Aniplex isn't happy with the recently leaked footage of the Demon Slayer: Kietsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle Arc trailer that surfaced online over the weekend. As we reported just a few days, secretly recorded footage of the theatrical preview made its way online and was circulating on social media.
The 60-second trailer was billed as a "special sneak peek" for the highly anticipated movie, and was intended as a "theatrical-only preview" attached to the end of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train re-release. There was no announcement or confirmation when, or if, the trailer would be posted officially online. So fans took it upon themselves to record the footage from the theater and post it online for all to see.
The trailer teased some very exciting scenes featuring Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu, Giyu Tomioka, Sanemi, Obanai, Mitsuri, and others. It even revealed that some defining battles would play out in the first movie of the planned trilogy.
The trailer was absolutely incredible to see, but Aniplex clearly isn't thrilled with how it was shared in low quality to the public. The company took to social media to post a warning for those who illegally record and post the trailer, which is technically be a crime under the Film Piracy Prevention Act and the Copyright Act.
"A secretly recorded video of the theater-exclusive trailer for the "Mugen Castle Arc" that plays at the end of the main feature of the currently-showing revival screening of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train" has been found on the internet," the company confirmed. "Filming secretly in a theater is a crime under the "Law on Prevention of Filming Secretly in Movies" (Filming Secret Prevention Law). In addition, uploading secretly recorded footage to X, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, etc. is a copyright infringement."
Aniplex noted that any infringement on copyright is in violation of the Film Piracy Prevention Act and the Copyright Act and may be punishable with a fine of up to 10 million yen, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or even both.
Reaction to the leak and Aniplex's warning have been met with mixed response from fans who are upset about the overall marketing strategy for the highly anticipated Infinity Castle Arc films. We are only about two months away from the premiere of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Chapter One in Japan, and fans aren't happy that we've had to wait so long for an official trailer.
Aniplex's decision to gate keep the trailer behind showings of the Mugen Train movie has also drawn ire, with fans arguing that it is a marketing ploy to help sell tickets to the re-release. It also doesn't help that Mugen Train hasn't even arrived in North American theaters, meaning we've had to wait even longer to see the official trailer.
Given the frustration, it's understandable why fans would turn to the leaked trailer to get their Infinity Castle Arc marketing hype. At the same time, it's also understandable why Aniplex is upset that the trailer leaked. A low res screen recording is definitely not the optimal way to experience such an impactful trailer, which was clearly meant for the big screen.
The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train is currently only showing in Japan but will arrive in North American theaters on May 14, 2025. While those of us stateside be able to catch the trailer for Infinity Castle Arc on the big screen when it arrives, we still don't know if or when it will be shared online in higher quality.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Arc is a planned trilogy of films that will cover the "Infinity Castle" and "Sunrise Countdown" arcs of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga series, depicting the final battles between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan Kibutsuji. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Chapter One will release in Japan on July 18, 2025, followed by a U.S. and Canada theatrical release on September 12, 2025.