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Demon Slayer: Infinity Castletrilogyis a highlyanticipated cinematicspectacle that will push the boundaries of animation and storytelling. Confirmed to adapt some of the most intense battles in the series so far, the films will surely be a visual and emotional masterpiece.
While the Infinity Castle arc will focuson quite a few conflicts and reveal quite a few unexpected secrets, some of its most memorable moments will surely be those that uncover the mystery behind one of the most enigmatic characters in the series and his rivalry with Muzan Kibutsuji.
Muzan and Yoriichi: A Battle Between Light and Darkness
The Contrasting Life Philosophies of Two Adversaries
Over a millennium ago,Muzan Kibutsuji was born into an affluent family. Unfortunately, his life was far from perfect. Just after his birth, he was afflicted by a dangerous disease. While he somehow survived, life remained unpredictable and things took a turn for worse one more time when he got diagnosed with a terminal illness as a teenager. By the time Muzan turned 19, it seemed that death was inevitable. However, one doctor did not give up hope and created an experimental medicine that he believed could cure Muzan.
The heavens are not punishing me. Despite the hundreds, thousands of humans I’ve killed, I’ve been let off the hook. And I have never seen a God or Buddha over these thousand years. ~ Muzan to Kagaya Ubuyashiki
Kibutsuji was restless and too scared of dying, so he slowly started losing patience with the doctor’s treatment, as it barely had any effect initially. In a bout of anger, he murdered the doctor one day, not realizing the far-reaching consequences of his actions. He later learned that the medicine had worked, and Muzan was recovering from his illness. However, it also had the side effect of making him crave human flesh and rendered him incapable of surviving in sunlight. Over time, Kibutsuji transformed into a demon and his weakness of sunlight pushed him to chase immortality at all costs.
Even as a human being,Muzan looked down on othersand felt that he had the right to kill anyone who was not useful to him. He never regretted killing the doctor who saved his life and could have helped him avoid his demonification. Kibutsuji only felt bad about himself and bemoaned the fact that sunlight had become a life-threatening risk for him. His moral decay only got worse as he amassed far more power than he had ever imagined.
On the other hand, Yoriichi was an extremely gifted swordsman from a young age.Born with the Demon Slayer Mark, he defied conventional wisdom and created techniques that were original and extremely effective. Despite being someone so talented and powerful from a young age, Yoriichi was extraordinarily kind and generous. He never looked down on anyone and believed in helping others become a better version of themselves.
Yoriichieventually joined the Demon Slayer Corpsand even helped other swordsmen of his era manifest the Demon Slayer Mark—ushering in the Golden Era of Demon Slayers. This had always been the difference between the Demon King and Yoriichi. While the former was willing to sacrifice everyone for his personal advancement, the latter didn’t mind dying for others. From the start, this incompatible worldview has been at the heart of the human-demon conflict, and the towering figure of Yoriichi ensured that his legacy kept that struggle alive.
Infinity Castle Movie Will Reveal Who Is Stronger
Can the Greatest Swordsman Take Down the Demon King?
After being trapped in the Infinity Castleby Muzan Kibutsuji, members of the Demon Slayer Corps must fight his underlings before they have a chance to defeat the Demon King himself. While the trilogy will primarily focus on a few intense battles involving the Upper Moons and demon slayers, there will also be moments that will provide more context to the overall history of the conflict by revealing the backstories of several important characters.
Among the many past incidents that will be covered, perhaps the most captivating will be Muzan’s famous confrontation with Yoriichi Tsugikuni. While the latter has made only brief appearances so far, it has been strongly hinted that he used to be the greatest demon slayer of all time. He was strong enough to almost kill an Upper Moon with a single strike and could potentially take onseveral members of the Twelve Kizuki alone.
There have been scenes in the anime that suggest Yoriichi fought with Muzan Kibutsuji sometime in the past. In fact, the hanafuda earring worn by Tsugikuni continues to disturb and infuriate the Demon King even in the Taisho era. This is pretty bizarre considering Yoriichi was alive several hundred years ago during the Sengoku era. Until now, Muzan has barely ever flinched, evenwhen surrounded by the Hashira. So, it’s quite telling that he continues to have such a strong response to just an earring, simply because they have the same pattern as the one worn by Tsugikuni.
My dream was to live a quiet life with my family in a small house where we would sleep side by side. I would be close enough to see the beloved faces of my wife and child and close enough to reach out and take their hands. That would have been enough. But even that did not come true. Demons exist in this beautiful world. ~ Yoriichi Tsugikuni
Among the many secrets that will be revealed in Infinity Castle, the backstory behind Muzan and Yoriichi’s rivalry is probably going to be one of the most fascinating. It will offer viewers a glimpse of the Golden Age of Demon Slayers from the eyes of the greatest swordsman to have ever lived. Fans will also learn how the battle between the Demon King and Yoriichi transpired and who eventually won. By revealing who is stronger, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie will put a lot of fan theories to rest once and for all.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle trilogy’s first installment is scheduled to be released in the United States onSeptember 12, 2025.
