Norbert Daniels Jr.
February 23, 2024 
Starting February 23, 2024, Demon Slayer returns to the big screen with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training. Following the format of last year’s To the Swordsmith Village, this special theater engagement will not be a traditional movie. It will feature a rerelease of the final episode of the Swordsmith Village arc, followed by the extra-long first episode of the upcoming season of the anime.
Spoilers ahead for the first installment of the Hashira Training Arc.
Following the defeat of the Kizuki Hantengo and Gyokko, the Demon Slayer Corps prepares for the upcoming challenges in the way against Muzan Kibutsuji. The Hashira (minus Giyu Tomioka) begin organizing the Hashira Training Program in which they will train the lower ranks to raise the bar for the entire corps. Retired Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui took the reins for the first leg of training, where he worked on his pupils’ physical stamina. The Hashira also seek to awaken the mysterious marks that have thus far appeared on Tanjiro, Mitsuri, and Muichiro in the midst of combat.
While recovering from his wounds from the previous battle, Tanjiro receives his newly perfected sword from Haganezuka. Now that the ancient katana uncovered in the previous arc has been properly honed, it’s revealed that the character for “destroy” was engraved onto it, with no other writing. The hilt of Rengoku’s sword has also been added to the weapon.
Nezuko’s immunity from the sun has stayed true, and she has slowly been regaining her ability to speak. The consensus among the corps is that now that Nezuko has become a demon who conquered the sun, Muzan will be aiming to abduct her at any moment.
The episode ends with the revelation that Kagaya Ubuyashiki is aware of Tamayo’s existence. He sends a crow to her to request that she collaborate with the Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho to analyze Nezuko’s development.
This first installment of the new season lives up to the hype generated by readers of the already-concluded manga. It sets up several plot threads with a wide cast of characters that we can’t wait to see unravel as the series progresses. It’s great to see Inosuke and Zenitsu return after their absence in the previous season. It will also be exciting to see the rest of the Hashira that we haven’t gotten to see much up until now. We’ll keep tuning in to see the rest of the Hashira Training Arc when it premieres this spring.
