The driving idea behind the Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc campaign was to evolve a globally beloved anime series into a true theatrical event, expanding its cultural footprint while honoring the core fanbase. We set out to engage devoted fans of the original series, broader anime enthusiasts, and new audiences who may not have been familiar with the story or the genre at all. That meant striking a careful balance: delivering insider authenticity for longtime fans while creating accessible entry points that invited wider moviegoers into the world.
We accomplished this by showing up for the fandom in a big way and backing it with bold, theatrical creative. We created fan-first screening events, partnered with culturally relevant influencers to reach beyond core anime audiences, and launched eye-catching assets that highlighted the film’s emotion, action, and big-screen scale. By blending franchise authenticity with clear cinematic positioning, we expanded the audience, sparked global conversation, and established Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc as a must-see theatrical event.
To bring Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc to life, we focused on creating premium, fan-first experiences and content. Our campaign sought to authentically engage devoted fans while creating accessible entry points for newcomers unfamiliar with the franchise or anime in general. Not to mention, we needed to make a beloved series a theatrical event.
Starting at New York Comic Con, we executed a bold creative stunt and immersive social surround. Three massive Pochita blimps floated above the Javits Center, surprising thousands of attendees and commuters and instantly becoming a fan-favorite moment of the weekend. For global fans unable to attend, Crunchyroll hosted a Chainsaw Man YouTube livestream across the U.S. and five international markets (15M subscribers), driving 727,000 views, with the strongest performance in the U.S. and LATAM.
Across Sony Pictures and Chainsaw Man owned social channels, NYCC coverage captured explosive fan energy before, during, and after our screening event. The consistent message from attendees: they couldn’t wait to experience the film again in theaters. Together, these activations successfully transformed fandom into advocacy and positioned Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc as a must-see theatrical event.
We followed that up with a pair of influencer screenings designed to truly celebrate the fandom and build anticipation. In Los Angeles, we hosted 80+ top creators across anime, entertainment, and lifestyle at Alamo Drafthouse for a themed fan event, complete with Pochita appearances, over-the-top photo moments, and a surprise intro from members of the English voice cast, sparking 100+ social posts and 3.7M estimated impressions with overwhelmingly positive sentiment. We kept the momentum going with a premium IMAX screening at IMAX HQ in partnership with The Anime Men, bringing together another 80+ high-profile creators and streamers to experience the film in a format built for spectacle. Together, the events amplified our theatrical positioning and drove massive organic reach across platforms.
The results were reflected at the box office. Released in October 2025, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc debuted at #1 with $17M+ in North America and went on to gross between $163M and $177M worldwide as of late 2025. Strong international performance positioned the film among the highest-grossing Japanese films ever, underscoring the impact of a globally integrated digital-first campaign.
