By: Naomi Grace Cavaneyro
Demon Slayer (Kimetsu No Yaiba) knows what its fans want, and it shows. The anime adaptation gained traction after animation studio Ufotable beautifully rendered the first season of the show in 2019. Now with three seasons and two movies under its belt, and a fourth season underway, the franchise recently premiered the latest movie in the franchise, Demon Slayer – To the Hashira Training, which was an impeccable balancing act that recapped prior events and introduced a new arc.
The movie was a back-to-back special of season 3’s 11th episode (“Swordsmith Village Arc”) and season 4’s 1st episode (“Hashira Training Arc”). There will be minor spoilers for said arcs in this article, so turn back now if you don’t want to be spoiled. We don’t want to sully your Demon Slayer experience!
And for those who chose to stay, join us as we take a look at the High Five highlights of the movie and why it’s worth watching when it comes out digitally!
Arc Highlights Recapped
The movie spends its first five minutes paying homage to the four key moments in the journey of the Kamado siblings. Tanjiro and Nezuko are siblings on a quest after tragedy strikes as their family is killed by demons. Nezuko gets infected with demon blood, which motivates Tanjiro to become a Demon Slayer to fight demons and cure his sister.
From the moment Tanijro and Nezuko met the Hashiras in season 1 to Rengoku and Tengen’s battle in season 2, these key moments were laid out in a montage that made the transition seamless to the last episode of the “Swordsmith Village Arc,” hyping the audience up for what’s to come.
Emotionally-Charged Action and Visuals
After the recap, we follow Tanjiro, Nezkuo and another Demon Slayer, Genya, as they chase after a demon through the forest – a mini version of the Upper Rank Four demon, Hantengu. It was one of the most crucial parts of the movie because if the trio don’t subdue and kill him, their comrade, the demon slayer and Love Hashiar, Mitsuri, would die by the hand of the hand of wrath (a part of the whole of the demon).
After that, there was also a crux scene of Nezuko burning under the sun as Tanjiro dealt with a nerve-racking dilemma: leave his sister to burn or go after the demon. The animation allows you to look at how anguished Tanjiro was and it was painful to watch. Nezuko decided for him and he was kicked in the demon’s direction as she burned under the sun. As he landed, Tanjiro looked like the painting of Fallen Agnel by Alexander Cabanel. The intensity in his stare and determination to make his sister’s “death” count was impeccable. Tanjiro successfully kills the demon and surprisingly, Nezuko lives and relief washes over Tanjiro.
These are just some of the sequences from this movie that make audiences feel the stakes of the situation. The lives of our protagonists are on the line and everyone watching is rooting for them to succeed. All the while, Ufotable brings to life visually stunning fight scenes that enrapture the crowd with its vivid colors and smooth movement. This is quintessential shounen, with our protagonists bringing out all of their fighting spirit and willpower to succeed.
Major Plot Points with Consequences
One of the reasons the two aforementioned episodes of the anime were combined into one movie was out of continuity: the movie reveals plot points that will revolutionize the way the Demon Slayers will fight demons moving forward. Some of the revelations include Nezuko now being able to walk under the sun, the Mist and Love Hashira’s new ability to awaken their legendary marks, and Miss Tamayo–a demon and skilled doctor–being invited to collaborate with the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho. These revelations will surely move the plot forward and will spell certain consequences for our main characters.
Stirring Soundtrack
Of course, this wouldn’t be a Demon Slayer review without appreciating the soundtrack and visuals of the series. We have a special appreciation for Sun Halo Dragon because it’s the song playing during that chase and fight against Hantengu. It was the perfect accompaniment, communicating a mix of urgency and optimism during the crucial fight that would decide our heroes’ fate. You really do have to watch the movie to appreciate the epic and subdued moments highlighted by the amazing soundtrack.
Building Hype
It felt appropriate and well-earned seeing the last episode of season 3 on the big screen, all the while building up to the future with the taste of the first episode in season 4. All of the story beats and epic moments truly culminated in hype for what’s to come.
SEA Wave rates Demon Slayer – To the Hashira Training a 3.5/5. Overall, the movie was a fun ride that still has us gripping on the edge of our seats. We can’t wait for Season 4’s release on May 12!
Are you looking forward to seeing more Demon Slayer? Let us know in the comments below!