Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc Ends Demon Slayer's 9-Week Box Office Reign

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc captured the top spot at Japan's box office over the weekend, ending a nine-week reign by Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.

Reze Arc sold 807,000 tickets and generated ¥1.251 billion ($8.45 million), during its opening weekend that began Sept. 19. That surpassed the ¥645 million ($4.36 million) earned by "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" this past weekend, dethroning the film that had dominated Japanese theaters for nine consecutive weeks since its record-breaking ¥5.52 billion ($37.4 million) opening.

Sony’s Global Rollout and Market Outlook

The film adapts the "Bomb Girl" storyline from the popular manga series, focusing on protagonist Denji's relationship with a mysterious character named Reze. Japanese distributor Toho released the movie across 421 theaters, including 61 IMAX screens.

Sony Pictures acquired worldwide distribution rights for "Reze Arc" earlier this year, excluding Japan, and plans to release the film in more than 80 countries. The movie begins its Asian rollout on Tuesday.

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc will be released in India on 26th September, with a limited IMAX and premium format screening scheduled for September 25.

The film has received positive reviews, earning an 8.9 rating on IMDb despite its mature content and R-rating. Critics have praised the animation quality and emotional depth while noting the violent themes. Entertainment publication ScreenRant described it as a "masterpiece" based on initial reviews.

Even though Reze Arc's opening performance is far less impressive than Infinity Castle's record-breaking numbers, it continues to cement the commercial viability of anime movies when backed by international marketing and distribution infrastructure.

The film's global performance will test whether Sony's acquisition strategy can expand anime franchises beyond their core streaming audiences to mainstream theatrical success.