Demon Slayer’s animation studio celebrates Major League Baseball coming to Japan

Demon Slayer’s next entry, the first movie in the Infinity Castle trilogy, may not arrive in the United States until next fall, but the hype train is already leaving the station — and just in time for baseball season. Demon Slayer studio Ufotable partnered with Major League Baseball to release a special Demon Slayer-themed hype video for MLB’s upcoming Tokyo Series. The video was released Wednesday, the same day it was announced that Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle would arrive in US theaters on Sept. 12.

The hype video is ostensibly centered around the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two teams that will be opening the regular season in Tokyo on March 18 and 19, and it technically highlights a few players from both teams. However, the real highlight is Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani — and considering he’s the current face of Major League Baseball around the world, that’s really no surprise.

The video starts with Shohei walking up to the plate and preparing for an at-bat, when we suddenly see Demon Slayer character Sakonji Urokodaki sitting in the commentary booth. Sakonji launches into a monologue about how impressive Shohei’s breathing is, and how 113 years of Japanese baseball history have led to this moment. Then, out of nowhere, Demon Slayer protagonist Tanjiro appears and rushes forward with a slash of his sword just as Shohei unleashes a massive home run swing.

It’s always fun to see sports teams and organizations get in the anime spirit, but it’s rare that any of the collaborations are this good. Whether you’re a baseball fan or not, it’s easy to appreciate the always incredible animation work of Ufotable, whose staffers really gave the hype video their best work. Of course, if you’re a Demon Slayer fan, it’s also a nice way to whet your appetite in advance of the six-month long wait for the new movie.