Fans have been highly anticipating the third season of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, popularly known as the Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village (Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-Hen) arc.

On Saturday (Dec 10), the special broadcast of Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train made a number of exciting announcements in the lead-up to the launch of the third season in April 2023, which will premiere the first episode with an one-hour TV special.

Additionally, starting on Feb 3, 2023, cinemas in over 80 countries and territories will screen the long-awaited World Tour Screenings — Demon Slayer: The Upper Ranks Gather and Onward to the Swordsmith Village (World Tour Joei: Kimetsu no Yaiba Jogen Shuketsu, Soshite Katanakaji no Sato e).

Episode 10 (titled Never Give Up), episode 11 (titled No Matter How Many Lives) of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc (Yukaku-hen), and the first episode of the Swordsmith Village Arc will be screened.

The World Tour screenings are held at the following locations, some of which include special guest appearances from Natsuki Hanae (Japanese voice actor for Tanjiro), Yuma Takahashi (producer), Kana Hanazawa (voice actor for Mitsuri Kanroji), and more.

• Japan: Feb 3 in 418 theaters, including 41 IMAX screens
• Tokyo: Special screenings with guest appearances on Feb 4 and 5
• Los Angeles: Feb 18 at The Orpheum Theatre with Natsuki Hanae, Yuma Takahashi, and a performance by Aimer (Tickets go on sale on Jan 7 at Ticketmaster)
• United States and Canada: March 3 in over 1,700 theaters in both English-subtitled and dubbed versions
• Paris: Feb 25 with Yuma Takahashi
• Berlin: Feb 26 with Yuma Takahashi
• Mexico City: March 4 with Natsuki Hanae
• Seoul: March 11 with Akari Kito, Yuma Takahashi
• Taipei: March 19 with Natsuki Hanae, Kengo Kawanishi, Kana Hanazawa, Yuma Takahashi

The main cast, the animation studio ufotable, character designer and chief animation director Akira Matsushima, and the director Haruo Sotozaki are all back for the new arc.

In February 2016, Koyoharu Gotouge published the first issue of the Demon Slayer manga in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The serialisation ended in May 2020. With over 150 million copies sold as of February 2021, Demon Slayer is one of the most popular manga series ever.

The first season of the Demon Slayer anime adaptation first aired in 2019, instantly becoming a worldwide phenomenon. In October 2020, the anime film Mugen Train started screening in Japan. An one-hour special marking the start of the second season, Entertainment District Arc, premiered on Dec 5, 2021.

The Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc debuts in April 2023. Seasons 1 and 2 are available for streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.