Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1 made its highly anticipated debut in Japan last week, smashing box office records. The film has been met with rave reviews from audiences who have been able to see it, but right now that's confined only to Japan. The rest of the world has to wait until the movie's international rollout begins in August. For those of us in the United States, the wait is even longer as the movie doesn't release in North America until September 12th.
And what happens when you make a passionate fan base wait for something that a select few already have access to? Well, they sometimes resort to piracy, and that's exactly what we're seeing with Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc.
Pirated footage from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1 has been uploaded online, prompting a stern response from the studio. In a statement posted to the official Demon Slayer social media account, the studio warns of legal action for those who record and/or upload pirated footage of the movie.
"Filming movies in theaters without permission is a crime," the warning reads. "We intend to take strict measures, including criminal prosecution, against egregious copyright violations. We will continue to take appropriate actions so that you can enjoy Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba in theaters."
This, unfortunately, isn't the first time Demon Slayer has had to deal with piracy when it comes to the Infinity Castle Arc movie. Back in May, the first teaser trailer for Infinity Castle Arc was shown in theaters in Japan as part of Mugen Train re-release. The 60-second trailer, which was supposed to be exclusive to theaters, was quickly leaked online. And while leaking a trailer may not seem as bad as recording and uploading a full movie, it's still illegal and still prompted a warning from the studio.
The punishment for copyright infringement ranges from having to pay a hefty fine (up to 10 million yen) to serving actual prison time (up to 10 years), depending on the severity. I would assume recording footage of a movie as big as Infinity Castle Arc comes with some pretty strict punishment.
Reaction to the studio's warning has been mixed, as many fans are frustrated over the decision to stagger the international rollout of the Infinity Castle Arc movie. Rather than having a global release, the studio opted for a regional one, which means some countries have to wait up to two months after Japan's initial release.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1 is undoubtedly one of this year's most anticipated anime films, so it's kind of understandable why fans would look to pirate it instead of having to wait months for the regional release. But given what we know about the film, especially its stunning visuals and animation quality, this is a movie you're going to want to experience on the big screen. So I'd suggest just waiting the couple of weeks at this point.
Tanjiro Kamado – a boy who joined an organization dedicated to hunting down demons called the Demon Slayer Corps after his younger sister Nezuko was turned into a demon.
While growing stronger and deepening his friendships and bonds with fellow corps members, Tanjiro has battled many demons with his comrades, Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira. Along the way, his journey has led him to fight alongside the Demon Slayer Corps’ highest-ranking swordsmen, the Hashira, including Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku aboard the Mugen Train, Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui within the Entertainment District, as well as Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito and Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji at the Swordsmith Village.
As the Demon Slayer Corps members and Hashira engaged in a group strength training program, the Hashira Training, in preparation for the forthcoming battle against the demons, Muzan Kibutsuji appears at the Ubuyashiki Mansion. With the head of the Demon Corps in danger, Tanjiro and the Hashira rush to the headquarters but are plunged into a deep descent to a mysterious space by the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji.
The destination of where Tanjiro and Demon Slayer Corps have fallen is the demons’ stronghold – the Infinity Castle. And so, the battleground is set as the final battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons ignites.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1 is the first of a planned trilogy of movies that will adapt the final arc of Koyoharu Gotouge's manga. The Infinity Castle Arc is the first half of the overarching Final Battle Arc in the Demon Slayer manga, featuring the climactic battle between the Demon Slayer Corps against Muzan and his demons. Although not officially announced yet, it's reported that Chapter 2 will be released in theaters in 2027, while the third and final chapter will arrive in 2029.