‘Demon Slayer: Mugen Train‘ known as its full name ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train‘ is an anime spin-off film of the ‘Demon Slayer‘ television series. It is directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable. The movie set many records including the highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, the highest-grossing anime film, and the second highest-grossing film of 2020.

Demon Slayer Tanjiro (Zach Aguilar), his demon-infected sister Nezuko (Abby Trott), boar-masked hot-head Inosuke (Bryce Papenbrook), and the cowardly Zenitsu (Aleks Le) meet together in a small village. They board a train, meeting up with a high-ranking Demon Slayer and flame Hashira warrior Kyōjurō Rengoku (Mark Whitten) who informs them that many civilians have vanished from this train, making Demon Slayer leader Kagaya Ubuyashiki (Matthew Mercer) suspect demon involvement. After getting their tickets punched, the four humans drift off to sleep, but little do they know that the demon Enmu (Landon McDonald) has put a spell on all of the passengers, intended to drink their blood as they dream. Tanjiro dreams of his life before his family was killed by demons and before his sister became infected. As the train moves forward, reality starts to seep in but he may not want to leave this dream.

This was the first movie I saw in cinema after the unconstitutional lockdowns were imposed on us, closing down the movie theaters. The last one I watched beforehand was Sonic The Hedgehog, and after hearing of this anime’s success overseas, I wondered if this one lived up to the hype. Now except for the fact that you probably would be lost if you are unfamiliar with the show, I was incredibly satisfied.

The animation was superb. The character illustrations, the background designs, and the action flowed seamlessly, bringing it to life. One of its most impressive components was taking place on the train. You feel the claustrophobia as the heroes are forced to protect the innocent while battling their enemies. This is complimented by the incredible score, which amps up the action and sense of danger.

As for the story, you are hooked from beginning to end. The suspense, humor, and the action work hand-in-hand as you watch Tanjiro work with his allies to overcome the darkest of circumstances. It has some moving themes as well. It focuses on loyalty, facing reality, the strength of family, and having the courage to go on. It was a perfect follow-up to the show and I cannot wait to see what comes next. I think it is a total tragedy it was snubbed by the Oscars. It should have been nominated for Best Animated Feature and Best Foreign Film, hands down.

Bottom line, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train deserves every single accolade it received. It not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded it. It is probably one of the best anime films I have seen based on a series.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Strong bloody violence, Disturbing images, Strong language

FAVORITE QUOTE: You have to wake up and fight!

Check out the trailer below:

This review is based on the dubbed version from Aniplex and Funimation.

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