One of Chainsaw Man's most beloved characters was inspired by Tokyo Ghoul

Chainsaw Man has presented audiences with a host of unique characters throughout its story. From protagonists to supporting roles, each has made a lasting impression on the narrative and on the characters themselves. Among the most beloved is Bomb Girl, Reze. Her arc is considered one of the series' best, and her impact has been significant on both the story and fans.

Initially sent to kill Denji and retrieve his heart, she ended up stealing it instead and lost her own in the process. However, an unfortunate turn of events prevented their relationship from fully developing. As the series continues, many have noticed an interesting detail: Reze closely resembles Rize Kamishiro from Tokyo Ghoul, leading to speculation about possible inspiration.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion.

An adored Chainsaw Man character may have found inspiration in Tokyo Ghoul

Rize Kamishiro (Image via Studio Pierrot)

As mentioned, Chainsaw Man's Bomb Girl Reze may have been inspired by Rize Kamishiro from Tokyo Ghoul. The characters share intriguing similarities that support this idea. For starters, their appearances are quite similar - both have purple hair and wear mostly white outfits. Additionally, the settings where they were introduced also match.

In Chainsaw Man, Reze's first interaction with Denji occurs when she runs into the same phone booth he did to avoid the rain. The two then make their way to the cafe where Reze works. They share a coffee, and before long, Denji becomes hooked, visiting the cafe quite often. But Reze "ran into" him for entirely different reasons, namely, an agent sent to Japan to acquire Chainsaw Man's heart.

Meanwhile, in Sui Ishida's series, Rize Kamishiro targeted Kaneki Ken when she realized he had feelings for her. After briefly chatting online following a conversation at Anteiku, the pair met for a date. However, in the end, Rize tricked Kaneki into walking her home and attacked him. But she was unable to consume him because an accident nearly killed her and led to Kaneki becoming a Ghoul.

What's intriguing is how similar the two situations are. Both Reze and Rize had hidden motives for luring their targets. With a coffee shop as the backdrop in each setting, both characters emotionally manipulated their targets to achieve their goals. If this isn't enough evidence, the fact that their names are so similar also serves as additional proof.

Delving deeper, fascinating revelations emerge. As it turns out, Sui Ishida (Tokyo Ghoul), ONE (One Punch Man), and Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man) started their careers as manga artists in a forum called "Neetsha." It was a manga event where Sui Ishida and ONE participated, creating The Penisman and Saitama. Also present was Fujimoto, a Neetsha fan who drew fan art of Penisman.

This marked the beginning of a friendship that started in 2009 and would last for years. Therefore, it's plausible that Ishida's work inspired Fujimoto's own creations. Such a connection adds an extra layer of meta-textual intrigue for fans. In other words, Reze's character arc is emotionally and narratively significant, while also likely serving as an homage to one of anime and manga's most iconic femme fatales.

Final thoughts

The parallels between Chainsaw Man’s Reze and Tokyo Ghoul’s Rize Kamishiro suggest an interesting case, a likelihood of shared artistic roots influencing both characters. In each case, the characters debut in similar situations, with coffee shops as the setting, and using emotional manipulation. The resemblance in their designs, along with their similarly sounding names, further highlights this connection.

As mentioned, Fujimoto and Ishida started their careers on the "Neetsha" forum. What started as fan art soon evolved into a friendship that has lasted for years. Needless to say, the mangaka have a mutual respect for each other’s work. If this is true, Reze being inspired by Rize shows Fujimoto’s skill in reimagining an existing archetype in a way that feels both familiar and unique.

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About the author

Casey has been an anime writer at Sportskeeda since almost a year. Being drawn into the world of animanga after watching the Dragon Ball series almost a decade ago, Casey's interest in the genre, along with his love of crafting plot theories influenced his writerly endeavors. Presently pursuing a Master's degree in International Business, Casey worked for Uneake and FootballExpress for 1.3 years before joining Sportskeeda.

Casey's writings reflect his commitment to producing the most reliable content, evidenced by his flair for in-depth reporting. He places a high value on meticulous research and complete factual accuracy.

Although it was legendary Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus that influenced his love of animanga, Casey soon branched out and explored other titles. The unique ways in which mangakas express ideas, as well as their far-reaching effects, have inspired Casey in his creative pursuits.

When not busy writing, Casey enjoys working out, listening to music, strumming the guitar, and playing football.

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Edited by Shreya Das