A large part of this story is made to highlight just how inhuman Denji is. He grew up socially isolated and lacking the vast majority of creature comforts that even the most meager of us tend to have. He sold an eye and a kidney to survive--and three meals a day of tasty food is all it takes for Makima to win him over. He's never been to school, never had friends his own age, and never had a romantic relationship. But even more than that, things like the unspoken rules of society and even general pop culture are foreign to him. He's an outsider when it comes to living as a human.

The fact of the matter is that Denji is more like the devils he fights, kills, and lives with than the average human. The devils are ruled by their instincts more than anything else. While capable of rational thought, that intellect is almost solely focused on getting what their instincts demand--be that food, survival, or acting out whatever human fear they embody.

Similarly, Denji has focused his life around a single goal: getting with Makima. But what happens when he can get what he wants from another girl--one who delivers on her flirting with enthusiasm? That is the question at the center of this movie.

At first, Denji's reaction to Reze is purely physical--though that doesn't mean much. Denji fundamentally doesn't understand the difference between lust and romantic love at this point. To him, he sees it as being in love with two people. But as the film goes on, Denji has a far healthier relationship with Reze than with Makima. Makima literally treats Denji like a pet--something she keeps around for both its usefulness and her own amusement. Reze seems to enjoy her time with Denji--and him with her.

Of course, it's obvious from moment one that Reze is more than she seems. Denji has nothing to offer as a person--he's naive, lacking in education, and kills devils for a living. A young, beautiful girl isn't just going to throw herself at him for existing. She wants Denji for the same reason as Makima--the powerful devil inside him. However, the key difference between her and Makima is that, despite what she's trying to achieve, she actively wants Denji to better himself--and even helps him to do so. Part of her truly does like the earnest goofball because, if nothing else, he is true to his feelings. He never lies to her. He's as genuine as a person can be.

And in the end, both she and Denji realize that they might actually have a chance of finding happiness with each other--that they have grown beyond their base natures and have come to understand love. They may even be able to live a normal high school life together--and for the first time, that's something both of them want. It all makes for a surprisingly deep and bittersweet story that would make the film worth watching all on its own--even if it wasn't a visual masterpiece.

The presentation of this film is simply stunning. The directing is creative and artistic--using the visual language of film to tell its story as much as the dialogue. Various art styles are used throughout the film--and each at the perfect moment. And then there are the action scenes. Denji's climactic battle against the Bomb Devil will make your eyes water, then bleed in response to the flashy effects and striking cinematography.

The music, while not quite up to the same level as the art and animation, is still above average. The contrast between the peaceful scenes with Denji and Reze and the hard metal when Chainsaw Man is fighting is wonderfully done. And the general sound design and voice acting are likewise spot on. The film is a feast for the eyes and the ears.

All in all, this movie takes one of the lesser arcs in Chainsaw Man and uses the flexible runtime of a feature film to give the story the time it needs to resonate in a way that far overshadows what was originally on the page. Add to that some amazing fights, silly comedy, and a score of top-tier visuals, and you have one of the must-watch anime films of the year.