We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Demon Slayer, also known as Kimetsu no Yaiba, is one of the most popular anime series in recent years and it has developed a very strong following all over the world. This shows popularity is one of the reasons why I’ve decided to present my Demons Slayer Review.
Demon Slayer is quite simple to understand: it is a series with a lot of interesting characters, clear worldbuilding, and a very straightforward storyline that grows and grows as each episode progresses, thus giving viewers the sense that the stakes are only getting higher. Great stuff!
But despite all this, I wasn’t very keen on watching the series at first. It didn’t seem like something I would be interested in, but it has proven to be quite a pleasant surprise, which is why I decided to review the series as I progress watching it. Just to try something different.
The first season sets up a lot of the main plot threads of Demon Slayer, who the main characters are, and what the actual focus of the story is, giving us a very good delivery and also setting up a lot of potential storylines in the coming seasons. Want to know more? Keeping read.
What is Demon Slayer?
The story takes place in the Taishō-era of Japan, which is set between the mid-1910s and early 1920s, and we are introduced to the main character, a young man named Tanjiro Kamado, who is now in charge of taking care of his mother and siblings after his father’s passing. But one day, when he was selling charcoal to a nearby village, he comes back to his house only to discover that his family was murdered and one of his sisters, Nezuko, has been turned into a demon.
Tanjiro is saved by a mysterious and powerful warrior called Giyū Tomioka, who uses his abilities to calm Nezuko’s demon side and gives Tenjiro the chance to become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, a group of people dedicated to waging war against these evil creatures for centuries.
Our hero is sent to Tomioka’s former master, an old man called Sakonji Urokodaki, and is trained for two years to become a Demon Slayer, which includes a final test by the Corps. In the process and after passing the test, Tanjiro travels across Japan with his sister, who is now helping him to protect people, and he makes friends along the way that are going to help him in his mission to turn Nezuko into a human again and avenge his family.
How Was It?
If there is one element that I find very enjoyable about Demon Slayer is the fact that it has clear storytelling. Every episode and/or arc is done in a very clear manner, highlighting what needs to be highlighted and moving forward without wasting too much on unnecessary scenes, comedic reliefs, or fighting scenes–everything is there to serve a purpose and that is a sign of good storytelling.
Interesting Characters & Emotional Scenes
But the main thing that always makes a story work is the characters and how they evolve throughout the series. When it comes to Demon Slayer, whether it’s Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke or Zenitsu, and any other character, the reality is that every character has a very marked personality and that allows for a lot of interesting interactions and dialogue because they contrast so well–it is very difficult to give each character their own voice and this franchise does it so in a great manner.
Most people would point out the emotional scenes and the battles (and trust me, we’ll get to that), but I want to put emphasis on the humor. Now, I’m not the biggest humor guy in the world when it comes to stories, but this series definitely has a very unique tone to it and always manages to get a laugh out of me. For example, the Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu training scenes with Shinobu and her girls near the end of the season are a great sample of how to make you laugh and have a good time. Or when Shinobu tells Giyu Tomioka that nobody likes him and he, ever the stoic character, actually reacts in a funny matter. Those little moments of comic relief really sell you the characters’ humanity.
If we focus on their humanity, this is a very emotionally-charged story. Despite its bright animation and drawing style, the series has no qualms about killing and showing some dark moments, which makes the emotional moments even more poignant. Whether it’s Tanjiro killing a demon and discovering who they were as humans or Nezuko fighting her demon urges because she views every human as their deceased family are very compelling moments that really hammer home the fact that this is a very good series that focuses on the characters.
Action Scenes & Story
Of course, this being an anime series, you have to do great action scenes and they certainly don’t disappoint. They do a great job in introducing how their abilities work, and how their techniques can be executed and then we are given a lot of great battles, with the caveat that they get better and better as the season progresses, pretty much in line with what how these young men become more seasoned as Demon Slayers.
But the main thing about the story is the strong family message that it sends and that is of course centered around the characters of Tanjiro and Nezuko, their sibling’s relationship, and the tragedy they had to overcome. That is the core of the series and it is very compelling as they go through a lot of ordeals, but they stick together through thick and thin.
What About The Animation?
The animation is certainly a very strong element in this franchise and it stays very consistent throughout the entire season. The drawing style is very unique, the colors are bright and everything flows in great fashion, especially when it comes to the fighting scenes because that’s when you can tell that they really put a lot of money into that.
I can’t pretend that I am an animation expert, but I would say that Demon Slayer is a very aesthetically-pleasing series and one that is quite appealing from the visual perspective–I would argue that it gets better as the episodes progress.
Conclusion
Overall, the first season of Demon Slayer was very good in terms of establishing the plot, the worldbuilding, and who the characters are, especially highlighting what makes them different and the way they contrast in a lot of things. The episodes are dynamic, the dialogue is strong and the plot keeps moving forward in a very clear manner without unnecessary meandering.
Definitely looking forward to what comes next ☺
Thank you for reading Kevin’s review of the first season of Demon Slayer. Have you watched Demon Slayer? Share your thoughts on the series below in our comments section.
Now that you’ve read our Demon Slayer review, check out why this anime is part of the big 3 in shounen anime.
I really love this anime!