Chainsaw Man Movie Clears 10 Billion Yen in Japan as Global Success Continues
The cinematic adaptation of the highly anticipated Reze Arc from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man manga has proven to be a monumental success at the Japanese box office, breaking the 10 billion yen milestone.
The film, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, has amassed 10.01 billion yen in ticket sales, equivalent to approximately US$63.9 million, selling a remarkable 6.55 million tickets over its initial 103 days in theaters.
Following this major achievement, series creator Fujimoto released a special illustration as a gesture of thanks to the dedicated moviegoers.
The film’s performance was explosive from its opening.
It premiered in Japan in September, immediately seizing the number one box office spot.
This debut dethroned the previous champion, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle – Akaza Sairai, which had enjoyed an impressive nine consecutive weeks topping the charts.
The Chainsaw Man film secured this victory by selling 807,000 tickets for an opening weekend gross of 1,251,178,500 yen, or about US$8.46 million.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) acquired the worldwide theatrical rights, ensuring a broad global release.
The movie’s international rollout included an early screening in over 80 countries just a few days after its Japanese debut.
North American audiences in the U.S. and Canada were treated to an advanced release, several days ahead of the original schedule, with special early screenings for Crunchyroll members.
The film was also presented in RealD 3D.
The U.K. premiere followed shortly after the North American opening.
By October, the film’s estimated global earnings had already reached US$68.3 million, an equivalent of roughly 10.2 billion yen.
In its opening weekend across 3,003 North American theaters, the movie topped the box office, earning an estimated US$17.25 million. SPE later made the film available for digital purchase in December.
The story, as described by animation studio MAPPA, follows the journey of Denji, who has become the devil-hearted hero “Chainsaw Man” and is now operating as a devil hunter in Special Division 4.
After a date with his boss Makima, Denji finds refuge from the rain and encounters Reze, a mysterious girl who works at a local café, setting the stage for the dramatic events of the arc.
The foundational manga, a creation of Fujimoto, is a major powerhouse in the industry.
The series began in Weekly Shonen Jump and completed its “first part,” the “Kōan” (Public Safety) arc, two years later.
The ongoing second part, titled “Gakkō-hen” (School Arc), commenced serialization on Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ service.
The series has consistently demonstrated its critical acclaim, winning the prestigious Best Manga award at The Harvey Awards for three consecutive years, and boasts an extensive circulation of over 30 million copies worldwide.
The franchise is continuing its expansion into other media.
The first stage play adaptation successfully ran in Tokyo and Kyoto.
A second stage play, which will specifically adapt the acclaimed Reze Arc, is slated to run in the same two cities from July to August next year.
Fans can also anticipate the upcoming anime adaptation of the Chainsaw Man Shikaku Arc, also known as the Assassins Arc.
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