Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen

This is my first review and i have to tell that this is one of the best animes i have ever seen. I'm just writing the review because i saw few 3 star reviews and i think this anime deserves a better value. I was way too speechless with my pupils dilated along with my adrenaline pumping while watching last episodes. Ufotable has achieved peak performance, the delivery, the soundtrack, the voice acting, the fluidity, the flow, I'm getting goosebumps over those villains. This anime doesn't have anything to envy from other animes like Naruto or One piece. This is a masterpiece.

**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS FROM SEASON 1 and THE MOVIE**

After a long wait Ufotable finally graces us with demon slayer's new season. Honestly speaking I wasn't that hyped about Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc (Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen). People often call this anime overrated, is it though? Let's discuss

Story: 6
Well there are many points I can defend Demon Slayer on but one part on which not even it's hardcore fans can't debate is it's story. It has a pretty basic plot an MC who was a normal kid before but due to some unfortunate incidents he became a Demon Slayer. It's basically the same ... plot we see in various action shounen anime, kinda generic though. Despite of that it does few things different from other shounen's though it's not enough to make it stand out a lot. So, I would give it a 6 in story.

Art & Animation: 10
Even if you hate Demon Slayer you can't complain about it's animation. Ufotable took a below average art style to a whole new level. I often see many people watching Demon Slayer just because of it's animation. Ufotable actually did an amazing job adapting Demon Slayer especially the fight scenes looked really good and were a feast to our eyes. So, definitely a 10 in Art & Animation.

Sound: 9
The Studio did a good job for hiring Aimer for the Opening & Ending sequences. It really was nice to see something new this time. Other than that the OST's used in the anime were quite good too. And the most important thing the VA performance, each and every character's voice acting was done so good it felt like those character were speaking themselves rather than a voice actor doing it specially of Gyuutarou.
At that note I would give it a 9 in Sound.

Character: 8
After the introduction of upper moons in mugen train movie. I was really interested to know about upper moons more. This season does just that for me. We get to explore more about new types of demons, upper moons & hashiras. Every character got a chance in this season, all of the characters had a decent amount of screen time and played important role in the development of story. Each character had a chance to shine whether it be in action or just supporting the story to progress. So, I would give it an 8 in character.

Enjoyment: 9
Let's be honest here Animation & Sounds play an greater role in enjoyment from an anime compared to story. Though in the case of Demon Slayer the story is decent it doesn't bore you at the very least. It keeps you entertained. Meanwhile Animation and Sounds playing their own role in it. Overall speaking I enjoyed Demon Slayer a lot so I would give it a 8 in enjoyment.

Overall: 8
Now let's talk about "Is Demon Slayer Overrated?" I would say it totally depends on the viewers of this anime. This anime was just made for new watchers who just came recently and haven't watched much anime. So, I would say it's a little overrated in my opinion. As you can see it has just a basic story and doesn't offers anything new. I would give it a 7.5 but as we can't actually give it that in MAL so let's go with 8 or 7 (however you like) In my opinion it's an 8.

It's a damn shame. A real damn shame that so many are looking to dislike this amazing series out of some sub-conscious spite they have toward plots that are simple, yet executed so well. The fact these reviews are popping up 4/10 or around that on feature page of this series, I truly believe people are doing their best to dislike a series they don't want to appreciate - whether that be due to popularity or their own selfish beliefs.

The popularity and overall score people have given this season should say enough; forget what these hipsters believe, they're searching for reasons to dislike it. The ... very fact they've needed to think about the most insignificant things of the series to actually base their dislike and review off, is childish.

The series is simple - kill the demons. Why does the series need to have plot twists, or abilities to see the past and future like AOT, to be considered great writing? Have we forgotten that some of the most enjoyable movies we've seen in cinemas has been a result of just simple, yet well executed story telling? It really angers me.

The Entertainment Arc is FLASHY, the scenes are animated so well, the story-telling (yes, let me admit) GO BEYOND, I live for these tropes. I found myself rooting for the Slayer Corps so much yet I shed tears for both Ume and Gyotaru - if abandoning humanity and having it slap you back in the face as these Upper Ranks pass and realize over time with the series they've forgotten what it means to be human, I'm all for it. Everything about the series is really well executed and I love it. It's not confusing, it's not such a brain fart you need think about what has happened over the next week, you won't need to search up multiple YouTube videos as to explain how timeline A affected C which in turn set timeline B 50 years into the future where your old, future self comes back to explain why your second-cousin picking up a banana on this date altered the course of humanity and your present self to have visions where he'll die if he doesn't destroy humanity. Although simple, it's extremely impactful. This will always be a top 10 recommendation from me to anyone who asks for anime/manga suggestions.

Set your heart ablaze and go beyond your limits! Absolutely amazing! 10/10

What makes a good show?

The pacing, the plot, the characters, the themes, the execution, the direction, the music, the voice actors, the animation. These are all common things people point to when defining what is and isn’t a good show, and for good reasons. They are criterias that allow individuals, each with their own unique perspective, to gain a better judgement at differentiating the good from the bad. However with so many factors contributing to the success of a show, it comes as no surprise for people to cherish these factors differently.

‘Demon Slayer is only good for its animation’
‘Without ufotable, Demon Slayer would just be ... another mid anime’

But does a show need to perfect every factor to be good? No it doesn’t, because what is crucial to the success of a story, to a show, is that there is the essence of life in it. All the factors I mentioned above serve a greater purpose in the big picture, to ultimately bring life to a show, and in my eyes, KnY as a whole has done a splendid job at creating a beautiful, immersive work of fiction despite its undeniable shortcomings.

KnY embodies the definition of a Shounen Battle Anime. Be it the loud battle cries, the tragic backstories, the vulnerable and triumphant moments of the main characters, the series engages the audience emotionally. And like most other Battle Shounens, KnY is founded on a very simple premise and based itself on well established tropes. Its simplistic, straight forward approach at writing a story has garnered the series a lot of criticisms which is completely understandable, but at the same time, its simplicity is also its greatest strength.

KnY never required a grandiose plot to engage the audience, its very simplicity allows the audience to instantaneously grasp and understand what is going on behind the screens. Its refusal to diverge from the usual Shounen tropes welcomed those already familiar with them to the fandom. Its straightforward narratives allow the audience to easily root and empathise with the characters and their actions. KnY’s simplicity makes it easy for anyone to pick up the show and be invested. While other series sought to make themselves more complex to be more interesting, KnY took an entirely different approach. Its decision to play by simplicity, and polished said simplicity ultimately paid off as it brought the series into the mainstream spotlight, a feat that few anime have accomplished. But enough about KnY as a whole, let's talk about S2 shall we.

xxxxxxx Slight Spoilers Ahead! xxxxxxx

Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen built upon the foundations laid by the original season and the Mugen Train movie. With what transpired in the films before, there is now greater weight, threat and overall sense of ominosity throughout the whole arc. There is also an overall improvement in the direction of which the series is headed. Unlike Season 1 which felt episodic in the beginning , Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen knew where it was headed by setting up an end goal - To resolve the mysterious disappearances in the Yoshiwara Entertainment District. Though the pacing was a bit off at the beginning, the show soon found its footing and was relatively consistent throughout.

In Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen, ufotable once again proves why they are one of the best animation studios in Japan (If we were to ignore their questionable work practises). After the heart warming display of familial love in Season 1 episode 19, and the tear jerking events that transpired in Mugen Train, expectations were high in terms of sheer quality of production for Season 2. Somehow, even with such high expectations, ufotable transcended and produced something way beyond my imagination. Animation quality is no doubt a huge determining factor for the audience’s enjoyment of the show, and with consistently better animation with each episode release, it is no wonder why there was so much discussion and hype surrounding the show during its air time. The fluidity, the dynamic camera angles, the consistent character model, the colour palette, the bland of CGI and hand drawn animations worked harmoniously together, climaxing in a spectacle of battles in Episode 9 and Episode 10, with what I regard as one of ufotable’s best works, right next to the Heaven’s Feels trilogy. But the quality doesn’t stop there. Hats off to the sound composers of the show, because the OSTs are absolutely epic. Whether it’s the character themes or just ambient music in the background, it brings so much life to the world of KnY, that you can’t help but be engrossed with whatever that is happening on your screen. They further captured the feeling of an ‘Epic’ through the amazing voice works done by each of the respective voice actors. The battle cries are so raw that it reaches to your soul, that you have no choice but to suspend your disbelief and appreciate the art form before you. The staff working at ufotable really out did themselves with the execution of the show.

Now about the characters in the show, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen introduced a new flamboyant mentor for the trio and a fantastic villain to match, which brought greater life to the show than anticipated. Uzui Tengen was a great addition to the show, bringing a much needed contrast to the personalities already present in the show. He screams pride, radiates arrogance but ultimately possesses a good character. On the surface, he seems to be the total opposite of the humble and diligent Tanjiro, the quirky and cowardly Zenitsu, the rash and confident Inosuke. Yet, their chemistry together makes so much sense. Why? Because they all share an underlying desire to protect, an underlying anger against those that do others wrong.
And it is with this commonality that they found solitude with the Demon Slayer Corps in the first place. The villain of this season was also surprisingly well written, with great parallels being drawn between the villain and the protagonist, which makes the conflict ever so personal and meaningful to the main characters and to the audience.

Though I admit that the characters in KnY are more towards the flat side, showcasing only 1 distinct character trait and hardly ever deviating away from it, the characters are somehow brought to life with the combination of well written character histories and amazing voice works. One must also understand that these characters are simplistically written to suit the simplistic theme of the show - the importance of bonds, the importance of life. Because in the world of KnY, becoming a demon is to reject the essential fragility of human life, to lose oneself despite not being born evil. It is a reminder that the easiest route is not necessarily the correct path to walk, a reminder to all of us to appreciate and cherish the things we already have in life - our friends, our family. It is cliche but KnY is unapologetically shounen and preaches virtues through the eyes and words of the main character Tanjiro. It can be campy, and to some even annoying, but to me these characters are endearing, because these virtues undoubtedly hold true in the real world.

KnY does indeed have all the negatives that critiques point out. The ass-pulling, the exposition dumping, the long internal monologue. But whether you like it or not, KnY is currently a pillar in the anime world and will continue to be one as time progresses. It’s decision to stay simple, to stay true to itself is the reason for its overall success in becoming a great show even if it didn’t perfect all the factors.

9/10
Thanks for reading :)

Oh the irony, look at all those early birds who came to snitch some likes for their controversal reviews, having no clue about pacing and no inch of patience left in them, imediately shooting their gun at something that seems odd. What a joke!

That's blasphemy!!! After ten episodes I've seen enough to say, it's a masterpiece! A well written, amazingly animated piece of work that will be one of the best produced anime of all time! And I've seen over 13k episodes in the last 18 years to justify that statement!

Where do I start? Ah yes, the drama! This is beyond Shakespeare or anything like ... that, its absurdity to squeeze every drop of emotion out of it makes it so damn fascinating. I've shed some tears in those fighting scenes! In fighting scenes!!! If you liked the first season especially for the 19th episode you'll love this season as much or even more. In my opinion they topped it and I was very anxious that this wasn't possible and therefore that the quality of the anime had already his peak. But no, today I've learned that there's no limit to it.

The soundtrack is not the catchy type, but it doesn't have to. That means you'll probably won't remember it like those One Piece or Naruto jingles, but it still fits perfectly the tone of the series and accompanies the emotion, the artwork and stunning voice acting with that music even further! Heck I'm even listening to some fan covers of it right now while writing this review. (And let's just mention as a side note that fans out there put out some almost identical cover in one day(!!!) after they appeared in the last episode that's out since then. That shows how much impact the soundtrack has on others.)

I understand that some people tend to throw a tantrum over those character tropes which are very present in the first episodes (even I have a friend who stopped watching the first season because of the side characters). But to be fair, it helps the pacing and the overall tone of the anime, getting down the intensity to give room for another climax. This is important. Yes, it could be handled differently, but in my opinion it's totally okay and almost standard to make silly jokes and being goofy for some scenes. Even Jujutsu no Kaizen does that and people don't flinch about it! The new characters got their background checked and fitted perfectly into the series, nothing to argue about that.

Overall I'm really satisfied and will remember that season for a loooong time. I've watched every exciting episode at least two times in a row to appreciate the work that's done here. And remember: a masterpiece doesn't always need an absurdly complex / deep story to shine, the story that's told here suffice completely to justify the plot and the motivation so therefore it gets still an high score from me. Just enjoy it and stop nagging about the smallest detail or else you won't enjoy anything anymore in the future.

GOD-LIKE SEASON: The-hype ⚡ never-ends.

Demon Slayer were famous for some of the most legendary episodes in Animes. From now on, they will referred to as one of the most Epic Series in the Anime History of All Times!

Now, as this season has been ended, I've completed my full review on it. Even if you haven't seen the previous seasons before, you can still free to read it, as it doesn't contain any spoiler.

Revel in;

I wasn't expecting myself reviewing Kimetsu no Yaiba. Even though I liked the first season, I had mixed feelings about the concept of the show. Is it gonna be ... refreshing? Or is it gonna be the same over-used shounen again? Is it only the art style that will separate this show from the others? Speaking of the art, I also thought that the art was weird at first, instead of what it actually is. Which fact is also true for the previous question marks and describe this show as a whole; Completely breathtaking.


🌸 Story 7/10

Kimetsu no Yaiba is actually well-done, story-wise, as I've seen a few similarities between other anime. What made me forget those comparable/alike story/characteristics connection's etc. at some point is that this show managed to be different in almost every aspect. Showing us things from a new perspective, even though I can recall where I've seen "those" before, it was a actually new feeling, a new moment that I lived though the story of Kimetsu no Yaiba. That's what I really appreciated while watching this show. I felt that I could be a little kid again, as watching badass cool stuff happening in various styles in front of my eyes is the best thing ever. That's what shounen is all about: to be flashy, cool, action mixed somewhat deep story based show. That's my people, Kimetsu no Yaiba at it's finest.

As of now, there's really nothing else needs to be discussed about the story as we are still in the middle of the third Arc. However I believe people who've already seen the first season knows where the story moves from it's delightful narrative. Which makes it clearly enjoyable, so the story gets a solid 7/10 from me. I am really excited as to what is about to come!


🔥 Characters/Dialogue 9/10

The characters. I mean, wow. Honestly, it's hard to find a better cast when it comes to it what Kimetsu no Yaiba has to offer. They're all lovely and likable characters who have their own goals and ambitions in the story. I like the synergy between the main trio, which is quite rare and unique on its own. I have to mention Inosuke since the "Mugen Ressa-hen Arc" is fairly growing on me. His moments are some of my favorites, alongside Zenitsu's funny and warm expressions. They really feel like a good team. 9/10.

As of writing this review, I have noticed that most reviews are bringing up the dialogues negatively. I think there is nothing wrong with the dialogues. First and foremost, the characters don't talk in a way that younger audiences will find some difficulty in understanding. If they sound stupid, they are. If they sound out of place, they probably are. I can't see any problem with that whatsoever, because which shounen or animes in general hasn't had stupid or even meaningless dialogues? In Kimetsu no Yaiba, they don't talk much, but when they do, they are either funny as hell or emotional/serious. Because of this, I am always impressed by their VA's work which is always top-notch by the way. Either way, I might have missed something. Besides, it hasn't disrupted any of my enjoyment on the show.

The conversations might not influence the story progression that much, but helps to keep maintain the act and carry us through one phase to another, like how every dialogue should be. Nothing more: straight and simple.


🌊 Art/Characters design 10/10

The art has to be the peak of this show as it is one of the parts that doesn't have to be discussed much. As I mentioned earlier, I thought the art sucked, but oh boy, I was very much mistaken. The anime's traditional Japanese art, and character designs are absolutely incredible. Whether it be a fighting scene or just a relaxing landscape, it was highly well-done, to the characters eyes and their customs. I have to highlight the demon's designs and the body structures in general. The male characters look handsome while the females are as womanly-shaped they can possibly be. There are no ecchi for the sake of ecchiness, in fact, there is zero unnecessary content in this show. They just look very attractive and hot. As for design, Daki is my personal favorite in this arc, but Douma is also gonna be sick as hell. Likewise "Charley's three angel" Suma, Makio and Hina the perfect incarnation of Inusuke, Zenitsu and Tanjiro's female version appearances is hilariously epic through the charm of Tengen-sama. Characters that we already known from before like Shinobu or the mains are also A-1.

This season craftsmanship was the pure definition of love and care for anime, every scene and every detail was crafted with such care and passion. So the art gets the obvious 10/10. Absolutely incredible work by ufotable and credit to the creator as well!


⚡ Sound/Soundtrack 7/10

I believe Kaijura Yuki, one of my personal favorite composer, and her amazing touch really shows in this series in a similar fashion;If you familiar with her other works on~;Tsubsa Cronicles, Fate series, or Kara no Kyokai' ect. ~You can tell. She is an amazing talent and did an incredible job in Kimetsu no Yaiba as well. The same praise goes to all the openings and endings. The music is smooth and in harmony with the frames, making the fighting scenes more intense, the drama scenes more sorrowful, and the funny moments more hilarious. Nothing extreme, but a really catchy 7/10 for the tunes.


💥 Enjoyment 9/10

It's hard to describe the feels, what you're experiencing while watching marvelously epic fighting scenes bond perfect harmony with deep emotions. Just staring out of your physical body: Mesmerizing. While your chest filling tight, as it goes ample by the overload of emotionally various events. The way it's ready to tear you up, but you manage to hold it back, just barely in your throat
where all the things rashly flowing together, you can't even swallow...

-Yeah, this Arc is pretty much fire.


✍️ Conclusion

Kimetsu no Yaiba is one of those rare shows that definitely deserves all the love it gets and its current main score as of writing this review, which is 8.60+. I must have to admit that I've slightly overlooked it's flaw's, as it doesn't really effected my overall enjoyment on the show. Even if the story isn't that brilliant or it has some inexplicable errors. Therefore, I can understand if you think this is nothing more than an average show or even if you think it's a masterpiece. Either way, we have to appreciate creations like this, because Kimetsu no Yaiba is undeniably a work of art in the 21st century.

If it wasn't clear enough how happy and hyped I'm about this series then you probably think I'm just over my head. Maybe, but the truth is why I'm really happy about is that we finally have a real diamond in the shounen genre that will never be forgotten, neither gonna lose it's spotlight for a long period of time.

⭐ Overall 8.4 / My personal score: 9.4 Goated season.

Highly recommended!

Credit goes to AlexPaulLEWZ to editing and read proof my review! Thank you for reading!

What can you ask for more! Great storyline, amazing execution, hilarious, at the same time sear excitement, a masterpiece!

In this arc we can see their skills developed and the fight got more intense. Outstanding story development with a pace that can keep the audience want for more. All in all its a masterpiece among all other masterpiece anime in history.

The dramatic introduction of new skills and character as well background story is really a surprise which makes it more interesting and understandable.

The art and animation is excellent, detailing every bits and giving them a cinematic atmosphere. It is marvelous! The sound effects are also ... top tier giving it dramatic as well as chilling effects. Hopefully ufotable don't let the dub version ruined by adultswim by changing original sound effects like season 1.

Several people tend to discredit Demon Slayer just because it is overrated, overhyped and has cringe moments. I'm not denying those. In my opinion, these statements reinforces the anime itself. Why, you may ask?

People say it is overrated because of its animation. Well, I think this is the anime's strongest point. You have to be literally blind for you to not bask in Ufotable's prowess when it comes to animating every scene. It does excel in other areas, such as the music and score, where Aimer effortlessly delivers bops that I listen repeatedly. In a sense, I'm glad that people who say Demon Slayer is ... overrated because they are complementing it.

People say it is overhyped because those who have watched the series have excessively talked about it to others that it may have triggered close-minded people into thinking that this show is another generic shounen slugfest. Well, I think these types of people are just too preoccupied to the fact that every show/series/anime that becomes mainstream has a story and set of characters that are just basic. Which makes them feel superior when they negatively bash an anime that they haven't seen or completed yet. Which makes them inferior because they think they are the minority that have been challenging the majority, but in reality, these inferior beings are just clout chasers that talk shit about Demon Slayer, which I admittedly cannot conceive how they think like that. Their outspoken misgivings on Demon Slayer actually promotes the anime, making others see what the fuss is all about, thus ever increasing the viewership and, possibly, the Demon Slayer fanbase as well. Which I count as a win.

People say that it has cringe moments because of its corny jokes during serious moments. Well, yes it does, in some times. But these are to help the story relax before and after the occurrence of intense action-packed set pieces and dramatic scenes. The way Zenitsu cries like a lil' bitch, the way Nezuko's eyes are just dots in her face, and the way Inosuke pig-headedly charges ahead are forms of comic relief to relieve the tension and buildup of the story. If you think otherwise, then okay, go laugh at Jimmy Kimmel jokes or something.

Some people who cannot comprehend the sheer brilliance of this season and the anime in general might be butthurt AoT/FMAB fanboys and self-described "anime enthusiasts" who are acting high and mighty. Just kidding, people have subjective tastes and some may be too hard-headed to care about anything about Demon Slayer. But for those who genuinely do care, those who have followed the series since its inception, oh boy, you are in for an incredible and worthwhile ride. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is truly a masterful piece of modern art.

WARNING: This review is gonna be FLASHY!!!!

Without further ado, onto the review (I’ll mark from where the spoilers start, so don’t worry. Continue reading this with the same amount of confidence that Zenitsu gets when he starts sleeping.)

What do you get when you mix an amazing plot and harmonious soundtrack with unreal animation? You get Demon Slayer. I believe I don’t have to explain how much hype there was for Season 2, and I can confidently say Ufotable delivered more than expected. The animation was a blessing for the eyes, containing some of the best battles animation has to offer. The fluid fights resonated with ... every atom of my body, making it pump out that adrenaline faster than Muzan could get pissed at his demons. Hopefully even the haters can agree, the animation is straight up amazing. Huge thanks to Ufotable for making this gem. Now, onto the story….

A delicate yet wonderful mesh of emotional moments, humorous dialogues and stimulating fights, this Season is packed with beautifully animated scenes. One scene you’ll be bawling your eyes out, the next laughing uncontrollably, and the next cheering for whoever you like. Perfectly paced, it slowly prepares you for what’s coming next, then explodes your mind with more than what you expected. Every scene is interesting, and not a single moment is wasted. This is one of the few anime, where not even a single scene has bored me. Even the music, especially the OP song was really good. Our not so smooth (I’ll tear your guts out if you slightly piss me off) criminal Michael Jackson gets some screen time briefly too, so that’s a plus.

Now about the characters (Spoilers start from here. So for those who haven’t watched it yet, go watch it after mentally preparing yourself for an amazing journey.)

Tanjiro – We once again meet with our good boy Tanjiro. What’s not there to love about him? Someone deeply relatable to us; a human trying to find their way in the world while struggling to hold tight and not let go the few precious things he has left, his sister and his friends. I have no siblings of my own, yet I could still feel the strong bond between Tanjiro and Nezuko. His passion reached the heart of Rengoku’s father, and he wrote letters to Senjuro without losing touch with him. These two scenes were short, but their impact was immense. It goes to show how much Tanjiro cares about others. His attitude, where he keeps going even when things look bleak, and pushes himself to the max, pretty much inspired me too. He’s no Saitama, but that will never stop him from trying harder.

Uzui Tengen – Has one of the funniest entrances I’ve seen so far. Calls himself God of Festivals, and when Inouske called himself God of Mountains, he found him weird lmao. Has a pretty interesting backstory, and knows the value of life. When in danger, prioritise your life first, that way you can survive to fight another day.

Nezuko – New power up was sick. Plant Nezuko looked really nice, while baby Nezuko was adorable.

Zenitsu – Speed hax. Love how during all the important fight scenes he was asleep.

Inouske – Rearranging internal organs and dislocating joints to move like a worm; I wouldn’t be able to make abilities like this even if I was overdosed with sake.

Daki and Gyutaro – Tanjiro and Nezuko but evil. Their synergy was great and both of them really put up a good fight till the end. Their backstory in the last episode really hit me in the feels.

Michael Jackson – I gotta say he’s one of the coolest and cruellest villains I’ve seen. The way his overwhelming power was shown blew me away.

Basically my summary of this is - An amazing series having a beautifully crafted story, animated down to the finest of details, with the right sprinkle of humour, emotion and action.
Before I go, always remember- Set your hearts ablaze and be FLASHY! ;)

If we put aside the super sexualization of ALL women.
The ridiculous, bad, and old-fashioned depiction of All women appearing in this season.
The ultra over the top sexualization of the main villain. (Don't get me wrong, a little here and there is okay, it's target demographic is clear, but you know, it rest credibility to the overall product and became even annoying).
The lack of plot, and the nonsensical of the premise.
The eternal main fight that goes on for more than half of the episodes. Tje bad pacing of the script and the constant cuts when the action reaches its climax.
Zenitsu ... and his insufferable personality. The screaming for no reason. And many other little nuances.

And we are left with impeccable action sequences. Monumental production values.
Fantastic main villains in every way (until they nerf one of them and she becomes insufferable).
The background of those villains.
Absolutely perfect main combat (until they drag it out longer than it should be).
Tanjiro, Inosuke and this time also Nezuko (obviating the super sexualization of her character). A great Pillar, Tengen (just forgetting his over the top personality and annoying sexism specially in the first episodes).

We would get a pretty solid season that would have been perfect if we took out all the bad stuff (which is absurd to begins with and very easy to spot and known that shouldn't be there).
And either, that the season lasted only seven episodes (like the previous one) or that it had a story to tell to fill the eleven episodes that make it up.
But that isn't the case and it is what it is, so overall a 7 (should be a 6, but I do really like the villain(s) and their backstory even when it is predictable... so I gave it an extra point, but it is a 6+ to be fair).

Like many reviews shared here, Kimetsu no Yaiba is heavily carried by its aesthetics and overall animation. Beyond that, what we see is an empty shell of characters—soulless, shallow, and incredibly, painfully boring. The story is completely forgettable and lacks any kind of charm. Instead of watching this anime, you're better off just checking out the fight scenes, plain and simple. Don’t waste your time—invest it in something with more substance.

Additionally, it all feels like it was designed to impress on a superficial level: flashy colors, epic music, dramatic yelling... but everything comes off as artificial, like a product made to generate hype without any ... real concern for what it's actually telling. There are moments where it tries to be emotional, but there's no proper buildup to justify them—so they neither move nor impact. In short, it’s a pretty shell with nothing inside, carried solely by its visual wrapping.

Omg my favorite mc so flawless and perfectly crafted honestly I'm tearing rn because of how much I relate to this masterpiece of a show. I really wish I got to see more of Tanjiro's backstory as seeing it 10 times each episode was not really enough to fully value the depth of his character.
The fights were perfectly crafted, making sure I forgot what was happening with a flashback every millisecond and Uzui was so relatable to me with his 3 wives and shi.
A big question I had towards the author was as to how Tanjiro was not killed due to zoning out into ... flashbacks the middle of getting stabbed on the neck, all good tho next time I believe these 11 episodes could have been shortened to 20 mins if you get rid of the flashbacks.
10/10 please CANCEL the show and animate something with an actual plot .Ty have a lovely day!

After a pretty mediocre film, and now this season being underwhelming, if not outright garbage, I’m left to wonder if the franchise became worse and is on a steady downward trajectory, or if I was duped all along, and the first season that I quite enjoyed was actually never that good.

It might be a mixture of both, but what helped the first season so much is that it was never overly fixated on padding out any particular segment. The arcs were leaner. Even if it was no masterpiece, the author was able to cover up his weaknesses that are so apparent in any extended ... arc like this one. An array of emotions were covered, we had humor (often not great, but more varied and not as cringe as what we get here); there were a lot of villains, minor and major, who had their different motivations, sob-filled quasi-redemption arcs, backstories, etc.; a wider range of environments and characters to explore. Most of all, the pacing was vastly better and it was never so samey. It's a simple heroic shonen series with straightforward morality, a thematic emphasis on family, a bit more melodrama than the average, and though it's more or less your typical story of good vs evil, it's an enjoyable enough retelling of familiar themes with excellent fight choreography and visuals.

Season 2 starts off at a snail’s pace. We’re first bogged down with Rengoku’s loose ends in a snoozer of a first episode, then it's off to the entertainment district.

We’re formally introduced to another of the Hashira, Uzui, the “flashy” shinobi. Being flashy and using the adjective to describe everything he approves of is the closest to a notable character trait that he has. He’s no stranger to nail polish (two colors for extra flashiness), makeup, gaudy jewelry, etc. He bases his views of everything on whether or not it is flashy or the opposite, and that’s where too large of a chunk of the humor of the show is derived from this season (not that the humor has ever been the show’s strongest point). He honestly looks like a stupid drag queen ninja action figure. He’s loyal and fights for his friends, and he has an uninteresting backstory. He also has three wives, another mainstay for jokes. One wife wouldn’t have been flat enough, so they had to give us busty bimbo triplets for maximum flatness—they’re paper thin other than their boobs. God, I hope this character and his three wives are dead by the end of this.

You know how in comedy anime in the 90s and the early 2000s they would have the main or other male characters dress in drag and “funny” hijinks would ensue? That’s basically episodes 2-5 or so in a nutshell. We’re subjected to different variations of the same thing in three different venues, following Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, until they finally meet up for the action half of the arc. The fact that I found myself wishing for the often tiresome antics of the three mains from the first season shows just how painful and soulless these segments are. Action junkies will be disappointed because it takes about 5-6 episodes before the fights really get started. The story and setting are much too simple for this amount of padding, and none of what precedes the fights manages to create any kind of investment in the action or generate interest in the villains.

The action and animation are pretty solid and there’s the same active camera that KNY and Ufotable have been known for, but the fight scenes are a bit drawn-out and overly gimmicky. There are only two demons for this season: one of them is a one trick pony and pretty much just turns her hair and sash into sharp, tendril-like blades, swerving through the air with fluid camera and 3D assisted animation; it doesn’t have the grace of the fabled Itano Circus missile pattern animation (at least not the good examples, like 2D Macross), but it’s close enough. She spends most of the time just flailing them around and the characters block and dodge. The other demon has blood manipulation powers and is a BIT more creative. A sizable amount of the action is just him and the Hashira flicking their gleaming blades around at high speeds and the occasional explosion.

There are some twists and turns in pretty typical shonen fashion, and Tanjiro is stretched-out far beyond his limits to the point of absurdity. For some reason, Zenitsu is sleep fighting for most of his scenes, there is a ridiculous "fake death" segment where Inosuke MOVES HIS HEART to avoid death (this is painfully bad and it's never even hinted at before it happens), and there are plenty of parts where the baddies waste valuable opportunities. Like what on earth was the villain doing when one of the kunoichi was at his mercy? He just grabs her face for like 5 minutes while Tanjiro shambles around. There are so many instances where our heroes should be dead, but they have some ridiculous comebacks. The villains are simply spiteful and not interesting or sympathetic in the slightest. Nevertheless, I can't help but feel sorry for them, because the way this was written, they were cheated out of a win. The heroes STOLE this with dirty, dirty writing.

All of the drama is just drab, dead, and done Rengoku fire-eyebrows stuff at the beginning (I forgot about him after Train Slayer, okay? I just don’t care), a bit of “Oh, Tanjiro, you’re so nice” melodrama, and SLOW flashbacks to the boob trio gushing over flash-senpai. The only remotely decent scene is a short one with Nezuko, since at least that is a natural progression for the characters and isn't senseless. Zenitsu grows a bit of a spine and can play a mean shamisen, so I guess there’s that…

Sure hope season 3 can return to the more fast-paced style of season 1. Better villains would be helpful.

Kimerdson II 2/10

It's the same review as the first season because it doesn't change anything.

It's just animation. Villains are shit. the protagonist is a door and the only thing that works in this crap is Zenitsu and Inosuke.

It's a generic battle shonen with slightly above average animation (Ufotable does better with Fate), there's nothing more than that, the script is crap and the dramatization is hilarious for being too bad.

Worst of all is the fanbase forcing this shit like it's the best anime in the world because of some scenes with colored lights. Get out of the bubble and stop forcing this generic shonen ... like divine animation because of colored lights.

it gets to be very funny because the fans just force the animation of this shit, and there's nothing to talk about other "qualities".

Since not much has changed since the first season in terms of characters and plot structure, I will instead give you a list of 10 things that made Demon Slayer the success it is. This is done after some chats I had with people who insisted Demon Slayer did not become such a success just because of the animation. Up to a point they were right, since if animation alone was enough then every well animated anime would be a success, something which is not true. So, here are those 10 reasons that made a show with such a by the numbers plot and cast ... to be such a hit.

1) Animation
With the first one still being the animation. Don’t fool yourselves to think it would be the success it is if the pretty colors weren’t so pretty. Modern audiences became addicted to it so much it eclipsed any other reason for watching something. Even if you put together the other 9 reasons that follow, they are still not going to be as important as the pretty colors. With that said, here they are despite not being that important, yet helping out in making Demon Slayer to stand out amongst other well animated series.

2) Fighting Shonen
It’s a fighting shonen! Holy crap, who could have predicted that most people who watch anime don’t like comedy or drama or romance as much as they like action. So it’s not just the animation, it’s the well animated and rather brutal action scenes, a prime attraction of anime in general.

3) Death is Permanent
This shouldn’t be a reason, and yet it has become a reason because most action anime chicken out when it comes to killing characters and leaving them dead. Magic resurrections and time resets and alternative timelines became so commonplace, it actually became rare to find an anime where people stay dead. Demon Slayer is one of those rare cases.

4) The pacing is great
Although most people watch anime for the action, one of the huge detractors fighting shonen have is the stretched out duration with slow pacing and a ton of filler episodes. Demon Slayer doesn’t do that, there is clear plot progression even in the action-free buildup episodes.

5) The plot is easy to follow
Believe it or not most people do not expect an action show to be super complex with constant plot twists, multi layered mysteries, and a whole bunch of other convoluted bullshit that demand from them to think for hours what the shit is going on, only to get a complete trainwreck that doesn’t make any sense, contradicts its earlier messages, and in general confuses him more than it entertains him. Your average fan wants things to be simple. Guy swings sword, stuff explode. It doesn’t have to be more complex than that. Demon Slayer with its generic and simple to follow story gives you exactly that.

6) Ideal Setting
Escapism can have mass appeal when it keeps the best aspects and disregards everything that makes it look bad. The setting of Demon Slayer is Japan in its coolest form, nothing but stuff people want to see in order to be impressed. Swords and ninjas and kimonos and all those stereotypes we expect to see in Japan. At the same time it completely disregards everything that would not make it cool, such as showing us what a bunch of xenophobic fascist chauvinists the Japanese used be at time period the story is supposed to be taking place in. If any of those nasty bits were showing there would be many who would be bothered and they wouldn’t like the show.

7) Everyone has a Backdrop
Any show with a large cast has a hard time to show everybody’s backdrop story. There is simply not enough time to do that, resulting to most secondary characters being left without one and feeling flat as a result. In Demon Slayer everyone has a tragic past that makes him more than a generic swordsman or a generic monster. Obviously this is achieved through the cheap method of showing someone’s life story as he is dying, but then again your average anime fan doesn’t know shit about good writing and is pleased with a sad flashback, regardless of how cheaply written it is.

8) Everyone has a Badass Mode
The characters are, just like the plot, very simple and easy to follow. This usually results in coming off as having only one trait in their personality, which in extreme situations becomes obnoxious. The protagonist is a dull boyscout, his blond comrade is a loud coward, his sister is a mind controlled puppet, and so on. Your average viewer is willing to forgive that if those characters have a badass mode during battles. And they do. When things get serious they get super powerful and kick ass instead of being permanently obnoxious and useless in battle.

9) Family Bonds
Something that is often overlooked in appeal is that most Japanese anime fans love family bonds. They love the living shit out of characters who are relatives, not simply friends or colleagues. When a character does something for his family it hits way deeper than when he does it because it’s a mission or a friend is in need. Demon Slayer is about family since it’s the protagonist doing it all for helping his sister. This simple detail elevates the show above all others that are not about family.

10) Promotion
From the pedigree of the animation studio, to the company that streams it in the west, Demon Slayer got some pretty big names in the industry to attract a wide audience. Part of its success is the heavy promotion it got. The more promotion something gets, the more sales it ends up having. What? Did you think it all has to do about quality or some shit? The manga sales were fairly low until the anime came out. It’s all about exposure and giving the people what they want. Which is pretty colors and 9 other minor reasons.

Honestly, this anime ended on my birthday so yea, but the art/animation is really clean I really like and the storyline is nice but I'll probably have to read the manga if I want to see what happens next. I like to say it was very nerve-racking watching this because half of them were on the brick of dying, but these side stories that were in anime show how things happen and make it understandable. So yea I never really write reviews but this ended on my birthday and it just feels special to write this review because it was good while watching it and ... I just wanted to. <3

The show and music were so insanely hyped that I was constantly flexing my arm creating time under tension. Insane way to build up my triceps.

Opening and Ending by Aimer also goes crazy that I listened to it in the gym and hit a new PR. I was at my last breathe when I thought to myself "What would Rengoku do?", the next moment I found my legs pushed up on the leg press machine.

Throughout the show, I was sweating from anticipation giving me a good cardio workout as well.

Moments in the show made my jaw drop from the sheer astonishment and excitement ... I felt while experiencing such carefully curated and wonderful animation paired with top-notch orgasmic orchestra music. When I closed my mouth, I could feel my jawline getting sharper.

Overall 10/10 season.

The show and music were so insanely hyped that I was constantly flexing my arm creating time under tension. Insane way to build up my triceps.

Opening and Ending by Aimer also goes crazy that I listened to it in the gym and hit a new PR. I was at my last breathe when I thought to myself "What would Rengoku do?", the next moment I found my legs pushed up on the leg press machine.

Throughout the show, I was sweating from anticipation giving me a good cardio workout as well.

Moments in the show made my jaw drop from the sheer astonishment and excitement I felt ... while experiencing such carefully curated and wonderful animation paired with top-notch orgasmic orchestra music. When I closed my mouth, I could feel my jawline getting sharper.

I recommand a ton!!

If you love animation, not only anime but animation, you will love this wonderful piece of art.

Even my wife, who's not an anime fan and who generaly doesn't care about how animation works and how it's made, was blown away.

When the perfectly animated choreography reaches its peak in a firework of colors, blood and tears, fear and bravery, supported by an epic music...

Ufotable are truly masters in their art.

As for the story itself, as simple as it is, it has heart. A lot of heart. And that's what matters.

I guess people who don't like Demon Slayer won't like masterpieces like Redline or Mind Game either. ... If that's the case, maybe they should just watch movies, because they don't seem to care about what is the real essence of anime.

Man where do I begin...there is so much wrong and the only reason I gave it a 6 is because I haven't seen the all of season 2.

Season one was genuinely one of the best modern ip's in anime in a long time. It was a beathe of fresh air. It had genuine weight to it, something that makes a generic show into a masterpiece. This weight, grounded in reality, was carried through to the mugen train arc, but is entirely missing here.

7 Episodes in, and this show is lacking a ton of character which made season one amazing. Its missing that weight.

Remember in season ... one, how tanjiro and his companions genuinely struggled to survive? How ever step they took was filled with dread? Every time they did anything they felt like they were incompetent, but took time to overcome their weakness and grow. Tanjiro was getting his ass kicked by some weak deamons in season one, and even though he got more training in between season 1 and season 2, it doesn't add up. How is this guy who isn't even close to the top 50% of demon slayers, fighting an upper six and having an easy go at it? You would expect him to get his ass wooped, his companions to come help him, and it would all be a team effort. Instead, he stops fighting because of a cough...wow. How far we have fallen. Either stick with the continuity that he has found some magical inner strength to become the greatest demon slayer in history, or continue the fair and linear development from season one, where tanjiro is just barely capable of staying alive. Remember mugen train, it took all 3 friends and a hashira to even make it fair vs a demon, and in the end they lost the hashira that day.

Not here! Tanjiro has just morphed into some ancient version of kirito where all he needs to do is strain his eyebrows hard enough and come up with solutions straight out of his ass.

This makes the show feel cheap, fast paced, and missing entire parts of tanjiros personal development.

What is worse, is the buttloads of filler. The comedy, the random conversations that waste time, etc. It feels like this entire season is a comic relief and the first season was a horror show. Maybe there was backlash that season one took things too seriously, but that was what made the show so good, it had weight to it. Decisions and actions weren't taken on a whim and at every turn death lied in wait. Not here, now we can just rush in to fight a upper level demon without a second thought.

Their is some good nezuko development, FINALLY, but even that is completely unexplained. The logic is that demons need to consume human blood to get stronger, etc etc. Not nezuko, she is the chosen one, she is the naruto, she doesn't need anything because she was BORN special. This adds even more confusion to the entire show. Episode 6 and 7 just made me feel cheated, like I waited for a second season and never got it. How does nezuko manage to be both overpowerd yet her brother has no issue holding her back. There is just so much mismatch. Ugh.

The show isn't bad, its just fine. Again, I am judging this off the first 7 episodes, but I think I have been cheated enough to not even bother watching the rest of the show because of how mediocre, predictable, and cheap it became in a matter of a few episodes. The uniqueness is entirely gone.

TLDR: Just watch the fight scenes, skip the rest. Show's script is a waste of time.