Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is continuing its incredibly successful theatrical run, outperforming all expectations and stealing records left and right at the U.S. box office. The hit Shōnen Jump anime series took the world by storm with its first season in 2022, and three years on from its premiere, fans can’t get enough of Denji and company.
Over the weekend, the movie’s success hit a new high point, with Chainsaw Man topping a record from one of the most iconic names in anime, Dragon Ball. The movie officially grossed over $38 million at the U.S. box office, surpassing 2022’s Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, and becoming the fifth-highest earning anime movie ever in America.
Chainsaw Man Outperforms Dragon Ball at the U.S. Box Office
The Latest Smash Hit Anime Movie Is Continuing to Dominate at the U.S. Box Office
Though Chainsaw Man was already one of the top ongoing anime franchises in the industry before the Reze Arc movie hit theaters, few expected such a dominant showing at the global box office for the series’ first ever full-length film. Targeted towards a more mature audience, the movie was expected to be a success, but anime fans around the world are packing theaters non-stop.
Just last week, Reze Arc surpassed Dragon Ball Super: Broly‘s global box office total, and now, once again, Chainsaw Man is taking down the iconic franchise, toppling Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero‘s U.S. box office record.
Following the otherworldly success of 2025’s other top anime movie, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, it seems anime is here to stay in U.S. cinemas, with both movies finding their way into the top 30 highest grossing films in America this year. Chainsaw Man‘s time on the big screen isn’t over yet, either, and fans can expect it to steal a few more records before it’s finished.
Chainsaw Man’s Success Means More for Anime than Demon Slayer’s Box Office Total Does
The Reze Arc movie has quite a ways to go if it wants to catch Demon Slayer‘s latest film at the U.S. box office, but it can be argued that its success already means more for anime than Infinity Castle‘s numbers do. As a franchise, Demon Slayer is aimed at general audiences, and has long been highly popular around the world.
Fans and industry execs expected towering success to some degree, and the movie’s performances met expectations. Chainsaw Man, on the other hand, is viewed more as a series for more devoted anime fans, and its dark and disturbing world doesn’t make it a top candidate for mainstream success.
Nevertheless, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is outperforming all expectations, continuing its dominance around the world and proving that anime belongs in cinemas. The movie has just stolen a record from one of the biggest names in the industry, and there’s no end in sight for Denji and Reze’s U.S. theater takeover.
- Release Date
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September 19, 2025
- Director
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Tatsuya Yoshihara
- Writers
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Hiroshi Seko
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Kikunosuke Toya
Denji (voice)
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