After being released for several months in Japan, the Demon Slayer movie has finally made its way to the States. Since the beginning of quarantine, many began to consume large amounts of anime shows as a new means of entertainment. Not only has the Demon Slayer fan base grown since then, but so has the anime community as a whole. Through social media and mainstream attention, the movie has garnered many fans waiting for its premiere. It is safe to say that the movie did not disappoint.

“The first feature-length film based on the popular Shonen Jump manga and anime series amassed more than $350 million at Japan’s box office during its opening weekend, surpassing not only the record set by Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away as the highest grossing Japanese film of all time, but the fourth-highest grossing film of 2020, period” said Toussaint Egan from Polygon.

The movie takes place right where the first season left off at. The movie acts as a bridge between the first and second seasons, which will be released soon. Unlike other anime movies such as Naruto and One Piece, this movie is canon. Viewers that watch the movie without watching the first season will more than likely have no clue what is going on, as there is no introduction to the characters or setting.

The animations were, once again, breathtaking and beautiful. Seeing the movie in theaters made it a whole new experience, especially with its many sword fights and 3D action scenes. However, it gave me a headache having to keep up with the animations and the subtitles, even as an avid subbed anime watcher.

The plot itself was brilliantly developed; There was not a single part where I had felt bored or where it felt dragging. The pacing was great and right when you think the movie is over, there was a lot more. The director knew exactly how to showcase an already introduced character in a brand new light. By appealing to us with Rengoku’s comical aspects and likable personality, the writers hope for us to care for him. This is what made the ending extremely heartbreaking when they show us his back story and his death.

I asked two people who have watched the movie about their thoughts: “The movie was great and I feel it did a good job keeping that pace where the show ended off last,” said Joshua Saucedo, “Rengoku should have gotten more screen time before though, to make his death even more painful.”

“Every part had me hooked and the animation was done extremely well,” said Claire Mor, “the OST was probably one of my favorite things about the movie because it constantly had me excited for whatever was happening.”

Overall, this movie was most definitely worth the hype and the attention. Not only did do an amazing job of continuing where it left off, but it added substance to the anime industry, where it can continue to pave its way to mainstream pop culture.