Makima and Power, every female character introduced in the manga (so far) benefits from nuance without being pigeonholed into gendered roles. As Reze also receives the same treatment, this sets “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” apart from most genre entries, in which female characters always fight to be on an equal footing.
Reze is introduced as the sweet, playful lover who helps Denji through his first formative experience of teenage love – but that’s just a facade to hide something more twisted and tragic.
Chainsaw Man’s Reze arc reverses the romantic status quo
Denji takes refuge in a telephone booth while it rains, but the small space is soon occupied by another presence: the warm and jovial Reze, who blushes whenever she meets Denji’s eyes. Denji, whose fixation on Makima is the result of his need to feel loved and valued, is immediately disarmed by this frank display of interest and affection. Despite his heartbreak, Denji is immediately attracted to this girl, who injects joy into every moment they spend together and teaches Denji, among other things, to read and swim. However, Reze’s fulfillment of these sexist tropes is just a clever performance – she’s not an infatuated teenager, but a trained assassin on a mission to take the Chainsaw Man’s heart.
As we learn the truth, we realize that every endearing quality we associate with Reze is a lie (or at least a half-truth). Nothing, from their meet cute on a rainy day to the first kiss under the fireworks, is sincere or organic. Denji, of course, is none the wiser until Reze bites his bloody mouth mid-kiss, causing him to stumble back in shock as she slits his throat. She is neither fragile nor helpless: she is the Bomb Devil, capable of transforming her body into an endless barrage of explosives, missiles and grenades powerful enough to devastate an entire city. We glimpse this terrifying force when Rezé tackles a crazed murderer and strangles him to death with his bare hands, after luring him into a false sense of security by pretending to be weak.
Reze is formidable enough to fight (and kill) hordes of public safety officials while remaining determined to complete her mission. His attacks are fast, merciless, and devastating, leaving a memorable impression long after he’s gone.
Reze’s Vulnerability Isn’t an Afterthought in the Chainsaw Man Movie
Reze may not give in to banal sentimentality, but she’s a teenager with repressed vulnerabilities who never had the chance to act her age. Being a military weapon, Reze always placed her missions above her personal desires and hid behind fabricated personas. Denji’s situation mirrors his own: this 16-year-old boy has had the most traumatic childhood imaginable and is still used as a pawn by those around him.
But Denji’s circumstances do not require duplicity from him – on the contrary, he is honest to a fault, which allows others to take advantage of his stunted self-perception. Denji’s offer to run away with Reze even after he learns the truth upsets her, but it’s emblematic of his sweet naivety.
Although Reze does not necessarily have romantic feelings towards Denji, she feels a bond of empathy with him as they have both been deprived of basic necessities, such as school. Denji’s predicament is worse in many ways; Reze emphasizes that a child should not work for Public Security, nor agree to be an obedient lackey in exchange for three meals a day. But the promise of hot food and a bed is a luxury for Denji, who grew up in abject poverty and even sold his eye (along with a kidney and a testicle!) to pay off his father’s debt. Reze’s story isn’t clear to us, but we can assume it was just as difficult, which is why the dream of running away together ultimately seems so tempting to him.
Before tragedy strikes, Reze’s final act is rooted in radical empathy and a desperate desire to freely embrace who she is. We will surely miss his complex and enigmatic presence.
