Demon Slayer -Kimetsu No Yaiba- the Movie: Mugen Train is a masterful continuation of the hit anime with breathtaking animation and layered characters.
Directed by Haruo Sotozaki, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train follows the hopeful and heroic Tanjiro Kamado and his companions, Zenitsu and Inosuke, as they do what the title says—slay demons. Tanjiro’s ultimate goal is simple and focused, to protect his demon sister, Nezuko, and find a cure to turn her back into a human. The film, following the manga of the same name, adapts the Mugen Train Arc, the seventh arc of the manga. Picking right up from where the first season left off, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train has all greatness of the anime. Industry-leading animation, believable voice acting, and a story that is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train broke records in Japan, reviving the theatrical market in the region almost single-handedly. Demon Slayer caught the world by storm when the anime debuted and has become a pop-culture icon for both eastern and western audiences. At the moment, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is the most successful film in Japanese history, with an opening weekend at the domestic box office rivaling Mortal Kombat.
Demon Slayer has all the Shonen anime basics we have come to know and love. From a heart-of-gold protagonist, to a heartbreaking origin story, Demon Slayer has it all. What makes the series stand apart is it’s cutting-edge animation and a unique balance of horror and heroics. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train had the foundation to succeed, and succeed it did.
It’s not often that an anime movie based on an existing popular series lives up to the hype. While the standard Dragon Ball or My Hero movie is serviceable to their fanbases, Demon Slayer uniquely captured the general audience. This starts with a superstar main character in Tanjiro. Tanjiro captures the hearts of the audience in the film whether those watching are familiar with him or not. Clever plot mechanics allows any newcomer to watch the film and immediately understand Tanjiro’s motivations, heart, and need to do good. With horror elements and a generally dark tone, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is balanced by Zenitsu and Inosuke. While a bit more simplified in this adaption, the two serve as comedic relief, while also injecting the film with a sense of levity. The breakaway star of the first season, Nezuko, also returns and will once again be a favorite for fans.
Perhaps the most interesting character in the film is a new one, Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, by far the most powerful hero the main group has encountered yet. When the audience first meets Rengoku, it will feel like any generic strong anime protagonist. Yet as the film progresses, the heart and heartbreak of Rengoku is revealed, creating a three-dimensional, uniquely designed, and spectacular character. Rengoku is the runaway star of the film and audiences both new and old will fall in love with the character’s heart and willingness to protect.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu No Yaiba- the Movie: Mugen Train is a masterclass in anime filmmaking. From its stunning animation, beautiful characters, memorable score, and faithful storytelling, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train continues to show why the franchise has caught the world by storm,
5/5
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