Of all of the things 2020 has come to be known for, film releases breaking box office records wasn’t considered one of them. However 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 19-12 months record held by the Studio Ghibli basic Spirited Away. Hitting $313 million in ticket sales in December, the film 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 mostly on the manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge—has broken one other record previously set by Spirited Away: Mugen Train is now the highest-grossing anime film in the world. It’s set for theatrical release within the U.S. and Canada on April 23, in each 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 world fanbase. Each the manga that was first revealed 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, right 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’s Demon Slayer about?
In this fictional world set in early 20th century Taishō-era Japan, man-eating demons roam the land each night. thirteen-yr-old Tanjiro Kamado’s world is turned upside down when he returns residence one morning to search out his entire family murdered save for his sister Nezuko—who has turned into a demon. Decided to avenge their deaths and find a treatment that would transform Nezuko back right 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 people from the vicious creatures.
Who’s Koyoharu Gotouge?
Koyoharu Gotouge (lately featured as a part of the 2021 TIME 100 Next) wrote and illustrated Demon Slayer. The mangaka, or manga creator, has not publicly revealed their identity, and instead makes use of the pen name Gotouge and seems as an avatar of an alligator in glasses when making announcements concerning the series. Despite not much about Demon Slayer’s creator being known to the general public, those that collaborate carefully with Gotouge are acquainted with their work ethic. «I’ve known Gotouge sensei [the honorific time period for teacher in Japanese] because the start of their career, and so they were not essentially without fault at the beginning,» Kohei Ohnishi, an Editor-in-Chief of Weekly Shonen Jump who edits Demon Slayer, tells TIME. «However by hard work and perseverance, they had been able to develop considerably as a mangaka.»
Though Gotouge’s schedule has not been shared earlier than, the every day work routines of manga authors are reputed to be rigorous. As an example, Oda Eiichiro—the creator of One Piece—has shared about sleeping recurrently from 2 AM to 5 AM to work on his manuscript. Ohnishi cites Gotouge’s robust 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 probably the most impactful element of Gotouge’s writing and art, Ohnishi references the sturdy characters and dialogue. «Their characters are all unique, but still rooted in reality, and that’s a really troublesome balance to strike,» Ohnishi says. «In addition, there are a number of memorable lines filled with authenticity in Demon Slayer.»
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