Review of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc

I was very tempted to not even write this, because Demon Slayer is already so popular and well known that I doubt my review will change anyone's mind. Still I think it's important for me to convey just how great season 2 is and how far Demon Slayer has come in terms of story and character development. Yes, Demon Slayer season 2 is by far one of the greatest pieces of media I've ever had the pleasure of seeing, and it's barely a close competition (and I've seen around 400 series). Demon Slayer as a series is very popular, and for good reason. That said,I've never fully understood the hype around season 1. Though I wasn't the biggest fan of Mugen Train, I can at least understand why viewers were obsessive about that... I mean the art is just --- insane. But again, season 1 just didn't stand out as a show deserving of all the praise it had received. Against giants like Evangelion, Death note, Code Geass, and Attack on Titan, how could it? Still there is no denying the unrelenting hype that came from season 1. This is why Season 2 surprised me so much! I honestly wasn't sure how they could even be from the same creators!

I won't be spoiling anything too major from the Entertainment District Arc. I only hope I can emphasize just how special it is without giving anything away, you just have to take my word for it (hopefully other reviewers are on the same page as me). This arc continues from where Mugen Train ended, that's about as specific as I intend to get. The characters aren't any different than season 1, still existing as half comedic half serious. Location is where things start to progress in the beginning. It's not that the events couldn't have occurred elsewhere, the story would have still been impactful, but there was something about this setting that really helped give the new storyline (and backstories) an additional element...something only a setting like the Entertainment District could.

We are introduced to new characters, both good and evil, that really resonate well with the audience. Not only do we get to see more of what made the heroes so appealing to begin with, but we see new faces that impacted me equally if not more than the main core of characters, like Nezuko for example. I'm not lying when I say there was no clear winner in terms of a particular character's impact. Every single one, unless they were only present for a short period, meant something to the overall plot and were equally as important to the show as a whole.

The main "demons" this time around are wonderful, both in appearance and in presentation. I actually ordered myself a professional statue of one known as Daki, and I don't regret how much she cost whatsoever. Regardless of how evil these demons technically are, they ended up being my favorites this time around. Though I will admit, Master Tengen [Demon Slayer] and his 3 wives were all just as special to me, and yet I don't plan on purchasing any figures/statues of them....sooo take that as you will. Everyone brings their A game this season......actually, it's more like their SSS+ game.

Each relationship is given just enough screen time to feel important but not so much that it's an excessive amount of character building. Each scene is made perfectly as well. There is no wasted space, not one. The plot easily conveys it's message, while grabbing you and forcing you to care. I couldn't help but get emotional. At times, there were flashbacks that aren't necessarily unexpected or different that managed to yank at my heart, making me feel like I was witnessing it person. Every moment, even the comedic or dark ones, just meant so much to me. I couldn't believe the roller coaster it took me on. Needless to say, I was awe inspired by the entire thing. If I did have any negatives, they would be drowned out by an entire ocean of positives.

I typically am one of those people that refuses to accept that there will ever be an anime greater than Death Note or Evangelion (both reign supreme in my eyes). This has always been the case even since I started watching anime regularly. That is until season 2 of Demon Slayer came along! I won't say it's better, because you can't be better than perfect, BUT it does sit up there with both of them on equal ground. You may think that's just hype talking but it's not. I don't know how else I can better convey just how great of a season this was. I would like to specify again though, this just applies to season 2. If I had to include season 1/Mugen Train, it would unfortunately sit lower than both Death Note and Evangelion, since both are perfect through every season. Still, this will hopefully get my point accross, that one season was able to turn the series around for me so significantly.

I honestly don't have much else I can say that I havent already. The Entertainment District Arc of Demon Slayer hit me so hard and I never saw it coming. It resonated with me in a way not many other anime could even dare to. The characters were impactful on multiple levels, and their backstories were as entertaining as their present selves. The story's delivery didn't just make me an emotional mess, but bore it's way into my soul and is stuck there on an ethereal level. It's so unreal just how good season 2 was. Every note refined and deliberate, with no flaws to speak of. Of course, I am but one viewer that may have missed something, but for me Demon Slayer season 2 will sit with the greats at the top of my list, and I have doubts that anything will be able to take it's place...although there will be a season 3 at some point so who knows.