Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is one of the most famous manga/anime of modern times. The story of Demon Slayer revolves around Tanjiro Kamado’s quest to avenge his family’s murder and find a cure for his sister, who was turned into a demon.
Written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge, the franchise was first published in 2016 and has taken the industry by storm. It’s been so successful that in 2020, Gotouge won Kodansha’s Noma Publishing Culture Award due to the Demon Slayer’s sales.
If you haven’t read the manga and are planning to watch the anime, you might be confused about its contents because they have split the arcs into different mediums. This guide will help you watch it in order so you won’t be confused when you talk about the story with your friends.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019)
This 26-episode season will show you the world of Demons and the Demon Slayer Corps. It will also introduce you to Tanjiro Kamado and the tragic tale that happened to his family and why he joined the Demon Slayer Corps on his quest to cure the curse that befell his sister, Nezuko.
Note: I didn’t include the movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Bonds of Siblings because the anime series already covers the events of the movie.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train (2020)
Mugen Train is the first movie of the franchise. The film tells the story of the Mugen train arc of the manga. This arc is officially the second arc takes place right after where season one ended, also covered by the first seven episodes of season 2 of the anime series, but you can just watch the movie instead. It follows Tanjiro and his friends as they assist the Flame Hashira, Kyōjurō Rengoku, on his mission to hunt for a demon that caused 40 people to go missing.
Fun fact: Mugen Train broke the record for the highest-grossing Japanese Film and Anime Film of all time with more than $500 Million in sales.
Alternative: Watch the anime series version of the Mugen Train arc—the first seven episodes of season 2.
Demon Slayer: Kimestu No Yaiba season 2: Entertainment District arc (2021)
The Entertainment District arc is the second part of season 2 of the anime series. The events of this arc take place after the Mugen Train arc and start with episode 8 of season 2. This season revolves around the adventure of Tanjiro and the gang as they help the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, investigate the cause of the disappearance of his network of Ninjas that gathered information about a particular demon.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba season 3: Swordsmith Village arc
The Swordsmith Village arc follows Tanjiro on his journey to repair his sword after what happened in the Entertainment District. While waiting for his sword to get fixed, the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito, needs the help of Tanjiro to fight some demons.
Once you’ve caught up on this arc in the anime, which is still yet to catch up to the manga’s storyline, if you want to learn more about the story, I suggest you start reading the manga. If you’ve read the manga and enjoyed it, do yourself a favor and watch the animated version. The fight scenes are so good that you’re doing the franchise a disservice if you miss them.
(featured image: Ufotable)
