How To Watch 'Demon Slayer' Franchise In Order — A UK Streaming Guide

Demon Slayer’s TV anime adaptation is split into four seasons that decrease in episode count, from 26 to eight, as it progresses through the manga’s story arcs, including Tanjiro’s origin to the Hashira Training arc. 

Very capably put together by production studio Ufotable, the show is widely regarded as one of the standout anime of recent years, with stunningly fluid fight sequences, a banger of a soundtrack, and lively voice acting. While its spinoff movies are predominantly theatrical compilations of episodes released between seasons, the anime will wrap up with an original film trilogy starting in 2025.  

Picking up directly after Season 1 of the anime, Mugen Train adapts the manga arc of the same name and is later broken up episodically for Season 2. The film, however, is worth watching instead if you don’t want too much repetition, as the unbroken pacing of the almost non-stop action in cinema quality is a huge enhancement.

As you might guess from the title, it takes place almost entirely aboard a train, on which Tanjiro assists a legendary Fire-using member of the Demon Slayer Corps in saving passengers from a demon with Freddy Krueger-esque dream powers. Released during COVID-19, the film was a runaway international hit. 

Named after another arc in the manga, To the Swordsmith Village also includes the Entertainment District arc, compiling and combining the final episodes of Season 2 and the first of the then-unreleased third season of the anime.

Fittingly, the story can be divided into two halves. In the first, Tanjiro and his crew hatch a difficult plan to simultaneously exterminate sibling demons Daki and Gyutaro. Doing so draws the attention of demon king Muzan Kibutsuji, the object of Tanjiro’s vengeance, while Tanjiro’s attention turns to a hidden weapon with a link to his past. Unlike Mugen Train, which can be enjoyed by itself, this compilation instalment is only essential for completionists.

The third film in the series comes after Season 3 of the anime, finishing the Swordsmith Village arc and moving into the titular Hashira Training one, ‘hashiras’ being the top dogs in charge of the Demon Slayer Corps. 

With his sister in peril, Tanjiro is faced with a life-and-death decision during the film’s opening battle. She is irrevocably changed as a result, which only makes Kibutsuji even more interested in the pair. The hashira commence training to tap into a newly discovered ability, so they can be ready to fight off Kibutsuji’s advance. Another ‘recap’ movie with some then-unseen new footage, this is another perfectly fine but skippable entry if you’re up-to-date with the show.

Infinity Castle kicks off a new film trilogy that will finish rather than repeat the anime series. This makes sense considering the majority of the story left to adapt is the final confrontation with Kibutsuji. Like Mugen Train, this is an epic, three-film gallop to Demon Slayer’s grand, animated ending.

The first of these films picks up at the end of the Hashira Training arc and transports Tanjiro and the Demon Corps leaders, without warning, to the titular mansion, Kibutsuji’s interdimensional headquarters. Thus, the stage is set for the last stand between humans and demons.