So I watched Demon Slayer season one and it waaaaaaas pretty good man. (Mild spoilers ahead).

Back in June 2021, my two relatives (who are the reason I became a weeb) highly recommended Demon Slayer on that fateful day of scrolling netflix for any anime that'd interest me. And my interest would only pique after learning the Mugen Train movie is the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time (beating out Spirited Away). This is also my first proper shonen fighting series soooooooo whatdowegot?

Well to get the technical aspects out of the way, the show looks gorgeous, save for hit-or-miss use of cgi. With the best fight scene being Tanjiro vs. Inosuke in ep. 14, and the sakuga peaking at ep. 17 & 19. A lot of the characters are designed where their outer outlines are very bold, leaving every other outline on them (details, scars, folds in clothes) more thinner. A design choice I don't particularly love, but it helps in making them stand out more. The opening theme is also great for headbanging.

Get ready for unapologetic amounts of body horror while you're at it too. Gratuitous as it is, it's always exciting to see what new, creative ways they use to make memorable kill scenes. Be it through webs, poison, swords, beach balls(?), or fingers to the brain. Though these bloody, crunchy action scenes are the right amount of kickass, Tanjiro's nonstop narration can get very overbearing, very fast. The enjoyment factor gets muddied when you're constantly listening to him spew things the audience should already know. Like, we don't have to hear every inner thought that goes throughout struggling to get on your feet after defeating your demon.

Also: Inosuke and Zenitsu REALLY get on my nerves 90% of the time. Inosuke with his incessant "cOmE aT mE bRo" attitude, and Zenitsu with his endless blubbering and screeching (whoever voiced him deserves a raise tho). He has his spotlight episode (17) which feels like a nice step forward for his character, complete with the aforementioned well-executed sakuga, but once we catch up with him again, it's back to square one.

On the more positive side of things, Tanjiro and Nezuko make for a great lead duo. Tanjiro with his good-hearted but still firm nature, and Nezuko's formidable skills she can hone as a demon (and looking sweet doing it). Tomioka leaves a lasting impression on you with how he spares Nezuko, and is hinted of going through a similar experience of having a loved one become a demon before (as well as being the most brazen and coolest of the Hashira),

The show excels when it explores the depths of its characters, most notably the demons. For as much as they're feared, the series takes great strides to treat them with the respect they deserved in their past life, right as death approaches them. It makes for gripping retrospection scenes (Rui) that make these demons feel more sympathetic and complete. For all the atrocities they committed, Tanjiro is willing to at least give them graceful burials. In a great juxtaposition, we have the well-meaning but deeply one-sided Hashira who jump at the chance to bury any sentimentalities and kill on sight. Though again, not without seeing some depth (Lady Kocho's happy, cheery facade, and Tomioka willing to vouch hard for Tanjiro in the face of oppression, which further cements him as a personal favorite).

I find myself excited to see where the story goes from here, given how Tanjiro's father was hinted to once be a Slayer, and how it'll come into play with the current Fire Hashira, Rengoku. As Tanjiro and friends board the next film's titular Mugen Train, now (mostly) well-defined demon slayers, ready to continue the journey.

Between grade-A scenes, a stellar soundtrack, and satisfying worldbuilding, I'm glad I enjoyed this. Albeit with a handful of annoying characters, and some runtime padding that keeps it from being anything exemplary.

Favorite episodes: 1, 3, 10, 17, 19-23.

P.S., Kibutsuji looks like he could pull off a mean moonwalk (too easy?)