Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training (鬼滅の刃 柱稽古編), also known simply as Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Training, is a 2024 Japanese animated dark fantasy action film based on the "Swordsmith Village" and "Hashira Training" arcs of the 2016–20 manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge. It is a direct sequel to the third season of the anime television series as well as its third film adaptation, following Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village (2023). The film is directed by Haruo Sotozaki and written by Ufotable staff members.

Similarly to the Swordsmith Village film adaptation, To the Hashira Training acts as a compilation film to the anime television series, incorporating fully the last episode of the third season and the first episode of the fourth season, which was broadcast later in the same year, as well as an edited summary using footage of previous episodes at the beginning.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training was released in Japan on February 2, 2024, by Toho and Aniplex. Like its predecessors, the film received generally positive reviews and has grossed $44 million worldwide. A sequel film trilogy set after the previous events of the fourth season, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, is in development.

Plot
Shortly after killing Gyokko, the Upper Five of the Twelve Kizuki, Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito awakens a mysterious mark on his face that enhances his strength and speed before reeling from exhaustation as fellow swordsmiths Kozo Kanamori and Kotetsu aid him.

Meanwhile, Tanjiro Kamado and Genya Shinazugawa assist Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji against Upper Four Hantengu, who has become tiny to hide while his manifested hatred Zohakuten attacks them with his Blood Demon Art of giant wooden dragons. As Mitsuri awakens her mark to face Zohakuten, Genya and Tanjiro pursue Hantengu before the latter uses his "Hinokami Kagura" to slice the demon's neck. Hantengu suddenly unleashes his manifested resentment Urami, who nearly kills Tanjiro.

The demon uses a sonic shriek to incapacite both Genya and Tanjiro but Tanjiro's demonic younger sister Nezuko arrives and splashes her blood on Urami, setting him ablaze. They fall down a cliff where Muichiro, Kozo, Kotetsu and Hotaru Haganezuka arrive to support them. With his last strength, Muichiro provides Tanjiro with Hotaru's unfinished sword just as dawn breaks.

Due to Zohakuten using too much of their shared power against Mitsuri, Urami spots three swordsmiths hidden in the distance and runs away to eat them. Tanjiro is able to behead Urami but Nezuko starts burning from exposure to sunlight. Horrified, Tanjiro notices that Urami's beheaded body is still alive because Hantengu, the main body, has not yet being decapitated. With the others facing several obstacles, Tanjiro freezes as he is unable to make a decision until Nezuko signals him to kill the demon.

Tanjiro realizes Hantengu is hiding in Urami's heart and exposes him to sunlight after slicing Urami in half. Hantengu remembers his criminal human life as Tanjiro kills him. Zohakuten disintegrates as well, saving Mitsuri. Tanjiro laments it has cost Nezuko's life but she is revealed to be alive, is no longer burning and has started speaking again after her bamboo mouthpiece slips off.

Through Hantengu's memories, demon king Muzan Kibutsuji learns Nezuko is immune to sunlight and realizes that his goal to become immortal will be fulfilled if he devours Nezuko. In the aftermath of the battle, Muichiro thanks Tanjiro for helping him to regain his identity, Mitsuri embraces them for all for surviving and the entire village celebrate the siblings for their victory.

One week later, Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira return from their individual missions. Tanjiro is recovering from his wounds and Hotaru gives him a new sword with the late Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku's tsuba on it. Tanjiro also receives a letter from Tamayo, who tells him that her tests with the blood samples from the Twelve Kizuki have been successful in turning demons back to humans. In another mission, Serpent Hashira Obanai Iguro and Genya's older brother Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa investigate an abandoned temple inhabited by demons. They soon realize it is one of several portals to the Infinity Castle, a vast extra-dimensional space that serves as Muzan's lair.

As the Demon Slayer Corps' leader Kagaya Ubuyashiki is on his deathbed, his wife Amane summons the Hashiras to a meeting where Muichiro and Mitsuri tell them about the awakening of their marks, both of which happened under extreme duress. In order to tap into that extra power, they need to undergo a special training and submit the Corps to it, so everyone will be prepared for Muzan's upcoming arrival for Nezuko. Amane tasks Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho to work alongside Tamayo to create a concotion against Muzan while Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima inaugurates the training program and the retired Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui is summoned to help with it. Meanwhile, Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka decides that he will be the only one not to participate, going off to train on his own.

Theatrical
The film was theatrically released in Japan on February 2, 2024. It was also theatrically released on February 22, 2024 in Brazil and various European countries. In the United States, Canada and India, it was theatrically released on February 23, 2024.

Box office
, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training has grossed $17.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $26.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $44.3 million.

In the United States and Canada, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training was released alongside Drive-Away Dolls and Ordinary Angels, and was projected to gross $7–8 million from 1,949 theaters in its opening weekend. It ended up over-performing and debuting to $11.6 million, finishing in second behind Bob Marley: One Love.

Critical response
American audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled at PostTrak gave it a 84% positive score, with 68% saying they would definitely recommend the film.

Writing for Fiction Horizon, Arthur S. Poe gave the film an 8/10 score, concluding that "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training is a great work as far as a recap/preview movie is concerned. The editing part was amazing, the selection of music brought back some memories, and all in all, it is a satisfying work that definitely has us wanting more Demon Slayer content."