Demon Slayer was destined for success from the start and naysayers are inarguably wrong

Demon Slayer is one such anime and manga series that seems to be criticized quite often by the community, especially on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). A common criticism that the members of the anime and manga community seem to have is that the series lacks complexity and has a straightforward storyline to follow.

While some might look at it as a weakness, some argue that simplicity is one of the best aspects of the story. It allows people of a broader demographic to follow the story, and the well-written characters drive the narrative. Some people might not like Demon Slayer, but the success of this title cannot be argued about.

There is no doubt that Demon Slayer is successful, and signs were quite evident even before the anime adaptation was announced. The manga sales heavily indicated the story’s success prior to the release of the anime adaptation.

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Demon Slayer manga sales narrate a story of success

A good indication of early success is the manga’s sales. According to reports by Hindustan Times, the manga put up some staggering numbers even before the anime adaptation premiered. The fifteenth volume, which debuted right before the anime adaptation did, sold nearly 200,000 copies in just four weeks.

Another testament to the success of Demon Slayer is that when the manga’s eighth volume hit the stores, nearly 100,000 copies were sold in a span of two weeks. For a series that was relatively new, the feat was rather impressive.

Furthermore, reports published on FanVerse show that the Demon Slayer manga was ranked 15th in overall sales in the year 2018. The most impressive aspect of this data is that it was one of the few, if not the only, titles without an anime adaptation. Another thing to keep in mind is that this series is quite short for a Shonen manga series. It has only about 200 chapters, which have been compiled in just 23 volumes.

Despite the series’ length, the manga has sold over 150 million copies by 2021, as per the reports provided by Natalie. It seems to be quite easy for fans of the anime and manga community to overlook signs of early success and scrutinize the manga title on various social media platforms instead.

Netizens often say that Demon Slayer is a show that was carried by the animation. There is absolutely no doubt that Ufotable’s animation was top-tier. It set the standards for other animation studios when the Entertainment District arc was released. However, the animation alone cannot account for the sheer scale of the series’ success.

The animation did a splendid job elevating the series to the next level. Action and fight sequences play a crucial role in shonen series such as this, but the reason why Demon Slayer rose to such levels of fame was due to the well-written characters.

Each character’s backstory is thoroughly explored in the series. No character feels unidimensional since they all have their own reasons and motivations that define their actions. Furthermore, the writing is so compelling that it evokes emotions and helps fans empathize with the respective characters.

The way Demon Slayer carried out Rengoku’s death is a good example of Koyoharu Gotouge’s writing. While netizens might argue, there were clear signs that hinted at the series' success. The large number of manga copies sold, followed by the success of the anime adaptation, is a testament to that statement.

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Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2023 progresses.