Tanjiro Kamado (Natsuki Hanae) and the Hashira’s return in the first of three films, on the quest to save Tanjiro’s sister Nezuko, (Akari Kito) and finally put an end to the evil Muzan Kibutsuji (Toshihiko Seki).

With astonishing animation and fervent emotional passion, the Hashira are ready to face anything to get revenge on the demons who killed their family and friends and upended their worlds, then wipe them all from existence.

Through infinity and beyond

At the end of season 4, the Hashira Training Arc, Master Kagaya Ubuyashiki (Toshiyuki Morikawa), used himself as bait to lure in Muzan, in an attempt to kill him. In a stunning and breathtaking final scene, Kagaya blows himself, and his wife Amane up, incinerating his entire estate and the Hashira headquarters.

Muzan was dismembered and fried to the bone, barely able to cling to life, while medic Tamayo, (Maaya Sakamoto) sacrificed herself to slow him down while injecting him with a poison she created, as part of the plan to weaken him more.

As the Hashira’s moved in to attack, Muzan sends them all hurtling into the depths of his Infinity Castle, the lair of all demons. Here they will test their training to the ultimate limits, facing higher rank demons, and, themselves, in the definitive arena of survival.

The film opens with Hashira’s Tanjiro. Zenitsu (Hiro Shimono), Inosuke (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka), Kanao (Reina Ueda), Genya (Nobuhiko Okamoto), Shinobu (Saori Hayami), Giyu (Takahiro Sakurai), Sanami (Tomokazu Seki), Gyomei (Tomokazu Sugita), Tokito (Kengo Kawanishi), Mitsuri (Kana Hanazawa), and Obenai (Ken’ichi Suzumura), free falling in what seems like a never-ending labyrinth.

When they see that they will eventually hit a bottom, they all throw themselves at various floors, into the unknown. Tanjiro is paired with Giyu, Mitsuri with Obenai, Tokito with Gyomei and the rest get scattered alone.

The main focus of this film, are the fights with Number 6 demon Kaigaku (Yoshimasa Hosoya), Number 3 demon Akaza (Akira Ishida), and number 2 demon (Mamoru Miyano), Douma.

Shinobu comes face to face with Douma, the demon who killed her beloved older sister. In a fervent fight to the death, Shinobu bravely overcomes her fears to face Douma with master skills that we haven’t seen the likes of thus far.

Though he mocks her, he also gets hit back with some major surprises that he doesn’t see coming.

Meanwhile, Zenitsu comes upon an old rival in the demon Kaigaku. Both Zenitsu and Kaigaku were taught by Master Kuwajima (Shigeru Chiba), who had high hopes of the both of them becoming the best thunder Hashira. Kaigaku became jealous of Zenitsu, believing that Kuwajima treated him better, then fled, choosing to become a demon.

This led Kuwajima into such despair, that he used a ritual suicide called Seppuku, to end his life. He lasted for days suffering with no partner to cut off his head as relief. This devastated Zenitsu, as it was the only father figure he had, and he vowed to get revenge on Kaigaku for it.

In Infinity Castle, Zenitsu is at his most “zen” and focused like never before. Previously, always the anxious one, he becomes unrecognizably calm, even through all of the shade Kaigaku inundates him with. Kaigaku no longer recognizes the once scared little boy, and gets his hubris fed back to him in spades.

Lastly, Tanjiro and Giyu face off with Akaza, the arrogant demon who took the life of Tanjiro’s mentor and friend, Rengoku Kyojuro (Rikiya Koyama), the flame Hashira.

Tanjiro’s anger is set aflame, finally being able to face him and get revenge for Rengoku, and he’ll definitely need it. Both Giyuu and Tanjiro will have to use every trick in the book, and every single drop of energy to bring down a number 3.

Will the Hashira be able to survive the Infinity Castle? Will they be able to take down some of the most powerful demons in it?

in all honesty…

With absolutely the most impeccable artistry I’ve seen in recent decades, Infinity Castle wows and takes your breath away in every scene.

The background, 3D and everything in between about the art is spectacular! Huge kudos to all of the artists behind the scenes for making this the most beautiful animated feature of our time.

Directors Hikaru Kondo and Haruo Sotozaki lead this stellar group of artists on an artistic mastery quest and have succeeded in spades.

Editing was also exceptional, kept succinctly tight and sharp by editor Manabu Kamino.

I was also impressed by Tanjiro’s continuation of growth as a character throughout so many seasons and now films. Most importantly, his ability to see people and demons, as something beyond what they appear as.

Infinity Castle brings greater change, in his Hashira skills, one that no other Hashira or demon has. His ability to see better things in demons, actuallly helps lead to the demise of one, but, also gaining momentum is Tanjiro’s anger, which could prove detrimental to all he as learned before.

The one thing that took a lot away from the fight scenes was the chronic flashbacks of the early lives of each of the three demons. Not only did it break up the action, but some went on so long that you almost forgot that there was a fight going on to begin with.

I feel like each of these stories could've been placed in smaller bits throughout the series, so the film didn’t have to be as long as it was, and the action could’ve been continuous. Especially Akaza’s back story. His story was long enough to have been a couple episodes itself.

Had fans already had this prior context, it still would’ve shown Tanjiro’s ability to have positive effects on demons, and a chance to bring back the story from before, to use as, or with, Akaza’a transformation.

Also, Tanjiro’s newly acquired skill seemed to come out of the blue. There was, yet again, another break in the fight scene for the background of this story, which also could’ve at least been hinted at before within the series.

That way it could’ve still been a memory that Tanjiro conjured up, but only just now put together in his mind, cutting more time from the film. The way it’s presented makes it seem like it was made up off the cuff, so they had to stuff another story in, to make it work.

It still doesn’t save Tanjiro and Giyu in this particular fight, but, gave Tanjiro an extra step of quick growth.

Overall though, the art itself, and, the heart of all of the characters are more than enough to keep you interested to sit through all of the back stories, heavy losses and victories brought forth in the film.

Having not read the manga, I’m interested to see how the rest plays out. I just hope that the creators can keep the action in the forefront with the next two.

Queen B. Productions

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle: All of The Rage Within

Through infinity and beyond

in all honesty…