The anime phenomenon is back in the news: Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has burst onto the scene in Spain, topping the box office charts on its first day. The title, which expands on the story of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, has beaten out other strong releases, confirming the public's huge appetite for anime in theaters.
Beyond the local release, the film is showing signs of strength in several markets. North America led the weekend with about $17,25 million, while in South Korea repeated leadership for the second weekend and in Japan has been at the top for several weeks, reflecting a reach that goes far beyond its fan base.
Chainsaw Man leads the Spanish box office
In Spain, the feature film debuted on Friday October 24 as the most watched film of the day. The public responded strongly and the film prevailed over direct rivals such as Black Phone 2, the musical biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere or national proposals such as Los domingos, cementing its position as number one.
The reach in theaters has been significant: 274 cinemas programmed the film at its launch, a figure that leaves it very close to other wide release titles such as Sundays (284) or Black Phone 2 (295). This deployment has favored its visibility and has helped to make it the billboard's preferred option.
- Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
- Black Phone 2
- Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
- Sundays
- La cena
- Corpse Bride (20th Anniversary)
- Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie
- One battle after another
- The Warren File: The Last Rite
- Tron: Ares
Tatsuya Yoshihara's film, distributed by Sony/Crunchyroll, has connected with the public in a transversal way, relying on both anime fans and viewers who seek a different proposal within the panorama of premieres.
A success that is repeated outside of Spain
In the United States and Canada, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc led the weekend with about 17,25 million, surpassing the horror sequel Black Phone 2 (around 13 million) and leaving behind releases such as the romantic regretting you (approx. 12,5 million) or the biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (about 9,1 million). The audience score on CinemaScore was a "TO", a sign of good word of mouth.
The anime boom is also being felt in Asia. In South Korea, the film topped the charts for the second weekend in a row, earning around 1,8 million (246.138 tickets) and taking its total since the premiere to about 16,6 millionA solid performance that stands on the same weekend where other genre and arthouse titles compete.
En Japan, the title maintains its leadership in the national ranking, with a recent weekend close to 582 million yen (about 3,86 million dollars) and a cumulative total of around 6,5 billion yen and more than 4,26 million tickets sold. This figure confirms a positive momentum that strengthens anime's presence in local and international theaters.
The market context helps to measure the phenomenon: just a few weeks ago, another anime production was making headlines with record numbers. Now, Chainsaw Man continues that trend and proves that anime competes head to head with major Hollywood franchises in different territories.
What drives performance: distribution, formats and proposition
The endorsement of Sony/Crunchyroll and a comprehensive room plan have been key. Added to this are screenings in premium formats like IMAX, which raise the average ticket price and improve the premiere's visibility. The audience response is consistent with this strategy and the brand's popularity in streaming.
Creatively, the film adapts the Arch of Reze, a self-contained story that follows Denji as he encounters a mysterious young woman who changes his course; for more context, see Everything you need to know about Chainsaw Man. This mix of action, horror and romance, along with the visual identity of the franchise, has helped new audiences approach without the need for excessive baggage.
Beyond the short term, the IP has a long way to go: with the manga material of Tatsuki fujimoto still to be adapted, the performance in theaters fuels the expectation of new animated chapters and keeps the conversation alive between fans and the general public.
With a strong start in Spain, clear leadership in North America and continuity in Asian markets such as Korea and Japan, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc signs one of the best recent openings for an anime in theaters, supported by a wide distribution, premium formats and a proposal that connect with the moment market.
