« Demon Slayer » thoughts – Part II

The siblinghood

I’ve watched more episodes up to number 10 now. Yeah, I’m basically taking it pretty slow, but on the other hand I want to see if there are any interesting topics and themes at work. – It is pretty difficult to collect my thoughts when I’m listening to music in the background. I should turn it off, or at least down. Oh, I actually changed it to ASMR. I really hate how addicting those sounds can be. And on another note: I have some art related topics I want to write about too. But they must wait for now. I want to explore the inner workings of my sweeet anime. Don’t stop me now.

Now. The hero’s journey continues. Fighting a real dangerous demon for the first time (a type of evolved demon), becoming an official demon hunter, and receiving a unique weapon. Tanjirou is now part of a new world with it’s own rules and members. His bond with Nezuko is also strengthened by the fact that Nezuko joins in on the fights and travelling. I don’t really want to go into a very detailed description of what happens, but the important point is that we get to see the slow progression from disaster/grief and death to an acceptance of reality. Living in a new environment, and adapting to the new challenges. In a way, coping is also a very important part in all of this. This is accentuated in certain flashbacks, and in characters which resemble the lost loved ones. Tanjirou finds new allies, but at the same time he also meets the real villain of his journey, his own personal villain. His whole quest is finally taking on shape with a reason to fight and to live. The obstacles which are thrown in his way need to be overcome in order to progress. We also have the dichotomy of Tanjirou and Nezuko, human and demon. This is obviously one of the major themes in this anime.

Don’t ask me what the move is called. I don’t remember :)

Water cleanses everything. It is a pure element which can adapt to any situation, and it can be very dangerous too.

I feel like the story is picking up the pace a slight notch. Which is good. The beginning was good as well, but I can feel that this anime is working best with a wide variety of different characters with wacky personalities, and they are getting introduced now one by one. (Even Nezuko was turned into an interacting character) You could also see this as a confrontation with real life. Before, you lived your life isolated in the mountains with a handful of people you know. In a sudden twist of fate, you are forced to accept the fact that there are many more people out there. All with their own ways of life. Is this good? It is definitely a learning experience for the young protagonist. Not everyone is friendly, see the demons, but there are still many welcoming allies and new friends too. Sounds like real life. It is not so far fetched. Some people ignore you, others hate you, and then there are the ones that also care about you. The whole premise of a good story is about two opposing factions, and trying to live life under all kinds of situations. The good and the bad ones.

What do you want? How do you plan to get it? What stands in your way? Are you willing to make sacrifices? What I like about Tanjirou is that he is a laid back person. However, he does whatever it takes to achieve his goals, but he doesn’t sacrifice his temperament and his personality for it. Of course he seems stubborn too, but that isn’t necessarily a bad trait. Maybe I should elaborate a little more. I feel like there is a certain kind of innocence in this boy which makes him a jolly good fellow. It doesn’t really matter right now because the story might go haywire in the future, and Kibutsuji, the main villain, proved to be a very cunning and cruel character. He represents the modern man, willing to do anything for his goals and dreams. Even going so far to disregard human lives, norms, and conventions. He stands above the wild bunch who don’t even know what they want in life (living only for their primal urges), while controlling the others that wish to be like him (enlightened). It might be interesting to see if Tanjirou actually changes in any way or form if he is being confronted by such an evil demon.

Mask by Urokodaki

This mask doesn’t play any role in the story. The design is still very captivating. Look at the simplicity of the lines which are able to create a very strong and lasting effect. It literally stares right into your soul.

I haven’t talked about the art design, yet. There is a lot to explore on that front too. The bright colours and intricate designs and pattern play an important role in this show. The way the special moves are executed give the anime a very distinct and appealing imagery which I quite enjoy. I feel like there is a connection between the more modest and plain world, and the flashiness of the characters, and their respective moves.

Comedy. I really like the raven (or crow?), well the bird. I think he is funny, and there can never be enough comedy relief in a show. I feel like the comedy is also a big part of this show, and that is good. Even the brooding manga/anime Berserk always had some kind of comedy involved in it. Sure, it doesn’t need to drive the story, or be overdone, but it is very important. Life is already a big headache, and adding a little bit of fun to the mix can go long ways. I’m quite pleased to see that Demon Slayer wants to deliver with the light-heartedness.

Well, there are some more episodes to watch, and there are still quite a few more characters waiting to be properly introduced. I don’t know after which point I will return to write about it, but I will continue to watch some more episodes , and see if there is anything that stands out. I do realize that you could pick out any episode and overanalyse every last bit in it. That’s just a thought I had, haha. This is all for now. Take care out there.