Demon Slayer Season 1 Review: Fighting Demon Michael Jackson

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As you can see by the rating, this is probably one of my favourite shows I have ever watched. Besides a slower beginning to get accustomed to the characters, the rest of the show was beautiful and captivating. There were some great themes, clashes of ideals, and stunning animation. I especially loved the small differences between all the breathing styles and fighting techniques.

What Happens in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba?

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba follows the story of Kamado Tanjiro. After returning home late after selling charcoal, he discovers his whole family has been murdered by demons. The only surviving member of his family is his sister Nezuko, however, she was into a demon. After preventing the Demon Slayer known as Tamioka Giyu from killing her sister, and witnessing Nezuko protecting Tanjiro, the two are sent to Urokodaki Sakonji and Tanjiro begins his training as a new Demon Slayer with hopes of finding his sister a cure to become human once more.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Review

Now, it’s time to get to the specifics. And boy, there is a lot to unpack.

First thing’s first, the animation. And boy is the animation great. It flows smoothly and you can really feel the impact of each motion. The drawings are on another level once the Breathing Techniques are added. The flowing water, the sparks of lightning, everything feels unique and pleasing to the eye. Another benefit of multiple techniques and the differences between demons was that each fight was unique. No two fights are the same, so the strategies used in each were different. It was also a good way to see Tanjiro’s progress as a Demon Slayer.

Besides the animation, the cast of the show bring it together. Each one has their personalities and development. At first, Zenitsu was not my favourite, but after seeing him in action, he became another favourite. I always enjoyed seeing the speed in any fight, so Zenitsu’s style was something that really caught my eye.

His development while fighting the spider demon gave me chills. There were plenty of scenes like that, which I will get to later. Another character I wasn’t so sure about was Inosuke. At first, I thought he was just reckless and brainless, but after seeing him become more human, so to speak, he became tolerable, and I enjoyed his dynamic with the group.

I also love how all the themes are reinforced in each episode and ideals are pitted against one another. I think this clash culminates in Episode 19, the climax of the show. It was interesting seeing how Rui’s ideals contradict Tanjiro. In anime, it’s common for the power of love or friendship to trump all. But in this show, the power scaling is accurate.

I guess this is a perfect point to talk about Episode 19. And boy oh boy, did Episode 19 give me chills. First off, the slash of ideals brings the tension up. Tanjiro and Nezuko show a real sibling bond while Rui uses fear to control others. After this, the fight choreography was amazing. Tanjiro using spinning to generate more force in his swings makes sense to cut the stronger strings.

We also get to see the tenth form of Water Breathing as well as Nezuko’s Blood Demon Art for the first time. Then the music timing together with the Hinokami Kagura. I don’t know any other work to describe it other than hype. It sent chills down my spine. Then the conclusion of slicing off Rui’s head. Perfection. The animation was through the roof and flawless.

I think the best part of Episode 19 was what happened at the beginning of Episode 20, when it turns out Rui wasn’t actually dead. This leads into another great thing of this show: the power scaling. Tanjiro isn’t some overpowered character. He’s a kid, and his power compared to a Hashira just makes sense.

Anyways, to wrap this all up. I love this show. From the animation, to the characters, to the themes, to all the combat. Everything about this show is beautiful and well thought out. 100% recommend to anyone watch, however, watch out for the blood. Following season 1, we jump into Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, before getting into season 2.