REVIEW: Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Training (2024)

Anime

I’ve been watching Demon Slayer on and off for about a year. I would watch the show continuously, but my sister got me into it, and we like to watch it together. I wanted to see the last Demon Slayer movie that came out, but I was entire seasons behind, and I don’t want to watch something that won’t make sense. Even worse, I don’t want episodes I haven’t seen yet spoiled. But I was on a mission as soon as I knew Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Training was coming out, and I did get caught up to see this movie. Let’s find out how it shapes up and if Demon Slayer suits the cinematic format. 

Based on the manga of the same name by Koyoharu Gotouge, Demon Slayer is a long-form anime TV series following young Tanjiro Kamado, a boy whose family is killed by demons. In this world, demons are roughly comparable to vampires. They consume human blood and can’t travel in the daytime, but they are much stronger and more resilient than humans. Demons possess special powers depending on the individual. Tanjiro and his little sister Nezuko are the only survivors when his home is attacked, but Nezuko is turned into a demon. Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps to save others from the same fate that befell his family and save his sister by finding a cure to return her humanity. The show’s first season showcased Tanjiro and Nezuko’s backstories as well as the beginning of Tanjiro’s Demon Slayer training. The Mugen Train arc concerned a series of deaths on the Mugen Train and introduced Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, a fan-favorite character and Tanjiro’s first friend amongst the Hashira. The Hashira are the highest-ranked Demon Slayers in the Corps. In the Entertainment District arc, Tanjiro and friends encounter Lord Tengen Uzui, the sound Hashira and self-proclaimed God of Festivals. He and his three wives have infiltrated various okiya, or geisha houses, in the Entertainment District in search of a powerful demon. As a result of events in the Entertainment District Arc, Tanjiro must journey to the Swordsmith Village to get his blade repaired and explain the damage it sustained. Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training is the conclusion of the Swordsmith Village arc and the beginning of Hashira Training. 

***SPOILERS***

Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Training begins in the midst of a battle between two upper-rank demons and Tanjiro and his friends. Tanjiro is forced to choose between protecting Nezuko from the blazing sun or saving the villagers from a rampaging upper-rank demon. However, Nezuko ultimately makes the decision for her brother, sending him hurtling towards the beast. Nezuko begins to roast in the sun’s rays as Tanjiro tears into the demon, saving the swordsmiths. The smiths eagerly thank the beaten, bloodied Demon Slayer, but Tanjiro can only grieve for Nezuko… until she rises. Nezuko’s blood has mutated again, this time resisting the sunlight. Meanwhile, Muzan Kibutsugi senses this latest leap in Demon genealogy and begins the hunt for Nezuko. As Tanjiro and his cohorts are hospitalized to heal up, the Hashira meet and plan extensive training for the Demon Slayer Corps. Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa and Serpent Hashira Obanai Iguro infiltrate a house infested with demons and rescue a trapped woman. However, the demons scatter before the truth can be uncovered. 

I mostly enjoyed this movie, but I have a couple of problems I’d like to get out of the way. I don’t love the scene where it’s revealed that Nezuko survived. Don’t get me wrong; I was going to stop watching Demon Slayer if she died. Nezuko is the emotional drive behind the whole story, Tanjiro’s reason for doing much of what he does. I’m not sure why/how he would continue – or why anyone would watch the show – without Nezuko. She is Tanjiro’s only family, and saving her from turning into a feral, selfish demon is the driving force behind his character and the whole show. I also think this is one case where it made sense for a character to survive. She never initially died, so she was never resurrected. Secondly, Nezuko’s blood is among the most complex of demons in the show. She’s clearly special, and I’m alright with her having special abilities as a result. However, I don’t like how this particular scene plays out in terms of dialogue. It’s very annoying when Tanjiro, Nezuko, and, eventually, the villagers repeat “Thank goodness” to one another back and forth. It’s repetitive and just annoying to see/hear. I imagine this was supposed to be funny, and maybe it is in Japan. I saw the subbed version of the film, by the way. To my Western sensibilities, it’s just silly and detracts from a dramatic, emotional plot development, and it almost ruins the catharsis of the previous moment. The other minor issue I have is with the film’s structure; it’s very clearly multiple episodes stapled together. They’re good episodes, and it’s an enjoyable experience, but the seams are always present and obvious. 

I really like the portrayal of Hantengu, the demon Tanjiro defeats in the first segment of the movie. He’s pathetic and begs for pity from his attackers. As he grows enraged and grows in size, he even says, “Don’t you feel sorry for me at all?” He thinks people should feel bad for his circumstances even though he literally kills and consumes humans. I like more sympathetic demons like Mother, but sometimes, it’s also alright for a villain to be a sniveling welp who gets exactly what they deserve. 

Overall, Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training is a very enjoyable experience. The film begins with a brief summary of each prior season set to the respective theme songs. This was fun and a good refresher for me, as well as filling in some gaps for my husband, who hasn’t seen the whole show. I would have shortened the whole “Thank goodness!” scene and smoothed over the obvious gaps between episodes. However, I think it’s worth seeing in theaters for the gorgeous animation and music.