‘Demon Slayer’ returns for a third season

The third season of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” aired on Sunday, April 9, and it has become one of the most popular shows of the spring 2023 season.

Based on the original manga written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge, the “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” show is brought to life by the Japanese animation studio ufotable, also known for the “Fate/stay night” series. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” follows Tanjiro and his younger sister Nezuko as they fight in the war against demons and try to find a way to turn Nezuko back into a human.

Opening with the death of Tanjiro’s family, the show immediately tells its audience how dark and violent it will get. Nezuko, who is turned into a demon, refuses to harm humans and sleeps in place of her demonic nature to kill humans. Tanjiro vows to protect her and prove to others that she is not an enemy.

Tanjiro and Nezuko are joined on their journey against the demons by Inosuke, a boy who was raised in the woods by wild boars, and Zenitsu, a boy who’s known for his cowardly outward appearance and attitude. The four survive a handful of dangerous missions defeating demons and learning about friendship. They meet comrades along the way, some disagreeing with Tanjiro since they had never come across a demon that could resist harming a human before. By the end of the series, some are convinced Nezuko is not an enemy while others stay convinced she is just like any other demon.

Season three, titled “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc,” focuses on Tanjiro and three other characters. Genya, a teenage boy the same age as Tanjiro, is a half-demon whose harsh personality keeps others at a distance. Being the younger brother of one of the strongest members of the Demon Slayer Corps, many have high expectations for him. Mitsuri and Muichiro are members of the Hashira, a group made up of the strongest Demon Slayers, both attempting to spend some time relaxing, before two demons appear in the village. Tanjiro and the others learn how to use their respective abilities together and fight the demons, protecting the village from major damage.

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” has grown greatly in popularity since the first season aired in the spring of 2019. On Tuesday, April 18, the first season was ranked 122nd of all time on MyAnimeList, while the second season ranked 30th and the third season 53rd. Since the third season is still airing, the popularity is sure to grow and leave fans impatiently waiting for a fourth season.

When “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Train” was released in the U.S., it had the No. 1 foreign language film debut in U.S. box office history, overtaking the still popular Studio Ghibli film “Spirited Away.” The film follows Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke and Zenitsu as they travel on a train that is being controlled by a demon. They’re joined by Rengoku, one of the Hashira, who was also sent on this mission to defeat the demon. Together, they defeat the demon controlling the train, but a stronger one appears and fatally injures Rengoku. The three younger Demon Slayers shed tears after Rengoku’s passing, unaware of what the future holds for them.

The original manga by Koyoharu Gotouge has 23 volumes and was completed in Japan on May 18, 2020. While the volumes are being translated and released in English, fans are excited to see the remaining content animated and brought to life by ufotable.

Despite being a relatively violent and gruesome show, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” teaches its audience about family, friendship and taking responsibility for yourself. Fans are surely left thinking about how they can use those teachings in their own lives.

The next episode is planned to air Sunday, April 30, on Crunchyroll.