Chainsaw Man, The Movie: Reze Arc, which premiered in Japan in early September, has been warmly received by fans worldwide, earning higher ratings than its fierce rival Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle on major ranking platforms.
Once again, MAPPA Studio has elevated the original work’s quality, especially in this film adaptation. As a result, Chainsaw Man unexpectedly surpassed Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle in ratings on MyAnimeList (MAL), the most popular anime fan community website.
Just days after its release, Chainsaw Man holds a 9.17 rating on MyAnimeList, with over 190,000 users voting, a number that continues to rise. The film not only outscored Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which has an 8.73 rating from more than 280,000 votes, but also overtook one of the site’s long-standing top titles, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which has a 9.10 rating.
This achievement makes Chainsaw Man the second highest-rated anime of all time on the platform. If its current momentum continues, it could even claim the top spot from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
Why Chainsaw Man Scores Higher Than Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
MyAnimeList has long been one of the most trusted platforms for anime and manga fans to track, rate, and discuss their favorite titles. Its rankings are seen as a genuine reflection of fan opinion, so Chainsaw Man’s higher score over Demon Slayer is almost an official endorsement that it surpasses Infinity Castle in quality.
This is no exaggeration. Demon Slayer’s pacing and storytelling feel more like watching a long anime season rather than a cinematic experience. In contrast, Chainsaw Man is structured thoughtfully, delivering the feel of a true feature film rather than a compilation of episodes.
Adapting a smaller story arc into a feature film was a particular success for Chainsaw Man, as the studio enhanced the source material’s quality without cutting any important content.
While Chainsaw Man may never surpass Demon Slayer’s box office records, the anime community has clearly decided it is a far superior film in overall quality.