The TV anime "Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc" began airing on the Fuji TV network in May. Covering episodes from volumes 15 to 16 of the original manga, the story follows Tanjiro and his friends as they train with the highest-ranking swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, the Hashira, to become stronger. So far, four episodes have aired, featuring anime-original (anime-only) plots not depicted in the manga, which have become a hot topic online. How do the voice actors feel about these anime-original developments? We spoke with Tomokazu Seki, the voice of the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa.

The anime started with a scene of Sanemi and Iguro fighting a demon together, a storyline not found in the original manga. Episode 3 also featured a scene where Sanemi and the Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro, challenge each other, another anime-original plot. Online reactions to these anime-original episodes of the "Hashira Training Arc" include: "I appreciated the added details not seen in the manga. I love the original manga, but I welcome such anime-original content," "The anime-only content in 'Demon Slayer' adds depth to unnamed mob characters and shows more interactions with Tanjiro, complementing the original manga. This is 'anime-original content with love for the series'!" and "The anime thoroughly covers the Wind and Serpent Hashira."

Although Sanemi has appeared in previous arcs, Seki says, "Before the 'Hashira Training Arc,' my main scenes were in meetings with the Hashira and Ubuyashiki (voiced by Toshiyuki Morikawa). I hadn't yet had scenes fighting demons and using breathing techniques, so even when people would tell me, 'I'm watching 'Demon Slayer'!' it didn't really feel real." Episode 1 features Sanemi teaming up with Iguro (voiced by Kenichi Suzumura) on a mission, marking the first time Sanemi's battle scenes are shown in the anime. Seki expressed his joy, saying, "I finally got to use 'Total Concentration Breathing' to defeat demons, typical 'Demon Slayer' scenes."

Sanemi wields the "Breath of Wind." Regarding the long-awaited technique names, Seki shared, "I've heard the phrase 'Total Concentration Breathing' being used enthusiastically in various contexts, so when I saw it in the script, I felt grateful to finally say it." He also reflected on the dubbing process, "I adjusted my performance based on feedback from the staff. While trying a softer delivery at first, I ultimately went with a more vigorous approach."

After recording the "Breath of Wind" lines, Seki revealed, "I did about three takes in a row, feeling like I was releasing something pent up. It ended up being louder than I expected." He explained the joy of playing Sanemi, "Sanemi lives with a single-minded goal of exterminating demons, speaking bluntly without worrying about trivial matters."

However, he noted, "While there are aspects of how he feels about his brother Genya, I don't think there's a need to express what Sanemi keeps inside. Staying focused solely on demons aligns with my original impression of the character."

"Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc" covers episodes from volumes 15 to 16 of the original manga, where Tanjiro and his friends train with the highest-ranking swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps to become stronger. "Demon Slayer" is a popular manga that was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from February 2016 to May 2020, with over 150 million copies in circulation.

Set in the Taisho era, where man-eating demons exist, the story follows a boy named Tanjiro Kamado, who joins the Demon Slayer Corps to avenge his family killed by demons and turn his demon sister Nezuko back into a human.

The first season of the TV anime aired from April to September 2019, becoming a social phenomenon. The movie "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train," which connects to the final episode of the first season, was released in October 2020, grossing over 40 billion yen in Japan. The second season, "Entertainment District Arc," aired from December 2021, followed by the third season, "Swordsmith Village Arc," which aired from April 2023.

Source : ORICON NEWS