Tanjiro Kamado is a kind-hearted and intelligent boy who lives with his family in the mountains. He has become his family’s sole source of income after the passing of his father, making trips to the nearby village to sell charcoal. But everything changes when he comes home one day to discover that his family has been attacked and slaughtered by a demon. Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko are the sole survivors of the incident, with Nezuko being transformed into a demon, but still surprisingly showing signs of human emotion and thought. After an encounter with Giyū Tomioka, a demon slayer, Tanjiro is recruited by Giyū to become a demon slayer and begins his quest to help his sister turn human again and avenge the deaths of the rest of his family.
Personal Opinion/ Review of the Manga:
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba bade farewell to its fans on May 17th, 2020. As one of the highest-grossing mangas of the new generation created by Koyoharu Gotouge, Demon Slayer sure is worth a read.
Here’s what we think of the manga:
The Art Style:
The art style of Demon Slayer manga is a unique one and captures the setting of the Taishou-era perfectly. The manga depicts the detailed teeth-gritting fights as well as comic reliefs.
Characters:
Humans:
The leading trio consists of Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira. Along with these slayers, there are other slayers, such as Kanao Tsuyuri and Genya Shinazugawa.
The Hashiras are the elites among the demon slayers. Kyojuro Rengoku (Flame Hashira), Giyū Tomioka (Water Hashira), Shinobu Kocho (Insect Hashira), and many others form a strong force.
The Ubuyashiki Family members serve as mentors to the Hashiras and the demon slayers.
Demons:
Muzan Kibutsuji, the antagonist of the series, is also the most powerful demon. His forces contain six upper rank and six lower rank demons with unique powers. Every demon has been given a story of its own.
Aside from these evil demons, there are demons like Lady Tamayo and her assistant Yushiro. Not only are these two kind-hearted but also medical professionals help the slayers defeat Muzan.
On a side note, classifying Nezuko Kamado is challenging work. Nezuko completes a journey of transitions from a human to a demon and a human again.
Why should you read the Demon Slayer manga?
The idea of taking natural elements (such as fire, water, air, etc.) and turning them into powers for characters is a pretty common thing in the world of manga and anime. However, Demon Slayer hits different from others of such themes. Instead of making ordinary powers or attacks from the elements, Demon Slayer made ‘Breathing Techniques’ out of them. These techniques help demon slayers master the Nichirin Sword they are carrying and improving their overall physical state.
The creation of demons is a more exciting aspect of the manga. Muzan Kibutsuji, the progenitor of all the Demons, became a demon out of an illness. Before finishing the treatment, Muzan killed the doctor working on him. To complete his treatment and get rid of his only weakness, i.e., sunlight, Muzan begins to search for ‘Blue Spider Lily.’ To get a hand in his search, he created the Twelve Kizuki by exposing them to his blood. Thus, the manga implements that the creation of the demons is not a mysterious event but a biological process. Lady Tamayo, with her research of over two-hundred years, was able to discover a medicine to revert demons into humans.
The Final Battle Arc, consisting of two sub-arcs, gives some of the best fights with many actions and wits. The story could have been driven even more with Tanjiro becoming a demon, as he was acutely close to becoming one. However, Tanjiro gained control over his body from Muzan and prevented the case. Gotōge-Sensei decided to end there, Muzan’s existence erased and survivors of the battle mourning the fallen. On the other hand, we did receive a proper epilogue set in the modern-day Tokyo with descendants of the demon slayers.
In short, reading Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba will give you a fantastic ride with laughter, tears, and satisfaction.
