Entertainment
Now Playing: Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Romance, heartbreak, and sakuga at its sharpest
Beautifully cruel. That was my first thought as I stepped out of the cinema, and nearly a day later, the phrase still lingers.
I went in blind. Chainsaw Man isn’t one of the titles I follow closely. I enjoyed the first season enough, but it always carried a gloom-and-doom vibe that never pulled me in fully. This movie wasn’t even on my radar. But walking out? I was floored. Reze Arc isn’t just another anime movie—it’s a complete, well-balanced story that surprised me in the best way.
A surprise swing of the chainsaw
As an anime-only viewer, I didn’t know what to expect. And while nothing felt like a shocking twist—I consume enough anime, shows, games, and films to see turns coming—the execution here is what kept me hooked.
The pacing felt right, every beat landing exactly when it needed to. It had a little of everything: romance, humor, tension, and action, all in doses that felt just right.
Quiet frames, loud blades
MAPPA brought their A-game. The rom-com sequences at the start stood out for their restraint: wide shots to set the mood, close-ups that captured every awkward grin and glance between Denji and Reze.
Then the action hit. It was bombastic, fluid, and overwhelming in the best way. The quiet and the chaos played off each other like a well-planned full-course meal, dessert included.
The art style carried over from the series but clearly elevated for the big screen. You can tell this wasn’t just more of the same. It was refined, deliberate, and polished.
Denji’s first love?
At its heart, Reze Arc is a love story. Denji and Reze’s dynamic is playful, innocent in its own messy way, and deeply human. Knowing Denji’s background makes it even more poignant. This is a boy who grew up fighting just to eat. Now, finally, he’s experiencing the simple, almost universal joys of being a teenager—flirting, crushing, feeling confused about promises made to different people.
Watching him navigate feelings he should have had years ago adds a bittersweet innocence to every scene. It’s not that Denji has changed—it’s that we’re seeing new sides of him, ones the series only hinted at.
Butterflies, bombs, and breathless beats
The movie gave me butterflies. Those early scenes between Denji and Reze? Pure, lighthearted charm. Denji’s inner monologues about the women in his life had me laughing out loud (not literally, of course).
Then came the fights. They were explosive, hype-inducing set pieces that reminded me why MAPPA is prominent when it comes to shonen action. The Bomb Devil’s mid-air blows against the Shark Fiend? Absolute chef’s kiss.
And then there was the tension. The final act had me holding my breath, even though I knew exactly what was coming. That balance—predictable yet still gripping—is hard to pull off, but Reze Arc nails it.
Most importantly, the pacing worked. Where other anime films stumble—Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle, for instance—this one soared. Quiet moments had room to breathe. Action didn’t overstay its welcome. The ending closed things out on just the right eerie note.
Reze vs. the rest
Speaking of Infinity Castle, I’ll say it: Reze Arc was the better film. Part of that is structure—it tells a complete story, not just one chapter of three. Even if you’ve never read the manga, this feels like a self-contained arc. You need some context from the first season, sure, but you won’t feel like you’re left hanging.
Would I call it a good entry point for someone brand new? Maybe not. But if a friend dragged you to see it, you’d walk out curious about what came previously and what comes next.
A love story wrapped in gore
Is this the best Chainsaw Man story told so far? Hard for me to say. But I can say with confidence: this is the most I’ve enjoyed Chainsaw Man yet.
If I had to sum it up in two words, I’d return to where I started: beautifully cruel.
This is for fans who crave good animation, who appreciate when a story shows instead of tells, and really, for anyone who’s ever had a young crush only for it to ultimately fall by the wayside.
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is now showing in Philippine Cinemas.
Entertainment
Avengers: Doomsday trailer assembles Marvel’s biggest heroes against Doctor Doom
Thor warns of Doom
After teasing fans with four short clips last year, Marvel has finally dropped the official trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters this December.
The trailer revolves around Thor as he gathers the New Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and older Avengers like Scott Lang and Sam Wilson. Together, they prepare for the arrival of Doctor Doom.
Thor warns everyone that the multiversal threat is unlike anything he has ever faced.
“I’ve fought with many warriors in my time,” he says. “They were far stronger than all of us put together. And they died.”
He speaks from experience. Later in the trailer, he charges at Doctor Doom with Stormbreaker, much like his arrival during the Battle of Wakanda. Doom simply catches the lightning-infused attack with one hand. He doesn’t even flinch.
Thor has lived for thousands of years. He has fought countless Avengers-level threats, including Hela and Thanos. He also witnessed the fall of Asgard during Ragnarok. That makes his warning hard to ignore.
It’s also fitting that the trailer revolves around him. As the last active original Avenger from the Infinity Saga, Thor has seen more than anyone else in the room.
Familiar faces and new alliances
As Thor speaks, the trailer cuts between several heroes preparing for the coming battle.
It opens at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, where Professor X witnesses destruction outside the mansion before warning that everyone will soon face an “unthinkable decision.”
The Fantastic Four, led by Reed Richards, arrive alongside Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, and Scott Lang for what appears to be a strategy meeting with Wakanda’s leaders.
The trailer also revisits several moments from last year’s teasers, this time from different angles.
There’s the Wakandans, led by King M’Baku, meeting Ben Grimm. Black Panther charges into battle with Wakandan forces. Cyclops unleashes a full-powered optic blast. Gambit clashes with Shang-Chi.
A few scenes are completely new. Namor finally joins the action instead of simply observing events. Mystique shapeshifts into Yelena Belova. Loki appears holding what looks like a TVA device. Professor X also shares a quiet moment with Magneto.
The trailer also includes emotional beats. Scott Lang shares a moment with his daughter Cassie, perhaps thinking that they’ll be separated for the nth time as he participates in battle. Meanwhile, Johnny Storm comforts Sue Storm as a massive wall of water looms behind her.
A familiar hero returns
The trailer concludes with Thor standing alone against Doctor Doom. Even his strongest attack fails to make the villain budge.
“We are going to need a miracle,” a voice says.
Moments later, Mjolnir suddenly flies into someone’s hand.
“Hey, pal… It’s not possible,” Thor says in disbelief.
The final reveal shows Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers casually catching Mjolnir before smiling back at Thor. The moment confirms that, regardless of which universe he comes from, Captain America remains worthy.
To this point, Marvel still keeps most of the story under wraps. The trailer focuses more on the scale of the threat than the plot itself.
One thing is clear, though. Defeating Doctor Doom will take far more than the Avengers alone.
Entertainment
Crunchyroll: Sports anime to watch during the FIFA World Cup
Get pumped up even during World Cup downtime
The FIFA World Cup has officially taken over the planet, causing chronic sleep deprivation, spontaneous living-room screaming matches, and an sudden urge to wear jerseys to formal events.
But what are you supposed to do during those agonizing hours between match kick-offs? Stare at a blank TV screen? Absolutely not.
While the world’s best footballers battle it out on the pitch, Crunchyroll has a bench full of elite sports anime ready to keep your adrenaline levels dangerously high.
From ego-driven strikers to lightning-fast running backs, grab your snacks and settle in for a marathon of victories, setbacks, and comebacks worthy of the world stage.
Who knows, it might inspire you to begin your sports journey too.
BLUE LOCK
Following a disappointing World Cup exit, the Japanese Football Association decides they’ve had enough of “teamwork” and launches a brutal, hyper-isolated training camp called Blue Lock.
The goal? Throw 300 of the country’s best high school forwards into a cutthroat battle royale to breed the ultimate, entirely selfish, world-class striker.
Only one will survive to lead Japan to glory.
Haikyu!!
Shoyo Hinata is pint-sized but possesses an insane vertical leap. After his middle school team gets absolutely demolished by the genius “King of the Court” Tobio Kageyama, Hinata vows revenge.
He enrolls at Karasuno High School to finally crush his rival, only to walk into the gym and find out Kageyama just enrolled there, too.
Now, the sworn enemies have to weaponize their freakish chemistry to bring a fallen powerhouse school back to the national stage.
Shoot! Goal to the Future
Kakegawa High School used to be a legendary name in high school soccer. But these days, the team is a shell of its former self.
Enter Atsushi Kamiya, a former Kakegawa captain turned international soccer star, who returns to coach the struggling squad.
His biggest hurdle? Hideto Tsuji, a profoundly talented player who has completely given up on the sport.
It’s a race against the clock to spark the team’s passion before the whistle blows on their season.
Kuroko’s Basketball
Seirin High just recruited Taiga Kagami, a powerhouse player fresh out of America, alongside Tetsuya Kuroko, a boy so aggressively ordinary he practically blends into the background.
Kagami is horrified to find out Kuroko is terrible at shooting and dribbling until he sees him play. Kuroko’s utter lack of presence allows him to act as an invisible passing ghost, revealing himself as the secret “Sixth Man” of the legendary Middle School Generation of Miracles.
Together, they aim to take down Kuroko’s former teammates one by one.
Eyeshield 21
Sena Kobayakawa is a timid kid who has spent his entire life running away from bullies. Decades of acting as an errand boy have accidentally gifted him with superhuman speed and an uncanny ability to navigate tight spaces.
When the terrifying, submachine-gun-toting captain of the school’s American football team spots Sena’s agility, he forcefully drafts him into the squad.
To hide his identity from rival schools, Sena is forced to don a tinted visor and take the gridiron under the legendary alias: “Eyeshield 21.”
Yuri!!! on ICE
After a crushing, rock-bottom defeat at the Grand Prix Final, Japan’s top figure skater, Yuri Katsuki, heads home with zero confidence and every intention of retiring.
His career seems entirely iced over until a video of him mimicking a routine goes viral, catching the eye of five-time reigning world champion Victor Nikiforov.
In a shocking move, Victor flies to Japan and offers to become Yuri’s coach, sparking a beautiful, high-stakes journey back to the world stage.
MF GHOST
It’s the 202X decade, and Japan has fully embraced self-driving electric vehicles. Traditional cars are all but extinct.
However, internal combustion gets a roaring second life thanks to MFG, a dangerous street-racing circuit held on public motorways.
Kanata Rivington, a brilliant 19-year-old trained by a legendary racer in the UK, arrives in Japan to compete in the MFG with a humble Toyota 86. In the process, he tracks down clues about his missing father.
Entertainment
Crunchyroll Anime Expo announcements: Solo Leveling, Ghost of Tsushima, more
Roundup of major reveals, surprise announcements, more
Crunchyroll took the stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for Anime Expo 2026, dropping a massive slate of theatrical films, new series adaptations, and world premiere trailers.
Headlining the blockbuster showcase were the surprise announcements of a brand-new Solo Leveling theatrical feature and an early glimpse into the animated world of Ghost of Tsushima.
Solo Leveling: Beyond the System
In one of the biggest reactions of the night, English voice actor Aleks Le took the stage to announce that the story of Sung Jinwoo is far from over.
Fans at the event were the first to learn that an all-new anime theatrical feature film, titled Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, is officially in production.
The movie will serve as a direct continuation of the series. It picks up immediately following the events of Season 2.
Animated by the acclaimed studio A-1 Pictures, the film is a joint production involving Aniplex, Netmarble, D&C MEDIA, Kakao Piccoma, and Crunchyroll.
Attendees were also treated to an exclusive teaser key visual and a promotional concept video:
‘Ghost of Tsushima Legends’ character designs
Following last year’s announcement of an anime adaptation of PlayStation’s beloved action-adventure game, Crunchyroll debuted an exclusive first look at the character designs for Ghost of Tsushima Legends.
The upcoming series, which follows one of the last remaining samurai defending his homeland against the Mongol Empire, is being produced by KAMIKAZE DOUGA under the direction of Takanobu Mizuno.
Legendary creators Gen Urobuchi and Satoshi Maejima of NITRO PLUS are handling the script, with Urobuchi overseeing story composition.
Finally, Takashi Okazaki providing the character designs to translate the game’s iconic samurai aesthetic into animation.
Other major reveals, more announcements
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The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy At All: In a shocking surprise video message, rock icon Dave Grohl revealed that Nirvana’s track “Breed” will serve as the official opening theme song for the anime.
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Kagurabachi: Following news that the highly anticipated adaptation is coming to Crunchyroll next year, the panel showcased an exclusive Q&A with Japanese voice actor Taihi Kimura alongside a first look at the provisional character design sheet for protagonist Chihiro Rokuhira.
Crunchyroll rounded out the Anime Expo showcase by locking down release windows and trailers for several highly anticipated fantasy and sci-fi adaptations:
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The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 5: Naofumi’s perilous journey against the waves of danger will officially return to the platform next year.
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Dengeki Daisy: A world premiere trailer was unveiled for this romance-espionage comedy, which is officially heading to Crunchyroll in 2027.
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Magical Buffs – The Support Caster is Stronger Than He Realized!: This new guild-focused fantasy series is locked in for a January 2027 premiere.
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The Vermilion Mask: Fans got another look at the dark, mask-destroying journey of Peru, which is set to premiere in October 2026.
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Overgeared: The virtual reality gaming anime following the S-Rank blacksmith quest of “Grid” will officially debut on the platform later this year.
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