Demon Slayer has always stood out for its spectacular animation, but it has often felt lacking in terms of worldbuilding and sometimes introduced power-ups that seemed meaningless or poorly explained, such as the Tanjiro vs. Rui fight. Over time, the series managed to address several of these issues, gradually improving its narrative and consistency.

Despite its flaws, the story has now reached a final arc that is genuinely engaging. After the cliffhanger of the last season and all the hype it created, I can confidently say this film not only lives up to expectations but even manages to exceed them.

The film is not perfect and still has some flaws, but for me it was a unique and memorable experience, and I strongly recommend watching it in theaters if you have the chance.

The continuation of the anime through this film was handled very well, creating an almost seamless bridge between the last season and the movie. I personally felt that the pacing was a bit slow. When I first learned there would be three films with the first lasting two and a half hours, I couldn’t imagine how they would fit so much material in. Knowing Ufotable and their approach in past seasons, I expected them to add plenty of anime-original content and I assumed the fights, especially Zenitsu’s, would be much longer than they ended up being.

Almost an entire hour of the film was dedicated to flashbacks. I am not saying they were unnecessary, but it felt excessive. In the manga, Akaza’s flashback lasted at most two chapters, whereas here it took up around thirty minutes. It was well done and emotionally impactful, but it noticeably slowed the pacing.

Aside from that, I think the film maintained a very good flow, particularly during the fights and in the way it transitioned between different areas of the castle, and I think the timing of key pauses and cliffhangers was precise and kept the tension high until the very end.

All of the characters in this film were impressively well developed, with nearly every one of them receiving a flashback that added depth and context to their motivations. The only exception was Giyu, who had little to no focus this time. Without a doubt, the character who left the strongest impression was Akaza, whose backstory and emotional weight became one of the highlights of the entire film.

Starting with Shinobu, I think she was one of the film’s strongest points. Even though her screen time was limited, I believe it was the perfect choice to open the film with her and immediately show why she harbors such deep hatred for Douma.

Speaking of Douma, who is my favorite Upper Moon, I really enjoyed his appearance. I can’t bring myself to hate him, even after what he said to Shinobu. Like it or not, the film gives us a deeper understanding of his backstory, why he became the way he is, and even why he only surrounds himself with women.

The second major highlight of this film was undoubtedly Zenitsu. Watching him fight seriously for the first time was nothing short of breathtaking. His battle was intense and beautifully animated, and for me it felt like a true turning point for his character. We could feel the love, respect, and gratitude he had for his master, which added so much emotional weight to every strike he delivered. This scene also explained perfectly why Zenitsu was so serious at the end of the last season, making his attitude feel completely natural and justified.

Kaigaku, on the other hand, was deeply underwhelming. I have disliked him ever since Gyomei’s backstory, and nothing in this film redeemed him in any way. His motivations felt shallow, his personality remained unlikeable, and in the end I was glad to see his story concluded the way it did.

Before discussing the three, I have to admit that I don’t particularly like Tanjiro’s character. While he is undeniably loving and would do anything for Nezuko, I personally don’t connect with him.

Giyu, on the other hand, played a very important role in this film. Although he didn’t have a scene focused solely on him, his backstory had already been revealed and made his actions understandable. The protection Giyu shows towards Tanjiro is remarkable, especially considering how cold and reserved he usually is. Tanjiro was a burden to Giyu throughout the film, but as expected, the backstory unfolds, he gains a sudden power-up, and events progress. Despite this, I still find it difficult to appreciate Tanjiro or the way the author introduces his abilities.

Regarding Akaza, I must be honest I didn’t particularly like him before, but this film elevated his character significantly. His backstory elicited a great deal of compassion from me and it was undoubtedly the strongest point of the film. From all the marketing leading up to the release, it was clear that he would play a central role and the film delivered on that promise.

I will summarize this very briefly and be completely honest, even if it may upset some people. Demon Slayer’s songs are very good, but they tend to be repetitive. Most of the themes follow the same structure and basic sound, only varying slightly in some parts. The only exceptions are Mitsuri’s theme, which I think is the best in the entire series, and Akaza’s theme, which was altered for the movie and I didn’t enjoy as much.

That said, the music was placed at the perfect moments and truly manages to give you goosebumps. As for the opening and ending songs, everyone knows that LiSA and Aimer never disappoint, but for me, the standout track of the movie was LiSA’s song.

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I don’t think I need to emphasize that Ufotable’s animation is incredibly impressive; there is hardly any studio that can even come close to their level. I don’t need to idolize an animation style that is already widely recognized for its excellence.

The opening fight of the film was very well executed and beautifully animated, especially Douma’s Kekkijutsu and Shinobu’s breathing techniques, which looked incredible. This battle focused more on dialogue than action, but it was perfectly suited to the material and delivered very well.

Regarding Zenitsu and Kaigaku, I’ll give a hot take. Even though the fight was perfectly animated, I felt it was too short. Ufotable, known for exaggerating and extending their fight scenes, seemed to rush this one. After Zenitsu’s flashback, everything moved too quickly, which slightly diminished the impact of the fight for me.

The fight between Tanjiro and Giyu against Akaza was undoubtedly the highlight of the film. I believe it was the best-animated fight in the entire anime, although there were a few moments where the action became hard to follow. The pacing was excellent, but as mentioned before, some of the flashbacks were quite long and slightly disrupted the flow of this otherwise incredible battle.

This review might seem incomplete to some, as I wanted to avoid spoilers for anyone who has not seen the movie yet. I also want to highlight the animation of the castle and its walkways, which I believe perfectly captures the feeling of an infinite structure. Thank you, Ufotable, for giving us the opportunity to experience such an amazing film in theaters.

Moving on, in my opinion, the film is a masterpiece, though not perfect. It has its flaws, and as I have mentioned several times, some elements could have been expanded while others could have been shortened.

With that in mind, if you have the chance to see this film in theaters, take it. Do not miss it, because it is truly worth it. If possible, experience it in 4DX or IMAX for the full impact.

Honestly, I am excited and a bit nervous about what Ufotable will do with the enormous budget this film will generate. Anyone who has read the manga knows that the second film will likely surpass this one. I plan to rewatch this movie this weekend, and I may revise my opinions on some points or even adjust my rating.