Demon Slayer Season 4 International Release Window, Cast, Director, Announcement Trailer And More Details
Anyone who thought that Season 3 of "Demon Slayer" couldn't possibly match up to the high standard set by Season 2 has likely changed their tune following the explosive, supersized finale. The last episode of Season 3 provided a satisfying end to the battle with Hantengu while also laying breadcrumbs for where the story is going next.
Not only were the battles spectacular in Season 3, but the decision to focus on lesser-known characters while sidelining Zenitsu and Inosuke for a bit turned out to be just the thing that the story needed to refresh itself. Then, of course, there are the revelations about Nezuko's survival and Muzan's true goal, and how they will change the future of "Demon Slayer" in its remaining seasons.
One of the most exciting parts of the Season 3 finale was the announcement tacked on to the end of it, a confirmation that a fourth season was in the works. Going on what we know so far, it's shaping up to be another memorable season for the hit shonen series. From confirmed cast and crew to details about the manga arc it's based on, here's everything you need to know about "Demon Slayer" Season 4.
When will Demon Slayer Season 4 be released?
While Season 4 was confirmed to be in the pipeline at the end of Season 3, unfortunately, the announcement didn't come with a release date. However, we now know when "Demon Slayer" will return — the show's official X account has revealed that Season 4 will drop in Japan at some point during Spring 2024. It has also been confirmed that the premiere will be an hour-long special, which will no doubt be music to the ears of fans eagerly awaiting the return of the hit series. What's more, the fourth season is set to embark on a world tour.
Fans in certain cities around the world will get to see the first episode of "Demon Slayer" Season 4 before it premieres on Japan's Fuji TV. After special screenings in Tokyo on February 2 and February 3, 2024, "Demon Slayer" hits the road. The two domestic events will be followed by screenings in New York (February 10), Seoul (February 11), Mexico City (February 17), Singapore (February 17), Jakarta (February 18), Paris (February 24), Taipei (February 24), London (February 25), and Hong Kong (February 25).
Various members of the cast and crew will be present at each of these events, with Tanjiro voice actor Natsuki Hanae confirmed for the New York screening. He will be joined by Hiro Shimono (the voice of Tanjiro's traveling companion and fellow Demon Slayer Zenitsu Agatsuma) and producer Yuma Takahashi. According to Crunchyroll, all screenings "will have both the final climatic episode of Swordsmith Village Arc as well as the first one-hour episode of Hashira Training Arc. All the episodes have been up-converted to 4K, as well as the music being mixed specially for theaters."
What is the plot of Demon Slayer Season 4?
The arc that they're adapting for "Demon Slayer" Season 4 is called the Hashira Training Arc. As the title alludes to, Tanjiro trains to become a Hashira (a high-ranking member of the Demon Slayer Corps) in this arc. But what else can we expect to see in Season 4? Well, considering that Nezuko can now walk in the daylight and has inadvertently achieved Muzan's goal, it makes sense that he will be seeking her out in Season 4, as he promised to do in the Season 3 finale. Still, she'll likely be safe during the Hashira Training Arc as she'll be surrounded by all of the most powerful Hashira.
While the Hashira Training Arc is meant to show how Tanjiro finally becomes an official Hashira, it looks as though the next section of the story will also lift the lid on the Hashira that we haven't gotten to know yet. We've already become well acquainted with the Sound, Flame, Love, and Mist Hashira, but we still don't know very much about the Insect, Serpent, Stone, and Wind Hashira. This seems to be the point, as each of them — as well as the Water Hashira, who aided Tanjiro in Season 1 — are the focus of the key visuals that have been released thus far.
There is some speculation as to whether the Hashira Training Arc will comprise the entirety of Season 4 or whether it will be mixed up with the Final Battle Arc that follows it. After all, the Hashira Training Arc only runs for nine chapters in the manga, whereas the Swordsmith Village Arc ran for 30. Given that the latter was covered in only 11 episodes, the next arc could be too short for a full season.
Who is starring in Demon Slayer Season 4?
Fans of the "Demon Slayer" anime will no doubt be thrilled to learn that the main voice cast are once again reprising their roles for Season 4 of the show. Natsuki Hanae, who is otherwise known for his work on the likes of "Attack on Titan" (in which he plays Eldian Warrior candidate Falco Grice) and the isekai anime "Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy" (in which he plays protagonist Makoto Misumi) will be back as Tanjiro Kamado. The role of his younger sister Nezuko Kamado will once again be played by Akari Kitō, who has also plied her trade in anime like "Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune," "Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story," and "Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire."
The rest of the cast is made up of Hiro Shimono as Zenitsu Agatsuma, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Inosuke Hashibira, Kana Hanazawa as Mitsuri Kanroji, Katsuyuki Konishi as Tengen Uzui, Kengo Kawanishi as Muichirō Tokitō, Kenichi Suzumura as Obanai Iguro, Saori Hayami as Shinobu Kochō ,Takahiro Sakurai as Giyū Tomioka, Tomokazu Seki as Sanemi Shinazugawa, and Tomokazu Sugita as Gyōmei Himejima. While not yet confirmed, the English cast is also expected to return. This means dub fans should be enjoying the performances of Zach Aguilar (Tanjiro), Abby Trott (Nezuko), Aleks Le (Zenitsu), Bryce Papenbrook (Inosuke), and Greg Chun (Muzan) in the upcoming fourth season.
Which studio is making Demon Slayer Season 4?
Even when an anime series is a hit, it's never immune to the possibility of having its studio changed. Just look at "Attack on Titan," which moved from Wit Studio to MAPPA for its final season after the production committee became concerned that Wit wouldn't have time to handle it. This isn't always a bad thing — the general consensus is that MAPPA did a great job on "Attack on Titan" — but a change of studio is usually a cause of anxiety for fans. Fortunately, fans of "Demon Slayer" don't have to go through this, because Season 4 is sticking with Ufotable.
Ufotable made headlines for the wrong reasons in 2021 when president Hikaru Kondo admitted to evading millions in corporate and consumption taxes. Kondo was found to have taken money from the company's cafes and its web store to use as a safety net for the studio. He said that they were always "in the red" after making an anime and that "profit comes from the café business and the sale of goods." Per Crunchyroll, Kondo added: "I wanted to reserve a sufficient amount of cash so that I wouldn't have to worry about working capital in case something happened."
Kondo was given a suspended 20-month prison sentence and the studio was fined 30 million yen (around $260,000). Ufotable's reputation took a hit, but the quality of its shows didn't dip and it maintains a strong following. Fans of the studio's work (which includes "Fate/Zero," "God Eater," and "Tales of Zestiria the X") have been known to defend it vehemently against detractors.
Who is directing Demon Slayer Season 4?
It would have been strange if Haruo Sotozaki had been replaced as director for Season 4 of "Demon Slayer," considering that he's helmed every previous season and the movie, too. His relationship with Ufotable goes back to before they teamed up for "Demon Slayer." Prior to this, he was associated with the "Tales of" series, adapted from the video games of the same name. Sotozaki helmed the movie "Tales of Symphonia: The Animation" back in 2007, and he returned to the franchise in 2014 with another movie, "Tales of Zestiria: Dawn of the Shepherd." He made this world his own a few years later when he took charge of the series "Tales of Zestiria the X" (2016-2017).
You have to go all the way back to 2002 to mark Sotozaki's directorial debut. He cut his teeth on a show called "X," a dark fantasy series based on the Clamp manga of the same name. Sotozaki directed two episodes, including the thrilling "Newborn," in which Yuzuriha is left battered and bloody following a fierce battle with a member of the Dragons of Earth. Sotozaki went on to direct two episodes of the shonen sci-fi comedy "Dokkoida!?" in 2003 before making his full series debut with the anime adaptation of manga series "Ninja Nonsense" in 2004. Sotozaki has really come into his own as the director of the "Demon Slayer" series over the past few years, and fans will be happy to know that he's back in the hot seat for Season 4.
Is there a trailer for Demon Slayer Season 4?
There's still no trailer for "Demon Slayer" Season 4 in the traditional sense, though we've had what Aniplex USA described as an "anime adaptation official trailer." This is a short clip that confirms the Hashira Training Arc is the next story to be adapted. It doesn't contain any new footage — in fact, it doesn't contain any footage at all. The confirmation trailer is made up of a series of still images of the various Hashira cut to music. This hasn't stopped excitement from building, however — despite the fact that it's just silhouettes and slow pans of the characters, the announcement trailer has been viewed more than three million times on Aniplex USA's YouTube channel.
While there's no footage to dissect, fans are raving about the sweeping score used in the trailer in the comments section of the video. "I loved the distinct musical cues when shifting between the Hashira panels in the first half," user @thesharinganbeast6478 said. "A Shakuhachi came in for Shinobu, which gives an airy feel as she's associated with Butterflies. The Choir came in for Gyomei, as he's very religious. Then the badass electric guitars for Sanemi, which fits his character perfectly." The excitement levels were ramped up even further when a new promotional reel dropped on December 10, 2023. Like the announcement trailer, the promo reel is more of a summary of what's to come, confirming the details of the world tour that will precede the new season.
Where to watch the previous seasons of Demon Slayer
If you want to watch the first three seasons of "Demon Slayer" ahead of the Season 4 premiere, you have a number of options. All three seasons (along with the record-breaking film "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train") are available to stream on Crunchyroll. You can watch the first season for free with ads, but if you want to continue beyond that point, then you'll need a premium membership. These come in three tiers: Fan, Mega Fan, and Ultimate Fan, which cost $7.99 a month, $9.99 a month, and $14.99 a month, respectively. Crunchyroll offers the English dub, as well as English subtitles if you prefer to watch your anime in Japanese.
If you're a Netflix subscriber in the United States, then you'll have access to the first three seasons of the show, and there's an option to download the episodes to watch offline. Hulu subscribers can also watch the dubbed and subbed version of the show, and (like Crunchyroll, but not Netflix) there's a free trial available. Vudu is also an option, though it's definitely not the most cost effective way to watch the show, especially considering there are 55 episodes to catch up on.