Of all of the things 2020 has come to be known for, film releases breaking box office records wasn’t one of them. But 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 classic Spirited Away. Hitting $313 million in ticket sales in December, the film overtook director Hayao Miyazaki’s magnum opus to grow to be the country’s highest-grossing film of all time.
Within the months since, the film—based on the manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge—has broken another record beforehand set by Spirited Away: Mugen Train is now the highest-grossing anime film within the world. It’s set for theatrical launch within the U.S. and Canada on April 23, in both a subtitled version and an English dubbed version.
Earlier than the film made headlines for shattering records, the Demon Slayer franchise was already amassing a dedicated global fanbase. Each the manga that was first printed in 2016 and the television series adapted from the manga have recorded feats of their own. Ahead of the North American launch of Mugen Train, right here’s everything to know about Demon Slayer, the writer-illustrator behind it and the meteoric success of the manga, television series and film.
What is Demon Slayer about?
In this fictional world set in early 20th century Taishō-period Japan, man-eating demons roam the land each night. thirteen-year-old Tanjiro Kamado’s world is turned upside down when he returns residence one morning to find his total household murdered save for his sister Nezuko—who has turned into a demon. Decided to avenge their deaths and discover a treatment that might 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 (just lately featured as a part of the 2021 TIME 100 Subsequent) wrote and illustrated Demon Slayer. The mangaka, or manga creator, has not publicly revealed their identity, and instead uses the pen name Gotouge and seems as an avatar of an alligator in glasses when making announcements in regards to the series. Despite not a lot about Demon Slayer’s writer being known to the general public, those that collaborate intently with Gotouge are familiar with their work ethic. «I have known Gotouge sensei [the honorific term for instructor in Japanese] for the reason that start of their career, they usually were not necessarily without fault firstly,» Kohei Ohnishi, an Editor-in-Chief of Weekly Shonen Jump who edits Demon Slayer, tells TIME. «But by way of hard work and perseverance, they were able to grow considerably as a mangaka.»
Though Gotouge’s schedule has not been shared earlier than, the each day work routines of manga authors are reputed to be rigorous. For instance, Oda Eiichiro—the creator of One Piece—has shared about sleeping usually from 2 AM to 5 AM to work on his manuscript. Ohnishi cites Gotouge’s sturdy 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 essentially the most impactful element of Gotouge’s writing and art, Ohnishi references the strong characters and dialogue. «Their characters are all distinctive, but still rooted in reality, and that’s a very 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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