Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Part 1 (2019)

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Part 1” is a fantastic anime series and no doubt one of the top anime on Blu-ray releases of 2019! “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Part 1” is highly recommended!

TITLE: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Part 1

ORIGINAL SERIES DATE: 2019

DURATION: Episodes 1-13

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, DTS-HD Master Audio: English and Japanese Linear PCM Stereo, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Funimation

RATED: TV 14

Release Date: June 30, 2020

Originally Created by Gotouge Koyoharu

Director: Sotozaki Haruo

Character Design by Umakoshi Yoshihiko

Music by Shiina Go, Kajiura Yuki

Art Director: Eto Koji, Yanaka Masaru, Kabasawa Yuri

Anime Production: ufotable

Featuring the following voice talent:

Kito Akari/Abby Trott as Nezuko Kamado

Hanae Natsuki/Zach Aguilar as Tanjirō Kamado

Shimono Hiro/Aleks Le as Zenitsu Agatsuma

Ueda Reina/Brianna Knickerbocker as Kanao Tsuyuri

Ohtsuka Houchu/Brook Chalmers as Sakonji Urokodaki

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu/Bryce Papenbrook as Inosuke Hashibira

Izawa Shiori/Christine Marie Cabanos as Guide (Black-Haired)

Yamazaki Takumi/Doug Erholtz as Kasugai Crow

Hayami Saori/Erika Harlacher as Shinobu Kocho

Seki Toshihiko/Greg Chun as Muzan Kibutsuji

Sakura Takahiro/Johnny Yong Bosch as Giyu Tomioka

Yamashita Daiki/Kyle McCarley as Yushiro

Sakamoto Maaya/Laura Post as Tamayo

Morikawa Toshiyuki/Matthew Mercer as Kagaya Ubuyashiki

Kaji Yuuki/Max Mittelman as Sabito

Yuki Aoi/Mela Lee as Guide (White-Haired)

Namikawa Daisuke/Robbie Daymond as Haganezuka

Kakuma Ai/Ryan Bartley as Makomo

Okamoto Nobuhiko/Zeno Robinson as Genya

Become the blade that cuts down despair—

It is the Taisho Period in Japan. Tanjiro, a kindhearted boy who sells charcoal for a living, finds his family slaughtered by a demon. To make matters worse, his younger sister Nezuko, the sole survivor, has been transformed into a demon herself. Though devastated by this grim reality, Tanjiro resolves to become a demon slayer so that he can turn his sister back into a human, and kill the demon that massacred his family. A sorrowful tale of siblings in which the fates of humans and demons intertwine…begins now!

There is no doubt that “Kimetsu no Yaiba” (known in the US as “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba”) is one of the most popular manga and anime of all time.

Created by Gotoge Koyoharu, a total of 23 volumes were released in Japan and a total of 26 anime episodes were released.

From breaking manga sales records to accomplishing one of the greatest feats in Japanese entertainment, the animated film “Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen”, released in theaters in October 2020 having broken the 19-year record of Studio Ghibli’s “Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi” (Spirited Away) as the #1 box office earning film of all time in Japan.

So popular that even celebrities cosplay as the characters and even receiving the respect of manga and anime professionals in the industry.

While the manga has been released in the US, many have awaited the anime series to be released and it was released by Funimation (the first part is now available and features the first 13 episodes and part 2 to be released in January 2021, will feature the second half featuring the remaining 13 episodes).

The story is set during the Taisho-era and begins with a kind-hearted boy named Kamado Tanjiro making ends meet for the family by selling coal.

Kamado lives with his widowed mother, two younger brothers and two younger sisters and while he was walking home late after making money, another villager tells him that he should be wandering out at night because of the demons. And to head back home in the morning.

When Kamado arrives home, he finds that his entire family has been slaughtered, while his sister Nezuko has been turned into a demon.

When a demon hunter named Tomioka Giyu arrives to kill Nezuko, Kamado does all he can to protect her, even though she is a demon and that Nezuko would never kill her family or him. Seeing Kamado’s resolve to make his sister normal again but also being surprised that Nezuko has control thanks to her strong will, Tomioka decides to give Kamado a chance, by receiving training by another demon hunter Urokadaki Sakonji on Mt. Sagiri.

Tomioka puts a bamboo gag on Nezuko to prevent her from biting anyone.

And Kamado to be given a chance to train and become a demon hunter and to get stronger as protecting his sister will not be easy. Especially since he will become a demon hunter trying to protect a demon.

But Kamado wants to take revenge on the demon who slaughtered his family, Kibutsuji Muzan.

I have personally written articles on “Kimetsu no Yaiba” (in terms of the growing popularity and tie-ins for merchandise), but I personally have not read a “Kimetsu no Yaiba” manga, nor have I watched a “Kimetsu no Yaiba” anime series until recently.

I tend to avoid hype or spoilers whenever a series reaches extreme popularity and for anime series, I won’t watch it immediately as I want to enjoy it without being caught in the hype.

I was the same way when “Dragon Ball Z”, “Slam Dunk” and “Yu Yu Hakusho” began airing in Japan, the same can be said about “Rurouni Kenshin”, “Hunter x Hunter”, “One Piece” and for many “Weekly Shonen Jump” titles. I also have a thing about wanting to read the manga series first before jumping into an anime series (as sometimes anime adaptations are much different than their original manga series counterpart).

Needless to say, the promotion for “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” at AnimeJapan two weeks before the anime’s premiere wasn’t tremendous, but there was already plenty of buzz surrounding Gotouge Koyoharu’s manga series.

But I started to see the difference that same year when popular celebrities were taking photos of them reading the manga series and more and more people starting to cosplay as Nezuko. I started to realize perhaps this series was special. It’s one thing to have a few celebrities talking about their love for “One Piece” but when numerous celebrities including top TV talents writing how they are addicted to the series, really made me pay more attention.

So, I read first volume and I was immediately interested in the story but once the anime series was released, I started to realize how captivating “Kimetsu no Yaiba” truly was. I literally wanted to watch every episode in one sitting. That’s how much I enjoyed the anime series.

And then Funimation released the first volume and I became immediately hooked to this anime series about a kind-hearted brother wanting to do all he can to help his sister but also those in need.

He has what I call the “Weekly Shonen Jump” characteristics of naive, kind-hearted hero who grows as a person but also in power. While naive and some may be surprised of his pure heart and naivety, he shows great promise as a demon slayer, as a protector but also a person with so much determination that even other demons who are inspired to assist him.

Nezuko on the other hand may be quiet, there for her brother and as a demon with will-power, never giving up and showing amazing power.

And you eventually meet other characters which Kamado and Nezuko come across. Others with their own quirks such as the extremely cowardly boy named Agatsuma Zenitsu (who shows awesome power when he is unconscious or asleep) or even the brash Hashibira Inosuke who sports a boar’s head mask.

If the first half of the season is merely introductions and establishing character dynamics, then I can’t wait to see what the second half of this anime series brings, because I’m enjoying this series immensely.

As for the Blu-ray release, although released by Funimation, it follows the Aniplex way of featuring animation which is vibrant and colorful in HD, lossless audio in Linear PCM Stereo but with no special features on the regular edition.

But if you get the Aniplex Limited Edition version sold by Rightstuf, then you get a slipcase box featuring illustrations by character designer Matsushima Akira, a three disc soundtrack CD set, a special booklet, Illustration six card set and audio commentaries by the Japanese and English cast.

Overall, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Part 1” is a fantastic anime series and no doubt one of the top anime on Blu-ray releases of 2019!

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Part 1” is highly recommended!