--- title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: What to Know About Manga description: Here's what to know about author-illustrator Koyoharu Gotouge and the meteoric success of the manga, television series and film canonical: https://time.com/5941594/what-is-demon-slayer-about/ author: Kat Moon article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2021-02-24T20:41:08.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T16:05:26.000Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: Everything to Know About 'Demon Slayer' og:description: Who is Koyoharu Gotouge? Do I need to watch the TV series before seeing the film? TIME addresses your questions og:url: https://time.com/5941594/what-is-demon-slayer-about/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9888086938ff29e3/698a1774457a52603bd64efc/Demon-Slayer.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Demon Slayer og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Everything to Know About 'Demon Slayer' twitter:description: Who is Koyoharu Gotouge? Do I need to watch the TV series before seeing the film? TIME addresses your questions twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9888086938ff29e3/698a1774457a52603bd64efc/Demon-Slayer.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Everything to Know About _Demon Slayer_: The Manga, TV Series and Record-Breaking Film by [Kat Moon](https://time.com/author/kat-moon/) ## Kat Moon Updated: Dec 12, 2023 4:05 PM UTCPublished: Feb 24, 2021 8:41 PM UTC  Courtesy of Aniplex of America and Funimation by [Kat Moon](https://time.com/author/kat-moon/) ## Kat Moon Updated: Dec 12, 2023 4:05 PM UTCPublished: Feb 24, 2021 8:41 PM UTC Of all the things [2020](https://time.com/5917394/2020-in-review/) has come to be known for, movie releases breaking box office records [wasn’t one of them](https://time.com/5896565/dune-black-widow-movies-delayed-until-2021/). But one film defied the odds. Released in Japan on Oct. 16., the animated film _Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train_ ended a 19-year record held by the Studio Ghibli classic _Spirited Away_. Hitting [$313 million](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/28/demon-slayer-kills-big-name-rivals-to-become-japans-highest-grossing-film) in ticket sales in December, the movie overtook director Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus to become the country’s highest-grossing film of all time. In the months since, the film—based on the manga _Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba_ by [Koyoharu Gotouge](https://time.com/collection/time100-next-2021/5937744/koyoharu-gotouge/)—has broken another record previously set by _Spirited Away_: _Mugen Train_ is now the highest-grossing anime movie in the world. It is set for theatrical release in the U.S. and Canada on April 23, in both a subtitled version and an English dubbed version. Before the film made headlines for shattering records, the Demon Slayer franchise was already amassing a dedicated global fanbase. Both the manga that was first published in 2016 and the television series adapted from the manga have recorded feats of their own. Ahead of the North American release of _Mugen Train_, here’s everything to know about _Demon Slayer,_ the author-illustrator behind it and the meteoric success of the manga, television series and film. ## **What is** **_Demon Slayer_** **about?** In this fictional world set in early 20th century [Taishō](https://www.britannica.com/event/Taisho-period)\-era Japan, man-eating demons roam the land each night. 13-year-old Tanjiro Kamado’s world is turned upside down when he returns home one morning to find his entire family murdered save for his sister Nezuko—who has turned into a demon. Determined to avenge their deaths and find a cure that would transform Nezuko back into a human, Tanjiro sets out on a journey to train for the Demon Slayer Corps. The story follows him as he joins this underground organization of skilled fighters who dedicate their lives to protecting humans from the vicious creatures. ## Who is Koyoharu Gotouge? Koyoharu Gotouge (recently featured as a part of the [2021 TIME 100 Next](https://time.com/collection/time100-next-2021/5937744/koyoharu-gotouge/)) wrote and illustrated _Demon Slayer_. The _mangaka_, or manga creator, has not publicly revealed their identity, and instead uses the pen name Gotouge and appears as [an avatar](https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Koyoharu%5FGot%C5%8Dge) of an alligator in glasses when making announcements about the series. Despite not much about _Demon Slayer_’s author being known to the public, those who collaborate closely with Gotouge are familiar with their work ethic. “I have known Gotouge _sensei_ \[the honorific term for teacher in Japanese\] since the start of their career, and they were not necessarily without fault at the beginning,” Kohei Ohnishi, an Editor-in-Chief of _Weekly Shonen Jump_ who edits _Demon Slayer,_ tells TIME. “But through hard work and perseverance, they were able to grow considerably as a _mangaka_.” Though Gotouge’s schedule has not been shared before, the daily work routines of manga authors are reputed to be rigorous. For instance, Oda Eiichiro—the creator of _One Piece_—has shared about sleeping regularly from [2 AM to 5 AM](https://kotaku.com/one-pieces-creator-is-working-as-hard-as-ever-1735374257) to work on his manuscript. Ohnishi cites Gotouge’s strong sense of integrity and dedication to their work, and says the _mangaka_ is “very aware of how readers are responding to their work.” Asked about the most impactful element of Gotouge’s writing and art, Ohnishi references the strong characters and dialogue. “Their characters are all unique, yet still rooted in reality, and that’s a very difficult balance to strike,” Ohnishi says. “In addition, there are a number of memorable lines filled with originality in _Demon Slayer._”  A cover of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga Credit: KIMETSU NO YAIBA © 2016 by Koyoharu Gotouge/SHUEISHA Inc. via VIZ Media ## **How did the manga and anime series become so popular?** _Demon Slayer_ was serialized in _Weekly Shonen Jump_—a long-running manga magazine that has published some of the most iconic series, from _Naruto_ and _Dragon Ball_ to _One Piece_ and _Yu-Gi-Oh!_. The series first appeared in a 2016 issue of the manga magazine, and ran periodically until its final volume was released in 2020\. While the print volumes saw moderate success in Japan during its first years of serialization, its popularity surged in 2019—the same year that the 26-episode television adaptation of the manga aired. The TV series, produced by the Japanese studio Ufotable, was instantly praised by [fans](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/biqmkz/ufotable%5Fand%5Fwater%5Feffects%5Fkimetsu%5Fno%5Fyaiba/) and [critics](https://www.ign.com/articles/2020/01/01/best-anime-of-the-decade-2010-2019) alike for the stunning animation of the fight sequences. Based on the pure artistry of its battle scenes alone, _Demon Slayer_ began to be regarded as one of the best action anime of all time. Shortly after the TV series completed airing, the manga [ended an 11-year-streak held by _One Piece_](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-11-27/top-selling-manga-in-japan-by-series-2019/.153758) to become Japan’s [best-selling manga of the year](https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2019/11/27/oricon-reports-demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-is-top-selling-manga-series-of-2019) in 2019, according to the Oricon chart. Hiroyuki Nakano, another Editor-in-Chief of _Weekly Shonen Jump_, discussed _Demon Slayer_’s success and how it reflected the evolving relationship between manga and anime in a 2020 interview. “Normally, a manga gradually sells more copies throughout the anime’s run, but _Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba_‘s sales shot up straight after the anime ended,” Nakano [told Nikkei Entertainment.](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2020-02-11/jump-editor-in-chief-explains-what-unusual-about-demon-slayer-success/.156186) Word of mouth about the anime, following its television release, appeared to have significantly contributed to the booming sales. “No matter how great a manga it is, it won’t become a hit just because it ran in _Jump_,” Nakano said. The following year saw Gotouge’s series dominating sales even more. Not only was _Demon Slayer_ [the best-selling manga of 2020 ](https://kotaku.com/japans-biggest-manga-of-2020-is-demon-slayer-1845781255)in Japan, but [its estimated 82 million copies sold](https://www.oricon.co.jp/special/55505/5/) was nearly 10 times as much as the manga that ranked second. [An estimated 3.95 million copies](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/01/25/business/demon-slayer-japan-books-magazine/#:~:text=%27Demon%20Slayer%27%20helps%20Japan%20print%20sales%20see%20smallest%20drop%20since%202006,-Sorry%2C%20but%20your&text=Sales%20of%20print%20books%20and,publications%20research%20body%20said%20Monday.) of the final volume were published. ## **How did the film become so popular?** _Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train_ was released in 2020, when the manga was at the height of its popularity. The film was directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable—the same studio behind the TV series—and adapted Gotouge’s work in a direct sequel to the 2019 show. Japan’s box office [fell by 45%](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/japans-box-office-fell-45-percent-to-1-38-billion-in-2020) in 2020, but ticket sales for foreign films saw a much more significant decrease ([down 71%](https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/japan-box-office-falls-45-percent-2020-1234894310/)) compared to that of Japanese films (down 23%). The success of _Mugen Train_ helped bolster the ticket sales of domestic movies. Earlier in September 2020, Japanese authorities had lifted restrictions for theaters to operate at 50% capacity, though [some movie chains](https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/09/bccb7e4c2c03-japan-eases-virus-rule-to-allow-more-people-at-sports-movie-venues.html) decided to keep the gathering size limitations in place. On Oct. 16, the film was released in [more than 400 theaters](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/demon-slayer--kimetsu-no-yaiba--the-movie-mugen-train-continues-to-dominate-box-offices-as-fastest-film-to-achieve-over-100m-in-japan-301159960.html) across Japan, and [The New York _Times_ reported](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/20/business/demon-slayer-japan-movie.html) that one theater in Tokyo scheduled 42 showings of _Mugen Train_ on opening day beginning at 7 AM. The movie [grossed $44 million](https://variety.com/2020/film/asia/demon-slayer-slays-huge-opening-weekend-at-japan-box-office-1234809183/) over its first three days, marking the [biggest opening weekend in Japan’s history](https://deadline.com/2020/10/demon-slayer-tenet-japan-china-global-international-box-office-1234599364/). (_The Matrix Reloaded_, which drew in $20.8 million, had [set the previous record](https://www.boxofficepro.com/demon-slayer-infinite-train-japan/) back in 2003.) In the weeks and months that followed, _Mugen Train_ shattered one box office record after another. Within only 10 days, the film [hit a revenue of $100 million](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-demon-slayer/demon-slayer-revenue-tops-100-million-in-10-days-breaking-japan-box-office-record-idUSKBN27B0P4)—the fastest to reach this milestone in Japan. (It took _Spirited Away_ 25 days to hit the same number.) In the past, a mix of domestic animated movies and foreign films have seen the most success in the country. Besides _Spirited Away_, [_Princess Mononoke_ and _Howl’s Moving Castle_](https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2020/12/15/toho-updates-spirited-away-lifetime-japanese-box-office-gross-as-demon-slayer-mugen-train-inches-closer-to-1)_—_both from Studio Ghibli—as well as Makoto Shinkai’s 2016 hit project _Your Name_ have ranked in Japan’s top 10 highest-grossing films. From abroad, movies including [_Titanic_, _Frozen_ and _Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone_](https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-JRTB-17037) have topped the box office charts. In December, _Mugen Train_ ended the streak of the long-reigning title in the first seat, surpassing _Spirited Away_ to become Japan’s [highest-grossing movie of all time.](https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/29/media/demon-slayer-japan-intl-hnk-scli/index.html)  A still from the movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train showing Enmu, the main antagonist in the film Courtesy of Aniplex of America and Funimation ## Where can I read or watch _Demon Slayer_? The _Demon Slayer_ manga was made available to audiences outside of Japan from its initial publication. In 2016, Viz Media, an American manga publisher partially owned by Shueisha Inc.—which publishes _Weekly Shonen Jump—_[released the first three chapters of the manga in English](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-02-18/viz-shonen-jump-previews-kimetsu-no-yaiba-manga/.98725) simultaneously alongside the Japanese version. Starting in 2018, Viz began to periodically release new volumes of the series in English. Similarly, the _Demon Slayer_ TV show has streamed on Hulu and popular U.S.-based, anime-focused sites Crunchyroll and Funimation—with English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles offered on both platforms and English dubbing on the latter. _Demon Slayer’s_ availability on all of these platforms has contributed to its status as one of the most recognizable franchises from Japan among international manga and anime fans. The series is now even more accessible to global viewers, [after hitting ](https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-season-1-is-coming-to-netflix-in-january-2021/)Netflix in January. ## **Do I need to watch the TV series before seeing the film?** Watching the TV series is highly recommended, as the film _Mugen Train_ picks up where the 2019 series leaves off. In fact, the final moments of the television series set up much of the plot of the movie. The 26 episodes that have aired also offer rich introductions to many of the central characters in the film, helping the viewer to become invested in their backstories before they appear on the big screen. On Feb. 14, [the second](https://twitter.com/FUNimation/status/1360953215047589890) [season](https://twitter.com/DemonSlayerUSA/status/1360936902849945601) of the _Demon Slayer_ TV series was announced. It will feature the arc that follows the story in _Mugen Train_, meaning that the film connects the events of the TV series seasons.  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