Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Roar of Victory Movie Review
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Roar of Victory is the long-awaited introduction to the new season of the well-loved anime, which will be released on multiple streaming platforms, including Crunchyroll, in the Spring of 2024.
The movie is composed of two parts —the re-release of the last episode of the Swordsmith Arc and the release of the first episode of the new season, To the Hashira Training. The movie has been available to watch in selected cinemas across the UK.
But does the new series live up to the fans’ expectations?
Thanks to a complimentary ticket from Crunchyroll, Way to Blue and Vue, I got the chance to watch it on Saturday, 24th February. As many know, every time a new season comes out, there is the worry that it won’t be as good as the previous ones or that the artistic direction might go down a different path. Well, it seems we won’t have to worry this time.
The second part of the movie, which introduces us to the new series, foreshadows the action that we are expecting. The ending of the Swordsmith Arc brings a difficult decision for Tanjiro by having him choose between duty and family. But what happens to Nezuko brings both the demon slayer corps and Muzan with his demons to a turning point. Muzan will do anything to get his hands on Nezuko, and it’s up to Tanjiro and the rest of the Demon Slayers to protect her. Although we are all well aware that Nezuko can protect herself perfectly well, both sides are preparing for the last battle.
And that’s why the Hashira devise a plan to train the lower-level demon slayers before the final fight begins. The Demon Slayers need to become stronger if they want a chance to win against Muzan, and to do so they might even collaborate with Miss Tamayo, the first demon to renounce Muzan’s power.
While I personally didn’t mind re-watching the ending of the Swordsmith Arc, as I think what happens to Nezuko and Tanjiro is quite impactful (be aware that tears are likely to escape your eyes), it still takes half of the movie time. And that’s quite a lot of time to re-watch something, considering the cost of a movie ticket. If you have money to spare, and you don’t mind having only around 40/50 minutes of new content, go ahead and get a ticket.
Make sure you have also watched the series before watching the latest movie. Although there is a short summary of what happened in the previous seasons, if you’re not familiar with the storyline and with what happens in the multiple arcs so far, you’ll be left wondering what’s going on. This movie is targeted at the series’ fans, and I wouldn’t recommend watching as the starting point in the Demon Slayer franchise, even if the amazing fighting sequences will hook you in regardless.
The movie is available from 23rd February both in English and in Japanese with English subtitles. It’s full of action and heart-breaking moments, which are enhanced by the use of music by Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina. The opening song is one the fans will be familiar-ish with… Go Shiina remixes Kizuna no Kiseki by Man With A Mission x Milet.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Roar of Victory is produced by Haruo Sotozaki for Ufotable Inc., with Akita Matsushima being the Chief Animator Director and Character Designer. Both Sotozaki and Matsushima have been part of the franchise since the beginning. Natsuki Hanae also returns as the voice of Tanjiro Kamado.
Hanae, who’s also known for voicing Ken Kaneki in Tokyo Ghoul, was present at the London screening at BFI Imax on 25th February. While the role of Tanjiro came to him, once he got it, he was hooked on the series. He lost count of how many times he read and reread the manga to prepare for his scenes. The production studio, Ufotable, strongly treasures the manga, so they make sure to not cut any lines when they work on the animated series. But Tanjiro is a complicated character, and to express Tanjiro’s feelings, Hanae needs to find the closest experiences to Tanjiro’s he’s had in his own life.
But it’s not easy. As fans know, Tanjiro experiences a lot of inner monologues during his fighting scenes. Hanae needs to speak Tanjiro’s feelings and thoughts in the middle of battles, which presents a challenge sometimes finding the balance between using the fighting voice and at the same time finding the calmness of Tanjiro’s inner self.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba was originally published as a manga written by Koyoharu Gotouge. The series, now completed, has 23 volumes in the English language and is released by VIZ Media.
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA -TO THE HASHIRA TRAINING- is out now in UK cinemas.
©Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable
