REVIEW: ‘Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Mugen Train Arc’ is an Excellent Adaptation of the Film

The release of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train set the world ablaze, setting all sorts of records in the process, so it isn’t too surprising that the Mugen Train Arc was adapted into a short TV series as well. Produced by ufotable, the 7-episode series takes a deeper look at the film, including a brand new episode focused on Kyojuro Rengoku.

The Mugen Train Arc is a little more than just a shot for shot television adaptation. There are over 70 new scenes added to the 7 episode run, and there is also new music as well as new intros and episode previews. The story follows Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Rengoku as they battle against the Lower Rank One demon Enmu. Enmu uses his ability to put his victims into a sleep they can’t wake up from, which puts our main characters in grave danger. The stakes feel extremely high from the start, and the pacing of the episodic format actually helps keep the stakes high.

The best part of the Mugen Train Arc is the added context for the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku. The first of 7 episodes follows Rengoku in the events leading up to the action aboard the Mugen Train. We learn Rengoku’s motive for being on the Mugen Train before he is joined by Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. Rengoku was already a fan favorite after the events of the Mugen Train movie, and so the extra development we get for his character is much appreciated. The story is completely original to the anime, but it allows the viewers to see how dedicated Rengoku is to protecting those around him, even if he does not know them.

Beyond the Rengoku-focused  episode, the rest of the Mugen Train Arc doesn’t feel too different from the film. The extra scenes aren’t always noticeable right away, which can be both good and bad. The execution all works well, but at times it left me wondering what the purpose of the re-telling of the movie was. Some of the extra content is definitely nice, but none of it feels like it absolutely needed to exist. The episodic format does also break up some of the pacing of the story, which is one of the key difference between film and television. While the episodes may add more content, the exchange is that the pacing is broken up from the perfect way the film made it all work. It doesn’t make the story any less enjoyable, but it’s hard to recommend the episodes over the movie.

The most important role for the Mugen Train Arc isn’t necessarily to re-tell the story, however. The main goal is to bridge the gap between the previous first season of Demon Slayer with the upcoming Entertainment District Arc. It works as a complimentary piece to the film, and the writing and animation quality keeps the series at the heights it has deservedly reached. There is a reason Demon Slayer is arguably the most popular anime in the world right now, and the setup for the Entertainment District Arc should have fans extremely excited for what comes next. The show remains top tier, and the Mugen Train Arc is no exception.

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Arc is streaming now on Funimation and Crunchyroll.