In recent years especially, Demon Slayer has transformed into a cultural phenomenon, boasting record-breaking movie ticket and manga sales that few other shonen series can even begin to compete with. Even people who do not typically watch anime have often at least heard of Demon Slayer, because of the iconic status it has achieved both in America and worldwide.

Upon further reflection, I think I have finally figured out why this series in particular stands out among a sea of thousands of other competing anime series. Although its gorgeous, vibrant animation, compelling story, and dramatic musical score are key to Demon Slayer's success, what really differentiates it from the crowd is its character development.

Demon Slayer’s Greatest Strength Is Its Character Development

Gotouge Delves Into Their Characters’ Backstories and Emotions, Making Them Feel Remarkably Human

Many animes feature stellar animation or catchy music, but writing lifelike, interesting characters is perhaps the most difficult aspect of a series to master, and Koyoharu Gotouge, mangaka of Demon Slayer, has definitely accomplished this tough task. The Demon Slayer story at its core, humans fighting man-eating demons who threaten their peace, is ittedly pretty simple. With poor execution, this plot could have been boring, but the well-developed characters take this straightforward scenario and make it enthralling, because viewers, like myself, can see themselves in the series' multifaceted characters and get attached to them on a deeper and more meaningful level.

Every single hero or villain in Demon Slayer has an in-depth story, and no character's potential is wasted, which can be a rarity in anime. Demon Slayer spends a lot of time on backstories, including both the tragic origin stories and demon transformations of villains and the pasts of Hashira and other demon slayers that led them to pursue a dangerous, but irable career with the Demon Slayer Corps. Rather than present its characters in a superficial, surface-level way, Gotouge dives deep into each one, showing not just their present-day actions, but their pasts, inner thoughts, and feelings in exquisite detail.

Remarkable Character Growth Is Evident in Characters Like Tanjiro

Tanjiro Developed Not Just Astounding Physical Strength, but Mental Fortitude Too

For example, the series' protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado, grows and changes noticeably, even just between each season of the anime. He begins the story as just an average human, working as a coal burner to his family. When tragedy struck and his loved ones were all brutally murdered by a demon though, he ed the Demon Slayer Corps to protect others from dying at their hands and to help turn his sister, Nezuko, human again. As Tanjiro went through both training and life-altering demon fights, he developed not just physical strength, but mental fortitude and even greater empathy for others.

Tanjiro morphed from a normal human who could not even break a boulder with his sword, to someone capable of slaughtering the most powerful demon in history. Aside from his clear outward progress, I was inspired by the inner strength Tanjiro possesses that only increased over time. As Tanjiro encountered more demons, he realized that many of them were victims of Muzan's cruelty too, and he felt sympathy for the beings, showing them genuine comfort despite their wrongdoings. Even though they committed evil deeds, Tanjiro still found it in his heart to pity them, which is a sign of his maturity and valiant character.

The Series Often Makes Even Its Villains Sympathetic Through Complicated Backstories

It Can Be Difficult To Feel Sorry For Villains, but Demon Slayer’s Complex Villains Often Deserve Pity

Another reason I, and so many others, adore Demon Slayer, is the complexity of its villains. Many, such as Akaza, the Upper Rank Three, never wanted to become demons or pursue evil, but were manipulated by Muzan, the creator of demons. Tanjiro is always willing to offer mercy to these villains, hearing their heartwrenching backstories of suffering and patiently listening to what they have endured. While watching most anime series, I don't often find myself feeling sorry for the villains, but Demon Slayer makes it so that even the cruelest characters are complicated enough to spark comion.

From Akaza's stories of tear-jerking, undeserved loss to Rui's struggles with his own family turning against him, Demon Slayer's demons are not always pure evil incarnate because they want to be, they felt like they had no other choice due to their unfortunate circumstances in life and, of course, Muzan's callous control over them. Demon Slayer's characterization of its villains differentiates the series from any other anime, in my opinion, because few series take the time to show both sides, revealing the full extent of the agonizing backstories that led these characters to resort to such evil measures.

Zenitsu Is a Perfect Example of the Extensive Character Development in Demon Slayer

When His Master Died, Zenitsu Morphed From Terrified to Heroic, Reaching His Potential

The character I feel best represents Demon Slayer's phenomenal character development is Zenitsu Agatsuma, who is sometimes quite controversial among fans. Some viewers hate Zenitsu due to his loud shouting, near constant state of terror, and tendency to run from demons. However, Zenitsu's shift from cowardice to heroism is one of the most satisfying character arcs I have ever seen in any anime series. When Zenitsu's master, Jigoro, died, his mindset, attitude, and behavior completely changed in an instant, as he finally rose to his full potential to eliminate the demon responsible for ending the life of the person he loved and respected the most.

Zenitsu's Infinity Castle fight is one of the best, revealing just how far the fearful demon slayer has come. In both physical and mental power, Zenitsu leveled up like never before to avenge his master, and his story is not just motivational in its own right, but proof of Gotouge's spectacular skill for writing characters perfectly. Every single character, hero or villain, receives proper attention throughout the story, is written in the rich detail they deserve, and grows and changes. This feat was not easy to accomplish considering the sheer number of characters in Demon Slayer, but Gotouge managed to excel at character development nonetheless.