Kimetsu
no Yaiba: Infinity Castle remains unstoppable at the box office, but at the same time it has
sparked an unexpected debate in the United States: its R rating. The Motion
Picture Association (MPA) gave it this rating due to the "bloody violence
throughout the film", which has surprised many fans accustomed to
consuming the franchise as part of the most popular shonen anime of the last
decade.
The
first installment of the final trilogy
This new
film marks the beginning of a trilogy that adapts the Infinite Castle arc,
picking up the events right after season 4 of the anime. In it, Tanjiro
Kamado and the Pillars of the Demon Extermination Corps face their
ultimate battle against Muzan Kibutsuji. The film had already taken
Japan by storm, but since its premiere in North American theaters on September
12, it has raised its global gross to more than $353 million.
Why did
you receive an R rating?
According
to the MPA, the film was rated R for its abundant level of blood, wounds and
explicit deaths. This means that children under 17 years of age need to be
accompanied by an adult. Although it may sound surprising, this is not the
first time that Kimetsu no Yaiba has received this label: at
the time, Mugen Train was also classified in the same way in
the United States.
In
contrast, in Japan the film is screened with a more accessible rating, similar
to a PG-13, reflecting the cultural differences between audiences in both
countries. On sites such as Common Sense Media, a minimum of 14
years is recommended to watch it, highlighting the presence of "graphic
deaths, emotional trauma, and themes such as suicide, abuse, or
inequality."
A debate
among fans
On social
networks, the discussion was not long in coming. Some Reddit users commented
that in theaters in the United States there were children enjoying the film
despite the rating, while others pointed out that the violence of Kimetsu
no Yaiba has always been explicit and therefore logical its
classification. The comparison with other titles, such as the light Kpop
Demon Hunters, made it clear that the tone of this franchise is much
darker.
In Mexico
and other Latin American countries, the rating is expected to be +15 years old,
which is more in line with the young audience that usually follows the anime.
In any case, the label does not seem to hold fans back: the film enjoys a 98%
approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which confirms that the
enthusiasm for the saga is still intact.
