Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train

***Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train*** (劇 (げき) 場 (じょう) 版 (ばん) 「鬼 (き) 滅 (めつ) の刃 (やいば) 」無 (む) 限 (げん) 列 (れっ) 車 (しゃ) 編 (へん) , *Geki Jōban: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Mugen Ressha Hen*?, lit. "Demon Slayer: The Movie - Infinity Train") is a 2020 Japanese animated action-adventure dark fantasy film based on the Mugen Train Arc of the *shōnen* manga series *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba* by Koyoharu Gotoge. Directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable, Inc. in association with Aniplex, it is the first *Demon Slayer* movie to be made, and a sequel to the first season of the anime adaptation of the series. It can be watched on Prime Video, Crunchyroll, and Vudu.

The film was released on October 16, 2020 in Japan by Toho Co., Ltd. in partnership with Aniplex, and was later made available from 2020 to mid-2021 internationally. It grossed over $507 million at the worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 2020 and the first non-Hollywood production to top the annual box office. It also became the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, surpassing Studio Ghibli, Inc.'s *Spirited Away*, who previously held the record for 19 years. The film was the first major R-rated animated film to release in the United States since 2016's *Sausage Party*, received numerous awards and highly positive reviews, with its music, characters, and action sequences praised; though the opening sequence and production quality from the studio's film standards drew polarized response. It was rebroadcast in episodic format as the first 7 episodes of the anime's second season, including a recut and extra bonus content.

An exclusive, 84-page volume titled Rengoku Volume 0 was distributed among individuals who attended the screenings of the movie, beginning from its debut on October 16th. The volume is limited to 4.5 million copies and consists of the Special One-Shot plus various other bonuses.

## Synopsis

Set after the events of the first season, Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and Nezuko Kamado board the Infinity Train to assist the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku in eliminating Enmu, the Lower Rank One who has infiltrated the train, while defending the 200 onboard passengers.

## Plot

Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke board a train to assist the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku in his mission to hunt for a demon that has killed many demon slayers and civilians. Soon after boarding, all of them are enchanted and fall into a deep sleep. Enmu, Lower Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki, instructs four passengers, all suffering from severe insomnia, to enter the demon slayers' dreams and destroy their spiritual cores so that they can't wake up again. In exchange, Enmu will allow them a peaceful sleep with all of their own dreams.

During their sleep, Tanjiro and his companions have happy dreams. Tanjiro realizes that he is dreaming and tries to wake up, succeeding after a vision of his father instructs him to kill himself in the dream. At the same time, Nezuko uses her power to sever the intruders' connection, and awaken the passengers. In fear of Enmu, they attack Tanjiro, who knocks them out.

While Nezuko awakens the others, Tanjiro confronts Enmu, and in the ensuing battle, beheads him. However, Enmu does not die, and reveals that he fused his head with the train. Kyojuro instructs Inosuke and Tanjiro to look for Enmu's neck while he, Nezuko, and Zenitsu stay behind to protect the other passengers. Tanjiro and Inosuke find Enmu's neckbone in the engine room and Tanjiro severs it, killing Enmu and stopping the train.

However, Akaza, Upper Rank Three, appears soon after and attacks the demon slayers. Kyojuro fights him alone, and is fatally wounded, although Akaza is forced to flee when the sun begins rising. Tanjiro angrily calls him a coward for running away and declares Kyojuro the real winner of the fight. Kyojuro encourages Tanjiro and his friends, and dies. The Hashira and the entire Demon Slayer Corps are informed of his death, while Tanjiro and the others mourn his sacrifice.

## Staff

*Information provided by the official English website*
* **Original Story:** Koyoharu Gotoge
* **Animation Studio:** ufotable
* **Direction:** Haruo Sotozaki
* **Character Design:** Akira Matsushima
* **Chief Animation Direction:** Akira Matsushima
* **Screenplay:** ufotable
* **Sub Character Design:** Miyuki Sato, Yoko Kajiyama, Mika Kikuchi
* **Prop Design:** Masaharu Koyama
* **Conceptual Art:** Koji Eto, Masaru Yanaka, Yuri Kabasawa
* **Photography Direction:** Yuichi Terao
* **3D Direction:** Kazuki Nishiwaki
* **Color Setting:** Yuko Omae
* **Editing:** Manabu Kamino
* **Music:** Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina

## Cast

*Information provided by the official English website*
* Japanese Cast
* English Cast

* Natsuki Hanae *as* Tanjiro Kamado
* Akari Kitō *as* Nezuko Kamado
* Yoshitsugu Matsuoka *as* Inosuke Hashibira
* Hiro Shimono *as* Zenitsu Agatsuma
* Satoshi Hino *as* Kyojuro Rengoku
* Daisuke Hirakawa *as* Enmu
* Akira Ishida *as* Akaza
* Megumi Toyoguchi *as* Ruka Rengoku
* Rikiya Koyama *as* Shinjuro Rengoku
* Junya Enoki *as* Senjuro Rengoku
* Shin-ichiro Miki *as* Tanjuro Kamado
* Houko Kuwashima *as* Kie Kamado
* Yō Taichi *as* Takeo Kamado
* Konomi Kohara *as* Hanako Kamado
* Kaede Hondo *as* Shigeru Kamado
* Aoi Koga *as* Rokuta Kamado
* Saori Hayami *as* Shinobu Kocho
* Tomokazu Sugita *as* Gyomei Himejima
* Katsuyuki Konsihi *as* Tengen Uzui
* Tomokazu Seki *as* Sanemi Shinazugawa
* Kenichi Suzumura *as* Obanai Iguro
* Takahiro Sakurai *as* Giyu Tomioka
* Toshiyuki Morikawa *as* Kagaya Ubuyashiki
* Rina Satō *as* Amane Ubuyashiki

* Zach Aguilar *as* Tanjiro Kamado
* Abby Trott *as* Nezuko Kamado
* Bryce Papenbrook *as* Inosuke Hashibira
* Aleks Le *as* Zenitsu Agatsuma
* Mark Whitten *as* Kyojuro Rengoku
* Landon McDonald *as* Enmu
* Lucien Dodge *as* Akaza
* Suzie Yeung as Ruka Rengoku
* Imari Williams *as* Shinjuro Rengoku
* Cedric Williams *as* Senjuro Rengoku
* Kirk Thornton *as* Tanjuro Kamado
* Dorothy Elias-Fahn *as* Kie Kamado
* Michelle Ruff *as* Takeo Kamado
* Ryan Bartley *as* Hanako Kamado
* Jessica DiCicco *as* Shigeru Kamado
* Philece Sampler *as* Rokuta Kamado
* Erika Harlacher *as* Shinobu Kocho
* Crispin Freeman *as* Gyomei Himejima
* Ray Chase *as* Tengen Uzui
* Kaiji Tang *as* Sanemi Shinazugawa
* Erik Scott Kimerer *as* Obanai Iguro
* Johnny Yong Bosch *as* Giyu Tomioka
* Matthew Mercer *as* Kagaya Ubuyashiki
* Suzie Yeung *as* Amane Ubuyashiki

## Music

* **Theme Song:** "**homura**" (炎 (ほむら) , *Homura*?) by LiSA

## Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 98% based on 40 reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10.

### Box office records

As of August 23, 2022, the film has grossed over US$506.5 million worldwide, making it the first Japanese film and anime film to reach the milestone of US$500 million worldwide box office and was the only R-rated animated film to broke multiple box office records. These records being:

* The highest-grossing film of 2020.
* The highest-grossing anime film and Japanese film of all time.
* The fourth highest-grossing traditional animated film of all time.
* The 12th highest-grossing foreign language overall, and 2nd highest-grossing foreign language of all time without Chinese-related.
* The highest-grossing R-rated film of 2020 and animated film of all time, and the 17th highest-grossing R-rated film worldwide.
* The 2nd highest-grossing animated film distribute by Sony.
* Most of other Asia regions, where it became several highest-grossing film.

## Promotional Material

### Key Visuals

Key Visual 1Key Visual 2Key Visual 3Key Visual 4
### Magazine Covers

Newtype November 2020Newtype December 2020Animedia December 2020Animage December 2020Animedia April 2021Animedia July 2021Animage July 2021Animage August 2021
## Trailers

Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie Mugen Train Announcement TrailerOfficial PreviewDEMON SLAYER - KIMETSU NO YAIBA - The Movie Mugen Train Official TrailerOfficial English sub TrailerDemon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie Mugen Train Official Trailer 2Official English sub Trailer 2Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie Mugen Train TeaserOfficial English Dub TeaserDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie Mugen Train Trailer 3Official Trailer 3Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie- Mugen Train English Dub TrailerOfficial English Dub TrailerDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie- Mugen Train In Theaters April 23 + On Digital June 22Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie- Mugen Train (English Dub) In Theaters 4-23 + Digital 6-22Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie- Mugen Train In Theaters NowDemon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie- Mugen Train (English Dub) In Theaters NowDemon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie- Mugen Train Now On Digital !
## External links

* Official Japanese movie site
* Official English movie site

## References

1. ↑ Cartoon Brew
2. ↑ Official Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Movie - Mugen Train website
3. ↑ Rotten Tomatoes