An Anime Review 'Kimetsu no Yaiba'

Kimetsu no Yaiba is a 26-episode long series that is adapted by Ufotable (Fate/Zero, Kara no Kyoukai), based on the popular manga by Gotouge Koyoharu. The series is directed by Sotozaki Haruo (Tales of Symphonia The Animation: Sekai Tougou-hen, Tales of Zestiria the Cross), with the series composition handled by Kondou Hikaru (Producer—Fate/Zero, Kara no Kyoukai), and the music being composed by Shiina Go (God Eater, Tales of Zestiria the Cross). The characters of Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke, and Zenitsu are played by Hanae Natsuki (Aldnoah.Zero, Arslan Senki), Kitou Akari (Erased, SSSS.Gridman), Matsuoka Yoshitsugu (Blue Spring Ride, Akame ga Kill!), and Shimono Hiro (Baby Steps, Corpse Party: Missing Footage) respectively.

This is a show that I started watching mainly because of the fact that it was being produced by ufotable, and Fate/Zero is one of my favourite shows of all time. To start off with, I was expecting another Shonen Jump adaptation, and from the start, that is what it seemed to be, only with the ufotable standard of animation. However, by the time I reached the end of the show it had gotten to the point that it has fast become one of my favourite shows of the year so far. This is a show that continually got better as the show progressed and neared the season's end, both in terms of the writing and the animation that was involved throughout.

The narrative follows Tanjiro and his little sister Nezuko as they travel under the orders of the Demon Slayers, so that he would one day find a cure that would turn Nezuko back to a human. Along the way they meet Zenitsu and Inosuke who travel with Tanjiro hunting demons, while accepting the fact that Nezuko herself is also a demon. The show makes the themes of the show very clear through its narrative, and in the way Tanjiro and Kibutsuji, the main villain of the story, are depicted. Through the characters, it shows the two extremes of where people come together through friendship and a mutual goal, where the foundations of their relationship is based on companionship, and the complete inverse where the demons are ruled through abuse and fear. The narrative also brings up the question of what the perceptions of these beings would be like when looking at Tanjiro and Nezuko, while actually seeing how humans and demons view each other. We quickly get to see that there is rarely a difference between a human and a demon, it is simply which side of the coin you happened to land on.

The characters are well defined, so much so that they all manage to stand out, whether they be human or demon, both in terms of character design or personality. The dynamic between the core group is always a blast to watch, and the camaraderie that they develop as the story goes on becomes quite tangible. So much so that when they risk each other's lives for each other, you believe in their bond. When they are happy, that feeling is projected to you, and when they are struggling and at the end of their ropes, you are worried for them. Contrasting them with the various demons that they come across, while they seem threatening at first, when we see them through Tanjiro's eyes, we actually start to sympathize with them, and feel a sense of pity. The various members of the Hashira are a blast to see interact with each other, because of the wildly divergent personalities that they all possess, and they all look fantastic in their character design.

While the show portrays the various demons that Tanjiro and his friends have to fight in a sympathetic manner, they do no such thing with the central villain, Kibutsuji. Through the series we are shown just how predatory he is towards desperate individuals, his callousness towards other demons when they are of no use to him, and his utter disregard for all life, human or otherwise. They go even further where it is not simply in his behaviour that portrays the staple of a villain character, but in strength as well. This is displayed brilliantly in the final episode of the season, which is one of my favourite moments of the year. He is the definitive final boss of the story, and we have been alluded to the idea that there may be a connection between our central protagonist and Kibutsuji.

What else is there to talk about the animation? It is ufotable after all. The quality of the animation is at a level that would not look out of place in the cinema. The colour palate is sublime, the line work is striking, the lighting is immaculate, and the fluidity of the animation is pitch perfect. The animation is used in a really smart way here, as that is the way that much of the humour in the show is delivered. The usage of the combination of 2D animation and 3D animation was integrated so well that it was hardly noticeable. This is something that I have never talked about before on any of my posts, and it is that the drawings on the episode breaks are absolutely gorgeous to look at. Lastly, the sound is incredible, both in terms of the sound design, to the actual soundtrack. The sound design is well-put-together to the point that the actions of the characters have a weight to them, and the soundtrack is used in such a way that I makes an already exciting show that much more epic in nature.

This is a show that I highly recommend you watch, and it is available to watch on both Crunchyroll and Funimation, and a follow up film is announced to be in the works.