I'm Telling You, Demon Slayer Was Always a Hit. You Just Didn't Notice It

Many people speak about Demon Slayer'ssuccess as if it was newfound, but the shonen has been a phenomenal hit since the manga was first released in February 2016 and the anime quickly followed in April 2019. Few series have struck gold the way Koyoharu Gotouge did with Demon Slayer, and especially with the Infinity Castle movie trilogy on the way, the series is at the height of its popularity.

Make no mistake though, just because Demon Slayer is especially beloved at the moment does not negate the fact that it has been popular for years now. With everything from merchandise collaborations to impressive manga sales numbers to prove it, there is no debating that Demon Slayer is possibly the most adored manga series to emerge from the 21st century.

Demon Slayer on the List of Top Ten Best-Selling Shonen Mangas of All Time

Demon Slayer Is on Par With Manga Greats Like Jujutsu Kaisen and One Piece

Tanjiro in the opening — Demon-Slayer-Season-4-Opening-Tanjiro

Looking purely at the manga sales numbers alone, it is obvious that Demon Slayer is a success. It is one of the top ten best-selling shonen mangas of all time, rivaling other top series like Jujutsu Kaisen and One Piece. In total, the manga has sold more than 150 million copies, a staggering number that most creators can only dream of achieving. In only four years, Demon Slayer achieved a shocking level of fame, not just in Japan, but worldwide. And as if the manga was not already successful enough, the 2019 release of the Demon Slayer anime only increased its popularity.

The anime series, picked up by the studio Ufotable, boasted eye-catching, colorful animation, a dramatic musical score, and a compelling story that enthralled viewers from the very first episode, which opens in the horrifying aftermath of a brutal attack on Tanjiro's family by a demon. As the anime continued, fans began to realize how truly spectacular the series is, and viewers worldwide began to follow the manga and anime religiously. The series even received a handful of movie releases, with arcs like Mugen Train, To the Swordsmith Village, and To the Hashira Training being released in theaters across the world.

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Is the Highest-Grossing Anime Film of All Time

Almost Four Years Later, No Other Anime Film Has Managed to Surpass Its Box Office Numbers

Demon Slayer was always exceptional, but the anime brought the story to wider audiences and thus, cemented its status as a truly groundbreaking series. Even people who had not previously considered themselves anime fans could appreciate Demon Slayer's thrilling battles, relatable heroes, and gorgeous animation, so the series also served as a gateway into the world of anime for so many people. One of the most obvious signs that Demon Slayer was going to surpass competitors and become a world-renowned hit was the positive reception of the theatrical Mugen Train movie, released April 23, 2021, in the United States.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Mugen Train was not just a remarkable film, it is the highest grossing anime film of all time. Worldwide, Mugen Train made over $500 million, even defeating films likeYour Name, Howl's Moving Castle, and Spirited Away at the box office. Demon Slayer Mugen Train's box office numbers were not just a success for the franchise itself, but the love viewers expressed for the film opened the door for many more anime movies to debut in theaters going forward, which developed a greater societal appreciation for the anime genre as a whole.

There is so much to admire about Mugen Train, and the aspects of the movie that hooked viewers are also present in the anime series, explaining why the entire franchise is a hit. Whether it is watched in IMAX 3D at a theater or at home on a TV screen, Mugen Train's animation is absolutely captivating. The high-quality voice acting, heart-racing musical score that accompanies the film's most serious moments, and inspirational but tragic journey of the Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro all explain why no other anime film has knocked Mugen Train off the top of the box office yet.

Demon Slayer Possesses a Handful of Key Characteristics That Make It Work So Well

Its Well-Written Story, Stellar Animation, and Relatable Characters Are Some of Its Strong Suits

Tanjiro Kamado Infinity Castle Demon Slayer

These characteristics that work so well in the Mugen Train movie have also carried the anime series and manga to fame. Demon Slayer's story, although fairly simple when it is broken down to its basic premise, continues to attract audiences. Tanjiro's journey to become a demon slayer and save his sister may be less complicated than some other shonen series' plots, but it is easy for almost anyone to get invested in. There is never a dull moment in Demon Slayer, and the series' perfect blend of action, romance, humor, and sadness ensures that there is something to appeal to every viewer.

Demon Slayer's characters are also relatable on a level that few fictional characters are. Although many of them are powerful heroes or despicable villains, Gotouge's writing adds relatable aspects of the human experience and profound emotion to an otherwise fantastical tale. Viewers can easily empathize with Tanjiro's unwavering determination to save his loved ones or Zenitsu's palpable fear when facing demons, which makes it easier for audiences to see glimpses of themselves in the series' best heroes. Demon Slayer is both relatable enough to understand and supernatural enough to be constantly exciting, striking a perfect balance between the two.

Demon Slayer's story, characters, animation, writing, and music all mix to create the shonen series of the century, and even though the manga is over and there are only a few arcs left in the anime, it is only picking up steam by the day. The final Infinity Castle and Sunrise Countdown arcs are some of the best in the manga, and they are slated to receive three theatrical films, which will likely be so impressive, they may even rival Mugen Train's success. Some anime fans are surprised by Demon Slayer'sunrivaled success in the entertainment series, but upon looking closer, it is no great shock that viewers love the series so much.

Source: Reddit