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Based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga of the same name, Demon Slayer is currently one of the biggest and most beloved shōnen action anime in the entire world. Since 2019, Ufotable has been leaving an enormous mark on the entire industry with its excellent adaptation, and it has shown no signs of stopping in the near future.
Needless to say, Demon Slayer was able to become so popular (and maintain that level of popularity) because it does many things better than most of the other mainstream anime series currently on the market, and the ing examples perfectly explain what makes this series so special.
1 Simplicity
One Of Its Main Flaws Is Also One Of Its Biggest Strengths
In the discourse among fans of the shōnen action genre, Demon Slayer is often criticized for the simplicity of its story and characters, especially when it’s compared to other, more ambitious series, like One Piece, Naruto, or My Hero Academia. In reality, however, this is one of its biggest strengths and one of the main reasons it was able to become so popular around the world.
As important and enjoyable as longer and bigger series like One Piece or Naruto are, not every single shōnen anime needs to be so massive. Sometimes people want to watch a simple but well-made action series with a lot of heart, and that’s exactly where Demon Slayer stands out. This is an easy-to-digest story about the ongoing battle between humans and demons, with a focus on a young warrior who just wants to turn his demonic sister back into a human, and it really doesn’t need to be much more than that.
2 It’s Accessible To Non-Anime Fans
This Is One Of The Best Gateway Anime Out There
Unfortunately, most popular anime series are not very accessible to non-anime viewers, whether it’s because they’re extremely long or because they feature many common clichés and tropes that someone who is not knowledgeable about the industry may find unappealing. On the other hand, however, Demon Slayer’s simplicity and easy-to-digest nature make it the perfect gateway show for people who are just getting into the wonderful world of anime.
The story is easy to , the main premise and the power system are easy to understand, the action sequences are amazing, and it features no fan service or questionable content that may shock some viewers due to cultural differences. While the entire story of Demon Slayer takes place in Japan’s Taisho period, it’s not necessary to know much about it to appreciate its story and setting. If anything, this show serves as a fascinating lesson on that period in Japanese history, instead of feeling like it alienates part of its audience.
3 Has One Of The Kindest Shōnen Protagonists
Tanjiro Kamado Has A True Heart Of Gold
It’s very common for action anime – especially those that belong to the shōnen demographic – to feature all sorts of protagonists: some are dumb, lighthearted, and reckless (like Monkey D. Luffy or Naruto) while others are more cold and serious (like Sung Jinwoo or Eren Yeager). These character archetypes work perfectly for their respective stories, and it can’t be denied that these are all very iconic and well-written protagonists, but not many action anime go out of their way to feature kind and soft-spoken main characters.
Demon Slayer is one of two notorious exceptions (alongside My Hero Academia), thanks to its main character, Tanjiro Kamado. He’s a very kind young boy with a heart of gold who always cares about his friends, family, and allies, especially his younger sister, Nezuko. This aspect of his personality is one of his biggest strengths as a person, since it allows him to sympathize with almost everybody he encounters, regardless of whether they’re humans or demons. But, despite his innate kindness, Tanjiro is still a strong and capable warrior who won’t hesitate to fight and kill others to protect his loved ones.
4 A Healthy Brother-Sister Relationship
There’s Nothing Weird About Tanjiro And Nezuko’s Close Bond
The topic of brother-sister relationships in anime can be quite controversial, to say the least, as it’s not uncommon for popular series to feature toxic and/or questionable interactions between two blood-related characters who have grown up together. Because of this, many people may initially feel alarmed when they find out that Demon Slayer’s story is mostly centered on a brother-sister duo.
Fortunately, however, this is not a problem because the relationship between Tanjiro and Nezuko is not weird at all, since it’s written in a way that feels both realistic and adorable. Tanjiro cares a lot about his younger sister (and the feeling is mutual), but he never acts jealous or toxic around her, not even when Zenitsu is trying to gain her affection. This brother and his sister have one of the best character dynamics in Demon Slayer, not to mention that their healthy relationship feels like a breath of fresh air when compared to other shows.
5 Incredible Fight Scenes
It Has Some Of The Best Animated Action Sequences Ever Made
There are many things about Demon Slayer that can be criticized, but nobody can deny that it has some of the most incredible fight scenes that anyone can easily enjoy on their small screens. Every single season of this show has featured high-quality action sequences that have left viewers around the world mesmerized, like the encounter between Tanjiro and Rui, the one-on-one clash between Rengoku and Akaza, or the all-out battle between the Demon Slayers against Gyutaro and Daki in the Entertainment District.
For over six years, the talented artists and animators at Ufotable have been able to create some of the most legendary fight scenes in the entire anime industry, thanks to their impressive attention to detail, impeccable choreography, breathtaking cinematography, brilliant use of color and special effects and atmospheric background music, and most other shows can’t even compare to the quality Demon Slayer‘s animated battles.
6 It Popularized Anime Movies
The Worldwide Success Of Mugen Train Changed The Industry Forever
The concept of movies based on popular action anime has existed for many decades, with iconic franchises like Dragon Ball, Naruto, or One Piece frequently releasing theatrical feature films regularly. However, these movies were entirely non-canonical and had no effect on the main story, meaning that most people chose to skip them, not to mention that many of them were never released outside of Japan. But, in 2020, Ufotable did something completely unprecedented: it adapted one of the canonical story arcs from the Demon Slayer manga into a feature film that was played in theaters around the world.
The fact that Demon Slayer: Mugen Train was mandatory viewing for all anime watchers, combined with its amazing movie-quality animation, led to this movie becoming a major critical and commercial success, not to mention that it also single-handedly reinvigorated the Japanese movie theater industry during the pandemic. The global success of Mugen Train not only inspired Ufotable to keep making films based on this franchise (like the upcoming Infinity Castle trilogy) but it also encouraged other studios to do similar cinematic projects, like Jujutsu Kaisen 0 or Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.
7 It Doesn’t Have A Single Bad Opening Sequence
Every Single One Of Its Openings Is Deeply Beloved By Anime Fans
Every seasoned anime fan knows how important an opening sequence is, not only to build a show’s identity but also as a marketing ploy to attract an even bigger audience. While most popular action shōnen series do have their fair share of incredible openings, most of them inevitably end up with a few lackluster ones, especially those that have been on the air for multiple years.
Demon Slayer is a notorious exception, however, because every single one of its openings has been amazing, both in terms of visuals and music. Back in 2019, Gurenge by LiSA (the series’ very first opening song) became a worldwide success that most anime fans couldn’t get out of their brains. And every single opening ever since, like Zankyou Sanka by Aimer and Kizuna no Kiseki by MAN WITH A MISSION and Milet, has been a major success as well, since they are extremely catchy and perfectly reflect the themes and characters of this legendary story.
8 Surpassed Its Source Material
Not Many Shows Are Better Than The Original Manga They’re Based On
Most popular action anime series that are based on a manga are very rarely able to surpass their source material: no matter how great an anime may be, it takes a lot of effort for fans to consider it a superior product. This makes a lot of sense since, after all, these stories were created with that medium in mind, and a lot of things may be lost in the adaptation.
Needless to say, Koyoharu Gotouge’s original manga is amazing, with beautiful art, excellent writing, and breathtaking action, but most fans consider Ufotable’s animated adaptation to be the quintessential Demon Slayer experience. This is mainly because the use of high-quality music, animation, and voice acting elevates the entire product, not to mention that the Breathing Styles (its main power system) are just way more fun and way easier to in motion.
