Are you with the breathing techniques or Nah!?
One of the best Anime we got to see in 2019 was Demon Slayer. While some people love its animation and badass action, some are skeptical by saying that it’s overrated AF. However, we can’t deny that Demon Slayer slew the year 2019.
This dark fantasy adventure series brought something unique to the table for us anime fans. For a bit of the background, Demon Slayer was created by Koyoharu Gotōge, and the studio that made it real was Ufotable. that’s the studio that gave us straight fire. They have brought us Fate/Stay, Garden of sinners, and Godeater to name a few. And when their name is involved in a project, the expectations are normally out of this world.
Demon slayer started its first Anime season on April 6th, 2019, and they released the last episode on September 28th, 2019. After more than a year, we had some serious nostalgic moments and thought that it would be cool to reminisce.
Throughout the series, we saw fights that never got this popular in the Anime world. The animation gave us eyegasms to the point it left us wanting for more. Tanjiro’s Dance of the fire god left us in awe of future possibilities.
Their estimated sales from November 2019 to May 2020 were 45 million. Comparing it to something elite like One Piece that only got 4.5 million units sold, Demon Slayer is practically bonkers.
So before we go crazy with all the good stuff, let’s talk about Demon Slayer’s plot and what makes it so unique?
Demon Slayer – Not Your Usual Fantasy Anime
The story revolves around Tanjiro Kamado. After his father’s death, Tanjiro has been working hard to provide his family with their basic needs. Even though they are going through such a hard phase, Tanjiro, along with his family, seems happy and content.
Everything was going relatively well until the demons attacked. They killed Tanjiro’s family, leaving his little sister Nezuko behind. However, something was instantly wrong with Nezuko. She was turned into a demon! Even so, she retains her human emotions and memories.
To save Nezuko and find out what happened with his family, Tanjiro embarks on a perilous journey, becoming a Demon Slayer, trying his best to turn his sister back into a human.
Demon Slayer’s basic plot was enough to provide an exquisite story and exceptional experience. It’s a Shonen with amazing animation and great pacing, That’s where its hype began. One of The most prominent reasons this show got its hype was the attention to detail. Demon Slayer checks all the proverbial boxes. They promised a unique show; they fulfilled that promise.
With the plot aside, let’s talk about why Demon Slayer is so popular.
Why is Demon Slayer so Popular?
With the recent release of the Infinity Train movie, Demon Slayer has become one of the most anticipated anime series of all time. A few days after episode 19, I saw demon slayer trending on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. I knew that would happen. But when I saw Demon Slayer trending on American news site, I knew it was a Shonen monster.
1. The Storyline was almost flawless
When it comes to being wholesome, Tanjiro receives full points. Taking care of his family alone without a father isn’t something that anyone can do. It requires strength, will, and the ability to never give up.
The story contains tremendous love for family, Tanjiro is striving to make his and his family’s lives better. Even after his family is killed and Nezuko becomes a Demon, this bad boy never loses hope. He would continue to search the entire world for her cure.
2. Demon Slayer is Realistic
You just can’t watch Demon Slayer and not get emotional. The Anime is full of human emotions, and it portrays human society with its entire range of good too bad. How everything is motivated through need. Unlike other Anime where characters would eat a senzu bean and heal immediately, Demon Slayer is truer to life. It does not skip healing and downtime.
Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu spend a hefty time recovering. Then again, the attention to pacing and detail was excellent.
3. Tanjiro’s Kindness
What makes Tanjiro’s character stand out from other Anime characters is his wide range of emotions. One constant in shonen mains is A can do attitude and never give up spirit. Sure, you can expect the same from any other protagonist, However, Tanjiro is just too pure. His empathy is something that can bring demons peace. Even after near-death beat downs, Tanjiro still shows kindness to his enemies.
Even though it was a demon who killed Tanjiro’s family, he didn’t lose hope. It’s all empathy with Tanjiro. at the end of some battles when demons fall and blades are coated in blood. Tanjiro is still willing to give a kind word or a helpful hand.
Is Demon Slayer Worth It – What Makes it Worth The Hype?
I’ll just be honest here. Even though it was supposed to be one of the most anticipated Anime of 2019, it didn’t live up to its hype. However, after the release of the 19th episode, things took an interesting turn. The animation, story, action, and most of all, the characters were all put into overdrive. Before that moment, it was just considered good, but not excellent.
The Animation
Primarily, the first thing any viewer is going to notice is Demon Slayer’s animation. Similar to the Fate series, this animation just hits different. As soon as I heard that Ufotable was going to work on the animation side, I was instantly interested in watching the show.
They didn’t disappoint. We know that CGI was used, and it isn’t perfect. However, some fights are iconic and you shouldn’t miss out on them just because of the CGI. The discussion about its animation is a separate topic and could have its own blog post. Each episode is theater-level good.
The plot
Let’s just spit facts. The quality of the plot never ceases to amaze. There are times when we get to see emotional scenes full of fear and agony that leave us feeling anxious. I love how a lot of the focus isn’t just on our heroes, but the demons as well. In the final selection arc, Tanjiro faces off against the hand demon. A demon that had killed scores of Demon Slayer candidates. you really hate this evil demon bent on torturing Tanjiro’s mentor Urokodaki and his students.
After the Hand demons story was told, I felt myself feel sympathy for him and his circumstances. This is one of Demon Slayers’ key storytelling techniques that differentiate it from the rest. What makes the storyline even more different is that there is not a training arc. One episode summed everything up, and that’ pretty much it.
In the simplest words, Demon Slayer takes the pros of the most popular series and puts better storytelling into them. That seems like the most appropriate explanation here. Talking about Muzan, who’s the villain and controlled all the evil deeds of his demon cohorts from the shadows. There are other enemies to enjoy and love, talk about depth. This show is jam-packed with twisted and emotionally broken enemies.
What Makes it So Unique?
The 19th Episode
First thing’s first, even though it received attention at first, Demon Slayer changed the entire attitude by releasing the 19th episode. During Tanjiro’s fight with Rui, the clean animation and smooth action became every otaku’s wet dream. This was the introduction of Tanjiro’s father and the Dance of the fire god that helped Tanjiro kinda defeat Rui. the fight was amazing, but one of my favorite parts of this episode was the moments young Tanjiro spent with his father.
The colors used and the art style has played one of the most important roles in shaping up its hype. We just saw Tanjiro slaying some evil demons, and then Rui? One of the strongest demons? The character development that Tanjiro received from this fight awakened his family’s secret breathing technique.
Tanjiro’s Character Development
To see someone as fragile as Tanjiro becoming a Demon Slayer was rather surprising. Initially, Tanjiro was extremely weak. I honestly did not see how his kind demeanor and lack of fighting skills would make for an interesting Shonen. most mains normally start out with an extra level of strength, ability, or intelligence.
No matter how many losses he takes, Tanjiro never loses hope. He has Naruto levels of perseverance, never giving up, those are the reasons we root for him. None of the characters in the Demon Slayer have the development that Tanjiro gets, but this is just the first season. I’m sure we will get more development of key characters as the show progresses.
Reasons To Watch Demon Slayer
After the first season, we got a lot of time to settle down. That remarkably good action blew everyone’s minds. And ever since they released the Anime, Demon slayer is only getting hype for the future seasons to come. So let’s talk about the reasons to watch Demon Slayer in the future. Should you?
Variety of Characters
The main and supporting characters are engaging and unique. Luckily, Demon Slayer has one of the most intriguing and energetic casts we’ve ever seen. I think that character development is impressive, but there are some characters that fall by the roadside and get little to no development.
Character Design
Another noticeable thing is the art and animation. Each character was crafted with unique art and outstanding personality. The vivid animation and crispy art continue to impress.
Antagonists and Their Demeanors
Without a cool thinking antagonist, the series would never hit the mark. For Demon Slayer, we can see that the villains are brutal, but they have their reasons that some may sympathize with. These are not your standard evil for no reason villains. Tanjiro has stated that he will slay demons that plague society, but he also remembers these demons were once human.
The Power of Relationship
One of the most important lessons we’ve learned from Demon Slayer is the importance of family and friends. The relationship between Nezuko and Tanjiro is beautiful. Even though Nezuko is practically a demon, she is fighting that curse with everything she has. They both brought me to tears with their interactions. To be honest with you, I was more interested in Nezuko during certain parts of the first season than her protagonist brother. And I never felt like she was a throwaway part of the series, like other female characters in this genre.
Someone who I believe to be extremely underrated and really stole a good part of the show was Sakonji Urokodaki, Tanjiro’s master and mentor. He was the previous Water Hashira and despite only appearing in a few episodes, his impact on the show and Tanjiro was massive. He debuted in the second episode and was the guiding star for Tanjiro throughout the first season. It is apparent Tanjiro and Nezuko would not have made it without Urokodaki.
We also can’t forget about Tanjiro’s two other companions, Inosuke and Zenetsu. in the first season. The time they travel together is actually pretty short. But these two quickly become incredibly close. Almost dying will do that to you. Each character is extremely flawed, but throughout their struggle, they form bonds that force them all to change. I was not a fan of Zenetsu when Tanjiro first came across him on the side of the road. But by the Time he faced brother spider on Matagumo mountain. I was cheering for him and didn’t want to see his defeat. These characters and others are the reason Tanjiro can do what he does. It’s because of them he does what others deem impossible.
Story Building
The story starts out slow, but we do constantly see improvements throughout the series. It does not take episodes off, and I really like that. It shows everything for a reason. When the show was airing week to week, I constantly remember thinking there was a cliff hanger every time. It kinda pissed me off by leaving me on the edge of my seat for next week’s episode. The pacing may have started out slow, but was bloody brilliant in its execution.
Fighting Scenes
If you’re a fan of action series, Demon Slayer might just be the cup of your tea. The fighting scenes are so insane. They were actually physically choreographed. There, I said it, that was the secret to getting great and realistic movements in the animation. This is next-level stuff, and I believe more studios will do this because of the reception and popularity that Demon Slayer received.
Even though sometimes CGI can ruin the entire experience, Demon Slayer’s fight scenes are exceptional. Every move involves actual telegraphed movements. An excellent example of a Demon Slayer fight is Tanjiro vs Rui. My favorite overall fight is Tanjiro vs Kyogai, the drum demon formerly lower rank 6. the constant room shifting and adjusting during a sword fight was something I have never seen before in all my years of anime watchery.
Demon Slayer – The Final Verdict
All in all, Demon Slayer is excellent. From the storyline to the characters, things will only get better in the future. For those of you guys who were on the fence about starting the Shonen, you won’t be disappointed. You will probably like it, if not love it, but I guarantee you’ll want some more of it.
If you are interested in looking at this epic Shonen, here’s a link to give it a shot on Crunchyroll. they always offer a two-week trial.
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