In short: the RE:Anime studio is releasing a live-action Demon Slayer fan film, Rengoku vs Akaza, on December 3 on its YouTube channel, for free. Osric Chau plays Rengoku, Jonathan Tanigaki plays Akaza, Rex Ahn is Tanjiro. The teaser has been online since November 10, and the full trailer lands on November 24.
Who is behind this live-action Demon Slayer?
RE:Anime is a Los Angeles studio founded by director Nik Shaw, which has been turning anime fights into live-action shorts and features since 2018, all released for free on YouTube. This is not a licensed production: Shueisha, Aniplex and ufotable have no involvement. It is a fan film, openly presented as one, made by a team with about a dozen of them already behind it.
And not small ones. Their feature-length Naruto film, Climbing Silver, passed a quarter of a million views in under a week when it dropped in October 2021, according to NextShark. The channel now sits at around 1.3 million subscribers according to third-party trackers VidIQ and SponsorRadar. Nik Shaw summed up his approach back then with a line that stuck: "Hollywood does not understand anime." His team has also adapted Tokyo Ghoul, Jujutsu Kaisen with a very clean Maki vs Miwa, One Punch Man and Avatar.
Click the image to watch Climbing Silver, RE:Anime's feature-length Naruto film, on their YouTube channel.
Rengoku vs Akaza: which fight does the film adapt?
The duel everyone knows: the one that closes the Mugen Train arc. At dawn, after Enmu's defeat, Upper Rank Three Akaza appears and offers Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku the chance to become a demon and gain limitless strength. Rengoku refuses to give up his humanity, and the fight begins. That is exactly the storyline laid out in the November 10 press release carried by Anime News Network.
The choice is no accident. The animated film Mugen Train, which carries this fight, took in 506.5 million dollars at the worldwide box office according to Guinness World Records, a record for a Japanese film at the time. Adapting the most quoted scene of the saga with real stunt performers is exactly the kind of bet that built RE:Anime's reputation.
The Mugen Train animated film trailer on Aniplex USA's YouTube channel, to get the original fight back in mind.
Who plays Rengoku, Akaza and Tanjiro?
Three names are confirmed. Osric Chau takes on Rengoku: Supernatural fans know him as Kevin Tran, and he is a RE:Anime regular, having already played Kaneki in their 2018 Tokyo Ghoul and Obito in their Naruto. Akaza goes to Jonathan Tanigaki, an actor and martial artist based in Los Angeles, the English dub voice of Eiji Okumura in Banana Fish and of Sunfire in the Marvel's Wolverine game. Rex Ahn rounds out the trio as Tanjiro.
Osric Chau as Kaneki in the making-of of RE:Anime's Tokyo Ghoul: click to watch it on their channel.
Nik Shaw directs and produces with Joseph Le and Trishia Woo. The press release states that the film combines live-action performances with AI-enhanced visual effects, a choice the studio owns in order to pull off massive destruction scenes on a fan film budget. The schedule is set, and it is short:
| Date | Step | Where |
|---|---|---|
| November 10, 2026 | Teaser and Akaza reveal | RE:Anime YouTube channel |
| November 19, 2026 | Behind the scenes | RE:Anime YouTube channel |
| November 24, 2026 | Full trailer | RE:Anime YouTube channel |
| December 3, 2026 | The film, free | RE:Anime YouTube channel |
Click the image to watch the Rengoku vs Akaza teaser released on November 10.
Where does the actual Demon Slayer anime stand meanwhile?
The fan film lands in a perfectly chosen gap. Infinity Castle, the first film of ufotable's final trilogy, has passed 730 million dollars worldwide according to Cartoon Brew, the biggest score in history for a Japanese animated film. It arrived on Netflix in late September, and I broke down what the trilogy announcement means when it was revealed.
The follow-up, though, is a wait: part 2 will not come out before 2027 based on the markers given by the production, and part 3 is expected around 2029. Put differently, there will be no new Demon Slayer footage in theaters in 2026. A flesh-and-blood Rengoku vs Akaza on December 3, for free, is exactly what the community needed to hold on.
Which Demon Slayer cosplay to go with the release?
Straight up: we sell neither a Rengoku costume nor an Akaza one, and I will not dress that up. What the Demon Slayer section of the shop does cover well are the Hashira and Tanjiro's crew, with full sets around 30 euros. Here is what is actually in stock as of November 11, prices and reviews pulled from the product pages the same day:
| Character | Price | Sizes in stock | Customer reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinobu Kocho | 29.99 EUR | M to XXXL | 4.7/5 on 26 reviews |
| Giyu Tomioka | 29.99 EUR | M to XXXL | 5/5 on 9 reviews |
| Obanai Iguro | 69.99 EUR | Kids 110 to 150, adult S to XXL | 5/5 on 20 reviews |
| Muichiro Tokito | 59.99 EUR, bundle with wig 74.99 | Kids 120 to 150, adult S to XXL | 4.8/5 on 17 reviews |
| Zenitsu Agatsuma | 29.99 EUR | M to XXXL | 5/5 on 8 reviews |
| Nezuko Kamado | 29.99 EUR | M to XXXL | 5/5 on 9 reviews |
On fit, one piece of feedback keeps coming back and I would rather pass it on as is. "I recommend ordering a size up," writes Bridget Austin about the Obanai set: the sizing is Asian, go one size above your usual, and when in doubt the size chart on each product page settles it. To pick a character, I laid out the full comparison in the Demon Slayer cosplay guide.
On delivery, no sugarcoating: an order placed this week arrives between late November and early December. Watching the December 3 premiere in a haori is doable but tight. For December parties, winter conventions and the holidays, you have plenty of room.
And to go as Tanjiro, Rex Ahn's character?
It is the deepest shelf of the license in our store. The Tanjiro costume at 29.99 EUR holds 5/5 on 8 reviews, the burgundy wig runs 45.99 EUR alone or 49.99 with the hanafuda earrings, and the earrings on their own exist at 16.99 EUR with three fastenings: clips, pierced or hook. The Tanjiro ring at 14.99 EUR completes the set.
And to stay on the duel's theme without wearing a costume, the Tanjiro and Rengoku LED frame at 29.99 EUR is the only item in the section that puts the film's two heroes side by side. It runs at 4.9/5 on 22 reviews, and Rebecca Turner's feedback sums up the mood: "Awesome awesome awesome! My daughter loves it and it's just as advertised." Three light intensities, which makes it a very decent bedside night light.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Rengoku vs Akaza film approved by the Demon Slayer rights holders?
No. It is an independent fan film produced by RE:Anime Films, with no involvement from Shueisha, Aniplex or ufotable. It premieres for free on YouTube, like the studio's previous adaptations, and that free model is exactly what lets it exist without a license.
Where and when can I watch the live-action Demon Slayer film?
On December 3, 2026 on the RE:Anime YouTube channel, for free. Until then, the teaser has been online since November 10, a behind-the-scenes video lands on November 19 and the full trailer on November 24.
Will the film be available in other languages?
Nothing has been announced. RE:Anime productions are released in English, with YouTube's automatic subtitles on top. On a film carried by its fights rather than its dialogue, the barrier stays low.
Should I watch Mugen Train before the fan film?
Yes, preferably. The film adapts the final duel of the Mugen Train arc and therefore spoils its outcome. You can catch up with the animated movie or season 2 of the series, available on Crunchyroll and Netflix depending on your country.
When does Infinity Castle part 2 come out?
Not before 2027. The production has not given a precise date, and the third and final film is expected around 2029. In between, the only Demon Slayer novelties are re-releases, games and fan projects like RE:Anime's.
Is there a licensed live-action Demon Slayer adaptation?
Not to date. The only flesh-and-blood adaptations approved by the rights holders are stage plays performed in Japan. Rumors of a live-action series come back regularly, but none has been confirmed by Shueisha or Aniplex.
Antoine, founder of Bakashop. Facts checked on November 11, 2026 against the RE:Anime Films press release published by Anime News Network, NextShark, Guinness World Records and Cartoon Brew. Prices, stock and reviews read the same day from the product pages through the store API. Images: ©Koyoharu Gotoge / Shueisha, Aniplex, ufotable; RE:Anime Films fan film; visuals via the RE:Anime, Aniplex USA and Sony Pictures Entertainment YouTube channels. Next update when the full trailer drops on November 24.
