Following the conclusion of the Demon Slayer’s fourth season (also known as the Hashira Training Arc), excitement is high for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle. And for good reason, with fans looking forward to seeing the high-octane action that the show is known for.
With the movie delving into the final arc of the manga, this was the opportunity to see animation studio Ufotable go all out. But as the first of a planned trilogy of films, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle certainly felt like it was a prelude.
All about the action
The movie opens immediately where the finale of the fourth season left off, with protagonist Tanjiro Kamado, the Hashiras, and other demon slayers falling into the titular Infinity Castle – a shifting, maze-like space filled to the brim with demons. This, of course, sets up some eye-catching matchups against the powerful Upper Moons.
Unsurprisingly, the action in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle is electric, displaying some of the best fights we’ve seen from the series.
Ufotable and director Haruo Sotozaki (who also helmed the Mugen Train film) once again show why Demon Slayer has become as popular as it is. The movie is a spectacle, with deft and precise choreography delivering breathtaking setpieces that don’t miss a beat. CGI has largely gotten a bad reputation in anime for being distracting, but here it is essential, innovatively presenting action in ways we’ve not seen before.
And visually, Infinity Castle is a showpiece as well. There is a sense of awe when seeing each distinct Breathing Technique in action. This being dubbed Part 1: Akaza Returns, the highlight is definitely the battle with Upper Rank Three Akaza, which brings flashes of colours and hair-raising intensity alongside the pulsating score.
But the action of the movie wouldn’t have hit so hard without the performances all around. Unsurprisingly, Natsuki Hanae is once again at his intense best at voicing Tanjiro Kamado, but special shoutouts should be given to Takahiro Sakurai (Tomioka Giyu), Hiro Shimono (Zenitsu Agatsuma), Saori Hayami (Shinobu Kocho), and Akira Ishida (Akaza). The way they delivered the emotional notes on the narrative elevated the fights to another level.
Narrative nous needed
However, as good as the action in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle is, the movie suffers from its pacing.
Infinity Castle feels like a movie of two halves. The first half is much like a starter course, setting things up with smaller bouts and story progression, while the latter half goes all in on the battle with Akaza. That wouldn’t be much of an issue if the film’s structure weren’t so inconsistently presented.
Flashbacks aren’t an unfamiliar trend in the Demon Slayer series, but their featuring here interrupts the flow of the film and gives it a stop-start feel. When you’re deep into the action, that disruption feels rather jarring and seems to drag things out.
To its credit, the use of flashbacks isn’t exactly pointless—it is all for character progression and giving the spotlight to other notable characters like Shinobu Kocho, Zenitsu, and of course, Akaza. But it doesn’t quite work in a long continuous format like a movie. I suspect that if Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle was recompiled into TV format like Mugen Train was, the presentation would be much better.
Verdict
The highly-anticipated Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle delivers stunning animation and adrenaline-pumping action, but can be found lacking in terms of its presentation in other areas. As the first film in a trilogy, it sets the stage for fans to be excited for the next movie—it is just a shame that it doesn’t stand as tall on its own.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle arrives in theatres on 14 August 2025, and is available at Golden Village, Shaw Theatres, and Cathay Cineplexes.
To refresh yourself before watching the movie, you can revisit all episodes of the Demon Slayer anime series from Crunchyroll.
Visuals courtesy of Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE).
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle
