The highly popular anime "Demon Slayer" has announced that the new movie, "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc," will be produced as a trilogy. While the release dates are yet to be announced, fans online are eagerly asking, "When will it be released?" Based on the previous anime series, we can make some predictions about the release timing.

To conclude, the Japan Anime News editorial team predicts that the first part may come out as early as summer 2025, with the final chapter expected in 2029. Now, let's delve into the reasons behind these predictions.

Previous Anime Series

The anime "Demon Slayer" first aired its TV series from April to September 2019, gaining massive popularity and becoming a social phenomenon. The movie "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Arc," which continued from the final episode of the TV anime, was released in October 2020, achieving a domestic box office revenue of over 40 billion yen. The second season of the TV anime, "Entertainment District Arc," aired from December 2021 to February 2022, followed by the third season, "Swordsmith Village Arc," from April to June 2023, and the new arc, "Hashira Training Arc," from May to June 2024. Looking at the series as a whole, it's evident that new anime content has been released almost annually.

Distributor Strategy

When it comes to the theatrical release of a blockbuster like "Demon Slayer," the strategy of the distributor cannot be ignored. The timing of the release will be influenced by other planned releases within Japan, but it is certain that the "Infinity Castle Arc" will be scheduled for a period of high demand.

Although the distributor has not been confirmed yet, "Mugen Train Arc" was distributed by Toho, and it is likely that the trilogy will follow suit. Toho also distributes the highly successful "Detective Conan" movies every April, consistently setting attendance records. If Toho is the distributor, it is expected that "Infinity Castle Arc" will avoid overlapping with these releases.

In the Japanese market, prime release periods include Golden Week in May, summer vacation, and the year-end. Given the overlap with "Detective Conan," May is likely out of the question. Therefore, the "Infinity Castle Arc" could potentially be released during the high box office periods such as summer vacation or year-end next year.

Production Period

The newly announced movie "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc" will depict the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, leading the story to its climax. Given this, it is certain that it will be produced more meticulously than the previous series, potentially following a biennial release schedule rather than an annual one. If a biennial schedule is adopted, there will be a gap year, but special edited versions of "Mugen Train Arc," "Entertainment District Arc," and "Swordsmith Village Arc" have been aired on TV before, and special editions summarizing the first season to the new "Hashira Training Arc" could be produced, broadcast, or screened to keep fans engaged.

A noteworthy aspect is the role of the "Hashira Training Arc," which was originally just nine chapters in the manga. Despite this, it was expanded with original elements to sustain a full cour of TV anime. This suggests that the "Infinity Castle Arc" was planned for a theatrical release from the beginning, and the "Hashira Training Arc" was intended to bridge the gap until its release. This makes a summer 2025 release plausible.

Moreover, the "Hashira Training Arc" included several comical episodes, but also dramatic moments like the explosion at the Ubuyashiki estate and the fall into the Infinity Castle. These high-quality scenes set high expectations for the movie and aim to maintain the excitement until its release.

Shueisha's Influence

Shueisha, the publisher of Weekly Shonen Jump, is likely to play a significant role in the release strategy. The release date for the next part of "Chainsaw Man," Reze Arc, has not yet been confirmed as of July 2024, even though it has been over six months since the announcement. Considering the smash hit of "Look Back," a one-shot manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto that was adapted into a film, it wouldn't be surprising if it is released by the end of 2024 without much delay.

In addition, the production of the continuation of "Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game arc," is also planned. While details are still unknown, it is expected to be aired as a TV anime. If it is scheduled as a spring 2025 anime, it could air from April to July, or possibly for two cours until September.

During Japan's summer vacation, many events related to Weekly Shonen Jump are held. Along with these works, the "Infinity Castle Arc" of "Demon Slayer" is expected to play a major role in enlivening the summer vacation.

Promotion Strategy

The "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Arc" movie became the highest-grossing film in Japanese history. Naturally, the trilogy sequel is expected to be promoted strategically to ensure its commercial success.

"Mugen Train Arc" achieved an exceptionally long run in theaters due to the reluctance of many people to go out during the COVID-19 pandemic and the positive word-of-mouth reviews. While such an extended run may not be repeated, it is expected that the promotion will include a world tour and continuous news updates to keep the buzz alive.

Between the releases of the trilogy, it is likely that special edited versions of the TV anime, incorporating new episodes as seen with "Mugen Train Arc," recaps of past series, or even an anime adaptation of the spin-off "Kimetsu Academy" will be produced. This strategy would ensure a continuous flow of "Demon Slayer" content.
Given this approach, a biennial release pace for the trilogy, rather than an annual one, would be more realistic.

Story Highlights and Possible Divisions

(Warning: Potential spoilers for anime-only viewers)

If the Infinity Castle Arc is adapted in its entirety, it will cover volumes 16 to 23 of the manga. While it is possible that the final battle with Muzan might not be included in this trilogy, it is unlikely that only the final battle would be made into a TV anime series. Therefore, it is expected that the trilogy will lead to the conclusion of the story.

The key question is how the trilogy will be divided. If the deeply intertwined story of Upper Rank One Kokushibo and Yoriichi Tsugikuni is kept together, it will likely be covered in the second part. This would result in the following structure:

Part 1
Upper Rank Two Doma vs. Shinobu, Kanao, and Inosuke
Upper Rank Six Kaigaku vs. Zenitsu
Upper Rank Three Akaza vs. Giyu and Tanjiro

These battles feature major characters like Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. The fight between Akaza and Tanjiro will be particularly engaging for viewers who have only seen the Mugen Train Arc, as it directly continues that storyline. Given the richness of these scenes, some battles might extend into the second part.

Part 2
Upper Rank One Kokushibo vs. Muichiro Tokito, Genya Shinazugawa, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and Gyomei Himejima
Yoriichi Tsugikuni's story

Part 3
Final battle with Muzan Kibutsuji

The third and final part could potentially interweave Yoriichi's story with the climactic battle against Muzan.

Will Demon Slayer Conclude with the Infinity Castle Arc?

As previously speculated by the JAN editorial team regarding the structure of the trilogy, no official announcement has been made yet. Among fans, there is some debate over how much of the original story will be covered in the "Infinity Castle Arc." If the trilogy only depicts the battles within the Infinity Castle, the final showdown with Muzan Kibutsuji would remain. In this case, the story would not conclude with the trilogy, and additional films might be produced.

Even if the trilogy includes the final battle with Muzan, there are still possibilities for further adaptations. For example, spinoffs like "Demon Slayer: Gaiden," which highlights the exploits of Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka and Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, could be adapted into TV anime series. Therefore, there remains a possibility that content beyond the main story could be animated.

Summary: When Is the Release Date for the Infinity Castle Arc?

If we predict based on an annual release schedule, the first part of "Infinity Castle Arc" would come out in 2025, the second part in 2026, and the third part in 2027. With a biennial schedule, summary editions of the previous series might be released or broadcast in 2025, with the first part of "Infinity Castle Arc" released in 2026, its TV anime version aired in 2027, the second part released in 2028, its TV anime version aired in 2029, and the final third part released in 2030. Since the TV anime "Demon Slayer" has been airing since 2019, releasing the final chapter (the third part) in 2029 would mark the 10th anniversary of the series. Releasing the first part next year and continuing with a biennial release would mean the final chapter could be released in 2029, marking the 10th anniversary, which would be a fitting way to maintain the long-lasting popularity of "Demon Slayer."

Continuing with an annual release schedule and wrapping up the trilogy with the same momentum is also a good option. However, concluding the series with the final chapter on its 10th anniversary in 2029 would be a beautiful way to end, raising expectations for future announcements.

Maybe some kind of announcement will be made at the end of the year 2024, at the Jump Festa on December 21st and 22nd. Please stay tuned for more information!

◆Official Site
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle Arc

Source : ORICON NEWS