--- title: "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-infinity-castle/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-infinity-castle" critics_score: 74 critics_reviews: 6 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 74 from 6 reviews: 5 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Infinity Castle, with praise concentrated on Ufotable’s animation and the inventive combat within its shifting, labyrinthine fortress. The fights impress through their movement and staging, while the antagonists’ histories give the action emotional weight. Several reviews find that personal resentments and flashbacks deepen an otherwise familiar struggle between good and evil. The strongest enthusiasm comes from critics who see the film as a substantial reward for the series’ fans. Reservations centre on repetition, structure and how much prior knowledge the film requires. Even favourable reviews find the stopping point unsatisfying, while Collider argues that the episodic construction weakens its cohesion as a film. The spread is largely between enthusiasm and qualified approval, rather than outright rejection. Accessibility produces a sharper disagreement: Screen Daily finds the complex mythology manageable for newcomers, whereas Deadline finds the lack of exposition makes the story difficult to follow without familiarity with the series. ## RogerEbert.com — Toussaint Egan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2025. The critic praises the film's animation and action sequences as a showcase for Ufotable's style, noting the dynamic fight scenes in the shifting Infinity Castle setting. They highlight the emotional backstories of antagonists and call it a flashy, frenetic, and thoroughly entertaining entry that sets a high bar for the trilogy. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-infinity-castle-anime-film-review-2025) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 8 September 2025. This first part of a concluding trilogy is a spectacular treat for fans, delivering a great taste of what is to come in the Demon Slayer saga. The critic singles out the striking animation of the Infinity Castle's labyrinthine design and the dynamic combat sequences for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/08/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-infinity-castle-review-anime-series) ## Total Film — Bradley Russell Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 September 2025. The critic finds that despite a frustrating structure and faintly unsatisfying ending, the film storms past Mugen Train to become the series' gold standard thanks to Ufotable's animation masterclass and a gripping story full of personal resentment and touching backstories. [Read the review](https://gamesradar.com/entertainment/anime-movies/demon-slayer-infinity-castle-review) ## The New York Times — Natalia Winkelman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2025. The review notes the film's arresting visuals on a familiar good-versus-evil battleground, tracking personal duels with creative combat moves and flashbacks that add depth. It positions the story as continuing the series' themes while highlighting the labyrinthine fortress setting. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/movies/demon-slayer-review.html) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 12 September 2025. The critic describes the film as two and a half hours of battles and backstory in an elaborate fortress, praising the inventive fights and emotional dimensions from character histories while noting it can be exhausting and is best for fans familiar with the series. It ends on a cliffhanger, building toward future installments. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-infinity-castle-review-1236516048/) ## Screen Daily 19 August 2025. The critic finds that Haruo Sotozaki’s first Infinity Castle film pleases both fans and newcomers with its accessible handling of complex lore and mythology. It singles out the vibrant visuals, cinematic scope, mix of melodrama and low-key comedy, and strong final hour while noting some repetition in the encounter-flashback-fight structure. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/demon-slayer-infinity-castle-review-bombastic-new-instalment-of-hit-japanese-manga-series/5207944.article) ## Collider — Jeff Ewing Rating 7/10. 11 September 2025. The critic praises the exceptional combat, stunning animation, and strong voice performances, especially the demons' portrayals and emotional flashbacks. However, they complain that the episodic structure and lack of standalone context make it feel like a series of episodes rather than a cohesive film. [Read the review](https://collider.com/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-the-movie-infinity-castle-review/) ## Deadline — Damon Wise 22 September 2025. The critic finds the film visually stunning with a hypnotic rhythm in its battles but notes it is narratively complex and begins in medias res, making it difficult for newcomers unfamiliar with the series to follow. The sophisticated animation and adult themes, including gore and philosophizing villains, are highlighted as strengths amid the lack of traditional exposition. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/09/demon-slayer-infinity-castle-review-haruo-sotozaki-japanese-anime-1236552165/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-infinity-castle.md