I want to tell Rengoku-san's mother, 'Thank you for giving birth to Rengoku-san' - 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train'

[Personal Satisfaction Rating]

Ranking of 2025 Japanese films I enjoyed: - (Excluded due to revival screening)
　　Story: ★★★★★★★★★★
　Characters: ★★★★★★★★★★
　　　　　Visuals: ★★★★★★★★★★
　　　　　Music: ★★★★★★★★★★
Want to watch in a theater: ★★★★★★★★★★

[Work Information]

　　　Original Title: -
　　Production Year: 2020
　　Country of Production: Japan
　　　Distributor: Toho, Aniplex
　Runtime: 117 minutes
　Genre: Anime, Action
Source Material, etc.: Manga 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' (2016-2020)
Official Website: https://kimetsu.com/anime/kimetsutheater/

[Synopsis]

*Quoted from Eiga.com.
Japan in the Taisho era. Tanjiro, whose family was slaughtered by demons and whose surviving sister Nezuko was transformed into a demon, decides to walk the path of a demon slayer to turn his sister back into a human and defeat the demon that killed his family.

After finishing their training at the Butterfly Mansion, Tanjiro and his friends arrive at the Mugen Train, where over 40 people have gone missing in a short period. Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke join forces with Kyojuro Rengoku, one of the strongest swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps, to confront the demons on the Mugen Train.

[Review]

Watched during the revival screening by "Kimetsu Theater". It had been four years since I last saw it, but I cried again... I followed the original manga and the anime, and even though I knew the entire story, it still moved my heart—it all comes down to the way of life of the man named Kyojuro Rengoku...

<The true essence of this film begins in the second half>

In the first half, the battle against Enmu depicts Tanjiro's immense mental fortitude as he repeatedly takes his own life to wake up from dreams, while simultaneously showcasing Rengoku's calm and overwhelming combat prowess. However, the biggest highlight of this film is Rengoku's resolve and way of life depicted in the second half. Just as the battle with Enmu ends and you feel a moment of relief, the tone shifts completely with the appearance of the Upper Rank Three, Akaza. From here on, it is entirely Rengoku's story. In terms of runtime, it's only about 30 minutes, but his philosophy and values are densely portrayed through his lines and actions.

<What makes Rengoku who he is is the influence of his mother>

Originally, I think Rengoku was a character who appeared rather suddenly. When deciding the fate of Tanjiro and Nezuko at the Ubuyashiki estate, he had those wide eyes, didn't blink, and smiled as he declared, "Decapitation!" and in the beginning of this film, he repeatedly shouted "Tasty!" while stuffing his face with a bento. While he had enough characterization to make you think he was a "crazy guy," there were few opportunities to touch upon his humanity. That is precisely why the transformation in the second half is so shocking. What is worth noting is Rengoku's ethics. This is likely largely due to his mother's influence. She asked the young Rengoku, "Do you know why you were born stronger than others?" and taught him that it was "to help the weak." That is the backbone of all his actions. He never wavered from Akaza's sweet talk of "becoming a demon," and even while battered, he was willing to act as a shield for Tanjiro and the others, showing a strength of will and resolve to not let a single person die. It had a persuasiveness that words can no longer fully describe.


<A fierce battle that captures your eyes>

The quality of the animation is also breathtaking. The battle between Rengoku and Akaza is a desperate struggle at a speed the eye can barely follow, where losing focus for even a second could cost you your life. It's not just a flashy battle; it stands as a drama where techniques and wills collide. In Rengoku's final moments, even with his left eye crushed and his abdomen pierced, he traps Akaza's arm in his own body, refusing to let him escape—you can see the strength of his resolve.

<Words that only come from someone who kept their heart burning>

In the end, Akaza escapes, but Rengoku's final words to Tanjiro pierce my heart. "Set your heart ablaze. No matter how beaten down you feel by your own weakness or incompetence, set your heart ablaze. Grit your teeth and look forward. Even if you stop and crouch down, the flow of time will not stop. It will not wait for you while you grieve..." He is only 20 years old, Rengoku-san. How must one live to have such a way of life at 20? It's precious... too precious...

<And so>



With Rengoku's way of life depicted so vividly, this is the best work among recent anime films. Rengoku is not a character who ends just by dying. I feel that even in death, he is a presence that drives the story with his way of life. I'm sure many people wish they had a senior or boss like Rengoku (myself included, lol). I hope everyone will go to the theater and set their hearts ablaze once more.