After season 2 of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba wrapped in February last year, anime fans expected a wait to see where Tanjiro and crew would head next. Fortunately, viewers were treated to a theatrical event that launched in North America this past March and in Japan in February. The anime film, Demon Slayer: To the Swordsmith Village, took a unique approach by blending the last two episodes of season 2 and the first episode from the upcoming season 3 into a cinematic feature. Now what? 

Demon Slayer season 3 is hitting the small screen. Tanjiro’s journey has him seeking the aid of Hotaru Haganezuka to fix his wrecked sword, but enemies are always on the prowl. While his blade is out of commission, new demons close in on him, his sister Nezuko and buddies Inosuke and Zenitsu and give them a run for their money. Prepare to meet two villainous Upper Moon demons: Hantengu and Gyokko.

Along with a new theme song for season 3 of the series, you’ll get to see Love and Mist Hashiras joining the fray with their own fantastic sword styles — and breathwork. Here’s how to watch Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc.

Read more: Best Anime Streaming Services for 2023

Release dates for Demon Slayer season 3

After closing out the Entertainment District Arc in the manga and TV series, this Swordsmith storyline in Demon Slayer picks up where the story left off, placing Tanjiro on a path to find a mysterious, ancient weapon while his sword is being repaired. The first episode will be released as a one-hour special on Fuji TV in Japan on April 9 at 11:15 p.m. JST.

Fans in the US and 200 other countries can stream the series on Crunchyroll beginning Sunday, April 9. 

Crunchyroll will simulcast the first episode of Demon Slayer season 3 on Sunday, April 9, from 10:45-11:30 a.m. PT (1:45-2:30 p.m. ET) in the US with subtitles in English, Spanish, Castilian, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Russian and Hindi. New episodes will be simulcast exclusively in North America, Central America, South America and Europe. 

Demon Slayer season 3 is exclusive to Crunchyroll for now. It will not be coming to Hulu this weekend, a company representative confirmed to CNET via email. The rep did not reveal when or if it would become available.

If you’re looking to catch up and don’t want to subscribe to Crunchyroll, Hulu and Netflix have earlier seasons of the show.

Read more: Best Streaming Service of 2023: Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus and More

Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll

Carries Demon Slayer Season 3

$8 at Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll is home to thousands of anime titles, including simulcasts, on-demand releases and originals. You can sign up for a free account to stream ad-supported content on the service. Just note that not all titles are available with the free version, and there is a wait for new releases. However, anime fans who want immediate access to new episodes should opt for Crunchyroll’s basic $8 ad-free subscription. There’s a free 14-day trial for new subscribers. 

How to watch Demon Slayer season 3 from anywhere with a VPN 

Perhaps you’re traveling abroad and want to stream Crunchyroll while away from home. With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the anime series from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming, too.

A VPN is the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds by encrypting your traffic. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that’s passed our tests and security standards.

You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are legal in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you’re using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list such as Surfshark or NordVPN. 

James Martin/CNET

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

See at ExpressVPN

If you’re looking for a secure and dependable VPN, our Editors’ Choice is ExpressVPN. It’s fast, works on multiple devices and provides stable streams. It’s normally $13 per month, but you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription. 

ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Read our review of ExpressVPN.

Follow the VPN provider’s instructions for installation, and choose a country where Demon Slayer season 3 will be streaming on Crunchyroll. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you are connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream the special episode on more than one device, it’s possible you’ll need to configure each one to ensure you are signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you’re logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you’re ready to open Crunchyroll to stream. 

If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you’ve followed installation instructions correctly and you’ve picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.