[lead + troubled past + hard work*determination = warrior who will exceed expectations],
which, in itself, is fine. However, when the characters lack depth, the story is too predictable, and developments in either have no explanation, it becomes problematic.
Before getting to the meat of this review, the art and graphics must definitely be commended. Personally, I'm not a fan of the character style, but the effort and details put into the animation, most especially every fight, were awesome. Action scenes were very dynamic and great, with every breathing technique, cut, or slash. Likewise, the backgrounds were unquestionably something to behold.
Unfortunately, beautifully-made clips do not compensate for a lack of proper story telling and plot.
Please do note that there are some SPOILERS present throughout this review. They are not too important on how the tale unfolds, but are there to illustrate some points.
As mentioned, the anime has all ingredients that would fit the young boy genre: there's the main character, Tanjiro, whose family was massacred, save his sister, Nezuko, who was turned into a man-eating demon. He then becomes a Demon Slayer to protect/save his sibling and avenge his family. The overall plot is fine, but the predictability and troublesome narration were already apparent at the very start.
When it began with Tanjiro running through the snow with his bloodied sister on piggyback, those watching would already know that there was unrest. Then comes a flashback of his happy family - smiles and hugs, yay! The MC has to travel far to the town to earn money for supper. As he departed, his voice over goes, "But life could change suddenly like the weather... and whenever happiness is destroyed, there's always the smell of blood." W-O-W. This could be somewhat excusable. Fine, the writers want to emphasize that something will go wrong (even when viewers already know that). However, whilst Tanjiro returns to his home, he again utters, "whenever happiness is destroyed, there's always the smell of blood." And surprise, all suspense and impact gone, he finds his family dead. This is an example the kind of story telling is evident throughout the whole series.
The characters could have been fairly interesting. There are a variety of quirky personalities that have the potential to stir up the plot, which can hopefully be done in the upcoming movie or season.
Based on who were most recently introduced, the audience has to consider the likes of the lead. Tanjiro is the eldest and breadwinner of a paternally orphaned family. Having to be accountable for 6 other mouths, he is straightforward, has a high sense of responsibility and diligence. What sets him apart is his unadulterated kindness and his superior sense of smell. Tanjiro is fairly likable, though many other MCs have similar characteristics. While it is difficult to empathize that he lost his family because of how the scene unfolded, one can still invest in the idea of his being hardworking towards his goals.
As fate would have it, he is steered to a Demon Slayer trainer and undergoes life-on-the-line exercises. During which, the "Total Concentration Breathing Technique" is mentioned very briefly. Emphasis is made on how he improved sitting under a waterfall, as well as going up and down a mountain without dying. Later on, during the Final Selection (Demon Slayer exam), we find out all of a sudden that he is a master of the breathing technique and that water spews out while he does this. Again, the animation for this is breathtaking, but does not satisfy the lingering inquiry on how his expertise and technique came about. This is one of the inexplicable instances that did not allow the audience to fully appreciate developments in character and plot.
Nevertheless, kudos must be given to the fact that villains are given backstories. It helps the viewers relate more to the experiences of the characters. It's easier to empathize with Tanjiro's kindness and with the feelings of the demons.
It was a combination of overlapping inconsistencies, predictabilities, and magical happenings (no explanations given) that curtailed the entertainment of the show. On a random note, something that could be deemed enjoyable was the use of traditional Japanese items, like the temari and the tsuzumi as weapons. These are such small details that need to be pointed out to increase its likability.
Overall, Kimestu no Yaiba was just okay, nothing new, really.
