THIS STORY CONTAINS NO DEMON SLAYER SPOILERS.
Calling all Southern anime fans! If you weren’t already aware, The long-awaited Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie was released Thursday September 11th. Demon Slayer is an anime series that embellishes a historical Japanese setting with fantasy, following a young man, Tanjiro, and his sister Nezuko’s journey to avenge their family, who were massacred by demons. Tanjiro works tirelessly to both grow stronger and protect his sister, and his dedication to growth gains him many friends along the way, whose backstories create an intriguing view on the versatility of human life and provide opportunities for viewers to engage emotionally with the characters.
Freshman Jade Herbert captures this appeal, saying, “My favorite part about the series is the storyline. I love how you’re able to go into each characters backstory and understand why they are the way they are now.”
Coupled with a unique perspective, the series features insanely detailed animation that has enraptured viewers since its initial release in 2019. The powers used by demons and demon slayers alike are filled with vivid colors and imagery that keep viewers visually entertained.
Senior Mya Foster highlights the series’ striking visuals, noting, “The action and art style caught my attention the most, it is indescribable of how beautiful the whole series is made.”
Since its domestic release in July, Infinity Castle has gathered its fanbase to earn a 96% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, following closely behind Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, the current highest-grossing anime film released in 2020. Infinity Castle picks up where the last season ended in 2024 and follows the Demon Slayer Corps as they prepare for the ultimate battle against the insatiable Muzan Kibutsuji and his team of powerful upper-rank demons. The new movie is filled with touching storylines about both protagonists and antagonists alike, allowing viewers to connect on an emotional level with each character.
As previously mentioned, Demon Slayer is known for its captivating art style, and Infinity Castle proves no exception. Though it leaves some action to be desired, the movie is still full of intricately designed fight scenes, each placed intentionally to let fans recognize the intense skill progression and character development in key fighters, namely Zenitsu and Tanjiro himself.
Demon Slayer’s appeal endures partly because of the meaningful messages neatly laced within the series. The detailed storylines humanize each character with no regard to their allegiance. Chloe Williams, a sophomore, adds her perspective as a newer fan, “I’ve been a fan for about five months now. What keeps me watching is how well the characters’ stories are written—I like how everything they’ve gone through becomes their motivation to fight demons.”
Overall, the film sets the series up for a new season, but the film is another strong addition to a franchise already known for its exceptional quality.
