My foray into “Demon Slayer,”my first in the world of anime, could be described by some diehard fans as unforgivable. I had my misgivings about anime as a whole: horror stories of hundred-episode ordeals and seventy episode arcs. But after diving into “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” without any prior knowledge, leaving the theater confused and binging every other arc over the Fall break, it finally clicked why “Demon Slayer” is so beloved. “Infinity Castle,” which is the highest grossing international film in the United States to date, is a continuation of what the franchise’s fans love best.

The story follows the journey of the main character Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko. Tanjiro’s cheerful, kind personality immediately becomes apparent in the first few episodes. One night, Tanjiro comes home to find his family slaughtered by human-eating demons and his sister Nezuko becomes infected. Yet, after undergoing hypnosis and other transformations, Nezuko becomes Tanjiro’s sidekick. Tanjiro undergoes great hardship to become a demon-slayer swordsman and, through various arcs, fights demons that get progressively more powerful. Finally, when Tanjiro and other swordsmen are on the brink of killing the most powerful demon, Muzan, they are swept into the Infinity Castle where demons live.

That is the stage set for the start of the movie. As “Infinity Castle” began, I noticed that the animation is unparalleled in quality, mirroring the beautiful animations present in the show. The sharp, jarring movements through the vast, truly infinite castle set the scene for the uphill battle Tanjiro and the rest will face. The smooth, fluid animations of the fight scenes are enrapturing. In terms of visuals, there is nothing to complain about. 

There is also significant development in the overall story of “Demon Slayer.” Tanjiro becomes more powerful, his friend Zenitsu (my favorite character) defeats a powerful demon, and we learn a lot more through flashbacks.

Ultimately, what I love about “Demon Slayer” as a whole is the focus on empathy. In many TV shows, villains are superficial and flat, with no reason to be evil except in order to advance the plotline. Meanwhile, Tanjiro’s kindness, even when killing demons, is apparent. He, along with the audience, gets fleshed out flashbacks into the past of many demons, explaining why they transformed. Many of us, if stuck in the same situations, would have made the same decisions. “Demon Slayer” is not simply an anime filled with senseless, bloody slaughter. It displays death as a solemn, necessary evil that demands respect, even for those who have killed. 

Nowhere is this more apparent than the flashbacks of Akaza, a powerful Upper-3 demon and Tanjiro’s nemesis since an earlier arc. After a great struggle, Tanjiro attempts to defeat Akaza, while also learning his backstory. His story is tragic, one filled with trauma, love, and heartbreak. In the end, the “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” movie is beautiful because of all the complex emotions it evokes. I felt emotions I never knew were possible and took Tanjiro’s values of empathy and respect home with me after the movie. In the end, it was never Tanjiro who defeated Akaza, it was the power of happiness in purgatory, the promise of love—despite his sins—that drove him to stop. With just four words, I was broken. Akaza was broken. “Welcome home, my love.”

On this blog, members of the Carmel High School chapter of the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists (and the occasional guest writer) produce curations of all facets of popular culture, from TV shows to music to novels to technology. We hope our readers always leave with something new to muse over. Click here to read more from MUSE.