Summary
- Demon Slayer’s success is not solely due to animation but also its simple narrative and well-developed characters.
- Tanjiro’s kindness and character growth, along with the interactions between side characters, add depth to the series.
- While animation plays a significant role, Demon Slayer’s emotional story and action sequences contribute to its popularity.
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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba has become massively popular in the anime community. Produced and animated by a reputable studio, Ufotable, Demon Slayer is full of stunning visuals with an incredible amount of detail included in each of its frames. There is no doubt that the studio has put some really hard work into animating this series.
The stellar action sequences and unique character designs are what sets Demon Slayer apart from others. But just like with other shonen anime, one can’t help but think if there is one specific aspect that is responsible for the show’s success. In Demon Slayer’s case, many fans claim that the only thing that carries the series is its animation.
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Is Animation The Only Good Thing About Demon Slayer?
Beyond The Visuals
There are very few shonen anime that have everything perfect. Whether it’s a compelling storyline, crisp animation, or unforgettable characters, it’s hard for a single anime to master all of these aspects. This is why, when Demon Slayer got so successful, fans couldn’t help but wonder what made it so different.
Among many opinions, the most popular one is that the vibrant and unique animation sets it apart. Some people argue that besides its animation, Demon Slayer lacks substance. However, if that were true, anime with stunning visuals like Myriad Colors Phantom World, Guilty Crown, and Charlotte would have been far more popular.
So animation alone is not enough for an anime to be successful. As for Demon Slayer, people who think that it is carried by animation often overlook some of its other greatest aspects that make it so different as compared to other shonen anime.
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A Simple Narrative Executed Well
Demon Slayer follows the story of a young boy, Tanjiro Kamado, in the Taisho Era of Japan, where demons have become a big problem for humankind. Unfortunately, his family falls victim to cruel demons and meets their untimely end. The only survivors of this tragedy are Tanjiro and his younger sister Nezuko Kamado, who has now turned into a demon herself.
In order to cure his younger sister and take revenge on the ruthless demon who killed his family, Tanjiro Kamado becomes a part of the Demon Slayer corps where he comes across other skilled swordsmen and fights a lot of terrifying demons.
Many shonen anime often feature a protagonist who goes through something tragic and then becomes determined to become stronger and more powerful. What makes Demon Slayer different is that it keeps things fairly simple, which in turn makes it way more interesting. There is no complicated power system or strategies that you have to rewatch twice in order to truly understand. For instance, comparing it to anime like Attack on Titan, whose narrative is fairly complex and layered in a way that one needs to analyze the episodes with great attention to truly understand it, Demon Slayer is fairly easy to watch.
I’ll keep going, no matter how hard it gets, because I will never give up – Tanjiro Kamado
While complex anime like Attack on Titan or even Hunter X Hunter are great, simple anime like Demon Slayer that are quite straightforward with their story progression often appeal to a larger group of audience.
Characters In Demon Slayer
While it’s true to some extent that Demon Slayer can occasionally feel repetitive, the series still offers something truly special. Many also feel that the main character, Tanjiro, might also come off as a bit boring at times, as all he really does is go battle with demons and then feel bad about them later.
However, Tanjiro does stand out from many protagonists as the trauma he went through didn’t make him cold and nonchalant as you see with many anime. Instead, he chose to stay kind and gentle, always trying to look at the brighter side of things which makes him pretty inspiring.
In order to soothe the spirits of those the demon killed, and to make sure it claims no further victims, I will swing my blade down and lop off the head of any Demon without mercy! But I will not belittle those who regret their actions, and suffer over the things they did as Demons. Because Demons were once human. Because they were like me – Tanjiro Kamado
On the other hand, we have side characters including Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and the Hashiras. The interactions that include Zenitsu and Inosuke are often extremely hilarious and fun to watch, which keeps things lighthearted. Our main characters go through some major character development throughout the series, which is definitely something not every show can pull off.
We also have some pretty interesting side characters like Hashiras with some of the best character designs in the series. Each of these has interesting personalities and the anime does a fantastic job of capturing their uniqueness through various interactions. We do get a brief backstory of each of them as well, which makes the anime feel more immersive.
Even the villains in this anime are incredibly detailed. The way Demon Slayer uses their backstories to humanize them is something you just want to see in modern Shonen anime. Supporting characters add more flavor to the series, which kind of makes up for the main characters being bland at times.
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Carried By Animation?
It is true that without its animation, the Demon Slayer might not be as popular as it is today. Ufotable did a spectacular job of animating the series by using a blend of both the traditional hand-drawn animation with modern CGI. The battle sequences in the series are truly spectacular with the way breathing styles are animated.
Also, it remains consistent throughout with its animation, which makes every scene worth watching. But besides its animation, it also thrives on its emotional story, relatable characters, and well-written action sequences. It definitely deserves the title of being one of the best modern-day shonen anime.
On top of that, because Demon Slayer is comparatively shorter than other popular shonen, it is a great recommendation to people who are new to anime. If the anime manages to maintain its quality it will definitely win more hearts.