It’s been less than a year after fans saw Tanjiro Kamado and crew save the Swordsmith Village from demonic destruction, but Aniplex and UFOtable are already sharpening their blades for the next season of their Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime adaptation.
Announced as part of a special promotional reel released on December 10th, the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime will premiere its adaptation of the series’ tenth story arc, the Hashira Training Arc, in April 2024.
Like last year’s Swordsmith Village Arc, the next saga in Tanjiro’s adventure will both kick off with a special one-hour season premiere and a special -To the Hashira Training- ‘world tour’ wherein the episode, as well as final episode of last season, will be screened in various theaters across the globe.
Picking up roughly around a week after the events in the Swordsmith Village Arc, the Hashira Training Arc will see Tanjiro Kamado (CV: Natsuki Hanae – Shen Xiang in Undead Unluck) undergo special Hashira training to prepare for an upcoming showdown with a powerful enemy.
Just prior to the young hero’s arrival into their lives, the Hashira of the Demon Corps are summoned to Ubayashiki mansion for an emergency meeting, including:
- Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa (CV: Tomokazu Seki – Panda in Jujutsu Kaisen)
- Serpent Hashira Obanai Iguro (CV: Kenichi Suzumura – Shinn Asuka in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom)
- Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito (CV: Kengo Kawanishi – Gen Asagiri in Dr. Stone)
- Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji (CV: Kana Hanazawa – Ayaka Sajou in Fate/strange Fake)
- Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima (CV: Tomokazu Sugita – Gintoki Sakata in Gintama)
- Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho (CV: Saori Hayami – Rin Nanankura in Giji Harem)
- And finally, the Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka (CV: Takahiro Sakurai – Suguru Getou in Jujutsu Kaisen)
Led by the mysterious Amane Ubayashiki (CV: Rina Sato – Makoto Niijima in Persona 5) in the wake of the group’s real leader, her husband Kaguya (CV: Toshiyuki Morikawea – Sephiroth in the Final Fantasy series) growing ill, the group is subsequently informed that thanks to Nezuko’s (CV: Akari Kitou – Nene Yashiro in Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun) unique emergence as a half-human/half-demon, the villainous Muzan Kibutsuji (CV: Toshihiko Seki – Oyaji Medama in Kitarou Tanjou: Gegege no Nazo) is preparing to move up his plans for world domination, lest the human world grow too powerful for him to conquer.
To prepare for Muzan’s attack, Tanjiro is then tasked with undergoing a special Hashira training regimen, starting with former Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui’s (CV: Katsuyuki Konishi – Amidamaru in Shaman King) grueling basic physical training, Kanroji’s lessons in hellish flexibility, and Tokito’s classes on high-speed movement.
Next, the young Demon Slayer will have to endure swordsmanship training with Iguro, brutal speed-strike education from Shinazugawa, and an even more intense round of strength conditioning courtesy of Himejima.
Set to be screened on 427 local Japanese theaters, 50 of which will offer the episode in IMAX, The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -To the Hashira Training- World Tour kicks off in Japan with a special two day stage event at Tokyo’s TOHO Cinema Hibiya on February 2nd and 3rd.
Meanwhile, ten cities around the world will hold special in person events, including one in America on February 10th in New York City, featuring appearances by Tanjiro’s voice actor Natsuki Hanae, Zenitsu’s voice actor Hiro Shimono, and series producer Yuma Takahashi.
From there, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training – World Tour will make its full theatrical release on February 23rd, 2024.
At the time of this writing, Aniplex USA has not announced when tickets will go on sale.
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