Excited for the Demon Slayer movie? For an anime with only a single season to its name, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has certainly achieved plenty. In fact, its sequel film Demon Slayer: Mugen Train has just claimed the throne of the Hayao Miyazaki classic, Sen to Chihiro ni Kamakushi (Spirited Away), as the highest grossing film of all time in Japan Box Office. This is quite a feat considering it managed to overtake the classic Studio Ghibli production in just 59 days!
So what makes the Demon Slayer movie so popular? For that, we’ll have to look at its source material and the anime that spawned it all.
Demon Slayer Manga
Koyoharu Gotoge wrote and illustrated this popular manga series. We follow the story of Tanjiro Kamado, whose family was slaughtered by demons while he was away. His younger sister Nezuko is the massacre’s sole survivor, though she inadvertently got turned into a demon in the process.
The manga gained so much popularity that it was later serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020. In total, the manga has 23 tankobon volumes. It was later introduced to English readers by Viz Media. Where can you read Kimetsu no Yaiba? Here are MangaStream alternatives where you can find a copy!
Fun fact: As of December 2020, the Demon Slayer manga has sold over 120 million copies and is recognized as one of the best-selling manga series of all time.
Demon Slayer Anime
In 2019, before the Demon Slayer: Mugen Train movie, the 26-episode anime series aired in Japan. Though it only had a single season, it quickly gained a cult following. It also received numerous accolades, with anime fans and critics alike praising the beautiful animation and the series’ fight sequences.
Much like the manga, we follow Tanjiro Kamado as he tries to become part of the famous Demon Slayer Corps and hopefully, find a cure for Nezuko so she can return back to being human. The path to what he wants to achieve doesn’t come easy, however, though he eventually meets two unlikely characters that will help ease (and sometimes, add) the difficulties of their journey.
Kimetsu no Yaiba ran from April 6 to September 28, 2019 in some of the biggest channels in Japan, including GTV, Tokyo MX, GYT, and BS11 among others. If you haven’t watched the anime, make sure you do so before checking out the film. This is because the Demon Slayer movie picks up right where the anime left off! Check out Demon Slayer KissAnime to stream all 26 episodes. Other streaming platforms that have this title include:
- Crunchyroll
- Netflix
- 4anime
- Animeflix
- AnimeKisa
- Animepahe
Demon Slayer Movie
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
So, what is Demon Slayer: Mugen Train about? The film centers on our favorite foursome, Tanjiro Kamado, Nezuko Kamado, Inosuke Hashibira, and Zenitsu Agatsuma who are aboard a Mugen Train, which is also known as an Infinity Train. Following through from the series’ final episode, they are on their way to meet with the Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, to assist him in hunting a demon who has killed over 40 slayers.
Things don’t go as smoothly as they might have hoped because trouble begins to brew as soon as they board the train. They are attacked by demons, which Kyojuro Rengoku manages to kill off easily. However, the group later falls into a deep sleep, during which the demon Enmu attempts to destroy their spiritual cores. This means they would never wake up again.
Tanjiro, instructed by a vision of his father, manages to wake himself up from the dream. Nezuko is able to do the same and burns off the ropes binding them. She also manages to wake the others, while Tanjiro confronts the enemy. However, Enmu couldn’t be easily killed. We’re sure you’ll be just as surprised when the reason for this is later revealed.
Is the Demon Slayer Movie Worth Seeing?
Considering its $374.55 million box office gross, the answer is a resounding yes. For fans of the Demon Slayer manga or the anime, the feature film will not disappoint. We like to think it’s a must, considering the cliff-hanger the series left us with. If anything, the 117-minute run time would feel a little too short, especially since most of us have waited quite a bit for this to be released.
Where Can You Watch Demon Slayer: Mugen Train?
Following the Demon Slayer movie release on October 16, 2020 in Japan, reports are suggesting that a US theatrical release is slated for the first quarter of 2021. We’re already a little over past the first half of January 2021 so it’s safe to say Demon Slayer movie release date in the United States would be around February 2021.
Some suggest that, given the current health climate, we might be looking at a home video release instead. Funimation has also released a new trailer for the Demon Slayer movie dub, suggesting that it is bound for the theaters at the same time as the subtitled version. It’s definitely a welcome treat for US fans who have been left to merely look through news from Japan and avoid possible spoilers as much as possible!
Check out the Demon Slayer movie trailer below:
Where can you watch Demon Slayer movie? While you might find illegal links online, it is better to wait for the US release to get the full experience. Where to watch Demon Slayer movie Reddit threads will only lead you to dead ends or worse, scam sites. Who is making the movie for Demon Slayer? It is directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable.
What You Need to Know About Demon Slayer / Kimetsu no Yaiba
These days, Demon Slayer is often compared to classic anime programs such as Naruto, One Punch Man, and One Piece when it comes to universal appeal. Some have also likened its immense popularity to other newer series that have achieved the same, such as Violet Evergarden and The Promised Neverland. It makes you wonder what’s so great about it, considering the fact that compared to the aforementioned programs, it has significantly less episodes.
We’re sure many would agree that like the Demon Slayer movie, it has all the elements of a really good story. You have adventure, thrills, comedy, family, friendship, and even romance (if we count Zenitsu’s constant dream of finding his bride!). The Demon Slayer characters, even the secondary ones, have their own story to tell, and their development will keep you glued to the screen.
Demon Slayer Characters
If you’re new to the story, getting to know its core characters will help you follow the events of both the Kimetsu no Yaiba anime and movie better. For that, here’s a quick primer on who they are and their role in the overall story.
Tanjiro Kamado
Tanjiro is introduced as a responsible older brother who took over carrying for their family following his father’s passing. During he events of the first episode, when his family was attacked by demons, we are shown that he had been away because he was trying to earn money.
Upon his return the following day, he finds their home destroyed and everyone dead, save for his sister. He carries her on his back and rushes to find help, only for Giyu Tomioka, a demon slayer and the Water Hashira, to get in their way. Tomioka wants Nezuko dead, knowing what she had turned into.
Tanjiro begs for his sister’s life and Tomioka, moved by their bond, lets them go. He does attach a bamboo mouthpiece on Nezuko to keep her from biting anyone. It is also this meeting that puts Tanjiro on the path to becoming a demon slayer himself. Tanjiro’s journey is chronicled throughout the Demon Slayer anime series.
Nezuko Kamado
Nezuko just might be the cutest demon you’ll ever meet and for that reason, she is one of the most popular Demon Slayer characters. She survived the attack on her family, but was turned into a demon after. This character is shown wearing a bamboo mouthpiece/gag given by Tomioka, which is secured by a strip of cloth around her jaw.
In both the Demon Slayer manga and anime, Nezuko retains her human consciousness and is fiercely protective of humans. The latter is likely due to Sakonji Urokodaki’s influence while she was “asleep” for two years. Nezuko has also forgotten a good chunk of her memories aside from those related to her family.
In the beginning, Nezuko was extremely averse to the sun and as such, Tanjiro resorted to carrying her around in a box on his back. Nezuko has the power of size manipulation, which allows her to shrink herself just enough to fit in it.
Zenitsu Agatsuma
Zenitsu Agatsuma is one of the best plot twists of the Demon Slayer anime. He is a cowardly boy who often claims that he doesn’t have much longer to live due to his profession as a demon slayer. This attitude doesn’t change much even in the Demon Slayer movie, though he has found a bit more confidence by then.
He has very low self-esteem and feels useless as a demon slayer, despite his own strength and the fact that he has already slain one. Zenitsu holds great admiration toward his teacher, Jigoro Kuwajima, and his whole demeanor changes when he thinks about finally avenging Kuwajima’s death.
We’ll get to see more of his antics and further development in the Demon Slayer movie!
Inosuke Hashibira
He’s one of the strangest Demon Slayer characters. It’s easy to dismiss Inosuke as nothing more than a berserker when we first meet him. Unlike Zenitsu and Tanjiro, he comes off more rugged and untrained. Inosuke also often runs around wearing a hollowed-out boar’s head, which is later revealed to be that of his deceased adoptive boar mother’s.
The Demon Slayer movie and anime portray this character as being extremely short-tempered and he always wants to prove that he is the strongest fighter, regardless of the situation. This character challenges just about anyone, including an upper moon demon and even the Hashira, all while injured. Inosuke goading Tanjiro to a fight has become a running joke in the story, since he always fails to rile up the innately gentle slayer.
Secondary Demon Slayer Characters
Other Demon Slayers:
- Tsuguko Kanao Tsuyuri
- Genya Shinazugawa
The Hashira / The Pillars:
- Giyu Tomioka (Water)
- Mitsuri Kanroji (Love)
- Obanai Iguro (Serpent)
- Sanemi Shinazugawa (Wind)
- Gyomei Himejima (Stone)
- Kyojuro Rengoku (Flame)
- Tengen Uzui (Sound)
- Muichiro Tokito (Mist)
- Shinobu Kocho (Insect)
Demons:
- Muzan Kibutsuji
- Tamayo
- Yushiro
- Kokushibo
- Doma
- Akazza
- Hantengu
- Gyokko
- Daki
- Enmu
- Rokuro
- Wakurama
- Mukago
- Rui
- Kamanue
- Kyogai
Demon Slayer Season 2 – News and Updates
As of 2020, a second season for Demon Slayer has not been announced. However, fans speculate that it will likely return during spring or summer of 2021. This is great news, but what’s even better is the confirmation that Demon Slayer season 2 is currently in production. No timeframe has been given, but this is still welcome information. In the meantime, we’re sure fans are also anticipating the release of a Demon Slayer 2 trailer!
