“When happiness ends there’s always…the smell of blood in the air.” 

Tanjiro's nose is extraordinary. He can smell scents most people can’t pick up and track like a hound. It is with his amazing nose that he smells a horrible scent...the demon who murdered his family.

The Taisho Era Japan is harsh, but it's made even grimmer by the fact that there are demons who seek the flesh of humankind. Annihilating entire families, they hunt and feast to acquire more power. Tanjiro and younger sister Nezuko find themselves as surviving victims of such tragedy when someone from the Demon Slayer Corps. comes a little too late. But there’s a catch—Nezuko has become one of these man-eating demons!

Strangely enough, Nezuko refuses to partake in human flesh. With that resolve in mind, Tanjiro is determined to find a way to turn his only remaining family back into a human. He is given only one clue: Muzan Kibutsuji, a demon able to turn humans into demons! And so, their journey begins when the demon slayer sends Tanjiro (with Nezuko in tow) to a trainer in order to become a demon slayer himself.

As the story unfolds, Tanjiro meets new allies, the pig-headed Inosuke Hashibira, and cowardly Zenitsu, both of whom are also demon slayers. And with new friends, there are also new foes: the Twelve Kizuki, mysterious demons have more of Muzan’s blood than normal demons. Tracking them down, he begins collecting samples of their blood for Tamayo, a demon doctor whose goals align with his, in hopes of finding a cure for Nezuko’s demonic condition.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a thrilling tale with a unique art style. Clean linework and the geometric patterns give the manga an original look. And the creepy designs of the numerous demons are distinctive. The fights are well-paced with movements that are easy to track. Each panel is bursting with explosive action. Gotouge Sensei’s humor and personality also shows through in how he draws character expressions in every situation, whether it’s tense or not. Yet, while sprinkling in all the light-hearted fun in the characters’ adventure, the comedy doesn’t take away from the seriousness of the fights—in a strange way, it becomes a part of it.

There's a lot of variety in the cast both physically and emotionally. And with such a cast of personalities, there is a healthy dose of wholesomeness even despite all the bloodshed. And also surprising bursts of melancholy as the story progresses. Whereas Zenitsu is delicate and hilarious, Inosuke is belligerent and gutsy. Tanjiro, on the other hand, is extremely compassionate and levelheaded. His goals are crisp, clear and his determination is incredible. Nezuko, adorable and lovable, holds her own even when temptation strikes.

With just seven volumes out now, your adventure with them is just starting! And you can get ahead of the anime in no time at all! You can also read the latest chapters for free every Sunday on this site. So what are you waiting for—catch a whiff of the action!

You can buy the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba graphic novels HERE!

You can also read the latest chapters of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba for free here! Or download the Shonen Jump app and read the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga offline!

by Emily Tang