Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga! Demon Slayer recently released the first installment of its Infinity Castle trilogy in U.S. theaters, and it’s already smashing box office records. The film commences the highly anticipated showdown between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons. Ever since Nezuko conquered the sun, Muzan has been gathering demons from across the country to help him find the girl. The demons are also ordered to remain on standby should they encounter any Demon Slayers. With demon attacks being almost negligible, the Corps was able to complete the Hashira Training successfully. Unfortunately, after locating their headquarters, Muzan seized the opportunity, deciding it would be easier to annihilate the Corps by trapping them inside the Infinity Castle.
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What follows is a series of intense battles filled with heart-wrenching moments. The first installment has already struck fans hard by killing off several beloved characters, and unfortunately, there’s much more to come. Last year, following the Hashira Training Arc finale, Ufotable announced a trilogy adaptation of the final arc. At the time, it was widely assumed that both the Infinity Castle and Sunrise Countdown arcs would be included. However, after the release of the first part, the chances of the trilogy covering the entire final stretch now seem slim.
Demon Slayer Has Too Many Chapters Left to Adapt in Just Two Films
The final arc is divided into two parts: the Infinity Castle Arc and the Sunrise Countdown Arc. The Infinity Castle Arc alone spans 44 chapters, of which only 17 were adapted in the first installment. Despite the flashy animation and thrilling fight scenes, the fast pacing and exclusion of key scenes are impossible to overlook. The film ran for about 2 hours and 30 minutes, roughly the same length as the Infinity Train movie.
But here’s the twist, the Infinity Train film adapted just 13 chapters within that same runtime, and few would argue it didn’t achieve far better pacing. If the latest film had tried to adapt its 17 chapters with the same level of detail, the runtime would have needed to stretch to nearly 3 hours, which simply isn’t practical.
The Infinity Castle Arc still has 27 chapters left to adapt in the upcoming installments, which is an ideal amount for a film. However, the Sunrise Countdown Arc spans 22 chapters, and it seems unlikely the trilogy will be able to squeeze this arc into the upcoming parts. This arc follows the surviving members of the Demon Slayer Corps as they put everything on the line to secure victory and defeat Muzan Kibutsuji. The full stretch of 22 chapters is more tragic than anything the series has shown before, ultimately concluding the story on a bittersweet note.
Should the Sunrise Countdown Arc Also Be Another Film?
Following the groundbreaking success of its two films, Ufotable releasing a final anime film isn’t completely out of the question. However, the story might be better experienced through weekly episodes. The first installment of the trilogy is spectacular in every way, but it doesn’t change the fact that it would have worked far better in a TV season format. We see several characters scattered throughout the castle, fighting demons while also searching for Muzan.
The first part alone features three major battles, each following the other in quick succession, which reduces the suspense of wondering, “What’s going to happen next?” The upcoming installments will likely follow the same pattern, since many characters still haven’t had their turn to fight. As for the Sunrise Countdown Arc, it may work better than Infinity Castle as a film, but the studio would need to release at least two movies to adapt it fully. Perhaps a single anime season would be a better choice.
The Corps’ situation only worsens after the Infinity Castle Arc, as they now face the impossible challenge of defeating Muzan himself. Most members are already injured or exhausted, and with the demon progenitor’s only weakness being the sun, their task becomes even more daunting. The Sunrise Countdown Arc is packed with heart-wrenching moments and cliffhangers that will keep the audience hooked until the very end.
The first installment of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is currently showing in theaters, so be sure to catch it on the big screen. You can also catch up with the anime on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
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Image courtesy of Stage 6 Films
