Rating 6/10
Most critics wouldn’t bother to review a cinematic sequel to a TV show they had never seen, especially one that demands an encyclopedic understanding of its lore. But I am not most critics. When a film becomes a global sensation, it gets my attention. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle opened to an astonishing $70 million in North America, not only the biggest debut for an anime film here, but the biggest opening weekend for any international film. Add the fact that it has already grossed over $570 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. This is no ordinary release; it’s a phenomenon. When a film seizes the zeitgeist, I dive in, for my readers, and for my own education.
Watching Infinity Castle with no prior knowledge is like arriving midway into Wagner’s Ring Cycle, a 15-hour-long German-language opera tetralogy, without a program. I didn’t realize what I was getting myself into, but I quickly learned to take cues from what was presented. For context, this is the latest installment in the Demon Slayer franchise. It began as a manga, became a hit TV anime, and has since spawned several feature films. Ideally, one would have watched all the prior installments to fully understand what’s happening.
For those ready to catch up, the program is available in the U.S. on Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. However, its main home has been Crunchyroll, the anime-dedicated streaming platform that has shepherded Demon Slayer to international fame.
At its heart, the picture is about a group of demon slayers battling the highest-ranking demons in a sprawling, labyrinthine fortress. The central figure is Tanjiro Kamado (voiced by Natsuki Hanae in Japanese and Zach Aguilar in English), known for his earnest demeanor and green-and-black checkered jacket. He’s joined by his companions: Zenitsu (Hiro Shimono/Aleks Le), a strident but loyal fighter with bright yellow hair; Inosuke (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka/Bryce Papenbrook), a feral, boar-headed warrior who charges into battle with bravado; and Kanao (Reina Ueda/Brianna Knickerbocker), a reserved swordswoman with a quiet poise.
The demons they face are as flamboyant as they are deadly. Doma (Mamoru Miyano/Stephen Fu) is a white-haired predator with a mischievous smile who toys with his opponents before attempting to devour them. Another, Akaza (Akira Ishida/Lucien Dodge), is a muscular fighter with red hair and ankle bracelets, locked in a test of wills and strength with Tanjiro. There are others. Each enemy is given ample time, often pausing for backstory before launching into supernatural war. Even for a newcomer, the fights are easy to follow: warriors step forward, unveil their pasts, and then clash in a dazzling display.
The film follows a narrative pattern of exposition, combat, and emotion. We learn something about a slayer or a demon, their origin, a trauma, or a hidden motivation. Then the swords come out. The animation is hyper-stylized, with bursting colors in radiant swirls of blue water, golden lightning, fiery red arcs, and other effects that represent the various breathing techniques the characters employ. The method gives the fights their visual signature, emphasizing their individual styles. The score by Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina elevates these moments, lending them the grandeur required for the big screen.
And yet, despite the spectacle, I felt like a demon slayer wandering the halls of Infinity Castle without a sword. The production runs 2 hours and 35 minutes. That’s punishingly long for someone with no pre-existing investment in the series. The emotional beats won’t land unless you already know these personalities intimately. I admired the visual craft and the musical swells that made these duels feel monumental. But as an uninitiated newbie, I didn’t fully understand or care about what I was observing.
Still, Infinity Castle is a phenomenon for a reason. For longtime fans, this will be a delight. The production is unquestionably impressive. You’ll get a plethora of beloved figures, childhood revelations in flashback, and animated battles that dazzle the eye. It satisfies fan expectations. For outsiders, however, it’s an overwhelming introduction to a cultural juggernaut. Perhaps I wasn’t emotionally swept away, but I can appreciate why others are.
09-23-25