Last year, the final episode of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hashira Training Arc," titled "Hashira Gathering," concluded in late June, bringing the entire storyline to a dramatic climax. Immediately following, it was announced that "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle Arc" would be released as a three-part finale, with Part 1 officially hitting theaters on July 18, 2025. This news sent fans into a frenzy.
However, the recent re-release of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train" in Japan on May 9 reignited interest in the series, but also inadvertently led to an incident: a theater-exclusive trailer for the Infinity Castle Arc, shown at the end of the film, was illegally recorded and uploaded online, drawing significant attention from both fans and the authorities.
The reason this act of illicit recording caused such a stir is that the "Infinity Castle Arc Part 1" trailer, screened after "Mugen Train," was an "exclusive bonus" meant only for cinema audiences. This exclusivity, unfortunately, prompted unscrupulous individuals to illegally record the footage, which then circulated online and was quickly noticed by fans and the official team.
Officials posted a statement on their website and X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that filming inside a movie theater violates Japan's Film Piracy Prevention Act. Furthermore, unauthorized uploading of such videos infringes upon the Copyright Act's provisions regarding the "right of public transmission" and the "right of making transmittable," carrying penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 10 million yen, or both.
The official statement also urged viewers to report any suspicious behavior in theaters immediately to staff, to help maintain a safe and enjoyable viewing environment and prevent the disruption of the cinematic experience.
While no specific individuals have been apprehended, many Japanese netizens suspect the culprits are overseas fans, hoping that officials will take strict action to punish these malicious viewers.
▼ Indeed, leaked trailer videos recorded by overseas accounts were observed circulating on X (though subsequently deleted).
It's truly disheartening when basic viewing etiquette cannot be upheld. Similar incidents have occurred in theaters in Japan and Taiwan in the past, and it's crucial for everyone to respect these fundamental rules.
