Season 3 of “Demon Slayer” Begins With “Kimetsu no Yaiba: To the Swordsmith Village,” Featuring Breathtaking Visuals And Vibrant New Characters!

By Deepak Grover Last updated Mar 2, 2023

Out with the old, in with the new. Now that One Piece is the last remaining manga from the Big Three of Weekly Shonen Jump, it is time to name new successors. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, which debuted in February 2016, appears like a great contender to fill the gap given its enormous popularity and broad distribution, but this breakout success was actually a recent development spurred on by the release of its anime adaptation.

It is only predicted that the third season, which premieres in April 2023, will continue to build anticipation for the franchise due to the show’s enormous and far-reaching impact on what initially appeared to be a diamond in the rough. TheDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Villagespecial cutis here to pass the time as Tanjiro and company prepare for their return to the small screen.

The theatrical release of Mugen Train, or Infinity Train as it is known in the English translation, is not an anime film. Rather, it’s a mashup of Episodes 10 and 11 from the Season 2 Entertainment District Arc and a longer pilot episode from the future Swordsmith Village Arc, all neatly condensed into a 110-minute length. It appears that fans are in for another treat after watching the preview, which gives a tantalising glimpse of breathtaking visuals and more colourful characters.

The opening sequence of the film is a montage of significant events from the first two seasons and Mugen Train, with the opening themes for each season (Gurenge, Zankyosanka, and Akeboshi) playing in the background. After the epic, the high-stakes battle between Team Tanjiro (Tanjiro + Nezuko, Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Sound Pillar Tengen Uzui) and the Higher Rank 6 demon siblings (Gyutaro and Daki) breaks out on the big screen, there is a heartwarming nod to the past before the action picks up speed.

The fight plays out just as it did in the original, beat for beat, but the 4K resolution and enhanced audio make this watch far more dramatic emotionally and visually. The flashback scenes and the revelation of the demon pair’s past have a greater, more sombre weight to them than the flames of Tanjiro’s sword and Zenitsu’s fierce lightning-infused assaults. The lighthearted, comedic moments arrive after the climax’s rush has subsided, easing the transition to a slower pace for Season 3’s opening scenes.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village’s second half shifts its emphasis from the battleground to two important locations: the Infinity Castle, home to the Demon King Muzan, and, as the title implies, a village of swordsmiths. In this scene, the feature returns to the dynamic camera movement that is characteristic of castle visits, swooping past tiers of staircases and changing into the angle for the following batch of frames.

The animation, directed by the studio ufotable, which returned for Season 2, maintains the same level of artistic consistency and fluidity. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village contains some daring, non-traditional shots in keeping with the notable standard. For instance, a lingering scene shows an upside-down Muzan instead of the customary upright position. Although the studio has a propensity to over-rely on the aesthetic, which may seem overdone or ostentatious as the novelty wears off, the dynamic cinematography keeps things interesting.

Akaza, who was last seen playing a significant role in Mugen Train, is back, but he’s not by alone. The special cut features new characters from the Twelve Demon Moons that weren’t previously known to those who weren’t manga aficionados, such as Doma, Kokushibo, Hantengu, and Gyokko (Upper Ranks 5, 4, and 1 respectively, voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu, Toshio Furukawa, and Kosuke Toriumi, respectively) (Upper Rank Two, Mamoru Miyano).

These demons are a colourful group, and each of them has unique characteristics that frequently contrast with those of the others. For example, Gyokko is narcissistic, Hantengu is cowardly, Kokushibo is distant, and Doma adopts an outwardly modest approach. A standout is Doma, who is flawlessly portrayed by industry veteran Miyano, who has experience playing evil and morally grey characters (see Death Notes Light Yagami). The voice actor did a fantastic job at portraying the essence of the character, from his falsely honeyed tone to his irritable personality.

The stage is set for Love Pillar Mitsuri Kanroji (Kana Hanazawa) and Mist Pillar Muichiro Tokito (Kengo Kawanishi), two formidable fighters who were only briefly introduced in the first season, to take centre stage in the village of swordsmiths. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village shows more of Mitsuri’s cheery and (apparently) naïve personality whereas the latter, who is depicted as unconcerned, has little screen time. It will be intriguing for fans who aren’t in the know to see how things turn out given their disparate personalities and unrevealed backstories.

The (re)appearance of a certain red-haired, sword-wielding character, who is known to fans to have a connection to Tanjiro, is more significant. Aside from these intriguing threads, there are also heartfelt reminders of Tanjiro’s friendship with Zenitsu, Inosuke, and the others, a clear first impression of the beautiful, intricate landscapes, and enjoyable humour.

As anticipated, there won’t be much combat action to look forward to, but the appearance of stronger foes and Muzan’s cunning promise more thrilling battles and important plot twists in Season 3’s later episodes.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village is a preview of bigger, more thrilling things to come, and it appears that fans have nothing to fear and a lot to enjoy. Now playing in Golden Village theatres is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village, with Season 3 scheduled to debut sometime in April 2023.