Channing Tatum's role in the record-smashing *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie — Infinity Castle*, which hit North American theaters this weekend, may have been a cameo, but it carried significant weight. For *Demon Slayer* fans who hadn’t delved into the manga, their first encounter with his character likely came through this feature-length film—a blockbuster that shattered records as the highest-grossing anime opening ever at the North American box office. Tatum lends his voice to Keizo in the English dub of the movie. Here’s a deeper dive into Keizo’s story:
Keizo is a compassionate widower whose world was shattered when his wife tragically took her own life shortly after the birth of their daughter, Koyuki. Now, he runs a dojo where he not only nurtures his ailing daughter but also imparts the art of bare-fisted Soryu fighting to his students. Meanwhile, a young boy named Hakuji (voiced by Lucien Dodge) struggles to care for his own sick father, resorting to theft to afford his medicine. After witnessing his son repeatedly punished for his crimes, Hakuji’s father succumbs to despair and takes his own life.
This is where Keizo’s path intertwines with Hakuji’s. The dojo master discovers Hakuji and takes him under his wing, teaching him the ways of combat while Hakuji, in turn, cares for Koyuki (voiced by Rebecca Wang). A bond blossoms between Hakuji and Koyuki, leading to plans for marriage. But fate takes a dark turn when Hakuji leaves to visit his father’s grave. Upon his return, he discovers that a rival dojo has poisoned and killed both Keizo and Koyuki. Driven by grief and fury, Hakuji seeks vengeance, slaughtering 67 members of the rival dojo.
His actions catch the attention of Muzan Kibutsuji, the sovereign of all demons, who transforms Hakuji into a demon himself—a fearsome Upper Rank demon known as Akaza. Despite the transformation, remnants of his forgotten love for Koyuki linger deep within his subconscious, compelling him to refuse consuming women.
Akaza plays a pivotal role in the broader *Demon Slayer* narrative, as he is responsible for the death of Kyojuro Rengoku, a high-ranking demon slayer who had become both mentor and inspiration to the series’ protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado. Rengoku’s tragic demise fuels Tanjiro’s determination to grow stronger, setting him on a path to defeat Akaza and, ultimately, Muzan.
As for why Tatum joined the project, he recently shared with *Entertainment Tonight* that he and his 12-year-old daughter, Everly, are avid fans of the anime. The pair attended the film’s premiere together. “We’ve been following this for so long,” he revealed on the red carpet, with Everly chiming in: “It’s beautifully crafted, with an incredible storyline. I love anime in general—it’s stunningly animated.”
Tatum also took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his joy: “Walking the *#DemonSlayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle* carpet with Evie by my side was honestly a dream come true. She’s been my anime muse from the start, and sharing this moment with her made my debut as Keizo even more special. Having a project we both adore hit theaters now feels surreal—my heart is full, and my fanboy excitement is through the roof!”
The film exceeded expectations over the weekend, raking in an estimated $70 million from 3,315 theaters. Released in Japan in July before its U.S. debut, the movie is the first installment of a trilogy based on the Infinity Castle arc of the manga.
Sony-owned Crunchyroll is handling distribution in North America and several international territories, excluding Japan and select Asian markets. The film is available for streaming on Crunchyroll’s platform, as well as on Netflix. The English dub cast also features Zach Aguilar, Abby Trott, Aleks Le, Bryce Papenbrook, Johnny Yong Bosch, Kira Buckland, Erika Harlacher, Brianna Knickerbocker, Zeno Robinson, Ray Chase, Griffin Burns, Erik Scott Kimerer, Kaiji Tang, and Crispin Freeman.
