Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Yaiba the Movie : Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1 - Akaza Returns - Interview with Takahiro Sakurai

The new theatrical version of the anime " Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Yaiba" based on the popular manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, " Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1: Akaza Returns," was released on July 18th. The "Infinity Castle Arc" depicts the final battle between the Demon Slaying Corps and the demons led by Muzan Kibutsuji. In Chapter 1, Tanjiro Kamado and Giyu Tomioka , the Water Pillar and one of the Demon Slaying Corps' strongest swordsmen, engage in a fierce battle with Akaza, Upper Rank Three. Voice actor Takahiro Sakurai has been playing Giyu Tomioka since " Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc, " which began airing in April 2019. Sakurai said that during recording, he wondered if he could win against Akaza, played by voice actor Akira Ishida. We spoke to him about behind-the-scenes footage of Chapter 1's recording.

◇Both the Demon Slaying Corps and the demons are vivid and human-like.

The anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" celebrates its 6th anniversary this year, and has finally reached the "Infinity Castle Arc." Sakurai said he feels "finally," "at last," and "at last."

"Tomioka has been appearing since ' Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc,' but has only appeared sporadically since then, so I have the impression that he finally entered the battle in earnest from ' Hashira Training Arc.' Since we continued the momentum of ' Hashira Training Arc' and entered ' Infinity Castle Arc,' I felt as if I was being sucked into the whirlpool that the Master (Kagaya Ubuyashiki) had created by his grand plan, and falling into Infinity Castle. Personally, the word 'finally' is probably the most appropriate to describe how I felt."

The first chapter depicts various battles, and Sakurai says, "I feel something like revenge."

"Tomioka and the others are Hashira, and they lost loved ones and the Master in that way, so I think there is a sense of revenge, a desire for revenge. 'Revenge' is a nice way of putting it, but I feel it is something a little more retribution-like. Each of them has a heavy past, and anger is the source of their power. You can see the human reasons behind their raw emotions. That is what demons and the Demon Slaying Corps are, branching out in completely opposite directions. Anger, sadness, hatred, and suffering - impure emotions - are at the root of their power. I thought that humanity can be found in both demons and the Demon Slaying Corps."

◇ Tomioka's strength as a pillar: A long journey together with Tanjiro

After falling into the Infinity Castle, Tomioka begins working with Tanjiro. At one point, Tomioka said, "I'm not the Water Pillar," but after interacting with Tanjiro in the "Hashira Training Arc," he remembers the words of his friend Sabito and decides to once again take on the challenge of fighting as a Pillar. Tomioka is the Pillar that Tanjiro first met in the first episode of "Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc," and is the person who guided Tanjiro and Nezuko. In the first chapter, Tanjiro and Tomioka team up to face the formidable enemy Akaza.

"Tanjiro talks about how even though we both use the Water Breathing technique, there's such a big difference between me and the Hashira. On the other hand, Tomioka feels that Tanjiro has grown. I was also looking forward to seeing them fight together at the end of their long journey. Given the circumstances, I can't immerse myself in every detail, but it's still very moving."

◇ Akira Ishida 's acting as Akaza is "too amazing" and beautiful

Akaza, who Tomioka and his friends face, is also the enemy who defeated Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar, in the " Mugen Train ." During the recording, Sakurai felt his overwhelming strength.

"Akaza is single-mindedly pursuing power, and in the end, he acquires the immense strength of a demon. Ishida-san has beautifully portrayed that strength. The way he skillfully controls the changes in his strength during the fight is so amazing that during the recording, I wondered if he could win. Of course, I know that Tomioka is not weak."

During the intense battle scenes, he revealed, "I was constantly thinking about what to do and what I should do about what was happening in front of me.However, I felt that there was a certain beauty in Akaza, who sought strength and reached the pinnacle."

Giyu Tomioka, a Pillar, takes on the formidable Akaza. I want to experience the fierce battle of Tomioka as portrayed by Sakurai on the big screen.

"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Kimetsu no Yaiba" tells the story of Tanjiro Kamado, whose family was killed by demons, who joins the Demon Slaying Corps to turn his sister Nezuko, who has turned into a demon, back into a human. The original manga was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha) from 2016 to 2020. The manga has sold over 220 million copies worldwide. The TV anime "Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc" aired from April to September 2019, and the movie version "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Mugen Train" was released in October 2020, drawing a total of approximately 28.97 million domestic viewers and grossing approximately 40.4 billion yen, the highest box office revenue in Japan's history. The "Entertainment District Arc" aired from December 2021 to February 2022, the "Swordsmith Village Arc" from April to June 2023, and the "Hashira Training Arc" from May to June 2024. The "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc" is a trilogy.

*The correct spelling of "Ne" in Nezuko's name is "Ne + 爾". *The correct spelling of "Tsuji" in Muzan Kibutsuji is a single dot. *The correct spelling of "Ren" in Kyojuro Rengoku's name is "Ka + Higashi".