Story: Demon Slayer's story seems to me to be strong, but not as strong as certain other action shows that have scored highly. The story is what accompanies the action in this show, which is why it works well, but when it comes to deep and rich plot details that twist into curves, Demon Slayer may not be the show that tries to incorporate that into its run. Instead, story elements are implemented within the action, which turns it into a unique experience where you not only see progression within a character, but you receive explanation as to what is going on and what the lore has to offer as it occurs. In terms of battle choreography and orchestration, Demon Slayer does this masterfully, and it shows in its fluidity of action. The battles are lengthy, but they serve as challenges that Tanjiro and company face in order to grow not just as a slayer, but also as characters. This may help the character aspect of the show much more than the story, but it can be seen that the story is being driven as well due to these action scenes. As they pan out, it is obvious that you are being fed information on lore, such as the examples of the 12 Kizuki and the various different styles of fighting that are taught to aspiring recruits. However, it can be seen that the story is not the main part of the show.
Art: Demon Slayer's art is amazing. The show already has smooth animation in times of peace and amazing animation throughout battles that is only accompanied by detailed visuals and various art styles with each addition of a new form from a new character. In battle, you can see the sheer scale of enemy attacks and the technicality used in slayer attacks. The art style changes are nice additions that accompany the visuals really well in combat. However, the main focus of the show is not just on the details of the fights, but also how they appear as a whole. ufotable has already established themselves as one of if not the top animators for action shows, seen with their still impressive Fate/Zero. The battle scenes in Demon Slayer are just as vibrant but uniquely different from other works such as Fate, but all share the same idea that the battles are the main focus of the show. The art in these battles are what really shine, and the thing that sets Demon Slayer apart from other action shows is how well the battles flow throughout the entire episode. While if you compare the battle scenes from a much more recent but still really good example, such as the Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia anime, Cloverworks has done a really good job in their show. However, the difference is that the fights in Demon Slayer encompass the entire episode, and sometimes even more. The fact is that the show has found the formula for creating an even and fluid battle design that doesn't get stale even after 20 minutes of pure action, while certain shows that still have great action can only manage a few minutes of action. On the other hand of art, the character designs are also what sets Demon Slayer apart from other action shows. While it is a given for the main cast to look unique and different from each other, the demons themselves are what really drives the show. The demon designs range from grotesque to humanoid to traditional yet extremely buff. These varying designs allow for all the battles to be memorable in their own way, even if the development of these demons may not be as memorable as their designs. This is where the show excels, and by a landslide.
Sound: The voice acting in Demon Slayer is spot on, especially with the emotions and the "vibe" of characters in many scenes. In particular, Zenitsu's performance is a huge star of the show in my opinion. While, yes, he is annoying and for the longest part of the show, a coward, his voice actor brings his fear and anguish straight into the spotlight without any moment that is underwhelming. While I may have thought that Tanjiro would have a slightly deeper voice than what he has in the show, the voice given to him matches his personality along with his positive outlook on people and demons. Music-wise, the opening theme opens up every episode with a build-up that gets you in the mood for action.
Character: Although Demon Slayer is primarily action first when it comes to the focus of the show, I felt that character could have been expanded upon a bit more than it was in the 26 episodes of the first season. While Tanjiro enjoyed the bulk of character development as the main protagonist, other characters such as Inosuke got a slight bit of the cut as development was centered more around perfecting a flaw rather than changing as a person. Tanjiro's character development is in the experiences that he has throughout the show and how he is able to learn more and more about each individual demon - and the struggle that they face. This gives Tanjiro an edge on his character development as he shows a change of heart from the beginning of the show. In the beginning, Tanjiro mostly looked at demons aside from his sister as beings that were out to kill, rather than people whose lives had been tainted due to suffering. As battles are born and die, Tanjiro eventually learns to sympathize with the experiences that the demons he fights face, and that even though they are currently demons who have killed, that they were people who had personal experiences beforehand. This is in sharp contrast to the other main protagonists in his trio. Zenitsu and Inosuke work more on fixing their flaws, with Zenitsu trying to become braver and Inosuke learning more about culture and society. They don't really grow as people more than individuals, and their progress mostly only affects themselves. However, since character is not the main drive of the show, and there are many more arcs to be written, there is a chance that character development for these characters may be seen later. As a side note, it is also appealing to see that even side characters are given backstories and a small change throughout the times where they are seen in the show. This small detail is what compensates for the "lack" of development in the other main characters.
Enjoyment: I binged 10 episodes in a span of 4 hours back to back. I think that tells you enough.
Overall: There is no way that I wouldn't recommend Demon Slayer to anyone who is even slightly interested in it. It's a journey filled to the brim with action and appealing animation. If you're into action or adventure in the slightest, I would highly recommend Demon Slayer, especially as the movie is in the works.
