Ever since Koyoharu Gotouge introduced the world to the Demon Slayer manga in 2016, it’s been one of the biggest media franchises out there. As massive as the original manga run was, though, the anime adaptation is where things really started cooking, propelling the Demon Slayer corps into the stratosphere as one of the most popular series in the whole medium - just look at Mugen Train and Infinity Castle’s box office records.

Beyond the merits of Demon Slayer as a whole, one of the biggest reasons for the anime’s worldwide success is its fantastic English dub, which has some serious all-star talent behind its many beloved characters. Front and centre of the voice cast are Zach Aguilar as everyone’s favourite pure-hearted protagonist Tanjiro and Abby Trott as Nezuko, the heart and soul of Demon Slayer, who manages to make us feel a whole lot with very few actual spoken words.

Aguilar and Trott have been voicing the Kamado siblings for nearly six years now, and it’s taken them from more than 60 anime episodes all the way to full theatrical releases. For my money, as TheGamer’s number one anime games nerd, the highlight of it all has been their work on the first and second Hinokami Chronicles games, which emulate Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm by retelling the series’ events through a best-in-class 3D arena fighter.

You can check out my review for the recently released Hinokami Chronicles 2 here. It’s another CyberConnect 2 banger and a big improvement over the more simplistic first game.

The Unique Challenges Of Going From Demon Slayer’s Anime To A Video Game

Since both Hinomami Chronicles games retell the same story that we’ve seen Aguilar and Trott perform through the anime, you’d think that it would be a very similar experience and much of the same work. That isn’t the case, though, as recording lines for a game and having to adapt to much of the dialogue being tied to gameplay is a unique challenge.

“The first game was definitely a learning curve for me,” Tanjiro’s actor Aguilar tells me. “Translating Tanjiro’s journey into a game felt different than recording for the anime, because timing and delivery really shift when you’re syncing with the gameplay. I learned a lot about pacing and how to keep the performance intense, but also adaptable to interactive elements. Moving into the sequel, I felt more confident about finding that balance, and I was able to focus more on nuance and emotional depth rather than just the technicality of recording for a game.”

In a lot of scenarios, I try to imagine what Nezuko would be saying if she were speaking. - Abby Trott

As tough as it was for Aguilar to get used to voicing Tanjiro in an entirely different medium from the anime, it must be even tougher for Trott, as Nezuko spends nearly all of Demon Slayer’s story practically mute due to a bamboo rod preventing her demon side from biting humans. As a result, most of Nezuko’s dialogue in both games consists of grunts, growls, and muffled sounds that somehow still manage to show how she’s feeling.

“I have a lot of fun trying to capture both the cute and fierce sides of Nezuko,” Nezuko’s actor Trott says. “In a lot of scenarios, I try to imagine what Nezuko would be saying if she were speaking. It can be tricky, though, when you have long fight sequences like the Daki/Gyutaro fight in the Entertainment District Arc - I definitely had to go on vocal rest the next day!”

Tanjiro And Nezuko’s Intense Performances Are “Brutal” On The Vocal Chords

Speaking of vocal rest, that’s something that almost all anime actors are painfully familiar with. Perhaps more than any other medium, emotional and dramatic scenes in anime are usually punctuated by characters screaming their heart (and lungs) out. Of course, that energy is a big part of Demon Slayer, and it’s captured in both Hinokami Chronicles games.

While the first Hinokami Chronicles had more than its fair share of these taxing scenes, the Hinokami Chronicles 2 ups the ante even more thanks to the bigger stakes that Tanjiro and Nezuko face. From the Entertainment District Arc to the Hashira Training Arc, Aguilar and Trott had their vocal work cut out for them, especially with some of their characters’ most important scenes recreated in the sequel.

“The long battle screams can really tear you up,” Aguilar admits. “Like the ending of the Swordsmith Village Arc with Tanjiro’s fight against Hantengu. There are sessions where I walk out feeling like I left part of my voice in the booth. Those are the moments I both love and dread, because they bring Tanjiro’s intensity to life, but they’re brutal on the vocal cords.”

Tanjiro’s fight against Hantengu is one of the final battles in The Hinokami Chronicles 2, and his biggest challenge in the series up to that point. It’s also followed by one of the most emotionally impactful moments in all of Demon Slayer, with Nezuko attempting at sacrifice herself so that her brother can follow his heart and keep people safe.

While Nezuko does have plenty of standout moments throughout the series, it’s really the end of the Swordsmith Village arc where she comes into her own and has more depth to her performance. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this “pivotal” moment for Nezuko was Trott’s favourite to record in The Hinokami Chronicles 2, although it’s also the most difficult by far.

Those kinds of scenes are exhausting to record, but they capture what I love about him, which is his resilience and heart. - Zach Aguilar

“That being said, the part where Nezuko is burning was such a challenge, both vocally and emotionally,” Trott says. “Putting yourself in that headspace is gut-wrenching, and it’s no cake-walk for my vocal cords! It’s one of my favourite moments, though, so it’s kind of bittersweet.”

Aguilar’s performance as Tanjiro also stands out in these near-endgame scenes with Nezuko, but they’re surprisingly not the actor’s scene of choice when it comes to favourite moments for The Hinokami Chronicles 2. In Tanjiro’s case, Aguilar has a tough time choosing since Demon Slayer’s protagonist has so many “emotional beats” throughout the series.

“If I had to pick one, I’d probably say the moments where he’s really pushed to his limit physically but still finds the will to keep fighting for his friends and family,” Aguilar says. “For example, his battle against Gyutaro and Daki in the Entertainment District. Those kinds of scenes are exhausting to record, but they capture what I love about him, which is his resilience and heart. They’re the moments that stick with me as both a performer and a fan.”

Zach Aguilar And Abby Trott Both Have A Lot Of Love For Gaming

While recording all those dramatic scenes takes quite a toll on both Aguilar and Trott, it’s clear that the pain of battle cries and emotional moments is more than worth it so that fans can experience the story through games as well as the anime. While Demon Slayer might be relatively new to the space with just The Hinokami Chronicles and Sweep the Board, both actors have appeared in many games and clearly have a lot of love for the medium.

Aguilar’s voice is most commonly heard in anime, but he’s also well-known for portraying Byleth in Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

“Yeah, I’m a huge gamer,” Aguilar admits. “I grew up playing games like the Naruto Ninja Storm series, Halo 3, Smash Bros, Pokemon, Mario, Kingdom Hearts, and so many more. I still try to jump into new games when I can. I’ve played the first Hinokami Chronicles, and it’s surreal hearing my own voice coming out of Tanjiro while I’m fighting. I’m also pretty competitive and still remain undefeated amongst my cast mates. I’m really excited to dive into the sequel, especially with how much bigger the story gets. It’s fun to experience the world from both sides, as the actor and as the player.”

On the flip side of Aguilar, Trott says she sadly doesn’t have as much time to “indulge” in games as much as she used to, despite appearing as the voice of Magik in Marvel Rivals, Wonder Woman in MultiVersus, and Tae Takemi in Persona 5 Royal. Even if she plays fewer games now, Trott still clearly believes in the stories they can tell.

“It’s always strange for me to hear myself in games, animation, anime - all the things I love and would be consuming even if I wasn’t lucky enough to be involved in their creation,” Trott says. “I’m so lucky to be able to do what I love. While hearing my own performances is jarring sometimes and makes me cringe a little, I hope it helps immerse others in some of the best storytelling in this world.”

Your Rating

close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10

Your comment has not been saved

Like Follow Followed

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2

Action Systems Released August 5, 2025 Developer(s) Sega Publisher(s) Sega Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer Number of Players 1-2 players
Where to play Close

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
Powered by Expand Collapse