You may hate me for this, but Demon Slayer would be nothing without Ufotable’s god-tier animation and soundtrack

To many, Demon Slayer is one of the best new-gen anime. While some anime fans disagree with the statement, as the names of Blue Lock, Chainsaw Man, and Hell’s Paradise come up, the popularity of Demon Slayer can’t be denied. The series is popular for many reasons, but key among them are its simplistic plot, easy-to-follow characters, and its pristine visuals.

There are not many anime released throughout history that come close to Demon Slayer visually. Ufotable did everything in the right proportion, and at no time were the series visuals overwhelming. The colors were vibrant and stimulating, and the animation for the fight scenes was properly done. These two factors are one of Demon Slayer’s biggest draws.

However, as Demon Slayer gets praised for its visuals, it also receives heavy criticism for other aspects. Seasoned anime veterans criticize the anime for being all style and no substance, as some consider the plot to be vapid. This sentiment has some truth to it, as Demon Slayer owes its popularity to the work of Ufotable, and before it got adapted, the manga was just the average Shonen manga. Keep reading to find out more reasons why Ufotable made Demon Slayer.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.

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Why Demon Slayer owes its popularity to Ufotable

There is no proper explanation given for Yoriichi's strength (Image via Ufotable)

The maker or breaker of an anime is the studio that brings it to life. This is why a great deal of manga that gets adapted to anime doesn’t succeed. Uzumaki is an example of a manga that was a cult classic among Junji Ito fans, however, its anime was received poorly by both fans and critics. This is not only seen in anime adapted from manga, but in anime adapted from other media. Tower of God, which is one of the biggest webtoons ever, failed to perform as an anime.

A source material can be mediocre and barely heart-wrenching, but in the hands of a good studio, it becomes something else. No anime fits this description better than Demon Slayer. While some might argue that the story is not mediocre, it certainly does not come close to giants such as Naruto and One Piece, but has attained the heights they have reached.

The animation of Demon Slayer is so fluid that one can watch it on mute. Each swing of the sword is captured without any break, and it gives a lifelike effect that is not seen in many anime. The sound design and choices transform the viewing experience and transport users into the series' world.

Ufotable also portrayed the Breathing Styles in a different way from the manga, and that was an amazing choice. The visuals and the animations of the Breathing Styles show that there is much at stake and exalt the humans using them as superhuman.

Muzan is one of the few characters the series handled properly (Image via Ufotable)

While Ufotable’s visuals and animation exalt the entire series, there is only so much that it can do before the faults begin to surface. The biggest flaw in the series lies with its worldbuilding. Everything is laid out for viewers, but without tangible explanations to back it up.

The plot takes advantage of the aloofness of the explanations by making the good guys victors in ways that are impossible. Tanjiro learns Sun Breathing after lightly remembering a dance his father did, and he uses it to defend himself. The same Tanjiro struggled to learn a breathing technique for more than a year, but could mimic Sun Breathing in a battle. There are so many inconsistencies in the plot and its characters, and the animation just blinds viewers to that.

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Final thoughts

Ufotable did a remarkable job, but once viewers stick with the series for more than the first season, there may be some viewer fatigue. This is due to the plot becoming repetitive and the pacing becoming frenetic. The pacing is another huge issue in the series as viewers don’t spend enough time with their characters.

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