How an anime slays the charts to become a franchise that transcends mediums

The once fledgling manga, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” has taken the media industry by storm through a continuous release strategy of top-tier content. Over the span of five years, “Demon Slayer” has been converted into two seasons of anime, a film, and an upcoming video game.

Some anime take several years to churn out new content, focusing solely on the quality of their releases. Other anime place the focus on quantity, releasing episodes frequently to keep fans engaged.

“Demon Slayer” has been able to perfectly balance both quality and quantity to become a vehicle for mainstream commercial success.

The story follows Tanjiro Kamado, a lovable and charming teen turned adept fighter and protector of humans against—you guessed it—demons. After his family was massacred by one of the frightening man-eating creatures, he takes up the mantle of demon slayer.

Nezuko, his younger sister, is the sole survivor of the incident but with one huge caveat: She was transformed into a demon. Strangely enough, she still thinks and acts like a human. Tanjiro swears to protect her at all costs while he searches for a cure and avenges the deaths of his family.

After a multi-year run of record-breaking sales, the original source material was first adapted into an anime series in 2019. The show was immediately met with a positive response. The Anime Marketing White Paper 2020, a report that houses viewer data for Japanese anime, indicates that the show’s viewership grew by more than 1.4 million between its first and last episodes. Also, it was voted the most satisfying anime of 2019 by thousands of Japanese viewers, beating out notable veterans such as “Attack on Titan” and “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.”

The team at ufotable, the animation studio behind the show’s stunning visuals, wasted no time doubling down on their success.

After the finale aired, they announced “Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train,” an upcoming anime film that would act as a sequel to the first season. The film was released just over a year later and marked its entrance into the global mainstream.

“Mugen Train” was the highest-grossing film of 2020 with a whopping worldwide gross of more than $500 million, beating out studio heavyweights such as “Tenet,” “Bad Boys for Life” and “Sonic the Hedgehog.”

This was the moment it evolved from a well-liked Japanese sensation to a striking global event.

It would be naive to think that the pandemic was not a factor in its success. Several anticipated blockbuster films were pushed back because of COVID-19 concerns.

With that being said, the excellent quality of the anime should not be overlooked and is also a significant reason for its record-breaking debut. It also became the highest-grossing Japanese film and anime film of all time, surpassing the beloved “Spirited Away,” a clear indicator of its merit.

The viewership didn’t stop there. Netflix capitalized on the show’s virality by adding the first season to its streaming service in January 2021. Shortly after its addition, the popular anime landed inside the top ten on Netflix’s TV Shows Today list. It’s obvious that something about this series is clicking with viewers.

“Demon Slayer” has something for everyone. For the seasoned anime fan, those who are new to the genre, and the modern-day binge watcher.

Let me preface this by saying I am by no means a die-hard anime fan, but over the last few months I have grown to really enjoy the genre. As a self-proclaimed television aficionado and a new inductee into the world of anime, I can definitely vouch for the show’s quality.

“Demon Slayer” is fresh, exciting and breathtaking. Endearing characters are paired with compelling story arcs. The score is a perfect complement to the superb fight sequences, which are packed full of intensity and emotion. The expressive voice acting in tandem with the beautiful animation is a marvel to behold and reason alone to watch the series.

Don’t just take my word for it though. The film sits at a 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from more than 40 critics and also holds a 75/100 on Metascore.

You would think that after all of that commercial achievement and critical acclaim, the creators would want to take some time off and rest on their laurels. In fact, quite the opposite is true. They are using the month of October to kickstart their next wave of content with a pair of new additions to the world of “Demon Slayer.”

On Oct. 10, the anime’s second season kicks off with an episodic retelling of the “Mugen Train” arc. The events of the film will be recut into seven episodes, which will be available to stream on Funimation. Although many fans have already seen the film, there is still a major incentive to tune in and rewatch their favorite slayer of demons.

In addition to a brand new episode, which takes place before the events of the film, the episodic adaptation will feature more than 70 new scenes. It provides something for those who have already watched the film as well as another chance to watch it for those who never got to see it in theaters. Immediately after these episodes end, the official start of the second season begins on Dec. 5 with an hour-long premiere.

That’s not all.

“Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles” marks Tanjiro and company’s entrance into the world of video games. It is a fighting/adventure video game that allows fans to experience the events of the first season and the film in a far more interactive way. The gameplay appears fluid and the visuals rival that of the actual anime. It also features several of the story’s notable characters voiced by the original cast. “The Hinokami Chronicles” will utilize cutscenes, boss battles and elements of exploration to retell Tanjiro and Nezuko’s story.

Within five years, the original source material has been adapted into a historic anime, a global blockbuster, and a next-generation video game. Manga adaptations aren’t new by any stretch of the imagination, but to be successfully adapted to so many different mediums in such a short amount of time is impressive.

Demon Slayer is here to redefine the anime genre.

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” returns to television with the “Mugen Train” arc on Oct. 10th and leads directly into the start of the second season on Dec. 5.

“Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles” will launch on Oct. 15 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.