Interview mit Kenshi Yonezu zu CHAINSAW MAN: REZE ARC

The anticipation of that CHAINSAW MAN – THE MOVIE: REZE ARC The film is literally palpable as it heads toward its U.S. premiere this week. The film’s musical base is built on two new title songs produced by Kenshi Yonezu: “IRIS OUT” and “JANE DOE” – the latter is Yonezu’s first collaboration with Hikaru Utada and marks a historic moment in which two of the most influential singer-songwriters of the modern Japanese pop generation come together creatively.

Yonezu is very familiar with the franchise; his previous song for the CHAINSAW MAN anime, “KICK BACK,” was a worldwide smash and became the first Japanese-language song ever to receive RIAA platinum certification. For the film, he consciously anchored the new music in the thematic duality of the manga. He emphasized that the show’s brilliance lies in its rare ability to weave extreme violence with comedy — a mix he wanted to reflect in the score. To do this, he gave the two title songs almost completely different sounds and moods; Nevertheless, both pieces revolve around a central leitmotif of the film.

Opener “IRIS OUT” has already made history, catapulting itself straight into the Top 5 of the Billboard Global 200 at the start of the month – the highest chart position a Japanese-language song has ever achieved. The track is a packed ensemble: a thumping bassline reflects Denji’s racing pulse; Glitchy techno accents hint at his unbridled thoughts, and a ragtime-like arrangement evokes the chaotic world and whirlwind of events he lives through.

This manic energy contrasts with “JANE DOE,” the closing duet with Utada, which creates a stripped-back but equally moving soundscape and perfectly captures Denji and Reze’s love story. Eerie, ethereal strings hint at Reze’s hidden motives and identity, while a delicate piano waltz underlines the childlike purity of the longing for love and closeness.

Their music hits the emotional core of a story in an unmistakable way. What specific topics? CHAINSAW MAN have touched you most deeply? And how did that influence your compositions?

CHAINSAW MAN contains a lot of violence; This series artfully shows how this very violence can be funny. You’re drawn in and spun around in a seamless sequence of violence and laughter. I don’t know of any other manga in the shōnen genre that weaves together violence and laughter with such brilliance.

„CHAINSAW MAN contains a lot of violence; This series artfully shows how this very violence can be funny.”

CHAINSAW MAN is known for its mix of extreme violence and deep emotions. How did you balance these two opposites in the two theme songs for the new film?

My first goal was to give “IRIS OUT” and “JANE DOE” completely different tonalities. Both songs embody misunderstandings that arise when people can’t fully relate to each other – especially in the dynamics between couples. I think this topic is closely related to duality CHAINSAW MAN. I thought it was important to have this kind of duality in a manga series like CHAINSAW MAN – a medium that is both funny and serious, violent and melancholic.

If you for each of the songs you for CHAINSAW MAN (both the TV anime and the movie) had to choose a single word, what would it be?

Since feelings are difficult to summarize in a single word, I simply described each song with one: “KICK BACK”: poverty; “IRIS OUT”: Lust; “JANE DOE”: Traces. I think that sums it up pretty well.

Without giving too much away: Was there a particular scene or the development of a character in the film that particularly inspired you for the new songs?

There is a scene in the film where the two sneak into a school at night. That was a key scene that significantly shaped the song. The scene has an incredibly melancholic tone and is one of my favorite sequences of the film DRAW ARC. From then on, I focused on meticulously following Denji’s gaze – and on learning to love Reze.

Her collaboration with Hikaru Utada is a real event for fans. How did this partnership come about?

At first I thought I probably shouldn’t sing it myself. My male voice felt for the end of the DRAW ARC Film doesn’t fit. From the beginning I had the strong feeling that the song needed to be carried by a female voice to really work. I love the duet “I’ve Seen It All” by Björk and Thom Yorke Dancer in the Dark. This nuance seemed to fit me perfectly, so I started writing the song with this thought in mind.

There were all sorts of twists and turns after that – I even tried a version that was nostalgic and evoked youthful feelings – but it seemed too awkward. In the end I had the feeling that a duet between a man and a woman with a slightly melancholic, dark mood was the best fit. That’s how it happened.

How did your very first conversation with Hikaru Utada about the song go?

I explained to Utada that I wanted to create a duet between “a girl who is carrying something incredibly complex and a boy who basically doesn’t understand it at all” and asked Utada to sing it accordingly. Utada recorded this with his own interpretation – this is how the piece took shape. Beyond that, I didn’t give detailed instructions because I felt it was best to follow Utada’s own instincts.

“There is a scene in the film where (Denji and Reze) sneak into a school at night… The scene has an incredibly melancholic tone and is one of my favorite sequences of the film DRAW ARC.“

Both of their musical signatures are extremely independent and at the same time have great emotional weight. How did you explore the creative intersection for both voices and approaches?

Since Utada lives in London, the recording process was done through data exchange – almost like an exchange of letters going back and forth. There was still a phone call. In this conversation, Utada said: “I think if you sing it like that, your voice comes out more.” I immediately had the feeling that this was true – also because Utada and I have very different sensibilities when it comes to singing.

Utada is musically rooted in R&B and other styles that work with a relaxed, rich sense of rhythm. I, on the other hand, come from the field of Vocaloid and computer-generated music, where I tend to give more importance to the vertical grid lines. At times I also lean into alternative rock sounds with a sense of “urgency”. Because we are so different by nature, as soon as Utada’s voice is over something I’ve written, a song immediately seems much more full-bodied. This difference between us was truly wonderful.

As mentioned, the song ultimately embodies the contrast between a girl who is carrying something deeply complicated and a boy who fundamentally doesn’t understand it. It wasn’t planned that way from the start – it just happened. But it feels like we’ve ended up with the only possible version.

If your entire discography was a journey – where would you place this new music for CHAINSAW MAN in it? Is it a new chapter, a side quest or something else entirely?

One of my songwriting goals this year was to make music with the pure, childlike enthusiasm I had as a child. After so many years of making music, I seemed to have forgotten why I was doing this in the first place – I felt the urge to return to where it all began. I thought back to my childhood, sitting in front of the computer, programming, recording music alone – and tried to recapture that feeling as much as possible.

“When Utada’s voice is over something I’ve written, the song seems much more full-bodied.”

If you are a devil in the world of CHAINSAW MAN would be – which one would you be?

I would be a bamboo shoot devil that grows steadily and then bursts through the floors of houses.

If you could give Denji one piece of life advice, what would it be?

Stay healthy.

Away from the film: If your music is for CHAINSAW MAN could pair with any dish – which one would it be and why?

A heavy, greasy, flavor-packed burger – and a can of Coke.