The highly anticipated Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle film has just been released in Japan, but global fans will have to wait a bit longer before experiencing the epic series on the big screen. After Season 4 of the anime, adapting the Hashira Training Arc from the manga, Ufotable announced a trilogy to conclude the story. The finale of the Hashira Training Arc already set up the final arc as the Demon Slayers challenge Muzan before getting sucked into the Infinity Castle. The film will hit the U.S. theaters on September 12th, 2025, where the final fight against the Upper Moons will commence. The reason behind the formation of the Demon Slayer Corps about a thousand years ago was to put an end to Muzan’s terror and eradicate all demons from the country.
Muzan has been hiding from the sun since the day he was turned into a demon, which also made him difficult to locate. Even if the Demon Slayers could find him, as the demon progenitor, Muzan was basically untouchable. The first and last time any human got close to defeating him was around 500 years ago, when Muzan had the misfortune of crossing paths with Yoriichi Tsugikuni. However, he not only escaped the Demon Slayer but also made it even more difficult for the Corps to find him. Kagaya set out a trap for the villain, and thus begins the Infinity Castle Arc. While the arc is extremely thrilling, the manga didn’t have a proper emotional pacing, which can still be fixed in the anime films.
Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle Arc Didn’t Originally Have Enough Emotional Payoff
The best part about the fights in Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle Arc was that nothing happened without at least some form of prior setup. Almost every character faced the demon they had some sort of connection or grudge against. This not only elevated the intensity of the battle but also the stakes, where the Demon Slayers had no choice but to win against those monsters. Whether it’s Shinobu, Zenitsu, Tanjiro, Giyu, or almost any major character, they not only fought for a common goal, but also had their personal agenda. These character matchups were exactly why each fight was full of emotional moments, which raised the tension of the arc even further.
However, this also means there are bound to be a few tragedies during the fight. After all, the Demon Slayer Corps is up against Muzan and the Upper Moons, which is the most difficult fight in the Corps’ history. Unfortunately, the manga had a rather rushed pacing, which just didn’t allow enough time to process the chaotic situations. One minute, we see Shinobu’s heartbreaking fight, and then the POV changes into something else entirely. The POV kept changing from one character to another in short spans.
The fights didn’t last, and neither did the emotional moments, which is why the scenes don’t hit as hard as they should. Even the manga transitioned too quickly from the battle to the epilogue, rushing into the tragedies that occurred during the fight. This made their sacrifices a little underwhelming, which may be why Demon Slayer’s final stretch was criticized during the time it was released.
Ufotable Can Still Save Demon Slayer’s Final Arc
Ufotable has shown several times that it is very much capable of elevating the epic story of Demon Slayer even higher. The Infinity Train film is just one example, which only spanned a few chapters in the manga, but the animation studio turned it into a masterpiece. The story wasn’t changed in any way, but the emotional moments lingered longer, which made all the difference. By the time the film was over, fans were left in tears due to Rengoku’s heart-wrenching farewell. Similarly, the studio needs to handle the final arc with just as much care. The send-offs and the backstories need a lot of emotional weight behind them.
The studio can even focus on each character more than the manga did to further improve the way they are portrayed. If the anime slows things down, not in plot but in the way those moments are delivered, then those rushed scenes will turn into something unforgettable. Those who have read the manga know that the Infinity Castle is the most brutal and equally thrilling arc in the story, which is why expectations are higher than they have ever been before. Luckily, Ufotable has the ability to pull it off in style.
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