The popular manga “Blade of Demons” by Yoseharu Goge, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, was made into a movie in 2020, “Infinity Train,” which was a huge hit.
The manga has attracted many readers because of the rich personalities of its friends and enemies, the demons.
In preparation for the special compilation episode to be broadcast for five days from September 11, 2021, and the first TV broadcast of “Mugen Train Arc” on September 25, we will introduce the synopsis of the original work.
Please note that it contains spoilers up to the last volume, so anime-goers and those who are in the middle of reading the book should be warned.
Volume 1- / Siblings’ departure and meeting their friends
The Beginning of the Story
The story begins when the family of the main character, Sumijiro, is attacked by demons. Their modest but happy life is transformed, and the only surviving sister, Priestess Nezuko, also becomes an ogre.
Confused by his sister’s transformation, Sumijiro is confronted by Yoshiyuki Tomioka, a swordsman in the Oni Killing Squad. At first Tomioka tries to kill Priezuko, but when he sees her protecting Sumijiro, who has fallen while starving, he chooses to let the siblings live. Sumijiro then decides to embark on a journey to return his sister to human form.
Training and Trials
After being introduced by Tomioka, Sumijiro began his training under Sakonji Rinkutaki, an “Ikute”. One day, about a year later, Sumijiro was told by Rinkutaki that there was nothing more to teach him. As a condition for his final selection, he was given the challenge of cutting a rock that was larger than his body.
Six more months pass without his being able to cut the rock, and in his impatience, a boy named Rusty Rabbit and a girl named Makomoko appear before Sumijiro. With the help of the two, Sumijiro finally succeeded in cutting the rock and took the test to join the Onikagitai.
The final test was to survive for seven days in the mountains where demons existed. There, Sumijiro encountered a large demon that had survived since the Edo period.
Sumijiro takes his first step as a swordsman by subduing the demon, which resents his capture by Rinkutaki and has been killing his disciples one after another.
First Step as an Oni-killer
Sumijiro, who has obtained the “Hiwatou,” a sword that can kill demons, sets out for the city with Priestess Tadako under orders to kill demons. While on his mission, Sumijiro encounters the culprit behind the whole thing, Mutsuko Onimatsuji. He also encounters Tamayo and Yushiro, two demons who are trying to eliminate Onimai Tsuji. Sumijiro and Tamayo decide to team up in order to return Priestess Tadako to human form and defeat Onimai Tsuji.
On his next mission, Sumijiro meets two unique friends: Zenitsu Wagatsuma, a timid swordsman, and Inosuke Zuidaira, a wild child.
Volume 4 – / The Twelve Demon Moons and Pillars Encountered for the First Time
Family Ties
After the earlier battle, Sumijiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke are given urgent orders to go to Mount Nada Spider after healing from their wounds. Sumijiro and the others are perplexed by the fact that the demons, who basically do not group together, are acting as a “family” and their somewhat distorted relationship with each other.
Inosuke, who has been fighting alone until now, learns to trust and rely on others by fighting alongside Sumijiro. Zenitsu, who had been reluctant to enter the mountain until the very end, faints from fear and pain, but shows his talent as a swordsman and defeats the enemy.
Sumijiro and Nezamizuko then fight against Lui, one of the Twelve Demon Moons of the Twelve Demon Moons with strong powers, the Gakugen no Kougo. Rui envies the bond between brother and sister and offers to spare their lives on the condition that they give up Priestess Izuko. Sumijiro, of course, rejects the offer, but is cornered by the overwhelming power of Rui, and Priestess Tadako is also taken prisoner.
Just when it seemed like the end was near, Sumijiro’s memory of “Hinokami Kagura,” which his late father had taught him, came back to him. Priestess Namizuko also awakened to the “Kokujutsu,” the unique ability of demons. In the face of the genuine bond between brother and sister, Lui died out, remembering the days when they were human.
The Pillars, the Keystone of the Oni-killing Squad
In addition to Tomioka, who appeared in the first volume, the mushibashira Shinobu Butterfly appears in the Nada Spider Mountain volume. The strength of the “Hashira,” the top members of the Onikagitai, and the severity of the “Onikagitai” are shown, as they have passed through the gazes of the Onikagitai.
Shinobu tries to kill Priestess Komatsuko, a demon, and Tomioka, who is protecting his siblings, clash with the pillars, and Sumijiro and Priestess Komatsuko are captured and put on trial by the Oninokitai. The pillars gather at the headquarters and verbally appeal for Priestess Tadako’s execution. However, thanks to the arrangement made by their leader, the lord Sanyashiki, Priezemaduko’s existence was officially recognized.
Sumijiro and his men then went to Shinobu’s mansion to heal their battle wounds and train.
Volume 7 – / Infinite train section experiencing encounters and partings
Encountering a Respectable Pillar
After Lui was defeated, Onimai Tsuji decided to dismantle the demons of the Lower String, the lower beings among the Twelve Demon Months. Only one of them, Gakugen no Ichi, Nightmare, was allowed to live, and he was given further power through the sharing of Onimai Tsuji’s blood.
Sumijiro boarded the endless train in search of information about Hinokami Kagura and fire breathing, asking for the flame pillar, Anjuro Gurgoku. Sumijiro and his friends are lured into a deep dream by the power of Nightmare.
However, Sumijiro realizes that the happy scene before his eyes is a dream and escapes on his own, challenging Nightmare to a fight.
He finds out that while Sumijiro and the others were asleep, Nightmare had merged with the train, and they are once again in trouble, but the situation is reversed thanks to the efforts of the awakened Purgatory and others. They defeat Nightmare while protecting the passengers.
The appearance of the Sangen no Oni, who boasts a strength of another dimension
However, the relief is short-lived, as the Sangen no Sangen, Kakkoza, attacks. Recognizing Purgatory’s strength, he solicits him to become a demon.
Purgatory refuses and boldly stands up to him, but his attack does not penetrate the demon’s healing ability, and he is finally mortally wounded. His strong, gentle, and straightforward way of life until the end of his life gave many things to his juniors.
Volume 9 – / The story accelerates even further in the Yu-Gaku version.
Sneaking into the brothel where demons live
After parting ways with Purgatory, Sumijiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke train further.
One day, Sumijiro returns to the Butterfly House after completing his mission, only to find that the aoi he has been taking care of are about to be taken away by the sound pillar, Uzintengen.
Sumijiro and his friends then decide to join Uzumi’s mission in place of Aoi and the others, dressing up as women and sneaking into the brothel. They infiltrate a suspicious establishment and search for Uzumi’s wives and demons who have lost contact with them.
Sumijiro learns how to use the sun’s breath in his battle with Riku and Fallen Princess of Kamigune, who had been feeding on beautiful young humans as a courtesan. Priestess Kaduko, who has developed a strong anger after encountering Sangen, whose blood is thick with the blood of Onimai Tsuji, also further develops her abilities as a demon and hunts down the Fallen Princess.
Then, just as she is about to be finished off by the hands of Uzumi ……, her brother Taro, a kobold, appears from her shadow as she cries out after being decapitated. Sumijiro and his friends are at the mercy of the combination of the two, but manage to win the battle.
With Sangen, who has not been replaced for a long time, defeated, the demons led by Onimai Tsuji begin to move in earnest.
Volume 12 – / New encounters and growth in the village of swordsmiths
Crisis in the village of swordsmiths
Onimai Tsuji orders the remaining Kangen demons to hurry in their search for the “blue cluster amaryllis” needed to overcome the sun and to destroy the Sanyashiki family.
Meanwhile, Sumijiro goes to the swordsmith’s village to have his sword repaired. He meets a group of unique individuals: Koibashira Mitsuri Kanroji, who had also come to have his sword repaired; Genya Shinigawa, who joined the Oni-killer Squad at the same time; and Kasumibashira Muichiro Tokidoru, who is a descendant of a sun-breath user.
At the same time, the location of the village was discovered by the demons, and the four Jogens, the Hantengu and the Jogens, the Tamatsubo, attacked the village. The Oni-killer Squad is as strong as ever as it fights to protect the village from the two more powerful foes than ever before.
The members of the Onikagiri-tai grow and develop their talents in the midst of battle. The past of the Hinokami Kagura used by Sumijiro and the relationship with Onimai Tsuji are gradually revealed.
Volume 15 – / The story enters its final phase
Each moves toward the final battle.
The story accelerates even more rapidly when Priestess Priestess conquers the sun.
With the appearance of an oni with the ability he sought, Onimai Tsuji stops his search for the blue higanbana.
As the appearance of the demons ceases, the Onimusubutsuji also begins a reinforcement practice with pillars. The pillars train hard to improve the strength of their members as well as to manifest the “bruises” that were said to have appeared in the Onimussuicide Squad in the past. However, only Tomioka, the water pillar, does not participate in the training and does not practice on the members.
Sumijiro, who went to talk to Tomioka at the order of the Okate-sama, who was concerned about Tomioka, learned that Tomioka was a close friend of Rust Rabbit and that he blamed himself for not being qualified to be a water pillar, since he survived with his help. Tomioka remembers Rusty Rabbit’s words and starts to walk forward, thanks to the words of Sumijiro, who was also saved by Rusty Rabbit and became a swordsman.
Then, with the help of Sumijiro, an envoy from Sanyashiki contacts Tamayo, who has been continuing her research on demons, and offers her cooperation with Shinobu, who also has knowledge of pharmacology.
The All-Out Battle Begins
Through the training of the pillars, the pasts of the members of the Onimusubutai and the reasons for their enlistment are gradually revealed.
Meanwhile, Onimai Tsuji, using his minions, finally arrives at the Sanyashiki no Yakata. Onimai Tsuji should be in an overwhelmingly advantageous position, but he falls into the trap of Sanayashiki and Tamayo, who use him as bait with their strong resolve, and is subjected to an onslaught by the pillars.
In order to escape the pinch, Onimitsuji invites the Onimusubutai to his own base, “Infinity Castle. Inside the castle, the demons of the Sangen no Oni, who have a history with the members of the Onimusubutai, are waiting for them, and they will face a tough battle, each with their own thoughts and beliefs.
Volume 16- / Battle at Infinity Castle
Swordsmen in a battle of fate
The first story depicts the battle between Doma, the Sangen no Sora, and Shinobu, a mushibashira who has a history of having had her sister killed by Doma. Although Shinobu fights well against Doma, whose values are distorted due to his cleverness and who has killed many people based on his selfish standards, by using poison, which is his forte, he is unable to do enough and falls. Kanawo Kurihanari, her stepson, arrives to join them, but Shinobu, his teacher and sister, is killed in front of his eyes.
Meanwhile, Zenitsu is also reunited with someone he must defeat.
The new Jogendo Riku, Kakitake, is his former brother. Their nurturer, Shihan, had committed seppuku (ritual suicide) after Kakitake had turned into an oni (demon). Zenitsu, who had always run away from fear in previous battles, voluntarily faces the demons and settles the score.
Then, Sumijiro and Tomioka encounter Kangen no Sangen, or “the Sangen of the Sangen,” who is Purgatory’s avenger. The three engage in an extreme battle and gain even more power. Sumijiro and his group are in a tight spot, but as he tries to evolve anew, the memory of when he was human comes back to his mind. Remembering why he was so obsessed with strength, he abandons the battle and heads for his loved ones.
The battle rages on after the defeat of Kikara.
Kanawo, who had never been good at acting on his own initiative, reveals his anger at having his beloved sisters killed, and Doma also seriously confronts Kanawo, who shows his talent as a swordsman.
Inosuke appears just in time to have his sword taken from him. He was raised by a boar, but remembers that it was because his mother was killed by Doma.
Doma tries to escape from the two as he struggles to avenge his family and friends, but Shinobu’s schemes begin to poison his body. He unleashes a desperate move, but is finally decapitated by Kanawo and Inosuke, who are risking their lives for him.
Battles with Kangen no Oni ensue one after another.
The members of the Oni-kiri-tai defeat powerful enemies at great cost.
Tokitoru, the Kasumi Pillar, encounters the first of the Sangen Oni, Gankatsu Tsugikuni, and learns that he is his ancestor. Genya and his brother, Jitsuya Fujikawa, the wind pillar, and Gyomei Kannyo, the rock pillar, join the fight against Gekkoku, who, despite being a demon, has a sword and knows how to use his breath. One after another, they manifest bruises and perform great feats to fight to the death. In the midst of the extreme battles, Tsugugoku reflects on his own past, and the mystery of the swordsman who resembles him is also revealed.
Again, in exchange for a price too great to pay, the Oni-kiri-tai triumphs.
Volume 21 – The story finally enters its final phase
The decisive battle against Onimai Tsuji
While both camps were suffering serious damage, Teruya Sanyashiki, who succeeded Otate-sama at a young age, and his younger sisters continued to assess the situation and give precise instructions, and an all-out battle ensued.
Here, Onimai Tsuji, which had been suppressed by the power of Tamayo, was restored. Sumijiro and Tomioka stood in front of them, and the Onimusubutai once again found itself in a tight corner. Sumijiro and his men gather their strength to fight one last battle. The members of the Onimusubetsuji team, including the Love Pillar, Mitsuri, the Snake Pillar, Iguro Kobanai, and Yushiro, who was angered by the murder of Tamayo, as well as the non-pillar members, were determined to take on the Onimusubetsuji and finally succeeded in dragging them out of their territory, the Infinity Castle.
Wind Pillar and Immortal River, and Rock Pillar and Screaming Island also caught up with them, and continued their desperate attack to keep Onimai Tsuji tied to the ground until dawn. However, their blades were unable to reach the overwhelming power of Onimai Tsuji.
With less than an hour and a half to go before the sun rises, the members of the team fall one after another before Onimitsuji’s power. Meanwhile, Onimusutsuji is gradually weakened by the Onimusutai’s attacks and the effects of the medicine made by Tamayo.
Sumijiro, who was poisoned by Onimai Tsuji during the battle, had a glimpse of his ancestral memory of meeting Tsugukuni Enichi, a user of the Beginning Breath. With this memory, he mastered Hinokami Kagura and the Breath of the Sun, and succeeded in ascending to even greater heights. With this power, they gradually but steadily drove Onimai Tsuji back to the ground.
In this way, all of them were able to hold off Onimai Tsuji and finally greet the dawn of a new day. However, Onimitsuji, who was obsessed with life, did not give up even after losing his body, and poured his own blood into Sumijiro.
Please check out the comics to see how Sumijiro and his friends end up in the end.
The drama of this work, with its unique characters and speedy, never-ending development, is very appealing. The comics also contain a variety of behind-the-scenes stories, which can be read in conjunction with the comics to get a deeper appreciation of the story.
Please enjoy the warmth of family love, friendship, and human connections in the comics as well.
