Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc Will Premiere In April 2023, But You Can See It On The Big Screen First
Look out, demon scum! (Present company excluded, of course.) "Demon Slayer" is gearing up for 2023 with a new promotional reel announcing that season 3, aka "Swordsmith Village Arc," will premiere with a one-hour TV special in April 2023. But if you can't wait until then, "Demon Slayer" is going on a theatrical world tour with screenings of the final two episodes coupled with the first episode of season 3.
The box office has struggled to get back to its former glory in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with theatrical windows shortened and both studios and audiences pivoting to streaming movies rather than seeing them on the big screen. But the softening of the box office has only highlighted the fact that tie-in movies for anime shows are serious contenders. In August, "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" debuted at #1 in the U.S. with a $20.1 million opening, and "One Piece Film: Red" came close to toppling "Black Adam" when it debuted with $9.3 million in ticket sales.
"Demon Slayer," meanwhile, emerged as a box office champion with the staggering $506 million worldwide gross of tie-in film "Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train" making it the highest-grossing anime film of all time, as well as Japan's highest-grossing film of all time. Since the anime series (based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge) debuted in 2019 its popularity has skyrocketed; in 2021, it was the most-streamed anime in Japan according to GEM Partners (via Anime Galaxy). With fans around the world breathlessly waiting for Tanjiro's next adventure, "Demon Slayer" is set to return with a lot of fanfare in 2023.
The Demon Slayer World Tour
The new promotional reel for "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc" outlines the journey so far before teasing an alliance of upper rank demons who will make trouble for Tanjiro as he tries to get his sword repaired. The one-hour special premiere will release in April 2023, and will be preceded by worldwide screenings of "Demon Slayer: The Upper Ranks Gather and Onward to the Swordsmith Village," a special presentation made up of episodes 10 and 11 of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc" and the first episode of "Swordsmith Village Arc." Here are the screening dates by country, courtesy of Anime News Network.
- Japan: February 3 in 418 theaters, including 41 IMAX screens
- Tokyo: Special screenings with guest appearances on February 4 and 5
- Los Angeles: February 18 at The Orpheum Theatre with Natsuki Hanae (Tanjiro Kamada voice actor) and Yūma Takahashi (producer), with a performance by Aimer (singer of season 2's theme song, "Zankyou Sanka"). Tickets go on sale on January 7 at Ticketmaster.
- United States and Canada: March 3 in over 1,700 theaters in both English-subtitled and -dubbed versions
- Paris: February 25 with Yūma Takahashi
- Berlin: February 26 with Yūma Takahashi
- Mexico City: March 4 with Natsuki Hanae
- Seoul: March 11 with Akari Kitō (Nezuko Kamada voice actor), Yūma Takahashi
- Taipei: March 19 with Natsuki Hanae, Kengo Kawanishi (Muichirō Tokitō voice actor), Kana Hanazawa (Mitsuri Kanroji voice actor), Yūma Takahashi
1,700 theaters in North America is an impressively wide release, though it appears this will just be a one-day event rather than a full theatrical run. Still, given that "Mugen Train" grossed almost $50 million domestically, it wouldn't be surprising if the World Tour screenings end up packed with honorary members of the Demon Slayer Corps.