Demon Slayer's Natsuki Hanae makes historical appearance at Mumbai Comic Con

Modified Apr 21, 2024 18:57 GMT

On Saturday, April 20, 2024, Indian anime fans had a thrilling day at Mumbai Comic Con, as the event was graced by Demon Slayer voice actor Natsuki Hanae and the anime's Aniplex producer Yuma Takahashi. They arrived all the way from Japan to meet and greet eager fans in India for the very first time.

As fans would know, as part of the Demon Slayer - To the Hashira Training movie's release, the anime conducted a world tour, visiting cities worldwide like Seoul, London, New York, and Paris. This world tour concluded with Mumbai being the final city as Aniplex and Crunchyroll brought Indian fans a unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Demon Slayer's Natsuki Hanae and Yuma Takahashi join fans at Mumbai Comic Con

Natsuki Hanae and Yuma Takahashi at Mumbai Comic Con (Image via Crunchyroll)

On April 20, 2024, the Mumbai Comic Con Main Stage was engulfed in the world of Demon Slayer as the series' protagonist Tanjiro Kamado's voice actor Natsuki Hanae and the anime's Aniplex producer Yuma Takahashi joined Indian anime fans for a meet and greet.

The highlight of the event was the panel discussion organized by Crunchyroll, which saw both Natsuki Hanae and Yuma Takahashi interact with fans and share the inner workings of their favorite anime.

Natsuki Hanae shared how he did not expect to see so many fans; hence, he was overwhelmed by the warm welcome. While he had yet to travel much in the city, he was already starting to love it, sharing how he liked spicy Indian food.

Natsuki Hanae at Mumbai Comic Con (Image via Sportskeeda)

As for his role as Tanjiro Kamado, he shared that he liked his character's kind-heartedness and love for his family. Also, after having played the role for five years, he believed that he was slowly becoming the character himself. This was also because he recently got a similar mark to Tanjiro on his forehead.

Later, when he was asked what new breathing technique he would like to use as Tanjiro, he was quick to bring up his cat. He revealed how he wanted to use Cat Breathing. He would use the same to kill demons with cuteness rather than blades.

As for producer Yuma Takahashi, he conveyed how he was delighted and enthusiastic about the event. This was because Natsuki Hanae was the first Japanese voice actor to come to India, making it a historical appearance.

Yuma Takahashi and Natsuki Hanae at Mumbai Comic Con (Image via Sportskeeda)

When asked about his role as a producer, Yuma Takahashi explained that it was his task to deliver the series worldwide. With that in mind, he revealed that it was Aniplex's idea to bring the Demon Slayer World Tour to India.

He was proud of the rising popularity of the anime worldwide, as it allowed them to connect with so many people. He credited Crunchyroll for making the event possible and reminded fans to stream the anime on the streaming service when it premieres next month.

There was also a surprise video participation from Takahiro Sakurai, the voice actor of Giyu Tomioka. He was at an event in Yokohama, Tokyo, and had received a fan artwork. He showcased the same to the fans and conveyed to them that Yokohama and Mumbai were sister cities; hence, he was feeling Mumbai's love from Yokohama itself.

But the fun didn't stop just there, as Crunchyroll organized a super special screening of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training movie. This allowed about 150 Demon Slayer fans to meet and greet with Natsuki Hanae and Yuma Takahashi.

Natsuki Hanae and Yuma Takahashi at the movie screening (Image via Crunchyroll)

During the meet-and-greet, the guests gave fans some insights about the upcoming anime. Fans will get to see more of the Hashiras, especially the ones that weren't particularly featured till now. Additionally, they can expect to be entertained and witness victory.

Yuma Takahashi also added that the reason the show was special was the source material, i.e., Koyoharu Gotouge's manga. It had everything, be it fights, comedy, familial and sibling bonds, etc. A huge credit was also given to voice actors like Natsuki Hanae, who breathed life into the characters.

Lastly, the guests conveyed their gratitude to the fans in India and explained how they were now even more motivated to deliver the best content possible.

Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc will be premiering on Crunchyroll in India starting May 12, 2024. The new season will also be produced and dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu shortly.