Following its season one finale, the creators of the beloved anime series “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” promised fans a follow-up film. The film, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train,” garnered much anticipation due to the series’ popularity, in addition to the promise of it setting it up for a second season. Although its release came almost two years after the first season’s conclusion, fans will find that the film was definitely worth the wait.
“Mugen Train” follows protagonist Tanjiro Kamado (Natsuki Hanae, “A Whisker Away”) as he, his sister, Nezuko (Akari Kitō, “In/Spectre”) and fellow Demon Slayers Inosuke (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, “Goblin Slayer”), Zenitsu (Hiro Shimono, “RWBY”) and Rengoku (Satoshi Hino, “One-Punch Man”) ride a train on which other Slayers have previously vanished. The film is a direct continuation of the series, which showed the characters entering the train in the final episode of season one.
Working on a larger budget, the film features beautiful, eye-catching animation which improves upon the television-level quality of its predecessor’s visuals, in addition to immersing fans in the new scenery and areas which are showcased. This change also bodes well for the film’s action sequences which, while being just as imaginative and gleefully gruesome as those found in the series, prove to be even more engrossing and dynamic due the higher-quality nature of the animation.
The film also benefits from its runtime, which spans much longer than the series’ brief episodes. As a result, viewers are allowed to see much more of the characters in one sitting, both in terms of action and development. Such is especially the case for Tanjiro, whose emotional struggles and growth as a Demon Slayer are explored even further than they had been in the show. Furthermore, the film allows fans the opportunity to get to know Rengoku, who had previously experienced little character development as he only appeared in the last few episodes of season one.
Some fans may find themselves to be disappointed by the film’s treatment of its supporting characters. Although Inosuke is given a prominent role in both the story and action, Zenitsu and Nezuko seem to be sidelined for most of the film. The two characters, who are featured prominently in the series receive significantly less screen time than the rest of the main cast, appearing only when it is convenient for them to do so. Though this may be a minor sacrifice for the enhanced development of its other characters, fans of the two may be disheartened by the lack of attention they receive.
From its emotional depth to its enhanced aesthetic, “Mugen Train” shows great promise for the “Demon Slayer” franchise’s future. With a second season slated for release this year, the prospect of witnessing the series’ continuation is all the more exciting after seeing through the film what it may be able to accomplish on an emotional and visual level. Depending on how the franchise fares later on, perhaps fans may be treated to another film which could do just as well in both complementing and continuing the iconic anime.
Image from IGN via YouTube
