Hikaru Utada Will Add the ‘Chainsaw Man’ Movie to Their Anime Song Infinity Gauntlet

A teaser trailer for a song typically doesn’t make waves, but when it’s tied to a hotly anticipated theatrical release like Mappa’s Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, it certainly might. Especially when it’s graced by the dulcet tones of Hikaru Utada, a singer whose presence in the anime industry is nothing short of musical royalty.

Previous trailers for the film adaptation of manga creator Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Reze Arc leaned hard into spectacle with blazing eruptions, feverish glimpses of Denji’s fantasies about the domineering Makima, and the explosive arrival of the new girl on the block, Reze, all set to the pulse of the series’ artist Kenshi Yonezu’s music. But Mappa’s latest preview shifts gears entirely, trading chaos for a quiet, melancholic, tender, wistful tone that aligns with longing. And to seal that emotional shift, Mappa teased the inclusion of legendary J-pop and R&B singer Utada to the final mix, tying together its sonic identity. 

The new Reze Arc teaser, which lasts just over 30 seconds, features a serene sequence of images. It shows streaks trailing behind a plane, as well as Reze and Denji spending time together in a café and at a school at night. There’s also a scene of them relaxing on the beach. Accompanied by the soothing sounds of waves and music, the teaser showcases the voice of Utada, followed by the title card for their song with Yonezu, aptly titled “Jane Doe.”

Picking up where the 2022 anime left off (with a fleeting glimpse of Reze in its final moments), the upcoming film adapts the entirety of her arc in the manga, which introduces the purple-haired lady both as a new romantic spark and a literal ticking time bomb adversary in Denji’s hard-knocks life. As the Bomb Devil, she’s not just a new adversary for Denji and the devil hunters to snuff out; she’s also a contradiction wrapped in allure, danger, and romance for the terminally down-on-his-luck protagonist sincerely trying to sort out his Mazlaw’s hierarchy of needs. All of which makes the title of Utada’s song even more apropos, given the nature of her enigmatic role and emotional impact as a new presence threatening a paradigm shift in Denji’s life.

For those who might be unfamiliar with their talents, Utada is akin to musical caviar atop any project they’re attached to. Chief among these are songs for Square Enix and Disney’s Kingdom Hearts series, including timeless tracks such as “Simple and Clean” and “Sanctuary.” Utada is also a household name in anime circles, lending her voice to the soundtrack of director Hideaki Anno’s Neon Genesis Evangelion rebuild film quadrilogy, the last of which is Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, with the song “One Last Kiss.” In other words, Mappa adding Utada to the final mix of Reze Arc‘s sonic identity only adds to the already atmospheric hype that precedes the film’s release.

Folks will have to look forward to seeing how Denji and Reze’s story plays out when Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc hits theaters in Japan September 19 and elsewhere internationally on September 24, before hitting the U.S. on October 29.

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