Kijin Gentoushou

There is a good story underneath this show. But the good story I refer to is the source rather than this adaptation. Often with anime adaptations, disappointment and criticisms center around art, animation quality, and occasionally when important scenes are cut. The art here is quite nice, the animation is serviceable, and the adaptation is mostly faithful. So what went wrong?

First there are some blatantly obvious failures in direction and art direction, where characters will look past each other due to incorrect angles, and the anime will linger on the laughable image for 15 seconds so that the animation work can be limited to mouth ... flaps.

But that’s just one example that goes to show that the anime simply takes no advantage of the animation medium, and it has really significant effects on the story. The novels are jam packed with descriptive language from Jinya’s point of view, giving far more characterization information than can be expected in manga or anime. The manga makes up for the lack of walls of text in a huge way. It has some of the most expressive designs and paneling decisions that subtly portray what is on the characters’ minds, especially for the stoic Jinya. The anime lacks all of that.

The significance of this change in approach was evident from the first episode. Did you know that when Jinya confesses his love, he does so sincerely? With an embarrassed and childlike face spilling out from his weary and stoic facade? When Kiyomasa confronts Jinya, breaking down when realizing how screwed up Jinya is in stubbornly refusing his own happiness with Shirayuki, Jinya acknowledges it with a defeated chuckle, knowing how strange the path he walks is while nevertheless continuing to walk it. The paneling was not that of a static wide shot where the characters could barely be seen.

I don’t know if I’ve come across another story where small changes like this so heavily damage a character. You want a stoic cool guy as a lead, where emotional payoffs come from beautiful and poetic events that get him to crack a smile and live life? Could it be any more paramount that the art properly conveys the emotions of this character?

The manga truly nails this, elevating a story with a relatively weak plot and small world to incredible heights. The anime doesn’t even try.

Kijin Gentosho
5 out of 10

This anime surprised me. I loved the setting of the story and the characters feel like they truly belong in this world, taking the narrative seriously.

The animation was also great, I didn't expect much from the studio, but they did a pretty good job. The art style is pretty good too and I like that the makers clearly put effort into making this show.

While the story isn't particularly unique and it doesn't feel like they're trying to be, it's enjoyable enough with some really good emotional beats.

The opening was okay, but there are spoilers in it so watch out for those. looking forward to ... seeing where this story ends up.

I’ll get straight to the point: the first episode was really good, but that’s all the anime has going for it. It kept getting worse with each episode. With 24 episodes, you’d think they would develop a solid story, but instead, it’s just a bunch of mini-arcs that don’t really connect. The most connection you get is when a character shows up again after being introduced in a previous arc.

It feels like the entire animation budget went into the first episode. By episode 21, it looked like they released it without even finishing the drawings. I don’t fully understand the animation process, but it was ... clear they skipped some steps and delivered something incomplete.

Even with 24 episodes, they never concluded the story, it was basically 24 episodes of filler.
If you liked the first episode, just stop there and pretend it’s a short movie, because the rest of the series doesn’t live up to what was shown in the beginning.

Demons in ancient Japan? Check.
Conflict between humans and demons in ancient Japan? Check.
Swordsmiths, samurais, or warriors training to be demon slayers in ancient Japan? Also check.

All this would have you reaching of the same conclusion I'd had when I first saw glance of this anime: that this is Kimetsu no Yaiba 2.0 with the same story beats, same characters, same story, hell same themes even. And I wouldn't blame you. It's appearance is indeed quite deceiving at first glance. However, I'm here to tell you that you would be wrong. Ooohh boy, sorely wrong.

If you wanted to watch this, expecting something like Kimetsu no ... Yaiba, you'll be disappointed. Not to slander Kimetsu no Yaiba (and not that I don't like it, in fact I've rated it quite high here on MAL too), but this anime has more to offer than just the eyecandy and animation that Kimetsu is known for.

A better comparison, or rather analogy, on how to describe Kijin Gentosho would be something like Kimetsu no Yaiba × Frieren. "But how does that make any sense?", you ask. Frieren has the eponymous protagonist fightings against demons, the same that Kimetsu no Yaiba's Kamado Tanjiro has, so how does that analogy works? Well, you take the depth, the struggles, the emotional beats, and the lessons that Frieren has for its audience, and mix it with the setting that Kimetsu no Yaiba has, while expanding beyond just shallow Demons vs Humans plot and that's Kijin Gentosho.

Kijin Gentosho is a masterclass on how storytelling is done. It ties together history, emotion, and the struggles of a human person to tell the beautiful story of the human-turned-demon protagonist Jinta/Jinya. What appears as simple humans vs demons story at first glance, quickly evolves into something much more mature than just regurgitated good vs evil story. It doesn't rely on flashy, bright action sequences with powers shouting to tell its story, instead layering in story beats like an onion and plays with its strength. It doesn't take its audience for a fool, expecting them to pick up the cinematic themes and complexity that the story has to endear them to its story, which is something I really appreciate these days. There's no in-your-face emotional-manipulation-flashback-before-character-dies that Kimetsu no Yaiba is known for, so the story will do its utmost to hit you in your emotional guts when it wants to, and by god they really do.

Expanding on that analogy I made about how Kijin Gentosho is like a mix of Frieren × Kimetsu no Yaiba, Frieren has this somber and melancholic, yet hopeful tone that is present throughout its story. And all this lies in the similarities of their protagonists: their struggles, and the thematic display of how immortal life isn't as grand as we make it out to be. Jinya, like Freren (the character), is a long-lived being after becoming a demon. Both stories are consistent with their themes: despite being functionally immortal, their struggles are still as human as anyone. Jinya struggles to come to terms in failing to take action from the circumstances that led him to who he is today, and Frieren struggles with failing to connect with his friends when they were still alive, thus starting her journey of meeting with them again one last time. Jinya's struggles is shown to the audience quite often, especially when he has to interact with his fellow demons, and the show hammers on that point a lot: a sense of belongingness, family, and dealing with his emotions being part of his journey towards his goal.

Speaking of the characters, I gotta give credit to the author for this. Throughout the 25 episodes, none of them ever felt annoying, repetitive, or stand out in a bad way. They're all well-developed. It's one of the strengths that this show plays well. The author knows when it's time for a character to be on the spotlight, they know when to bench them for future episodes, and they know how to give a good payoff when a character arc or journey is at an end. I'd even go as far as to say that the characters are one of the reasons you should watch this anime. Each one of them feels human, since you understand their struggles, you understand their motivations, and its easy to sympathize and feel for their conflict throughout the story.

Now, I'd happily glaze this anime to hell and back, because it's so terribly under-the-radar and underrated. Hell, I'd even vote for it as Anime of the Year for its story alone. HOWEVER, there is one thing that holds this anime back. As evidenced by Kimetsu no Yaiba and Solo Leveling, a good anime doesn't need to have a good story, but give it a lot of care production and animation-wise, and you'll get people flocking to it because of how flashy it is.

And that's one department that Kijin Gentosho falls behind.

The animation doesn't really do this anime justice. A lot of panning, inconsistent art style, hell even at one point, backgrounds looked unfinished. If you haven't noticed yet, then I'll tell you now that the studio responsible for the anime is Yokohama Animation Laboratory. If you're not familiar, some of the animes under their portfolio include The New Gate, Hametsu no Oukoku, and more infamously, Whisper Me A Love Song. Those are animes that went through production hell and/or delays during their run. And Kijin Gentosho almost went through the same thing. It got delayed near the end of its run, though luckily it wasn't as bad as Whisper Me A Love Song. This suggests that YAL must've had production issues as well near the end. Surprisingly, it didn't seem so obvious at first during the first cour of this anime.

Still, and I can't say this enough, this anime's storytelling is top-notch. If you want an anime that is profound, and is a masterful at writing its characters, don't look far. Kijin Gentosho is the anime for you. Besides, animation issues didn't really rear its head much until near the end of the anime. Hopefully, you can overlook that and watch this anime, because I so badly want a Season 2 for this anime, and the only way we get that is to have more people appreciate this anime.

Sword Of The Demon Hunter was a very welcome surprise, especially after such a lackluster season that was Winter 2025. I came into this expecting it to be good..but just that, but honestly if the rest of the episodes are as good as the first 3 are, I think it could be one of the best new shows for Spring 2025.

Plot:
If I described the entire plot, I would just spoil the first episode. So I'll give you the stupefied version instead.

Jinta and his sister, Suzune live with their abusive father who beats on her because she has a demon eye. They escape from the ... house and run into a man who happens to be the husband and bodyguard to the current Itsukihime. They also have a daughter named Shirayuki who's to be the next Itsukihime once her mother dies, which surprise surprise, she does. Time skip around a decade later and now Jinta and Shirayuki are grown, while Suzune is still the same since she's you know...half-demon, which makes her age slowly. Shirayuki is now the Itsukihime and Jinta is one of her bodyguards, and that's where I'll stop. Anymore and I'd just spoil the first episode. Just know that events lead to Jinta going on a 170 year journey hunting demons in order to find his sister.

characters:
I really like these characters, they're nothing we haven't seen before, but they're likable. Jinta is your stoic protagonist, but he still has a heart and will listen to peoples backstories and engage in conversation, and he even lets the demons give him their name before he kills them. How nice of him.
Suzune sadly I can't say much right now since they write her out of the show after the first episode, but as long as they don't make her full bloodthirsty heartless demon, I think she could be an interesting character.

I also like the side characters we've been introduced to so far, especially the demon, Mosuke introduced in episode 3 who's just a guy trying to blend in with humanity to live a peaceful life who's also hunting the same demon Jinta is because it killed his wife. Which I love, I love when the monsters in anime are portrayed more complex than just mindless monsters, and they have a more not everything is black and white element. That's why I adore 'Shiki' so much, the humans and vampires are both assholes but also have sympathetic characters in the mix.

art/animation:
This is where it falters a little, while not bad by any means, the animation hasn't impressed me at all either. The art on the other hand is great, I love how dark everything is, and the demons look amazing. I was a little worried when I saw the studio was Yokohama Animation Lab since they don't have the best track record, but no, Sword Of The Demon Hunter is great so far.

Conclusion:
This is not a Demon Slayer clone, which is what I initially thought. It's set in a similar period, and both Tanjiro and Jinta hunt demons, plus the demons are a little bit more complex than just "bloodthirsty killer" in both, but that's where the similarities end. I honestly think this might have a better story and characters than Demon Slayer, while Demon Slayer will top it in art and animation alone.
I really like Sword Of The Demon Hunter and hopefully the rest of the episodes maintain the same quality.

Fun fact: It was written before Demon slayer.

It is a very beautiful anime and the thing I found the most interesting was the storytelling. Side characters are interesting and are displayed repeatedly and developed really well. The way they showed the timeskip and still fill the empty holes of past was really interesting. I would recommend watching it as a third person and linking things as that would be really interesting and u will begin to know more about author's perspective of different human values and don't give it a first person perspective as I know many ppl who quit the anime at the first ... episode just because it didn't match their edgy mc perspective.
Another thing I found interesting is that the episode gets you thinking and linking the plot points which makes the story even better. Not to say that the opening and ending songs are really good and I love them.

The atmosphere matched every scene perfectly, whether it was quiet and heavy or warm and hopeful. Visually and emotionally, the tone carried the weight of the story in a way that felt deeply immersive. It didn’t just show you what the characters were going through, it made you feel it.

What really stood out was the symbolism. It was subtle but powerful, woven into the visuals and actions without ever needing to be spelled out. Each detail felt intentional, like it was saying something deeper about the characters or the moment. It added a layer of meaning that rewards you for paying attention, without ever feeling ... overdone.

The story itself might feel familiar to fans of the genre, not groundbreaking in structure, but executed with such sincerity and emotional depth that it still hits hard. It’s less about shocking twists and more about how well it builds emotional resonance. Even if you’ve seen something similar before, this stands out for how well it’s done.

The art style complements the tone beautifully, expressive, atmospheric, and grounded. It doesn’t rely on flashiness, but uses color, lighting, and framing to quietly enhance the emotional beats. It feels lived in, rather than stylized for effect.

The characters are especially well-done, not exaggerated or overly dramatic, but believable in the way they carry their hopes, regrets, and quiet strength. They react like real people: not always perfectly, but in ways that make sense for who they are. Their flaws are part of what makes them so compelling.

The series as a whole won’t be for everyone, it moves at its own pace, and leans into quiet emotion more than action or spectacle. But for anyone who appreciates character-driven storytelling, strong atmosphere, and subtle emotional storytelling, it’s absolutely worth watching. One of those shows that sticks with you after the credits roll.

If you watched ep1(50min) and wanted to see how it goes on, prepare for a huge disappointment. Nothing happens with the started storyline since every ep stands on its own. Some "arcs" are two episodes long, but once one is finished you notice it added nothing to the story or characters.
You think it will be a revenge anime, an anime about the MC which will experience an interesting journey? - WRONG!
Mid way I literally watched it on 2x speed since as mentioned; nothing happens. I hoped that maybe the final episodes will continue where ep1 left off but no. You could skip every second episode ... and there will be no progress in any form. There is so much useless talking about nothing in always the same locations but at the end again, nothing of importance happens. Some characters appear multiple times and it has a twist that is kinda interesting the first time it happens, but as you can guess, nothing special that hooks you.
'Nothing' is the word for this anime.
You get nothing when you want the story of ep1 to continue.
You get nothing when you want some story at all.
You get nothing when it comes to character development or their personalities(only stereotype characters).
You get nothing special when it comes to voice acting.
You get nothing when it comes to steady animation quality. The first two eps are good, but then it just goes constantly downhill, even in the middle of some eps you see the quality drop, I just say ep4 bridge fight.

THE thing you get when watching this is just nothing.
How it gets a score above 5 is beyond me, especially when you think about how it started and what potential it had. But the execution is beyond bad and boring, which means I also blame the work this anime is based on, since I don't believe the studio would change the story to this unappealing nothingness.

While the premise of demon hunters in feudal Japan is familiar, Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentosho elevates this genre through its profound storytelling and masterful plot twists. Rather than relying on surprise alone, its revelations are organically woven into the narrative, reshaping prior events and deepening emotional engagement. Predictability is never an issue, as even genre veterans will find themselves captivated by the intelligent structure and pacing.

Visually, the anime's art style perfectly complements its themes. From tranquil village scenes to fierce supernatural battles, every frame enhances the atmosphere without overshadowing the story. The animation is fluid, and the character designs reflect the serious ... tone while retaining warmth and personality.

The characters themselves are impressively well-rounded. Jinya, the protagonist, embodies both strength and vulnerability, while the supporting cast avoids stereotypes and displays authentic human flaws. Their reactions to crises — whether grief, fear, or resolve — feel genuine and reinforce the realism within the fantasy setting.

Beyond its technical strengths, the series’ emotional resonance ensures it will appeal to a wide audience. Fans of historical fantasy, intricate plots, and character-driven stories will undoubtedly appreciate it. Even those less familiar with the genre may be drawn in by its thoughtful exploration of loyalty, sacrifice, and destiny.

In sum, Kijin Gentosho surpasses expectations with its compelling twists, relatable characters, fitting visuals, and emotional depth. It is not merely entertaining — it is unforgettable. For these reasons, it earns a well-deserved 10/10.

Kijin Gentoushou — Time Teaches What It Truly Means to Save

Kijin Gentoushou is not just an anime; it is a silent journey through the weight of time, choices, and human suffering. Unlike more popular works that impress with battles and striking visuals, it moves the viewer through what happens within its characters.

The protagonist carries centuries of pain and memories, facing impossible dilemmas — love, guilt, and justice intertwine in every decision. The anime does not offer easy answers: it shows that true strength lies in the ability to understand and transform hatred, loss, and regret.

What resonates the most is how time shapes the understanding of ... what it truly means to save someone — or perhaps, oneself. It is a story about maturity, kindness, and redemption, which lingers long after the final episode.

If you are looking for a work that not only entertains but also makes you reflect on life and humanity, Kijin Gentoushou is a quiet yet unforgettable invitation.

TL;DR:
A brilliant seinen anime: serious, thoughtful, and with exceptional writing. Its greatest strength lies in how it tells its story and the stories it chooses to tell. Highly recommended.


Let me start by saying this: if you go into Kijin Gentosho expecting something like Demon Slayer, you’re going to be disappointed. I honestly don’t understand how some people have compared the two.
Comparing Kijin Gentosho to Demon Slayer is like comparing Naruto to Ghost in the Shell. One is a battle shōnen focused on friendship, self-improvement, and flashy fights; the other is a mature, thoughtful work that explores human psychology, moral dilemmas, and the decay of society. ... Kijin Gentosho isn’t trying to entertain with shōnen clichés, it’s trying to offer a deep, reflective experience.

This anime stands out for its seriousness, maturity, and careful narrative construction (something that has become increasingly rare in the medium). Every scene, every line of dialogue, and every visual detail contributes to building a coherent, grounded world. It’s a show that not only entertains, but also invites you to reflect on its themes. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Kijin Gentosho is a gem that deserves to be appreciated for its depth and quality, far beyond shallow comparisons to mainstream hits.

The pacing is deliberately slow and methodical, which works perfectly for the kind of story it wants to tell. Its structure is somewhat reminiscent of Darker than Black: composed of smaller arcs (usually two episodes) that explore “side stories” but still move the main plot forward and flesh out the world. The characters are always present and developing, which gives the story a sense of continuity and realism. Life keeps happening around them as they pursue their goals, and that makes the world feel alive.

Honestly, the side stories are so well written that they often rival, or even surpass, the main plot in terms of emotional impact, very much like the best side quests in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

It’s important to note that although there is action, it is absolutely not the focus here. I’d say about 90% of the show consists of dialogue, character development, investigations, and introspection, with maybe 10% devoted to fights. And when action does happen, it feels grounded and justified. There are no sudden power-ups, no over-the-top attack names, no flashy spectacle. Fights are brief, intense, and realistic, like a duel between trained swordsmen would actually be.

One of the things I found most fascinating is the sense of realism. The story unfolds over several years, allowing us to watch the characters grow, mature, make decisions, age, and even question their own goals. The protagonist begins with a clear revenge motive, but as his journey progresses and he experiences moments of happiness, friendship, and connection, he starts wondering whether pursuing revenge is worth sacrificing the chance at a peaceful life. This is storytelling that respects its audience and embraces complexity, something very rare in anime today.

I do have to mention the one major drawback: the production issues near the end. In the last couple of episodes, the studio clearly ran out of budget. Episode 21, in particular, has unfinished backgrounds, inconsistent lighting and coloring, and even storyboard frames that made it to the final cut. There’s even a scene where we hear the sound of clashing katanas, but the screen only shows an empty bridge. Apparently, HIDIVE accidentally streamed an incomplete version of the episode. Despite this, the writing remains consistently strong, and it’s admirable that the team pushed through and finished the series rather than leaving it incomplete, a rare thing in this industry.

In short: if you’re looking for a mature, intelligent anime that takes its audience seriously, respects its own internal logic, and offers a deeply satisfying narrative, Kijin Gentosho is absolutely worth your time.

Kijin Gentosho is such a frustrating watch because it’s unquestionably an amazing story. It’s mature, it’s full of twists, death, pain, amazing character development, realistic dialogue, themes such as learning how to overcome grief and moving forward in life. It’s got all of that plus the whole badass MC out for revenge and redemption hunting demons across the centuries angle. It’s such a great story, but it suffers from some of the worst production values this season and it gets progressively worse as the season goes on. It’s such a shame because if this show’s staff were given more time to fully develop everything, this ... probably would’ve been a lot more popular and better received. It’s not lacking for substance at all, but this is the anime medium we’re talking about and it is important to look good as well as having a good story. Luckily, this show isn’t too action focused, it’s much more about the MC’s growth and his journey from angry ronin to being at peace with the past. If you can look beyond the slideshows that are the last 3 episodes or so, you’re going to get one of the most memorable stories this year.

This is yet another example of how much better novel stories are compared to light novels and manga. Not to say manga and LNs are childish as there’s demographics of each targeted at every age group, but the sort of prose and approach to storytelling is different. In my experience, novels are aimed at older audiences and contain more complex characters, themes, darker subject matter and feature more authentic feeling conversations. That’s exactly what makes Kijin special to me. It’s not trying to be a demon slayer and focus on the flashy fights, Jinya’s life journey is the main attraction. He’s forced to grapple with so much loss at such an early age and that shapes him into this jaded and angry young man who struggles to connect with others for fear of being betrayed again. It’s thanks to the people who come in Jinya’s life that he’s able to forgive himself for his failures, accept the past and regain his humanity. The various cases that Jinya takes on all help him grow a little bit. I loved most of the cases and pretty much all of them involved some sort of twist that kept you on your toes. Nothing is ever quite as it seems in this show and that unpredictability makes every episode so fun to watch. While it’s episodic for a while after that first arc, eventually you start seeing all the threads come together. It’s so cool how the author would set up things and pay them off 5-6 episodes later. Every detail matters in this show, there’s no wasted dialogue or characters. Even if it’s not apparent for months after an episode aired, they paid it off at some point. Again, novels just feel much more purposeful to me. There’s not the sort of fluff and unnecessary bloat you get in manga and LNs. There’s no fanservice or the usual cringe tropes here either.

The characters are the conduit through which Jinya’s character development is achieved and they’re all great. Nice diverse cast of women and bros who need Jinya’s help and then usually end up becoming friends with him. Some are better than other, but generally enjoyed all the jobs he takes on and while they seem like they’re random at the start, everything starts coming together around the halfway point of the show and it’s extremely satisfying. I’m a huge fan of Ofuu, I felt like she was the single most influential character to Jinya and the way she always knew the right thing to say to cheer him up and keep him focused was beautiful. All the dialogue between them felt so natural and I really wanted that ship to sail all season. It’s not just Ofuu, though. Every conversation in this show sounds like normal people talking, not anime archetypes and that is so refreshing. I watch so many seasonals every season so when I get a series that’s not overdramatic and is more chill and realistic in how characters act, it sticks with me. Undead Girl Murder Farce is also based on a novel and was one of my fave shows from 2023 with a lot of the same things I like here, so I’m convinced novel anime adaptations are just better. The only issue with the story I have is the time jump stuff. We went all over the place in the timeline here and at times it felt pointless because we’d do stuff in present day and go right back to Meiji/late Sengoku era. I’m not sure if that’s how it went in the books as I still haven’t read them yet, but in anime format it was jarring at times. Things do start getting much clearer with the various timelines later on, though.

Now the big elephant in the room is the animation. Honestly, the show looked decent enough up until about episode 18 or so. At that point, you could tell this show wasn’t complete and the staff were likely under unreasonable time deadlines, like most of the modern anime industry. At one point we literally got an unfinished episode released with unfinished backgrounds and character models. The show got delayed for a few weeks, but even when it came back it looked bad in the action scenes too. This staff just ran out of steam and were likely facing some really toxic work conditions. I’m not going to blame them, I’ll blame the execs. As I said before though, the fights are secondary here. The story and characters are the primary focus and they’re all great. If you can tolerate the unfinished fight scenes, especially that bridge scene.. you’ll be fine. The voice acting and direction are great throughout to compensate as well.

Kijin Gentosho was easily a top 5 show of spring/summer for me. Even with the production issues, there just aren’t many series like this. I got so invested in Jinya’s journey and I couldn’t tell you the number of times I cried while watching this. There’s so many emotional moments and turning points for Jinya’s character that resonate because you’ve seen his struggle and all he’s had to overcome. It makes the joys of the story feel earned and you appreciate all the slower peaceful moments. It’s one of those casts that starts to feel like a family for you and a story you want more and more of each week. Bad animation aside, I loved this one and can’t wait to start reading the books.

Kijin Gentosho gets 9 out of 10.

I decided what I would watch in the Spring 2025 season by watching the PV of every anime in it. At first, I didn't have much higher expectations, so I decided to lower my bar... then the PV for Kijin Gentoushou came like a blast and made me realize that good anime is good anime, no bar-lowering needed.

Kijin Gentoushou is an ambitious story, and I don't say that solely from it coming from a premise of being a very LONG-running story spanning a LONG time-frame, but from the fact that, similar to other anime nowadays such as Oshi no Ko, Re:Zero Season 3 and Frieren, ... it decided to start with a multiple-episode long "first episode" despite not having the recognizability of those three. That choice made sense: That story NEEDS to be long to establish the bases for the anime, but at the same time it does not represent what the story IS, so having it as two or three separate episodes could give people a wrong idea of what Kijin Gentoushou is trying to be, in a way that the official episodes 2-6, which cover the second book, do much better.

In part I speak of experience: Though I know that much of book one was cut and the source material is likely better, much of the anime's episode one made it feel... Korean? That mostly come from my negative image of Korean works, but once it started with the ultra-violence between demons while they acted in less reasonable ways than a Newtype in the Gundam universe, it REALLY felt that it was going into the "OP protagonist edgefest" realm. Luckily, I couldn't have been more wrong!

From the end of episode one, we already know that our protagonist is still very human and didn't give it to his most base desires. In a way, this fact makes the next episodes, which are there to explore a journey of him "getting back his humanity" to feel a bit different: Though the closest story in that regard would be Berserk, Jinya never "lost as much humanity" as Guts did, so in his "quest to regain his humanity" he's... already starting from a very high baseline.
That might feel "off" to a few people: Book two mainly explores his questioning of what truly means to be human, and that some demons can be more "human" than some humans, though those are the types of stories you would expect if Jinya had some form of hate-boner for each and every demon, which he never did, being very level-headed ever since episode two.
While I would prefer that such character development had happened on-screen rather than between books, it also made it possible for the episodes to be how they were.

Kijin Gentoushou is "efficient" with it's characters: It could have easily been a(n inferior) story where characters only appear in one episode, and never again, but it truly makes a nice re-use of them in various different occasions, which ties back to Jinya's "return of humanity": A human must live in society together with people, don't they?
The story has multiple opportunities to "fall to some vices", but never does, with even a scene of Jinya killing rapists feeling less like a power-fantasy and more like him fulfilling a promise to people he knew deeply, almost as if he had "lived through their memories" ;).

It truly is a story about killing demons, it just happens that the focus is on killing the "inner" ones.

It's a detective noir with serialized episodes, placed in feudal japan with demons or whatever. Our boy takes a case, does his snooping, meets a few characters - some recurring, he figures it out and makes a plan. He is probably going to get a Mulder pretty soon, if I had to guess. Dialog isn't just drowning me with expo. It has a point, and may have a few. It is samurai vs demon X-Files.

Mostly writing this review because it is a great show, thus far. 7.5 because dweebs think it's Demon Slayer is trashy, and I want to fix it.

First of all, I have to say that I really enjoyed this anime, and that means a lot. These days, not many shows actually get me excited, but this one did.

The storytelling was excellent. The pacing, twists, and characters were all handled well. The show drops little hints along the way, letting you guess the plot twists and piece the mystery together before revealing the truth. That is good storytelling, not like other anime that explain every single thing as if the audience cannot figure it out themselves. You can also see the characters grow throughout the series, which makes it even more engaging.

I liked ... how the story spans such a long period of time. It begins in 1830 and follows the main character through different eras. As far as I know, the novel’s story is complete, so I really hope we get another season of this anime.

Now for the other parts: the music and sound effects were pretty standard. Nothing too special or memorable, but they did their job. I enjoyed the opening and ending themes. The music fit well, and the visuals were nice.

The biggest weakness for me was the animation. The first episode looked great and was nearly 50 minutes long. Some later episodes were also good, while others were just okay. Unfortunately, by the time episode 22 came around, the animation quality dropped a lot. They even delayed the show for a week afterward, which helped things recover a bit. You can see the direction and artistic vision the staff had, but it feels like they did not have enough time, budget, or manpower to maintain that quality in every episode. Sadly, this is something that happens to a lot of anime productions.

Still, if you are looking for a paranormal historical anime with swords, demons, and strong storytelling, I completely recommend Kijin Gentoushou.

A masterclass in layered storytelling, Kijin Gentoushou weaves together centuries of history, myth, and emotion into a single, cohesive narrative. What initially appears as an episodic structure quickly reveals a deeper purpose: each seemingly self-contained arc gradually feeds into a larger, intricate web of character growth, legacy, and worldbuilding.

The series avoids relying on flashy action or overused tropes. Instead, its strength lies in the careful construction of cause and effect across time. Minor encounters in one period echo through generations, shaping ideologies, grudges, and the spiritual evolution of its characters. It’s a story where patience is rewarded—threads that appear insignificant early on return with impactful ... relevance.

The visuals serve the tone: clean, measured, and atmospheric, rarely overwhelming but always appropriate to the story’s emotional weight. While the animation is not groundbreaking, it supports the storytelling without distraction. The soundtrack, too, is restrained yet effective, often enhancing moments of reflection rather than overpowering them.

Voice performances subtly shift across the timeline, emphasizing the maturity and burden of characters shaped by their era. Dialogue often feels poetic, especially in moments that reflect on morality, duty, and the impermanence of human life.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the pacing may seem slow to those seeking constant excitement. But for those who value narrative complexity and thematic depth, Kijin Gentoushou offers a rare treat: a story that honors its past while constantly building toward its future.

Gets better and better. Go in with an open mind, the first episode or two give you the general world & background, and quickly fast forwards to adulthood. What separates this from something "more" action packed, is that it seems we get at least an episode of background or reasoning before the action episode in all it's gory detail.

I personally appreciate the pacing, and am sure it will watch even better when it's all done and you don't have to wait for the resolution to the various cases at hand. In the meantime this definitely seems to be in the top two of the ... season, and has potential to be even more, depending how it plays out.

Definitely recommend, is a bit different from all the others. Not an Isekai! :)

Tragedy alone does not make a great story, and this series proves it. Instead of exploring duty, love, and sacrifice with nuance, it leans on cruelty and shock tactics to force emotion. What could have been a bittersweet romance turns into a mentally exhausting ordeal with zero redemption. This is not a show that can be watched casually; the weight it places on the viewer is heavy, disturbing, and unfair.

The heroine, revered as sacred, is treated more like a pawn than a person. The supposed sentinel meant to guard her is consistently shown as unworthy, faltering when tested, failing to inspire trust, and paling next ... to the quiet devotion of the true protector. Subtle symbolism, like a sacred sword that recognizes spirit over status, makes it clear who is genuine and who is hollow. These contrasts could have been powerful, but instead they highlight how shallow the rival’s role truly is.

What really breaks the experience is a deeply uncomfortable NTR-like attempt that does not enrich the story but instead disturbs the viewer mentally. It adds nothing but disgust, making the series feel exploitative rather than tragic. Many will find themselves putting the show on hold simply because the emotional baggage is too heavy to digest. Combined with political maneuvering that complicates the plot without making it richer, the story becomes more frustrating than meaningful.

Visually and musically, the production is serviceable but unremarkable. Nothing compensates for the narrative’s failure to respect its own characters.

Sword of the Demon Hunter promises depth but delivers cruelty. A story that could have been tragic and beautiful ends up shallow, bitter, and unnecessarily disturbing.

Sword of demon hunter has a lot of potential in terms of character development and they even succeding at some points .
It's slow, has average animation, and many might even say it's boring. So, it's a show which can't be recommended to everyone .
Even some of you might find plot full of bad decisions ,needless tragedy and a mc who causes his own misery .
Animation quality went down after some eps but i was invested in story and mc development so, it's negligible . If i say truly it seems like studio wasn't invested in adaptation that much . The most weird ... thing is that story didn't go in a 1 way sequence , it's more like a collection of arcs which aren't connected very well .
Hope that studio and story gonna improve in next season

Keeping it short and sweet, it's a bit like kimetsu no yaiba, it plays itself out with a mature tone, good pacing and arguably better writing- if you liked demon slayer but could do without the comedy and child catering i think you'll enjoy this more; props to the writer of this.

The animation isn't on the same level as demon slayer however it isn't being lazy whatsoever and it does the story justice, big recommend.

The Main character is likeable, speaks his mind and doesn't have any of the inhuman quirks MCs normally have that would make a normal person want to bash their head in, ... in fact none of the characters do, they're written like normal people ( thank god ).