Akaza is one of the central figures in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, movie. In an interview with Oricon, Akira Ishida, the voice actor of Akaza, talked about his role in the film. The Akaza VA revealed how he felt about the character and how he realized that the film wasn’t just about Akaza but multiple other characters as well.
Akaza’s backstory and final battle were poised to be the scene-stealers in the film. Yet, the entire plot was never meant to just focus on him.
Akaza Va’s Realization That Infinity Castle Was Never a Solo Stage
In the interview, Akira Ishida talked about how he knew that Akaza would have a spotlight in the film. Yet, once he was made aware of the script, he quickly realized that his character isn’t the end-all, but one of the cogs in the story.
Once I read the script, I realized it wasn’t just Akaza’s story—it was packed with multiple intertwined narratives, making it a very full and rewarding film to watch.
Akaza’s final battle in Demon Slayer is undeniably an iconic event. His desperate battle, the emotional weight of his past, and his decision to kill himself to correct his wrongs were all moments that will forever be etched into the memory of fans. However, the movie was never only about Akaza. There are multiple other storylines that were equally important.
The Infinity Castle movie was never a solo stage for a single character. It is a battlefield that gave each Hashira their own moment as well. The movie featured Shinobu Kocho’s fight against Upper Rank Two, Doma, who had previously killed her older sister Kanae. It also featured Zenitsu facing his former senior-turned demon, Kaigaku.
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Another important moment was when Nezuko took a drug created by Shinobu and Tamayo, which restored her humanity. This was another turning point in the story since Tanjiro’s entire will to fight rested on his sister’s well-being.
Akaza’s Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Backstory Is a Soul-Shattering Memory
Akaza’s backstory will forever be etched into the minds of fans [Credit: Ufotable]
The Infinity Castle movie shows the final battle of Upper Three Akaza with Tanjiro and Giyu. The two demon slayers have a hard time defeating the demon, but Tanjiro manages to behead Akaza soon. Despite being headless, the demon continued fighting, but also remembered his tragic past.
Akaza, as a human (Hakuji), was raised in the slums of Edo, but used to pickpocket to provide medicines for his father. His father hung himself due to shame, creating a major turning point for the character. He eventually encountered Kizo, a dojo owner, and began to take care of his sick daughter, Koyuki.
Soon, Hakuji proved his talents and got engaged to Koyuki. However, a rival dojo poisoned both Koyuki and Keizo, which made Hakuji go berserk and kill all 67 members of the rival group. This was the incident that brought him to Muzan’s attention. Because of this tragic backstory, Demon Slayer fans will remember Akaza as a human who was wronged, rather than a terrifying demon.
Here is a table with the ratings of the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie:
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Demon Slayer anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
