Chainsaw Man : Reze Arc - Interview with Director Tatsuya Yoshihara and Assistant Director Makoto Nakazono(1)

The film " Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc," a sequel to the TV anime "Chainsaw Man ," based on Tatsuki Fujimoto 's popular manga, was released on September 19th. "Reze Arc" tells the story of Reze and protagonist Denji, who also appeared at the end of the TV series that aired from October to December 2022, and became a hot topic. While Denji is excited about a date with his crush Makima, he takes shelter from the rain and meets Reze, a young girl working at a cafe. The film is directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, who served as action director for the TV series, and assistant director is Makoto Nakazono, who also served as chief director for the TV series. How did they plan to adapt "Reze Arc," a popular episode from the original work, into an anime? We spoke to Director Yoshihara and Assistant Director Nakazono.

◇The beauty and dignity of "Reze" captured on film

-What were your honest thoughts when you found out you would be participating in the "Reze" series?

When I heard about the role of Director Yoshihara , I was very worried, but I also saw it as a great opportunity, and above all, I wanted to live up to the expectations of the fans, so I decided to do my best.

Assistant Director Nakazono: I've worked with Yoshihara throughout the TV series, albeit in different positions, and when he decided to create Chainsaw Man as director, I wanted to be there to support him. I also took on the challenge with the determination to bring everything I'd learned from the TV series to life and create an even more compelling Chainsaw Man.

--What is your impression or appeal of the story of "Reze"?

Director Yoshihara: "The story has a central theme, Reze, and the way the dramas of the various characters intertwine around that theme is depicted so beautifully, with a clean beginning, development, twist, and conclusion. It's a popular episode in the original work, and I hope we can express that well in the anime as well. We want to show the precious interactions between characters like Reze and Denji throughout the entire story, and the entire production team hopes that the audience will enjoy watching it as well. The mellow dramatic elements and mellow atmosphere will be directed in line with the flow of the original work, while in contrast, the action is full of extravagance, and we hope to create something worth watching with the full collaboration of the MAPPA animation team."

Assistant Director Nakazono said, "The Reze Arc" was the episode that got me hooked on Chainsaw Man when it was being serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. As a single episode, it is beautifully put together. In particular, it was an episode that made me feel attached to and close to the unconventional character Denji, as he grows as a person through a new love. In the film, all the staff worked hard to make Reze, a major key figure, appear appealing when viewed through Denji's perspective, so I hope you will definitely watch it."

◇Staying true to the original, but with more casual expressions

--What was the core focus when adapting the "Reze Arc" into an anime?

Director Yoshiwara, in consultation with the animation and production staff, led by character designer Kazutaka Sugiyama, started by going back to the basics, such as the appeal of the original work and Fujimoto-sensei's panel layout and visual style. In terms of character design and animation, we tried to actively incorporate as many of the expressions from the original work as possible into the anime. The biggest changes are the hair color of Makima and Power, and the absence of highlights in the characters' eyes. Changing these small details to get closer to the impression of the original work was one of the core elements.

-In staying true to the original work, what difficulties did you feel, and what did you find rewarding as a creator?

Director Yoshihara: My personal image of Chainsaw Man is that all the characters have their own unique side, but they all have their own cute points. If I can bring out those cute elements while also bringing out the contrast with the action and serious scenes, I think the difference will be more dramatic and interesting.

Assistant Director Nakazono: I thought that by valuing the sense of space between pictures that is unique to manga and the interesting dialogue of Fujimoto-sensei, the flow of the drama that follows would be highlighted, so I was conscious of how to recreate that atmosphere in the video. With manga, the way it is perceived varies depending on the reader, but with video, the audience will be watching with a set sound and time flow. Within that, it was difficult to think about how much of the atmosphere and good points of the original could be conveyed, but it was also a rewarding task to work on.

--During production, was there anything in particular that the staff discussed or confirmed?

Director Yoshiwara wanted to broaden his range by using more casual expressions in "Reze," so he constantly checked with the directors and animation team to see how far he could go. For example, he felt it was okay to incorporate expressions that could look cheap depending on how they were used, or even deformed facial expressions, as long as they were effective for the work. He also felt that perspective and shading didn't need to be overly conscious, and of course this wasn't done haphazardly; rather, he considered various methods to allow the audience to "relax" and enjoy the work as he created it. I think he had frequent meetings to ensure that everyone could enjoy creating it and that the resulting images were enjoyable.

I think we were able to make it a priority for Assistant Director Nakazono and all the staff to exchange opinions with each other.

◇The power of the voice actors : Reina Ueda, who created the image of Reze

--Some of the videos and other footage have already been released, but how do you feel about the results?

Director Yoshihara: It wasn't until I saw the finished version that I felt a great response to many of the new attempts. There were scenes where the content that had been confirmed in the storyboards was changed due to the influence of previously completed images.

Assistant Director Nakazono : As the pictures gradually came together and the ideas that the animation directors and production team had each contributed, combined with Director Yoshihara's vision, I thought, "This is going to be something amazing," and it was exciting to see something beyond my imagination. Also, working alongside the director on editing and sound, I feel that the sense of tempo and nuances of the dialogue that the team is aiming for from the original work are coming through.

--The dialogue between Denji, Reze, and Makima in the "Reze" arc seems to be one of the attractions. How was the dubbing going?

Director Yoshihara: To Kikunosuke Toya, who plays Denji, I conveyed to him through sound director Yasushi Nagura the nuance of "emptying your mind even more" in order to bring out a more pure character. When he transforms into Chainsaw Man, I told him to "empty your mind even more."

-You want to look pure?

Director Yoshihara : That's right. Denji's lines are included in the PV this time, but now that the filming is finished, I personally feel that it has turned out very well and is very interesting. Makima, played by Tomori Kusunoki, is an unfixed character, so even though she doesn't show much emotion in scenes such as her date with Denji, I think you'll be able to feel a new side of Makima that we haven't seen before. With Reze, I made a request for a slightly brighter feel from the scene where she first meets Denji to the scene after getting out of the school pool, and I think she was able to quickly adapt and respond to that request well.

Assistant Director Nakazono's Reze, played by Reina Ueda, was a very difficult character, but she managed to create a coherent Reze within herself, and I imagine there were times when she struggled to coordinate with our direction. However, in the end, through Ueda, we were able to create a fascinating image of Reze. I was impressed by how she played the truly fascinating character in the "Reze" arc, in a way that surprised us. I'm really glad that Ueda played Reze.

To be continued in interview (2).

*The correct spelling of Director Yoshiwara's "Yoshi" is "Tsuchi + Kuchi".