As a long-time Demon Slayer fan, I walked into Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle with a mixture of excitement, trepidation and high expectations. After waiting years for a proper cinematic adaptation of the final arc, this film had big shoes to fill — and in many ways, it does.
A fan’s heartbeat before the film
Before I even talk about visuals or narrative, I should confess: my fandom for Demon Slayer has always been about more than just the fight scenes. It’s about the emotional core — the bonds, the sacrifices, the way the series pairs devastation and hope.
So from trailers onward, I was watching carefully: would this be yet another “great-looking anime movie” or would it truly feel like the climax the series deserves?
Many fans feared that the complexity and pacing of the Infinity Castle arc (with its many battles, backstories and character threads) would be too much to squeeze into one film. But the announcement that Ufotable planned this as a trilogy of big films (rather than a single two-hour finale) gave me hope that each part could breathe.
By the time I sat in the theater, I was ready to measure every second: Did they capture the scale? Would the emotional beats land? And — perhaps selfishly — would it feel like the journey was worth every delay?
Visuals & animation: when every frame feels alive!
If Demon Slayer has always delivered on beautiful animation, Infinity Castle elevates it to a new plateau. The studio leaned fully into cinematic scope:
- Layered castle spaces: The Infinity Castle itself becomes almost a character. In scenes where the crows or Hashira traverse its shifting corridors, you feel vertiginous depth, hidden windows, infinite gardens and chambers stretching offscreen. The architecture is dizzying and wondrous.
- Fluid fight choreography: Battles between Hashira and Upper Moons, the clashes with Muzan, even the skirmishes with weaker demons — all have a weightiness. Blades, blood, wind, smoke, light, shadow — they’re all constantly in motion. There are shots where a slash arcs across panels, the camera whips, and you feel the aftershock.
- Detail in expressions and micro-animation: It’s not just about big gestures. Subtleties — eyes glistening, trembling lips, slight hesitations — are present in closeups. When suffering or regret or resolve strikes a character, the animation lingers in those micro-moments just long enough to let it settle.
- Use of lighting, color and shading: At quieter emotional scenes, the palette softens: muted tones, gentle glows, shadowed corridors. At full confrontation, the visuals explode with contrast: swirling flames, silvery moonlight, crackling energy. The contrast keeps your eyes engaged and the transitions never feel jarring.
Certainly, there are moments where pacing or editing choices (such as frequently cutting to flashbacks) break the flow. Some critics have pointed out that the film sometimes feels “stretched” by repeated narrative motifs. But for me, those are mostly tolerable trade-offs when the animation hits as hard as it does.
Narrative & structure: the tightrope walk
It’s impossible to talk about Infinity Castle without addressing the tension between epic scope and cohesive storytelling.
What works well:
- Faithful adaptation of key arcs: The film covers a lot — the separation of corps members, the infiltration of the castle, major confrontations, backstories unfolded, major deaths. For fans who know the manga, there’s delight in how many signature moments are preserved.
- Emotional weight: When a character falls, or when a revelation about past trauma emerges, those scenes hit hard. The film doesn’t shy away from grief, regret, sacrifice.
- Balancing multiple threads: The movie juggles half a dozen character arcs: Hashira vs. Upper Moons, the approach to Muzan, betrayals, internal conflict, mapping the castle, etc. While the many threads risk overwhelming, I found the weaving mostly effective: the film alternates pace, momentarily stepping back to let tension gather before plunging into action again.
What lingers as drawbacks:
- Pacing and flashbacks: Several reviewers have pointed out that the film drifts into narrative repetition and over-reliance on internal monologues or repeated scenes. Even as a fan, I felt moments where it slowed too much (scenes that might have been compressed or trimmed).
- Less standalone clarity: This film is less “self-contained” than Mugen Train. You come in carrying knowledge (or spoilers) and it ends knowing there’s still a long path ahead. Some plot threads feel suspended — not resolved, but held. That’s expected for a trilogy, but it does reduce the sense of closure.
- Emotional pacing swings: At times, the emotional beats feel rushed: a major loss is followed almost immediately by a flashback or parallel subplot, giving your heart little time to dwell. Ideally, the next parts will balance that more evenly.
Still, these “weaknesses” feel like ones I could forgive in exchange for what works.
Behind the scenes: the craft and dedication
While many fans focus on what they see onscreen, part of the thrill for me is imagining the thousands of decisions behind each frame.
- Ufotable’s consistency and reputation: Ufotable has long been the go-to studio for Demon Slayer precisely because they combine detail, 2D/3D blending, lighting mastery and cinematic ambition. Their ability to coordinate lush backgrounds, 3D structures (like the shifting castle) and fluid character motion is no small feat.
- Music & sound design: Yuki Kajiura & Go Shiina’s soundtrack carries weight. In quiet scenes, the music breathes; in battles, it surges in tempo and power. Sound effects — clashing blades, demon roars, wind, dimensional rifts — are layered, immersive.
- Voice acting (Japanese & dub): The original cast bring familiar voices, but with added depth: screams of pain, whispers of regret, the strain of exertion — all come through. From what I’ve read of behind-scenes interviews, many voice actors were moved (even to tears) watching the final cuts.
- Editing & pacing decisions: Choosing how much to cut, how long to linger, when to juxtapose memories with present action — these are delicate choices. Some scenes might’ve been compressed further, but the overall editing holds together well given the complexity.
- Global localization & release strategy: The rollout itself was ambitious. The film premiered in Japan in July 2025, then staggered through Asia, then globally. It’s been retained as a theatrical exclusive through 2025 — the streaming window is delayed until 2026. That exclusivity underlines how much the creators want this to be a cinematic experience, not just a streaming adaptation.
All told, when I watched the film, I felt the labor behind it — not just as technical polish, but as hands and hearts shaping every scene.
Fan reaction & box office: the community roars
As much as this is my review, it’s impossible to ignore how fans everywhere have responded. And the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
- Social media praise for visuals & emotion: On Twitter, fans have called the movie an “emotional masterpiece” and repeatedly raved about breathtaking animation. Many highlight scenes that gave them goosebumps or tears.
- Box office records: Infinity Castle has already broken major records. It grossed ~$560 million worldwide, surpassed prior Demon Slayer film records and became one of the top-grossing Japanese films ever. It’s being hailed as the highest-grossing anime film of all time (or at least very close).
- Critical acclaim: On Rotten Tomatoes, the film boasts a 95% critics’ rating and a perfect 100% audience score at the moment. That speaks both to technical excellence and to how well it resonated with longtime fans.
- Fan screenings and reactions: Sightings of cosplayers, tears in theaters, standing ovations — this is the kind of movie fandom dreams of. In fan forums and Reddit threads, people describe jaw-dropping sequences, replay value and emotional resonance.
As I exited the theater, I saw rows of people staying through credits, re-watching final frames, whispering lines to each other. To me, that’s proof the film landed.
The waiting game: a bittersweet reality
Here’s the bittersweet side of being a fan: now the first film is out, the next installments loom far ahead.
- We have to wait. There’s no release date yet for Part 2 or Part 3 (though rumors point to 2027 and 2029 as possible windows).
- The experience of watching this with freshness (the collective gasp, the unknown, the communal emotion) is partly gone. The next films will carry that burden of expectation.
- But there’s also excitement: knowing the story is unfinished, knowing there is more to come. Because of what Part 1 achieved visually, emotionally, narratively, I feel confident that the upcoming chapters can push even harder.
In many ways, the wait was part of the payoff. Because we waited, we appreciated the details more. Because we anticipated, every reveal felt earned.
Still, I’m impatient. I want to see the final battles. I want closure. I want to see how Tanjiro, Nezuko, Hashira and the Demon Slayer Corps fight their way to the end. But I’m also proud — proud that the creators gave us this first treasure, rather than rushing.
A fan’s final verdict
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle (Part 1) is not perfect. It has moments of narrative overextension, pacing bursts and emotional swings that might jar some viewers. But by so many measures it succeeds brilliantly:
- The animation and visual design are among the best in modern anime cinema.
- The emotional beats largely land, especially for fans who have lived with these characters for years.
- The film honors the manga’s spirit while carving room to breathe and shine.
- The fan and critical reception confirm what I felt in the theater: this is a landmark chapter in the Demon Slayer saga.
As a fan, I walked out of the theater with my heart pounding. I re-watched in my head the final scenes. I whispered to myself, “We’ll see them again. We’ll see the ending”. The wait ahead is long, but this first installment justified every bit of patience.
I will be on premiere night for Part 2 — count on it.
