Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 1

[onlyfiction]

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 1
By: Koyoharu Gotouge
Release Date: July 3, 2018 (First published June 6, 2016)
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Series: 鬼滅の刃 [Kimetsu no Yaiba] (#1)
Summary:In Taisho-era Japan, Tanjiro Kamado is a kindhearted boy who makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life.

Learning to slay demons won’t be easy, and Tanjiro barely knows where to start. The surprise appearance of another boy named Giyu, who seems to know what’s going on, might provide some answers…but only if Tanjiro can stop Giyu from killing his sister first!




Review: The experience was... okay? There was nothing spectacular or particularly horrible about it. It was a surprising moment or two, but that was pretty much it.

After his family is murdered, the main character becomes a demon slayer and caretaker of his demon sister.

Despite the odd writing style, I appreciated it being a translation. In two chapters, diary-style writing almost ruined the vibes and seemed amateurish. There were also a few spelling errors; Tanjiro’s name was consistently spelled as Tanjirou in the last few chapters, but I put it down to translation issues.

It all moves at a reasonable pace, and the fights and such are brutal enough but also pretty flashy. Characters were also enjoyable, especially the dynamic between siblings. The art is well-done, and I'm curious to see how it will turn out. Despite not being entirely new and not blowing you away, it is a solid experience. An overall rating of 3.5. Looking forward to the next one.