Saori Hayami "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Infinity Castle Arc" Interview

Based on the popular manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, the anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Yaiba" is getting a new theatrical release, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Yaiba the Movie: Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1: Akaza Returns." The "Infinity Castle Arc" depicts the final battle between the Demon Slaying Corps and the demons led by Muzan Kibutsuji . In the first chapter, Shinobu Kocho and one of the Demon Slaying Corps' strongest swordsmen, fights against her nemesis, Douma, an Upper Rank demon. We spoke to popular voice actress Saori Hayami , who has played Shinobu for around six years since " Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc, " which aired in 2019, about what happened behind the scenes of the battle.

◇Inspire every drop of thought

The " Infinity Castle Arc" is a trilogy. In the first chapter, Shinobu faces off against her nemesis, Douma.

"I had originally read the original work and understood the flow of the story, but even so, I felt like Shinobu's important battle was finally going to be depicted, that it was finally here... I received the script well before the recording, but I had to prepare myself before opening it. I had spent time growing up with the feelings that Shinobu was carrying, so I had to prepare myself before opening the script. When I was checking the footage, it's hard to put into words, but I thought, 'There's more.' I was practicing out loud and I thought, 'No, there's more.'"

Douma is the one who killed Shinobu's sister, Kanae. He is known for his polite tone and graceful demeanor, but he harbors a strong desire for revenge. What will Shinobu think when she faces her nemesis? Hayami felt that she needed to show "more" passion for Douma.

"I think Shinobu has never lost her desire to fight since her sister was killed. She is someone who has never shown her true feelings to anyone and has always let her insides boil. She ends up meeting the greatest being in her life, someone she can defeat. I thought that once she met him, the excitement wouldn't just build up slowly. So when I was practicing, I felt like it wasn't enough. I wanted to face the challenge in a way that would inspire every drop of the feelings that flow within me, that I'd cultivated together with Shinobu."

◇I'm really glad I was able to record with Miyano-san

Douma is played by the popular voice actor Mamoru Miyano. The fight scene between Shinobu and Douma was recorded together with Miyano. During the recording, they shared their feelings with each other.

"There weren't many times when we had to redo or retake multiple times. That was the case for me and for Miyano-san too. Once the performance started, we recorded what was spilling out of each of us at that moment and then we got the OK. I felt like there was a flow that would never break the line of emotion. I think we got the OK precisely because what came out in the flow of that moment was the right answer. I'm really glad I was able to record with Miyano-san. There are a lot of expressions in this performance that wouldn't have been born if we hadn't been in the same space and performing together."

When Shinobu sees Douma, she immediately realizes he is her nemesis. The first words spoken by Douma, played by Miyano, are eerie and have a big impact.

"The first thing Miyano said sent shivers down my spine. I think Shinobu also got goosebumps when she heard that raw voice. It was like a sixth sense, you just knew it was him. For me too, the moment I heard Miyano's first words, I felt like a switch was flipped on. Douma is nonchalant, and there are times when you wonder if the conversation is going well. Shinobu, unlike usual, doesn't respond nonchalantly. She reveals everything to Douma. Every moment of the recording was incredibly intense."

The scene between Shinobu and her sister Kanae was also memorable. I was greatly inspired by acting alongside Ai Kayano, who plays Kanae.

"It's my favorite scene. I was shocked to see how strongly my sister spoke to me. It's also a scene where Shinobu reveals a weakness that she hasn't shown before. I felt the strength of my sister's core. Until we started recording, I hadn't imagined she would say something so blunt, so it really inspired me. My sister is so cool!"

It seems that the recording was tense, but there were also times when he felt relaxed after it was over.

"The recording was short, but I used a lot of energy, so I got hungry. After it was over, I was saying, 'I want to eat meat,' and Kayano-san said, 'Let's go eat yakiniku now!' So I went out to eat with Reina Ueda chan, who plays Kanao, and the three sisters. That was a great way to relieve my fatigue (laughs). The two of them really helped me relax."

Hayami and Shinobu put their heart and soul into this film, so we hope you'll experience their passion at the theater.

"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 in order 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. The TV anime "Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc" aired from April to September 2019, and the movie version "Demon Slayer : Mugen Train" released in October 2020 earned the highest box office revenue in Japan's history, approximately 40.4 billion yen, and attracted a total of approximately 28.97 million domestic moviegoers. 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 "Infinity Castle Arc" is a trilogy.