Editor’s Note: The reviewer watched this movie at a theater that strictly followed COVID-19 safety precautions. However, Hibiki advises readers to wait for the movie to be released on online streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, Funimation, etc., to watch it.

Pandemic or no pandemic, people like me mobbed cinema halls in October last year to watch Kimetsu No Yaiba: Mugen Ressha (Demon Slayer: Infinity Train). Continuing the story of Tanjiro Kamado, the anime follows him as he saves his younger sister Nezuko Kamado from a demon curse. As a big fan of Demon Slayer, I knew the story well. But the music, the animation, and the voice characters combined to make a movie far more breathtaking and emotional than anything I could have imagined. 

Tanjiro and his friends get on the Infinity Train to accomplish their mission with Kyojuro Rengoku, the En Bashira (Flame Pillar). Thanks to his kind nature, Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko win the support of other demon slayers to fight the demons along their journey.

Despite the pandemic, Infinity Train was a big success. According to Mainichi News, it earned 10 billion yen in less than ten days since its release. It even surpassed Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi (Spirited Away) on December 28, 2020, when it reached 31 billion yen at the box office. With numbers like these, it’s no surprise Infinity Train also played an important role in reviving the movie business in Japan from the loss suffered due to COVID-19. In fact, Mainichi News reported that the profit gained in November 2020 was ten times that of November 2019. 

Also helping ticket sales is the popularity of its theme song「 炎 」(Hepburn: “Homura”) by LiSA. And like any bestselling movie, brand collaborations with Demon Slayer are everywhere: convenience stores, advertisements, themed stationery, food items, toys and clothing merchandise.

Speaking to NHK News, Tadashi Sudo, an anime business expert, said that Demon Slayer was the most anticipated movie of 2020 by people – anime fan or not – worldwide due to its unique and amiable characters and uplifting plot. It is an anime that caters not only to teenagers, but to people of all demographics. Each character, including the demons, have tragic backstories that enable the viewer to sympathize with a lot of the characters. 

Mangas from Jump Comics, the publishing company that published Demon Slayer, are famous for featuring protagonists who won’t give up until the very end. They work hard to achieve their goals and become stronger day by day. If you’re in need of some motivation after a dreary 2020, this is one of the best animes to get you going – after the virus subsides of course!