So, I'm writing this around the time the TV anime's Hashira Training Arc has wrapped up.
The Demon Slayer boom is a curious thing. The Unwavering Resolve Arc, which aired during the COVID pandemic, became a hit through word of mouth, and the sequel, the Mugen Train Arc, was made into a film. It was a movie that miraculously managed to screen in an environment where no one could show films during the pandemic.
Perhaps because of that, audiences who'd been starved for the cinema flocked to see it in droves, bringing their kids along, and before anyone knew it, it had become a massive phenomenon.
Its box office hit 40 billion yen, surpassing Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away" to become number one of all time.
The Unwavering Resolve Arc's story: attacked by a demon, Tanjiro's entire family is killed. His sole surviving sister, Nezuko, becomes a demon as well.
To turn the demon-fied Nezuko back into a human, Tanjiro masters Water Breathing and, through harsh trials, joins the Demon Slayer Corps. That's the story.
The original author's name is written 吾峠呼世晴 and read "Koyoharu Gotouge." In their self-portrait they have a crocodile's face, and the manga ran to 23 volumes and has already concluded.
The anime was produced by ufotable, which became famous for the Fate series. They're renowned for overwhelming battle depictions, and they often produce the scripts in-house as well.
Perhaps because it's set in the Taisho era, oddly difficult kanji are used, and there are tons of characters whose names are hard to read no matter how much furigana you add, so I'd recommend getting into it through the anime. A little while back, there was someone who told a politician who'd said, "I'm always reading manga, and I especially love Demon Slayer," "Then name the character who is the supreme leader of the demons," and when they couldn't answer, declared, "You haven't read Demon Slayer!" If you watched the anime and don't remember, I get it, but if you read the manga and don't remember, I think there's at least a little room for leniency. Jujutsu Kaisen is the same, but lately there are an awful lot of characters with unreadable kanji names. Is it a trend? Incidentally, the supreme leader of the demons' name is written 鬼舞辻無惨 and read "Muzan Kibutsuji."
Now, let's get into the topic of the music. This time the composer is Go Shiina. Having once worked at Bandai Namco, his representative works include "Tales of Legendia," "God Eater," and "THE IDOLM@STER."
And this score features another famous composer: Yuki Kajiura. Famous for Gundam SEED, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and more, she has only two tracks on the soundtrack, but her presence is overwhelming.
Now, the first one I'll have you listen to is the theme of Giyu Tomioka, the first Hashira Tanjiro meets in the Unwavering Resolve Arc.
He's a pretty cringe-worthy character, awkward with words and socially inept, but when he's cool, he's maxed-out cool.
That would be especially when he appears during Tanjiro's life-or-death pinch in the Mount Natagumo battle, the biggest highlight of the Unwavering Resolve Arc.
Beyond that, this O.S.T. includes "Kamado Tanjiro no Uta" (Tanjiro Kamado's Song), reputed to bring people to tears.
It's a deeply soul-cleansing ballad that expresses Tanjiro's purity, sincerity, and kindness, along with the resilience born from them. It's a magnificent ballad that evokes the very feeling of meeting Tanjiro himself. "Kamado Tanjiro no Uta" is only included on this album, and this is the one and only chance to touch Tanjiro's kindness.
Now, finally, the anime version of Demon Slayer is also coming to an end with the Infinity Castle Arc. The Infinity Castle Arc is to be screened in theaters as a trilogy.
Let's part ways with the PV for that Infinity Castle Arc.
