Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle‘s trilogy finally released its first installment in the U.S. theaters, and it’s already climbing the ranks to become the most successful anime film of all time. The film commences the epic showdown between the Corps members and the demons after the tragic deaths of several Ubuyashiki family members, including the master, Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Considering how the Corps members, especially the Hashira, looked up to Kagaya, his horrifying death left a deep scar in their hearts, but they don’t even have the time to mourn due to the brutal fight that awaits them.
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The first part is only the beginning, and it has already delivered some of the most hyped and even tragic moments in the series. Demon Slayer went all out while promoting the three biggest fights in the series, but there are a lot more exciting moments in the film that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Ufotable’s stellar animation, paired with the incredible soundtrack, further elevates the enjoyment of the story and makes it worth our while. Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga!
10) Kokushibo Prepares for Battle
Anime-only fans may not be aware, but manga readers know full well how insanely powerful Kokushibo is. After all, being Upper Rank One means he’s the second strongest villain in the entire verse. The first installment didn’t even feature his fight, yet he already made his presence known with just a brief scene. Even among the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki, there’s a clear hierarchy between the top three and the bottom three.
Kokushibo and Doma both felt Akaza’s defeat, and the former was beyond enraged. In his anger, he drew his sword, and the entire area crumbled before viewers could even process what had happened. The ancient demon will shock the entire fandom in the upcoming Infinity Castle films, where we will finally learn why he deserves to be at the top.
9) Kanao Fights Doma
Having to witness not one but two of her sisters die because of the same demon isn’t something anyone can handle, and that especially goes for Kanao, whose pillars of support were the Kocho sisters. However, before mourning Shinobu’s death, Kanao must defeat Doma, the Upper Rank Two. Kanao arrived at the scene just moments before Shinobu’s death, and she knew it was too late to save her. During the Hashira Training Arc, Shinobu was proud of how Kanao had grown as a Demon Slayer and as a person, especially after she was saved from a living hell.
Shinobu entrusted her Tsuguko with a plan that was guaranteed to defeat the demon, which is why she made a hand sign even in her final moments. We only see a brief glimpse of the fight between Kanao and Doma, but the second part will continue where they left off, and it’s going to be epic. This is the first time we will see the true extent of Kanao’s power, and she will prove why she is respected by everyone in the Butterfly Mansion.
8) The New Master of the Demon Slayer Corps
Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s death was a nightmare to the Hashira and the Corps members, who were a father figure to them. He died in the horrible way possible, along with his wife and two daughters. However, just as the Corps members are fighting their battles, the surviving members of the Ubuyashiki family are lending all the support they can. Despite everything that happened, Kiriya Ubuyashiki, Kagaya’s heir, refuses to shed a tear before the battle is over.
He’s only eight years old, but he swiftly takes command of the Corps, along with his sisters, who lend him all the support they can. The Corps’ main target has always been Muzan, since defeating him would ultimately result in the death of all demons. Meanwhile, fighting the Upper Ranks would only result in more casualties, which is why Kiriya is trying his best to locate the demon progenitor using Yushiro’s Blood Demon Art and the Kasugai Crows. He is also creating a layout of the endless labyrinth with his sisters and the Kakushi to lend whatever support he can to the people fighting for a peaceful future.
7) Doma Reveals His Horrifying Blood Demon Art
Not many people realize that Doma is practically untouchable with his Blood Demon Art. Having an ability like that, paired with his unimaginable speed, is sure to leave no opening for his opponents. Before the fight could even begin, he damaged Shinobu’s lungs, after which, she knew she wouldn’t last long. In fact, Doma was never serious about fighting her at all. She simply served as an amusement to him, although her speed did surprise him briefly.
He also wanted to test how many of her poisons would work on him, so he didn’t hesitate to give her a few chances to attack him. However, he never could’ve imagined that underestimating Shinobu and letting his guard down would be his downfall.
6) Shinobu’s Insect Breathing Against Doma
Shinobu came up with Insect Breathing to make up for her lack of physical strength. She created it in such a way that it would support her unparalleled speed. Insect Breathing has at least four forms, with Dance of the Centipede: Hundred-Legged Zigzag easily being the best of them. Doma swiftly cuts both her collarbone and ribs, puncturing one of her lungs, which made it even difficult for her to breathe.
Even in such a situation, she performed the Centipede form brilliantly. She was fast enough to even make it difficult for Doma to keep track of her, which is a speed feat no one else in the series has achieved. She used her sword to land one final blow before he absorbed her, not knowing there would be a steep price to pay for his actions.
5) The Entry to the Infinity Castle
All the Corps members were thrown inside the Infinity Castle at the same time, and they would’ve been crushed to death upon hitting the ground if they had been ordinary people. One of the initial scenes of the film features most of the characters falling inside the castle as they ready themselves for the long battle. The scene, paired with a song titled “A World Where the Sun Never Rises” by Aimer, only heightens the hype as viewers anticipate what’s to come.
While Tanjiro struggles to gain his footing, he is quickly saved by Giyu Tomioka, who had wanted to track him down since the moment they fell together. The animation extending the Infinity Castle is one of the most spectacular scenes in all of anime, as we witness firsthand how terrifying and overwhelming the endless labyrinth can be.
4) Zenitsu’s Original Thunder Breathing Form
Zenitsu’s entire demeanor changed after he read a mysterious letter during the final stage of the Hashira Training. He stopped whining about everything, and it appeared that he had only one goal in front of him. The Infinity Castle film reveals that Zenitsu learned about the tragic demise of his master, Jigoro Kuwajima, the former Rumble Hashira. He trained both Zenitsu and Kaigaku as his successors, only for one of them to become a demon.
Zenitsu only mastered the first form, while Kaigaku could use all the forms except the first one. If they had lived according to Jigoro’s wishes, they both would’ve had to share the title of successor, which offended Kaigaku. In contrast, Zenitsu always wanted to stand beside his senior. Since he couldn’t master the other forms, Zenitsu came up with a Seventh Form, not knowing that he would one day have to use it against Kaigaku. The form allowed him to strike down an Upper Rank Six with just one blow, proving just how powerful it was.
3) Tanjiro Finally Sees the Transparent World
In one of the most beautifully animated sequences, we witness Tanjiro pushing past his limits and entering a world he never knew existed. The series’ protagonist has a knack for becoming stronger each time he fights, and the fight in Infinity Castle was no different. Seeing that both he and Giyu were completely outmatched against Akaza, the young slayer took a minute to assess the situation.
He remembered his conversation with Inosuke and the strange powers his father possessed, and he learned to see the internal workings of a living being as if their skin were transparent. This ability is limited to marked Demon Slayers, but not all of them learned it in the final battle. When Tanjiro awakened this ability, he entered some kind of trance and reduced his presence to that of a plant. His perception of movement slowed down, and he could easily get close enough to Akaza to sever his head.
2) Akaza’s Heartbreaking Backstory and His Gratitude to Tanjiro
Usually, demons die when their heads are severed by a Nichirin blade, but this doesn’t apply to everyone. Akaza was supposed to meet his end when Tanjiro cut his head off, but he still found a way to regenerate. By that time, Tanjiro and Giyu were both suffering from severe injuries, and they would’ve likely died if Akaza had regained his full strength. However, he suddenly felt Koyuki pulling his hand and asking him to stop. Akaza initially didn’t understand what was happening or why he was so obsessed with becoming stronger. What follows is one of the most tragic backstories in the series, as we learn about Akaza, who was once Hakuji, a broken yet kind kid.
After going through numerous trials, Hakuji finally achieved the happiness he had long sought, but just before his wedding, his fiancée and his master were poisoned to death by a rival dojo. He brutally killed 67 members of the dojo with his bare fists before having the misfortune of coming across Muzan. Akaza lost his memories and humanity that day, but Tanjiro helped him regain them in his final moments. He chose to die after remembering his past because he knew that the reason he wanted to become stronger no longer existed. Unfortunately, Tanjiro never knew the reason behind Akaza’s heartfelt gratitude before he crumbled into dust.
1) Giyu and Tanjiro’s Tag Team Against Akaza
Giyu and Tanjiro always had a special bond since the beginning of the story. However, it’s mostly been Giyu protecting and supporting Tanjiro in every way possible. Whether it’s his selflessness or because Giyu sees himself in Tanjiro, who lost everything because of a demon, the Water Hashira went beyond his limits to help him. He led Tanjiro down the path of becoming a Demon Slayer, and even he was shocked to see Nezuko had still survived when they met two years later. During the Hashira meeting in Season 1, Giyu even vouched for Nezuko with his life, even though he had only met the siblings a couple of times before.
However, what Giyu didn’t realize was that the weak boy he once knew no longer existed. Tanjiro has grown into an incredible fighter, someone who is able to stand with the Hashira on an equal level, and fight the Upper Ranks. Giyu had years of experience and full control over his Water Breathing, while Tanjiro fights mostly on instinct and uses his Sun Breathing to deliver quick but powerful strikes. They both understood each other’s strengths and weaknesses perfectly and put the other person’s safety before themselves. The reason their tag team worked so perfectly is simply because of the deep understanding they had toward one another.
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