Demon Slayer Infinity castle part 1: Akaza carries it and that isnt even an insult to the other characters.

Infinity Castle is the first in the three movies that are meant to conclude Demon Slayer and God did they start with a bang!

I mean after the final season of Demon Slayer prior to the movies, the Hashira Training Arc leaving us with that amazing cliffhanger of all the demon slayers converging in on Muzan after what had been a season very heavy on fan service but disappointing for those expecting much action, there was a lot to live up to and a lot that was promised.

Especially for people like me who were impatient enough to go ahead and read the whole fucking manga, and knew what was to come and were really hoping that this final chapter get some justice.

The one thing which was a little surprising to me was Tanjiro still used water breathing in the beginning, and I wonder whether that is a movie only thing or did the manga also have him use Water in the start before switching to Dance of the Fire God for the serious moments.

And yes if you don't know by now, that is what Hinokami Kagura means, it translates to Dance of the Fire God.

Anyways if it is a movies only thing then I can understand the movie makers wanting to pay homage to his earlier style for those who still miss it, and if its a manga first thing... wtf?

I mean why, I am not opposed to it, I just don't see much reason for Koyuharu to do that narratively speaking...

The problem with the manga is that while the anime is very expressive and shows off the attacks and the elements flawlessly, the manga well...

Remember the Drum demon fight?

Yeah this is how it looks in the manga.

It is also for example not really clear that Tanjiro uses Hinokami Kagura when he goes for Gyutaro's head in the manga, and the final Rotating circular slashes caused nowhere near the ammount of destruction they did in the Anime.

Point is there a lot of differences and most of the times the Anime is better, in both spectacle and showing wtf is actually happening, so I really don't know.

But with that aside, the movie had one main pull for the General movie going audiences, and that is Akaza, it's a given since he is the most hype demon to appear in the previous big Demon Slayer movie the Mugen Train... the to the swordsmith village and to the hashira training arc ones don't count, they were like, an excuse to release the first episodes of the seasons on Movie.

And also showcase Thunderclap and Flash God speed on cinema, like seriously, even though I had seen it, that shit was worth it.

But, regardless with these two movies after the Mugen Train movie, it seemed that the powers that be really decided that they are better off just making stuff for the Manga and then also putting it in theatres with the hastiest editing possible just for some extra cash.

Because it turns out, that while seeing Tanjiro and the gang on the big screen for the first time was definitely a treat, and so was seeing upper three in all his glory, the episodic structure does have some inherent advantages, like anticipation, hype, and obviously being unconstrained by time.

But regardless of all that, Akaza, really is a movie level Demon, I believe that just for his sake it was very necessary to put this in movie Format, as well, the main issue with the ending is that it is actually very short.

My understanding is that Koyuharu Gotouge was facing personal issues during that time, not to mention the insane crunch any mangaka looking to make it big has to go through in order to be featured in the weekly Shonen Jump or equivalent magazine, like it is quite literally a strict weekly release, or you fall into obscurity...

...Self employed my ass.

The final arc takes 19 chapters whereas 30 were given to Red light District arc, and yes it is called the Red light District arc and not the entertainment district, Yoshiwara was known for its brothels not its circus performers.

The main villains are literally unwanted children of a prostitute born in the poorest sections of Yoshiwara, I don't care what the prudes say about sex work, it exists and not talking about it won't make it disappear, in fact like... wasn't that the fucking point? Of that whole arc?

Yeah if you did not realize Demon Slayer resonates so well with everyone because beneath all the pretty effects and the flashy techniques it has a point, a very prominent point about the Human Condition.

Hurt is a universal truth, and when you are hurt, you want to hurt others, you want to pay it back to the world, and while that feels good to do, more often than not it just perpetuates the whole thing, both inside yourself and in others.

But then there are those who really want to be good, really wish for everyone to be happy, help the helpless without question or expectations, but life happens and then people like Muzan take advantage of them.

Tanjiro knew what he was talking about when he said:

And well it doesn't take much to figure out that the reason I am bringing all of this up is because it has something to do with Akaza.

You see even as someone who had read the manga, I had read it in hurry in the middle of doing my assignments and while suffering from severe depression, I really did not clock the main reason as to why Akaza suddenly became the fan favorite after everyone found out his back story...

I mean yeah, he had it bad, but so did everyone else, almost every demon not named Douma or Hantengu had a tragic backstory, unless they re Gyokko, in which case they are just the fish demon.

But that wasn't the point, the answer lay in why he wanted to get stronger.

He wanted to get stronger so he could bring his fathers medicine, so he could protect Koyuki from her illness, so he could be the man his father and then his master wanted him to be.

But above all there is only one reason he hates weaklings

Weakling can't face people head on, they use tricks, they poison wells, they back stab people...

I must kill the weakling I so despise...

I missed this line while reading the Manga, Kibutsuji can read his demon's thoughts, and it doesn't take much to realize that Muzan deliberately suppressed Akaza's memories selectively.

Time and time again we have been shown that being a Demon is not the problem, killing people is, Yushiro and Tamayo live free of Muzan's control, and they work as doctors and healers, what little blood they do need, they buy off of the poor, Nezuko routinely protects humans against the Demons.

Even risking her own humanity to do so, in fact her blood demon Art is literally something that harms Demons and Demons alone.

Which is why she could burn the demon poison from Uzui without harming him.

Immortality, power, these are not wrong things, they can be gained for the right reasons, but then there are those who want to do it without a care in the world for who they hurt in the process... the ones who would take any shortcuts, cut any corners...

Akaza is not one of them, Akaza was traumatized by loosing his family to poisoning and his entire Demon phase was just one big act of him lashing out while being manipulated by a much worse person.

But one person who definitely is that is Kaigaku, it is so Poignant that these are the only two Demons that die this movie, Kaigaku was Zenitsu's Senpai, Zenitsu saw him as an elder brother, in spite of his over all hateful nature...

Him and Kaigaku were supposed to inherit thunder breathing together, but then, when one of them turned to demonhood...

The one person who cared for Zenitsu like a parent should, killed himself and died painfully...

No wonder he wanted to kill him personally, and even so, he apologizes..

Demons are pitiful creatures, they are in pain, for the sake of humanity so that no one else is harmed, they need to be killed, some show remorse in their final moments, some are just too far gone...

Zenitsu still believes he messed up, but in a touching moment, his Gramps's Soul tells him that he is his pride and joy, and truly Zenitsu was the superior pupil, getting this far even though he can only master one form, and then creating his own form, that takes the form of a Dragon, which in Japanese culture and espescially in Demon is always a sign of superior strength.

Think, Esoteric Art 9th form Rengoku, Constant Flux, or Flaming Thunder god.

But in the meantime, while these two are taken out, we sadly also lost Shinobou, the reason I am not talking too much about the Douma Fight right now, is because I plan to do it when the rest of the battle comes out in the next movie...

I am also choosing not to talk about the Transparent world or the selfless state because again, I know that is going to be expanded on in the next movie, so....

Until then I guess...