How to Watch Demon Slayer in Order with Movies: From Start to Finish
If you want to know the correct Demon Slayer watch order, we can help.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is one of the hottest shonen anime series at the moment. And it will likely remain popular as long as there is still more of Tanjiro’s epic story left to be told.
However, the anime series watch order can be a little misleading. For one thing, the regular TV episodes and the Demon Slayer movies overlap.
Fortunately, it’s not that hard to figure out, especially if you have a guide.
Demon Slayer Plot
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba on Crunchyroll — Koyoharu Gotoge / Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable
Demon Slayer takes place during the Taisho Era in Japan. The nation is slowly modernizing (as seen in the Mugen Train and Entertainment District arcs). But the traditional, old-fashioned lifestyle still remains.
At the beginning of the series, rural charcoal seller Tanjiro Kamado nearly loses everything when a demon kills his family. Worse yet, his little sister was turned into a demon.
Desperate to change Nezuko back to normal, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps.
Tanjiro must protect his sister while completing harsh training. The Kamado siblings are initially distrusted by the Hashira, the elite leaders of the corps. But Tanjiro proves himself in various missions.
Demon Slayer Watch Order
Nezuko from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Koyoharu Gotouge / Shueisha / Aniplex / ufotable
For the most part, the watch order for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is fairly straightforward. Unlike some shows, there are no sequels, prequels, or reboots, no side stories, and no “alternate universe” continuities.
There is one short and silly gag anime comedy spin-off, which is fun to watch but is obviously not canon to the main series. As of July 2023, the series contains no episodes which are completely skippable manga filler.
However, viewers need to understand how the movies fit in with the seasons.
Release Date Order: Seasons and Movies
Season 1 (26 episodes, October 2019 — May 2020)
Movie, Mugen Train (October 2020)
Season 2, Mugen Train Arc (7 episodes, October 2021 — November 2021)
Season 2, Entertainment District Arc (11 episodes, December 2021 — February 2022)
Movie, To The Swordsmith Village (February 2023)
Junior High and High School: Kimetsu Academy Story spin-off (7 episodes, February 2023)
Season 3, Swordsmith Village Arc (11 episodes, April 2023 — June 2023)
Mugen Train: TV or Movie?
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Mugen Train on Crunchyroll — Koyoharu Gotoge / Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable
The Mugen Train movie, and the Mugen Train Arc of Season 2 cover the same events.
Although the two are not exactly alike, you don’t need to watch both in order to get the same basic plot.
The movie is two hours long, while the TV version is a bit longer. The TV version is divided up into seven episodes, for a total of two hours, 46 minutes.
If you prefer the style and pacing of a full-length, uninterrupted movie, you may want to skip the TV episodes. The movie did quite well in theaters.
However, the TV episodes include some additional background information, and extra scenes not found in the movie. Some of these extras are simply atmospheric scenery shots, but other additions include characters not found in the movie.
Note: These characters aren’t in the manga, which makes Episode 27, Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, technically filler. But if you watch the Mugen Train episodes, you shouldn’t skip it.
