In 2016, Japanese manga artist/writer, Koyoharu Gotouge published a manga series for Weekly Shōnen Jump titled, “Demon Slayer.” The Premise centers on a guy named, Tanjiro Kamado. One day, he returns home, discovers his family’s slain by a demon. His sister, Nezuko is the only survivor. Bitten by the demon, she becomes one. Tanjiro encounters a hunter named, Giyu. Thanks to Tanjiro’s bravery, he contacts his mentor, Sakonji to train Tanjiro as a Demon Slayer. The equivalent of a samurai. After harsh training, he seeks a cure for Nezuko and vows to hunt down a powerful demon. During his journey he meets fellow hunters who help him battle the Twelve Kizuki led by Muzan.
The anime first aired in 2019 (same year The Boys streamed on Amazon Prime) on Cartoon Network’s block, Adult Swim. It received praise from critics and viewers alike. Due to budgetary concerns, Adult Swim couldn’t air further seasons. So, all of them are transferred to streaming services Crunchyroll, Netflix & Hulu. Demon Slayer also spawned merchandise, action figures, t-shirts, collectibles and a movie titled, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.” As an anime enthusiast, I thought about giving this one a shot. See why a few critics including Angry Joe & Chris Stuckmann like Demon Slayer. I’m taking a break from “My Hero Academia” before its seventh season and fourth movie will come out in 2024.
This review contains no huge SPOILERS. I’m giving newcomers a chance to see Season 1.
Victory & Defeat Aspects
Victory: Voice Actors all did an excellent job for their respective performances.
Animation looks gorgeous as it brings a few elements to life including character models, fluid movement, lighting and environmental locations to life.
Action Sequences contain swordplay, gore and fatalities. If you have a weak stomach, be prepared. I’m giving the Breathing Form techniques, Bonus Points for displaying beautiful yet deadly attacks with an elemental vibe. This makes “Avatar: The Last Airbender” look like the Little League World Series.
Death Scenes are unapologetic for the squeamish. There are two ways to kill a demon. Cut the head off with a sword or wait until sunlight like a vampire’s weakness. In the words of Chris Tucker in “Rush Hour.” “Wipe yourself off!” “You dead!”
Character Development involving Tanjiro. As the first season progresses, he undergoes intense training acquiring abilities and sword fighting techniques. They really come in handy.
Pacing for each episode didn’t take forever. I was invested in world building slowly taking its time.
Inosuke Hashibira’s my favorite character. He’s funny and wears a boar mask. I prefer him over the orange dude, Zenitsu Agatsuma.
The show takes place during the Taishō era around 1912-1926.
Various demons are unique like the Spider Family. Every single one isn’t a generic monster of the week in a “Power Rangers” episode. Some of them have backstories. They’re tough like an “Elden Ring” boss. Once you get to know the demon, you’ll feel sorry for him or her.
Best way to describe Demon Slayer is a cross between “The Witcher” & “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
Muzan’s pale appearance and outfit kinda reminds me of Michael Jackson’s look from the music video, “Smooth Criminal.”
Defeat: Zenitsu (guy in orange) is so annoying. All he does is cry and flees in battle. Doesn’t excuse the fact whenever he falls asleep, his other personality defeats a bad guy. Zenitsu is not on the same level of comic relief like Mineta from “My Hero Academia.”
It’s sometimes hard to remember specific a character’s name.
The Final Verdict: A-
Demon Slayer’s first season marks the beginning of an anime series. I was gonna give it a B, but it deserves an A- for keeping me fully invested. If you have access to Crunchyroll, Hulu or Netflix, give Season 1 a try. Definitely worth binge-watching 26 episodes. If you finished Season 1, watch Mugen Train and then start Season 2.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 