“That’s the best part of the show. They’re some of the most eclectic and relatably written characters. They’re so human for a show that’s so large and insane,” Levy observes. “With Denji, all the facets that make him who is, I feel like I understand him so much personally. That’s what you want out of a role. You want it to challenge you and give you every spectrum of emotion and make you feel like you’re almost living a second life.”
Despite all the drama, Denji remains the eternal optimist fans know him to be, though that aspect does get tested in the movie. Denji’s bright outlook and attitude is something that always drew Levy to the character, even just as a fan, and was an element he was happy to revisit and deepen for his performance in the movie. Levy brought a copy of the manga to his recording sessions, seeing moments where he could add more nuance to his portrayal keeping in line with the source material.
“It’s my favorite thing about him. His optimism is his greatest survival mechanism. I know I went through quite a bit in my own laugh that really resonated when I read the manga,” Levy recalls. “I don’t even know if he understands how deep his optimism and ferocity really is to survive. I think he’s just on a conveyor belt going through the motions, but he’s so resilient and it’s beautiful.”
Of course, Chainsaw Man isn’t all just romantic comedy, with the movie bringing all the fire and fury fans have come to expect from the franchise as it leaps onto the big screen. Reze Arc features a dazzling mix of 2D and 3D animation, giving a real sense of depth to the environments and making the action set pieces feel that much more intense and kinetic. NYCC attendees got a sneak peek of some of the action sequences from the movie at its panel featuring a presentation from the film’s creative team from the anime studio MAPPA. Levy hints that this is only a small taste of what fans will be getting from the full cinematic experience.
“It might be some of the most beautiful and insane stuff that I’ve ever seen and worked on,” Levy declares, noting that, as a fan, the way the story was adapted was mind-blowing. “I think that people are going to lose their minds. It’s so beautiful. It’s so much more than I even could’ve hoped for, knowing what it was going to be.”
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is coming to theaters shortly after the worldwide blockbuster success of this year’s earlier record-breaking anime movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle. Levy hopes Reze Arc reaches a similar level of success and strongly believes that the movie has the potential to do so, even appealing to those who haven’t been waiting all along for Chainsaw Man’s return after the first season. More than just continuing the popular anime series’ story, Levy sees Reze Arc as when the Chainsaw Man saga truly kicks into high gear
