The Demon Slayer anime adaptation includes both the television series and films. Both of them complement each other and are equally enjoyed by the fans. However, it seems the movies have brought in much more profit, and so Ufotable has decided to adapt the final arc as a trilogy.
The long-awaited Infinity Castle Arc will be divided into three films instead of a fifth season. It will pick up right after the fourth season of the animated series. The first part is titled Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle.
Aniplex and Toho are set to release the film on July 18, 2025, in Japan. For worldwide screenings, some countries can catch it as soon as mid-August, whereas others will have to wait until mid-September.
The decision to make the final arc as a film trilogy feels like Aniplex and Ufotable are stretching Demon Slayer to its limits. The manga ended in 2020 and it’s better to end the series as soon as possible, but now we have to wait for the next two parts. This is Attack on Titan’s final season all over again.
Is turning the final season into a trilogy the best way to bid Demon Slayer farewell?
The popularity of Demon Slayer can be felt all over the anime community. Almost every new anime fan’s first series has been Demon Slayer and there’s no changing the impact. Ufotable has done a magnificent job of adapting the story with gorgeous animation. However, is a trilogy necessary?
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train is considered a masterpiece of an anime movie and brought in a lot of profit. Releasing a trilogy will bring in a lot more money for Ufotable and Crunchyroll so from a business perspective, it’s a fair deal.
The significant gaps in the theatrical releases, however, don’t seem fair to the fans. The Infinity Castle Arc has garnered significant hype. Some countries, specifically North America, the United Kingdom, and India, will only be able to see it on September 12, 2025, two months after its domestic release.
Demon Slayer fans are justifiably a bit annoyed with it, accusing the studio of milking the series.
One fan compared it to how Attack on Titan’s final season was handled and says it might not face the same fate.
It would be better for Ufotable’s reputation to not beat a dead horse. Demon Slayer deserves a solid ending, not to be dragged out more than necessary. A trilogy is still tolerable but going beyond that wouldn’t make sense.
Even with the trilogy, only a few theatres will screen the films
In some countries, anime films aren’t very popular. Demon Slayer might be incredibly beloved within its community, but it still won’t be enough to screen in every theatre for every state.
For example, in India, only theatre companies like Inox and PVR actively screen anime films. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train was widely advertised. It’ll be a shame if fans miss out on them because their local theatre doesn’t have a show.
On a positive note, Haikyu!! is also turning the final arcs into movies. Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle had a full house everywhere. However, a theatrical release presents another problem.
The lack of an online release also makes it inaccessible for fans who can’t afford a visit to the theatre. Say they live in a small town and don’t even have one. What then? Moreover, the film trilogy won’t have a reliable translation available to watch online. Is Ufotable making a huge mistake with the trilogy?
Demon Slayer is available on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
