‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training’ Review: The Recap/Preview Movie Has Us Looking Forward to the Hashira Training Arc

It is February 2024, several months before the official television premiere of the fourth season of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and we on Fiction Horizon have had the pleasure of watching the recap/preview film – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training! This movie recaps the final episodes of the third season and gives us an insight into the first episodes of the upcoming fourth season, which is set to adapt the Hashira Training Arc. As we usually do, we are going to use this opportunity to tell you our impressions of this movie, as well as what you can expect from the upcoming fourth season of the series.

As far as the fourth season is concerned, we don’t have an official release date yet, but it is scheduled for a Spring release and it is going to adapt the relatively short Hashira Training Arc. As far as the manga is concerned, this was a relatively short arc and it remains to be seen how many episodes the upcoming season is going to have, but it is possible that we might get some additional scenes from some light novels or some new, anime-original scenes if the producers decide to provide us with a standard-length season.

This arc was actually a preparation for the final fight against Muzan and the remaining Upper Moons, which showed just how skilled and peculiar the Hashira are, as well as how determined the protagonists were to defeat Muzan. Although the arc will focus on the training and the characters’ growth through that training, a lot of personal details will be revealed and we are going to get a better insight into the psyches of the characters. This was foreshadowed in the movie, and we are quite happy to know that the characters will receive a more in-depth treatment soon.

As s standalone work, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training is something that continues a tradition, as we had a similar situation with To the Swordsmith Village, so this is nothing new for the franchise. In that aspect, the technical elements, as well as the animation, are truly wonderful, and seeing how this is all part of the anime series, we can only confirm that the animation quality remained the same and that if you like Demon Slayer‘s style, you’ll enjoy this movie as well.

In the narrative sense, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training is an interesting blend. It starts off with a quick recap of the first two seasons and the most important moments that happened there while leading us into the final confrontation against Hantengu (the battle against Gyokko was only shown briefly), in which we could once again enjoy the epic battle which ended with Nezuko conquering the Sun. This is nothing new, as it was actually the recap part of the movie, but it was a solid lead-in into the fourth season and a great reminder for those who have forgotten what happened.

The new content is what interests us, of course, but we won’t be spoiling anything here aside from what we have already said above. The new part starts off with a very interesting scene in which we finally see Obanai and Sanemi in action, which foreshadows the final saga of the whole series. It was an atypical start to a season for the series, but what we’ve seen in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training gives us hope that this short arc might end up being quite exciting and full of interesting content. After that, the series switches its focus to the Hashira Training and we finally get to see more of the Hashira and their interpersonal relationships.

In that aspect, the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training movie does well to set up a new season and it definitely has us wanting more. The cut-off was also there at the right moment, so those who have or are planning on seeing the movie can expect a proper ending that sets up the future episodes of the fourth season.

Having said all of this, 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, which is exactly what we are going to get very soon.

Score: 8/10

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