Demon Slayer: Mugen Train
Composite Score: 86.04
Starring: Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kitô, Hiro Shimono, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Satoshi Hino, Daisuke Hirakawa, Akira Ishida, Rikiya Koyama, and Shin-Ichiro Miki
Director: Haruo Sotozaki
Writer: Koyoharu Gotouge
Genres: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller
MPAA Rating: R for violence and bloody images
Box Office: $453.23 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train is the film sequel to the first season of the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, based on the Mugen Train arc of the anime of the same name, which was then adapted in to the first part of the second season of the anime. The film follows demon slayer Tanjiro Kamado, his sister Nezuko, and fellow demon slayers Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira as they board the Mugen Train to investigate a demon who is reportedly responsible for 40 disappearances on the train. They are joined by a high-ranking demon slayer (Hashira), Kyojuro Rengoku, whose skills with his sword and fire should help them overcome the demonic threat. As they explore the train and come into contact with the demon, each of their pasts, desires, and skills are brought into the open, developing the characters and propelling the story forward. The film was the highest grossing film of 2020 and became the highest grossing Japanese film of all time, surpassing Spirited Away. Additionally, the film received wide critical acclaim for its action sequences and unique animation style.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
As the sequel to the first season of a television show, Mugen Train only functions so well as a standalone film. It does a solid job developing its two main characters – Tanjiro and Kyojuro – but leaves the rest of the supporting cast, including the villains fairly flat. This doesn’t hugely detract from the film as a whole because its focus is certainly more on the action than on the characters, but it can still make it hard to get fully invested in. It’s one thing for a film to start “in the middle of things” because usually those things get some level of explanation as the plot unfolds, but for Mugen Train, it’s almost assumed that the audience knows what the villains’ whole schtick is and who the good guys are and what their motivations are and all that. Again, it does get enough into Tanjiro and Kyojuro that their arcs get easier to invest in, but for the first fifteen or twenty minutes of the film, I was convinced that Kyojuro was a villain parading as a hero – something that I don’t think the film intended because it made me feel like Tanjiro and company were so much more inept than they actually are.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
If you’re someone who really loves the Demon Slayer manga and/or anime, you’ve probably already seen this film, but if you haven’t, it’s a really fun adaptation and offers some of the best anime action sequences I’ve ever watched. Seriously, every fight (and basically the whole film is one extended fight sequence) plays with the rules of the world, showcases the heroes’ and villains’ strengths and weaknesses well, and further develops whichever characters are involved. Even if you (like me) have no real foreknowledge of the lore, world, characters, or story of Demon Slayer, Mugen Train offers so much action and just enough heart and character to get you to dive in headfirst in relative comfort. It’s not entirely perfect, but it goes a long way to make the film something that newbies can still process and enjoy. Both Tanjiro and Kyojuro are given satisfying and, at times, emotional arcs to progress through within the context of the film, and the villains pose legitimate threats to the characters and the world they inhabit. The filmmakers do just enough worldbuilding to whet the audience’s appetite, laying the seeds that make the story compelling in a single film but that could turn into something really worth investing in if you choose to get into the anime or the manga.
Between its phenomenal scenes of combat, compelling worldbuilding, and beautiful animation style, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train offers itself as a film for anyone interested in dark fantasy, fast-paced action, and/or anime drama, earning itself a spot among the greats in the process. While fans of the anime and manga probably find the story easier to invest in, the filmmakers do a good job of bringing newcomers along as the film progresses, so that no one will leave completely lost. Currently, this film is available to stream on Crunchyroll or to rent on most other streaming services if you’d like to check it out.
