Chainsaw Man English voice actor Ryan Colt Levy (Denji) is on “cloud nine.” 3 years after the anime’s first season, Chainsaw Man: The Movie – The Reze Arc is finally here, and no one is more ecstatic than the man behind Denji himself.
In a candid chat with Temple of Geek, Ryan Colt Levy opened up about the surreal experience of seeing the film, the emotional weight of this new arc, and his deeply personal connection to the Human-Devil hybrid fans know and love.
An Extraordinary Cinematic Experience
Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc premiered on October 24 to impressive reviews. By the time of the premiere, Levy had already seen the film multiple times, including an “extraordinary” IMAX viewing. Levy praised the astounding visuals, with animation that feels like a “passionate high-level love letter” to the arc.
Early reactions were resoundingly positive, earning a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which Levy attributed to the impressive quality of the film. “People are really not prepared for what this movie is going to do to them emotionally and viscerally,” Levy warned. He noted that the film feels like a true cinematic experience, receiving “rave reviews across the board.”
While the first season established the world—or, as Levy put it, “sets up the chessboard” by introducing the characters and the world’s logic—the move to the big screen elevates the story to a new level.
“I really think [this] is one of the great films, anime films,” Levy said, adding that he firmly believes that it’s “going to go down in history as something really special.”
Understanding Denji’s Core
The Reze Arc raises intense emotional stakes and dives deep into Denji as a character. Levy promises the movie will deliver on what was established in the manga. Fans will “really come to understand Denji a lot better,” according to Levy.
He elaborated that the film provides a much clearer “comprehension of Denji’s core and his motivations.” This arc “opens up the viscerality and the emotion on a level that the show only started to like scratch a little bit.” Levy jokingly noted the film’s duality, saying it will “leave people devastated,” but also emphasizing, “it’s really funny. It’s got everything.”
When asked how he conveys Denji’s emotional journey, Levy offered a deeply personal answer. “Denji is the closest character I’ve ever played in my life to things that I felt and places I’ve been in my life.” He even joked that the role “might’ve been the easiest performance I’ve ever given because […] I know these feelings very well.”
From Superfan to Chainsaw Man
Levy’s emotional investment comes from a very real place. He was already a massive fan of the manga long before landing the lead role. He discovered Chainsaw Man during the COVID-19 pandemic while living in a “very Denji-like scenario” in a garage unit without a kitchen, having to unplug his fridge for every audition.
The punk rock aesthetic and title drew him in, but the story itself spoke to him on an artistic level. The story blended all the elements he loved about storytelling: “It was brutal and funny and sad and weird… so sensitive and so crass.” He said the manga felt like “all of these things that I loved mashed into one thing.”
As a fan, he was sure the story was destined to be an anime. Colt was already “preparing [his] heartbreak” before the show was even announced, never expecting to snag an audition. Once he booked the audition, he almost did not attend due to nerves. The fact that he landed the job, he said, felt like “a twist of fate.”
“I don’t think I’ve been satisfied emotionally, creatively, or otherwise more than this project consistently,” Levy concluded. With the film earning praise for its emotional depth and cinematic scope, it’s clear that Ryan Colt Levy—not Pochita—is the core of Denji’s beating heart
