When one door opens, another closes, or maybe an infinite number of doors might open, causing you to fall down an endless corridor. For over a year, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fans have eagerly awaited with baited breath the return of the franchise. Rather than show ending in episodic fashion, the creators have decided to end the series in a three-part movie trilogy. Sorry, Star Wars, your box office record will probably be broken. The first part of the Demon Slayer movie trilogy was released in Japan in July and is premiering soon in the United States.
With fans waiting for over a year and the excitement building, the true question at hand is Infinity Castle really as good as they say? Or should you wait until it comes to Crunchyroll? Let’s follow Tanjiro, the Hashira, and the other Demon Slayer Corps as they look to slay their mortal adversary, Muzan Kibutsuji (AKA Japanese Michael Jackson). Ahead of the movie’s big western premiere we got a chance to check it out early – is it worth the wait? Find out in our Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle review!
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle
Writer: UFOTABLE
Distributor: Aniplex, Toho, Crunchyroll, and Sony
Platforms: Movie Theatre
Release Date: July 18th, 2025 (Japan) & September 12th, 2025, United States.
Prior to Infinity Castle, the Demon Slayer Corps had managed to take down four upper-rank six demons (Daki, Gyutaro, Hantengu, and Gyokko), which was a feat far beyond that of any prior group of Hashira. This is partially due to the thanks of Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inoske, and Zenitsu’s chance encounters and the bonds that they formed with the Hashira, awakening a special ability within the different members.
After Muzan learns that there is a demon who can survive the sunlight (Swordsmith Village Arch), he sets his sights on Nezuko in order to gain that power for himself. Knowing that Muzan is preparing to take Nezuko by force, the Demon Slayer Corps goes through vigorous training led by the different Hashira to strengthen different elements of each Slayer’s fighting style.
Learning that Muzan wants to take out the Leader first, the Corps sets a trap that leads to the near demise of Muzan. Sadly, this plan fails with Muzan barely escaping and pulling the survivors into his domain (The Infinity Castle).
The movie’s run time is 155 minutes, which can be daunting or challenging for some viewers. There are very few, if any, moments where you can get up to use the bathroom or grab a snack without missing an important detail. The movie’s pacing flows pretty smoothly throughout most of the movie. There are a few instances where a scene could have been sped up or extended, though.
There are two parts where fans might have an issue with pacing. First there’s the Shinobu vs Doma fight, which was hyped up by the character’s backstory and placement on the poster. The second occurs while the story shows Akaza’s backstory. Although it gives the demon more depth and makes him more relatable, it feels like it was drawn out a bit too much, with it feeling like it was just going on and on (around 21 minutes).
Yes, you do get a wave of emotions with the character, but for a character that was previously despised (Rengoku’s Killer), it felt like it was trying to humanize him too much. For previous demons, each demon’s backstory was shorter, not equaling the length of a full TV episode.
A majority of the movie was spent on Tanjiro and Giyu’s fight with Upper Rank Three Demon Akaza. Shinbou vs Doma was given about 23 minutes, while Zenitsu vs Kaigaku (Co-thunderbreather) lasted about 20 minutes. The other portions of the movie revolved around other characters’ backstories and how the Demon Slayer Corps was mapping the Infinity Castle.
The movie’s final minutes felt a bit anticlimactic with Akaza’s backstory taking up a majority of the time, followed by the results of the Giyu & Tanjiro vs Akaza fight being announced to the remaining Demon Slayers. The final scenes are Muzan declaring that he’ll be the victor and the crows checking to see if Giyu and Tanjiro are dead. As far as the movie’s story goes, it is enjoyable, heart-racing, and heart-wrenching, with very few moments to catch your breath.
Infinity Castle animation is just as high quality as the TV show, but pushed to the extreme. As many of you are aware, typically, when the final showdown of a climactic moment or season-ending happens, the animation is kicked up a notch. Infinity Castle is an example of a studio being allowed to do the TV equivalent, but for a feature film.
Most of the scenes are visually captivating, where you would want to stare at them and break down every last frame. Hell, you might want to save a few as a screensaver or wallpaper. There are times within the movie that the visual lighting and strobbing effects can cause issues for those who have epilepsy or visual complications. The most severe instance of this occurs during the Zenitsu vs Kaigaku fight. Another instance occurs when Akaza unleashes a devastating attack against Giyu.
Fans of the series will be excited to see that the animation team has delivered once again, surpassing the artwork of Mugen Train. For non-fans who are starting the franchise with this movie will be captivated by the visual experience, but miss some of the finer details within.
Now comes the real question: should you watch the movie subbed or dubbed? If you preferred one or the other before, then you should stick to the format you’ve enjoyed. If you are a newcomer to the franchise, it depends on how much attention you want to pay to the art detail while also following along with the very quick dialogue with the story. At certain points, the dialogue can move pretty fast, so newcomers should probably stick to dubbed audio.
In regards to the actual voice acting, both have positives and negatives. If you feel like Tanjiro is too whiny, you should stick with the English variation. Personally, I am not a fan of Muzan’s voice (Greg Chun) in the English adaptation and feel the Japanese voice actor (Toshihiko Seki) does a superior job.
Meanwhile, the actors for Giyu and Akaza in English (Johnny Yong Bosch & Lucien Dodge) give a superior performance with a wide range of emotions compared to their Japanese counterparts (Akira Ishida & Takahiro Sakurai). Since Akaza’s role is rather significant in the movie, I would recommend the English dub over the Japanese subtitles.
The movie’s score set the tone of each fight. Each composition has its own unique feel and does not feel identical to anything heard before in the show. No composition within the film was overpowering and did not detract from the action on screen, only amplified and accentuated it.
If you are a fan of the Demon Slayer franchise, you’ll leave the theater feeling satisfied with what you witnessed but might feel a bit disappointed that the movie did not end on a good cliffhanger. The characters’ deaths can be impactful and upsetting, but one feels less satisfying than the others.
Infinity Castle is a full-throttle race from start to finish, where if you leave, you might miss something important or miss your favorite character. If you’re still on the fence about watching the movie, it’s enough of a spectacle to be a must-watch in theaters than on a home screen. Now, we just have to wait two to four years for the next release.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie Infinity Castle was reviewed by watching it in theaters and through a screener provided by Sony & Crunchyroll. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle is now available in theaters.
