Is this one of the curious cases where the anime is better than the manga?
Summary:
Many Demon Slayer fans are getting impatient about the new season’s release and want to read the manga.
While the anime is a very good adaptation, it might be just too good — the manga action isn’t as good, and there’s no soundtrack to speak of.
Demon Slayer might be actually better as an anime.
Demon Slayer might be the cultural symbol for the new generation of otaku. The most popular battle shounen series nowadays, it amassed incredible popularity all around the world, and is responsible for getting many people into anime. With three full TV seasons, as well as a movie (which later was adapted into a shorter TV season) released, and another one announced, it seems like studio ufotable wants to adapt the entire manga.
With the Hashira Training arc being scheduled for Spring 2024, however, many fans are getting impatient and wonder if they should just read the manga instead. Except, perhaps, that’s not such a good idea.
An amazing adaptation
Demon Slayer is an extremely good adaptation of its manga. It adapts the source material faithfully, spans multiple seasons, and doesn’t exactly conform to the standard formula of “12/13 episode anime with 24-minute episodes.” Multiple episodes have extended runtime, and arcs adapted to anime aren’t necessarily constrained by standard anime season length — and this allows for much more natural pacing and flow of the story. And, of course, it has top-tier production values — but this is actually the crux of the problem.
Insane production values
Much of Demon Slayer’s appeal comes from its audiovisual presentation. Insanely colorful action, supported by an epic soundtrack — what more do anime fans want? Yes, the story is pretty basic, but it’s well-executed, and that’s what otaku need, right? Well, for people switching from the anime to the manga, the change might feel disappointing. The manga doesn’t look bad at all, but the fights are so much better in motion, and there’s no soundtrack to speak of. In that sense, the adaptation might be even called too good. Would we want it to be worse? Of course not, but going from the anime to the manga might feel like a downgrade.
Is the anime better than the manga?
Demon Slayer manga was popular even before it got an adaptation. However, to many anime watchers, especially those drawn in by the fights, it just feels like an inferior way to experience the story. Yes, you can go ahead and read it if you’re impatient to see how the story unfolds — just perhaps don’t expect it to be as epic as the anime. It’s still solid, however, and there’s some interesting (if occasionally hard to follow) fight choreography. For many, however, the experience will be rather disappointing. Perhaps there are cases where the anime is better than the manga — and Demon Slayer is one of the best examples.
Is this one of the curious cases where the anime is better than the manga?
Summary:
Many Demon Slayer fans are getting impatient about the new season’s release and want to read the manga.
While the anime is a very good adaptation, it might be just too good — the manga action isn’t as good, and there’s no soundtrack to speak of.
Demon Slayer might be actually better as an anime.
Demon Slayer might be the cultural symbol for the new generation of otaku. The most popular battle shounen series nowadays, it amassed incredible popularity all around the world, and is responsible for getting many people into anime. With three full TV seasons, as well as a movie (which later was adapted into a shorter TV season) released, and another one announced, it seems like studio ufotable wants to adapt the entire manga.
With the Hashira Training arc being scheduled for Spring 2024, however, many fans are getting impatient and wonder if they should just read the manga instead. Except, perhaps, that’s not such a good idea.
An amazing adaptation
Demon Slayer is an extremely good adaptation of its manga. It adapts the source material faithfully, spans multiple seasons, and doesn’t exactly conform to the standard formula of “12/13 episode anime with 24-minute episodes.” Multiple episodes have extended runtime, and arcs adapted to anime aren’t necessarily constrained by standard anime season length — and this allows for much more natural pacing and flow of the story. And, of course, it has top-tier production values — but this is actually the crux of the problem.
Insane production values
Much of Demon Slayer’s appeal comes from its audiovisual presentation. Insanely colorful action, supported by an epic soundtrack — what more do anime fans want? Yes, the story is pretty basic, but it’s well-executed, and that’s what otaku need, right? Well, for people switching from the anime to the manga, the change might feel disappointing. The manga doesn’t look bad at all, but the fights are so much better in motion, and there’s no soundtrack to speak of. In that sense, the adaptation might be even called too good. Would we want it to be worse? Of course not, but going from the anime to the manga might feel like a downgrade.
Is the anime better than the manga?
Demon Slayer manga was popular even before it got an adaptation. However, to many anime watchers, especially those drawn in by the fights, it just feels like an inferior way to experience the story. Yes, you can go ahead and read it if you’re impatient to see how the story unfolds — just perhaps don’t expect it to be as epic as the anime. It’s still solid, however, and there’s some interesting (if occasionally hard to follow) fight choreography. For many, however, the experience will be rather disappointing. Perhaps there are cases where the anime is better than the manga — and Demon Slayer is one of the best examples.
