When I said I wanted to experiment more after my change in direction; I really meant it. I have been deliberately holding off addressing this until it debuted on Funimation and other digital platforms, so here are my first viewing thoughts on the runaway box office hit "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba- Mugen Train!"
Rather than other feature film adaptations of anime which are non-canon stories set in the same fictional universe; this movie is canon to the events of the anime and the bestselling manga as well. This will also serve as an informal first viewing thoughts on the anime itself; since I watched the first season in its entirety on Crunchyroll to make sure I understood what was going on. Doing otherwise would be akin to watching the Infinity War without the other films that came out beforehand, making one confused about why Thor and the Incredible Hulk are being attacked by a big, bald; gold-gloved flying purple people killer. Or like watching The Rise of Skywalker without seeing the other main Star Wars films would leave one wondering why the Supreme Leader of the First Order is killing a bunch of people to get just one Sith Holocron. I've also read enough the manga to understand who the characters are and how they operate. So, let's get this started.
The film acts as a setup to the upcoming second season of the anime. As Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko, along with colleagues Zenitsu and Inosuke end up aboard the titular "Mugen Train," they cross paths with fellow a Demon Slayer named Rengoku Kyojuro and do battle with a pair of demons named Enmu and Akaza; who are linked to a powerful circle known as the "Twelve Kizuki."
Notably, even given the circumstances, on a budget equivalent to $15 million USD, the film has surpassed the 2016 film "Your Name" as the highest-grossing anime film ever at $455 million worldwide; with $367 million of that in Japan alone. Some estimates have even pegged the film at over $500 million worldwide. The film has even made a respectable $47 million domestically; something that surprised me given the circumstances (I deliberately waited till the digital/streaming release; since I was giving priority towards the Mortal Kombat reboot and the few theaters open near me weren't showing this movie). Though it remains to be seen what this decade will hold for film and anime overall; one thing is clear- there is still a market for the theatrical experience; and for Hard-R content in that venue as well. Nothing mysterious about it, just making sure I have all the details in front of me; and that I don't officially move forward with a whole universe of plans until I know someone else actually wants that.
Though I don't put the TV show on the same pedestal as others, I understand its appeal. Having binged the whole the first season, I can definitely say it's better than Black Clover. Even with the infamy of the later seasons; much like in Game of Thrones, I do rather like how being a main character doesn't automatically grant one plot armor; establishing how anyone can die; friend and foe alike. There's a clear sense of escalation of threat with each passing installment; and even though I was skeptical at first, I can understand why other people like it. It's no different than me and my Mandalorian obsession, to say nothing of all the crossover art in my feed.
Likewise, I can now say something similar about this movie: I am more than old enough to know what I like and what I hate, and I don't hate this. It definitely has a similar appeal to Snowpiercer (loved that film, still been meaning to see the TV series) and the animated series Infinity Train (even more given what Mugen Train roughly translates to). Again, though I'm not putting it on the same pedestal as others; I understand its appeal. Definitely not worth getting salty about it outgrossing other movies I like, because I've honestly seen worse ways to kill an hour and 57 minutes even in just the last year alone.
I honestly don't know about any comparisons to "Ninja Scroll" or any alleged "xenophobia" over the R rating in the US release like Deadline was suggesting; but as someone who knows full well the difference between what's acceptable for families here and in Japan; and who has Akira listed as their favorite anime film and one of their all-time favorite movies, I will be very open and honest as I am known to be. Given how the demons are dispatched by cutting off their heads, destroying their brains or turning them to dust in sunlight; it's both in tune with the TV anime and honestly not much worse in terms of violence than the Mortal Kombat reboot.
The one constant the movie has with other feature-length anime adaptations I've addressed is that the scale and budget are much larger than a typical episode of the TV series. Though the show is no slouch in the animation department, this movie has been seen as a rival by Hayao Miyazaki and other Studio Ghibli alumni; and rightfully so: even just watching this at home, the animation is quite spectacular. Not only is the train itself well-suited to the Taisho-era period setting; the fights are quite impressive. Even though there are still some instances of CGI that looks like it came from an old Playstation game; the traditional animation is easily some of the best I've seen in recent memory.
While I don't have any plans to formally review this movie, I will state that it is a good film and I congratulate the fans and creators for its success ahead of the upcoming second season. Definitely liked it more than Last Kizuna anyway. Have something a bit lighter in mind for next time, and I will see you all soon: take care.
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