I recently watched Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the movie: Mugen Train. It was the first movie I’ve seen in theaters since before the pandemic. After waiting months for the film to release in the U.S after initially only showing in Japan, my expectations were very high. Since premiering on April 6, 2019, the anime television series Demon Slayer has taken the anime world by storm, quickly becoming one of the most popular anime to come out in recent years. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the movie: Mugen Train has garnered similar success and has already broken multiple records, most notably becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time in Japan. The film picks up at the end of season one and it was definitely worth the wait; this was one of the best anime films that I have seen from any new-generation anime. With the announcement of the highly-anticipated season two arriving sometime in 2021, I thoroughly believe that Demon Slayer has the potential to become one of the most successful shounen animes ever, following in the footsteps of previous juggernauts like Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, and One Piece.

Even though Demon Slayer may not be the most groundbreaking anime, the fact that it wears its influences on its sleeves without coming off as derivative or boring is very impressive. There are many similarities that can be identified in the plot, character traits, themes, and animation style from animes like Naruto, Bleach, and Inuyasha. However, the story/characters are still unique and exciting enough to be extremely entertaining on their own. I would even argue that the apparent influences Demon Slayer displays actually enhance the viewing experience, adding a nostalgic quality to the anime while simultaneously telling a new story. This also expands shounen as a genre while continuing to keep its signature style alive. From the awesome Samurai sword-fighting, magical abilities, and feel-good messages, to the cast of lovable characters like Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke, and Zenitsu; Demon Slayer reminds me of all of the reasons I fell in love with anime in the first place. The show also promotes themes of family, selflessness, determination, and faith that many of the best shounen anime have done over the years. Watching Tanjiro’s journey from humble farm boy to a badass demon-killing samurai warrior, as he attempts to turn his sister Nezuko back into a human after she has been transformed into a demon, has been nothing short of enthralling.  

Another reason that I think Demon Slayer has the potential to surpass its predecessors is the fact that the creators have access to production and other resources that older animes did not. Both the Demon Slayer film and series contain a beautiful combination of modern-CGI and classic Japanese animation, both of which provide a fresh new take on the genre. The way Ufotable (the anime studio) uses a traditional Japanese art style to represent the elemental attacks is remarkable. The contrast of dark background and bright colors really makes the anime pop and is also extremely visually pleasing. Newer anime productions like Demon Slayer often benefit from a larger budget as well. This has allowed the series to expand on the tropes it utilizes through its fantastic production, and as a result, makes it more appealing to larger audiences. Demon Slayer is a feast for the eyes in terms of animation and is truly phenomenal, at times containing some of the best animation I have seen from any anime.

While there are certainly other notable animes to release in recent years, such as Black Clover, My Hero Academia, and Dr. Stone, the fact that Demon Slayer has been able to attract such widespread critical acclaim and notoriety in such a short amount of time leads me to believe it has a great chance to become the next big name in mainstream anime. Its unique animation style, nostalgic anime tropes, and interesting characters/plot have all contributed to the franchise’s immense success. In the process, the show has broken national and international records of various kinds, and most importantly, created a quality anime series that can be loved by all generations of anime fans. Watching Demon Slayer makes me feel like the little kid I used to be, sitting in my living room, watching Dragon Ball Z and Naruto for the first time. But it also gives the genre an exciting new spin and continues to raise the bar in terms of quality for new animes. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the movie: Mugen Train is fully deserving of all the success it has received and was well worth the wait. Now I am even more excited to see where Tanjro and co. head to next on their fantastical demon-slaying adventures!

Written by: Bryan Herrera | Instagram
Art by: Serik Bybee | Instagram