Demon Slayer Infinity Castle: Peak Cinema

Aniplex/Ufotable©

know I often say this about many things, but with this movie, I genuinely feel like I'm late to the party. Yesterday, I finally had the opportunity to watch the latest Demon Slayer film, Infinity Castle, and wow, the internet was absolutely right about every aspect of it.

“Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” marks the highly anticipated next chapter in the Demon Slayer world, bringing the beloved anime series into its most thrilling and emotional arc yet. Following the events leading up to the showdown with Muzan Kibutsuji, the Demon Slayer Corps is transported into the mysterious, maze-like Infinity Castle — a dimension controlled by the most powerful Upper Rank demons.

Let's address the obvious first: this film is filled with stunning and awe-inspiring animation. Each frame, scene, and character moment is infused with beautiful animation that remains captivating and never dull. I occasionally regret not fully understanding Japanese, as it means I have to depend on subtitles that distract my eyes from the action on screen—this has never been more apparent than with Infinity Castle.

Ufotables ability to create this incredible atmospheric look to their scenes gives me goosebumps. I every battle in this film, had their iconic lighting and dust particles that just added a ton of dimension and atmosphere to every showdown we got. Fight scenes are choreographed like movie set pieces, often with sweeping camera angles, dramatic lighting, and stylized movements. Every battle feels grand, polished, and emotionally charged. Personally, no other scene showcases this more than the fight scene between Zenitsu and Kaigaku.

Without giving away plot details, every battle/fight scene between the Demon Slayers and the demons feels personal, dramatic, and impactful. I love how Ufotable uses different color palettes for each of the battles and carry that over into their lighting effects to amplify the mood and intensity.

Watching Demon Slayer Infinity Castle in the cinema was probably one the best cinematic experiences I have ever had. I truly felt that i got value for money and then some from this film. Many people have critisied the use of flashbacks within the movie, which I don't share whatsoever.

Essentially, adapting a manga arc into a film often fails to fully capture the narrative's structure. This is evident in certain parts of this movie. Additionally, the film follows a repetitive pattern of "action-action-action - flashback - action-action-action." Despite this, the flashbacks are crucial as they provide the audience with a break, allowing them to reset their "emotional gauge," which enhances the impact of the action scenes.

I think we should avoid overanalyzing these films, expecting each to redefine the genre or introduce a revolutionary narrative structure. "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" exemplifies a blockbuster movie that must be experienced in the cinema and nowhere else.