Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Hashira Training

I felt like it strayed from the main plot quite a few times, it also felt like I had spent an eternity watching the movie, I would have preferred it to have been a season/arc than a movie.

I'm not that much of an anime fan, but I watch it for my sister.

I had hopes that it would be a really good movie compared to the other one (which are wonderful) But the only thing I saw was filler and more filler and then it went back to the main plot and it deviated again, it came back and the movie was over, Personally, I felt it was a waste of time and money.

But hey, it's my opinion about this movie, if you have another opinion that's fine, but this is my opinion.

The "movie" began with kind of a recap from the beginning and then showed the title of the movie, unlike the previous movie which basically started with the opening song of that episode. So even though then it proceeded with the last episode of the last season, it fooled me into thinking this time they have made a minimum effort to edit it as a movie properly. But no, taking almost an hour to finish up showing everything we've already seen, it started with the title and credits for the next season. Why can't they put in even that much effort?

The visuals and the story and characters that I'm already invested in made it a nice watch but it clearly not targeted to be played in theaters did affect my experience. At least the previous movie had a lot of great visual set pieces to present. Here it's more or less an emotional season finale and a lot of setting up for the next season for which there's not much to gain as a movie. It is so not meant to be a movie. But I can't help really like it because of how much I'm invested in it. The emotions do work big time even if they push it to your face a bit too much. Watching it with a houseful crowd is certainly a good experience even if it can't be really called a movie.

The Mugen Train used to be one of my most anticipated movies of 2020, and the Demon Slayer manga has been a great part of my quarantine life. However, I have to say that this film is quite perfunctorily made. Most of the dialogues spend 15 minutes conveying emotions and information that could've been condensed into 3 minutes. Such pacing certainly works for a season-long anime so that you get the most out of each character, but is excessive to the point of tedious for an adapted screenplay. Additionally, the movie focuses on the transition period from season 3 to the Hashira Training Arc, which seems like unnecessary work since it's not an independent story like the Mugen Train. Instead of spending so much time explaining the context, why not make a film about the actual Hashira Training? Aside from the complaints, all the action sequences are spot-on as expected. The segment where the Wind and Serpent Hashira explored the mansion is perfect in length and smoothly animated, and seeing their breathing styles in motion is all I could ask for as a manga reader. Though I'm all for the Infinity Castle Arc to come as soon as possible, I'd ask that Ufotable take as much time as needed to perfect the animation. As a former global phenomenon, Demon Slayer deserves a proper end.

Tanjiro and his friends saved the swordsmith village and defeated two upper-ranked demons. While Tanjio is recovering, the Hashira are meeting to discuss Nezuko's recent ability to withstand the sun and Muzan's next move.

This movie is the next part in the Demon Slayer series and takes place right after the Swordsmith Village Arc. Unlike the Mugen Train movie, this one is more of a filler. The movie spends the majority of the runtime recapping the Swordsmith Village Arc. The remaining runtime does not expand too much on the story, and by the end, it is just a setup for the next arc. The movie is worth a stream for diehard fans and completionists, but it can be skipped for casual fans.

My daughter and I recently watched Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Train (2024) in theaters. The storyline follows brother and sister demon slayers Tanjiro and Nezuko, who encounter a demon that helps unveil new powers for Nezuko. A super demon, envious of Nezuko's abilities, hunts them down to steal these powers. We also get introduced to the Hashira Demon Slayers core, witness their powers, and they're sure to play a role in current events.

Directed by Haruo Sotozaki (Demon Slayer series), the animation and action scenes are absolutely elite. The first-person perspective in the run scenes felt three-dimensional, and many action scenes are captivating and impressive. The depiction of melting skin, display of powers, and cut scenes are brilliantly done. The demons and gore add to the overall experience, and the character interactions are magical, blending some nice comedy into the circumstances. While I'm still uncertain about loving the villain, I'm eager to see where the story goes. I do wish these movies weren't open-ended and essentially previews for upcoming series.

In conclusion, Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Train is a fun kick-off to the upcoming Demon Slayer series, featuring elite animation and character evolution. I would score this a 7/10 and recommend waiting for the entire series to be released.