Demon Slayer: Longer Fight Scenes, Rengoku’s Side-Mission, And 6 of The Biggest Changes Between The Manga And Anime

The rising global fame of Demon Slayer largely stems from its anime adaptation, which began in 2019. While Koyoharu Gotoge’s original manga was already strong, Ufotable’s rendition is widely recognized as a remarkable peak in the shōnen action genre.

Instead of typical classic shonen anime, this modern production of “Demon Slayer” remains remarkably true to its source material, the manga, with minimal deviations. Remarkably, these few changes have enhanced rather than diminished the original content. However, there are still notable differences between the “Demon Slayer” manga and anime that are worth mentioning. Here are eight of the most significant discrepancies so far.

Extended Fight Scenes

The Manga’s Battles Are Much Shorter And More Succinct

In essence, Demon Slayer primarily stands as an action-packed series, with the thrilling encounters between the protagonist slayers and their demonic adversaries serving as its main attraction. The combat sequences in the original manga are undeniably intricate and exhilarating, yet they tend to be surprisingly brief and can be finished within a short span of time. This brevity, however, contributes positively to the story’s swift tempo rather than being a drawback.

In contrast to the manga, fight scenes in the Demon Slayer anime are extended due to the freedom offered by animation, allowing Ufotable to add extra scenes where characters can exhibit their most powerful techniques. Notably, the battle between Uzui and Gyutaro at the end of the Entertainment District Arc, which was a brief one-page skirmish in the manga, became an impressive two-minute spectacle in the anime.

Flashier Breathing Styles

It Actually Seems Like They’re Summoning Their Elements In The Anime

The distinctive “Breathing Styles” portrayed in the anime series “Demon Slayer” are often a topic of debate among fans. Although these breathing styles may appear to summon elements, as per Koyoharu Gotoge’s confirmation, they actually represent abstract representations of the characters’ unique combat techniques rather than providing actual elemental powers. This aspect is more noticeable in the manga where the breathing styles are briefly shown to depict each character’s specific movements, but their impact on the battle seems minimal.

In their latest work, Ufotable has elevated the animation, making breathing styles and techniques appear more dynamic and striking, almost giving an illusion that they could be used to summon elements during battles. For instance, during Rengoku’s fight against Akaza, there’s a scene where he summons a wall of fire using Flame Breathing to create some distance – a detail not present in the manga.

Less Narration

The Original Manga Took Its Time To Explain Things In Detail

Just in case there’s any confusion, the “Demon Slayer” manga is a unique storytelling format that combines images and text. To clarify certain elements such as characters’ skills, weaponry, or parts of their past, it frequently employs pre-written narration, which can be delivered by characters or an unseen narrator.

To put it simply, the anime adaptation of Demon Slayer largely kept the original narrative, including Tanjiro’s internal thoughts. However, it has faced some criticism for this approach, as it left out several explanations that were previously provided through narration in the manga. For instance, details about Sun Breathing’s impact on Tanjiro’s body, Tengen Uzui’s use of dual chain-swords and the origin of his buff Mice assistants were not included. Initially, this might leave viewers puzzled, but the adaptation generally manages to clarify these plot points through visual storytelling rather than dialogue.

Comedy

The Manga Feels A Lot Funnier And More Lighthearted At Times

In the style of many popular shōnen manga, including Demon Slayer, humorous moments abound with characters delivering amusing visual gags, clever dialogue, and jokes that add a light-hearted touch to the series. However, while the anime adaptation retained many of these comical scenes, they may not have the same impact as they did in the original manga.

In manga, due to its visual nature, readers can linger longer on the illustrations, amplifying the humor and absurdity. Moreover, certain minor notes and brief dialogues often absent in the anime are found in the original manga. To add to that, the Demon Slayer series features extra drawings at the end of some chapters, which may not always be included in the animated adaptation.

Taisho Secrets

The Anime Has Its Own Bonus Comedic Scenes Anyway

Almost every episode of “Demon Slayer” features an extra segment towards the end, named “Taisho Secrets”. In this segment, characters share a light-hearted secret about themselves or someone else directly with viewers. Some of these scenes are either derived from the manga and additional resources, while others are completely unique to the anime.

In the anime Taisho Secrets, there’s often hilarious moments involving characters like Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, along with whomever else is part of the current arc. These funny scenes serve as a lighter ending to an episode before the credits start rolling. It’s essential not to confuse these segments with the Kimetsu Academy Story shorts, which are derived from a comic spin-off manga that provides a comical twist on the original storyline.

Rengoku’s Side-Mission

The Only Filler Episode Of The Anime

Contemporary anime series like Demon Slayer tend to minimize filler episodes, and that’s certainly true for this show. Out of the 60+ episodes that have aired so far, only one – Episode 27, titled “Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku” – was entirely original to the anime and not derived from the manga.

This tale focuses on Kyojuro Rengoku and is a captivating side story that unfolds a few hours prior to the Mugen Train Arc. It was specifically crafted as a reward for viewers opting to watch this arc at home rather than in the cinema. In this narrative, Rengoku pursues a demon named Slasher, who possesses an unique ability: he can augment his speed through his Blood Demon Art, a power exclusively designed for the anime.

The Hashira Training Arc Was Greatly Extended

The Anime Has Many New Scenes That Increased The Length Of This Arc

The original manga’s Hashira Training Arc, in essence, was a transitional phase where characters boosted their powers in preparation for the more substantial Infinity Castle Arc. However, Ufotable elongated this arc for season 4 of the anime adaptation, presumably due to the brevity of the original version being insufficient to fill an entire season’s worth of content.

Due to the adaptation, this particular anime arc includes numerous fresh scenes that significantly enhance the storyline and provide intriguing character interplay. Scenes such as Sanemi and Iguro discovering Muzan’s castle, the encounters between Tanjiro and Tengen Uzui, an extended sequence of Muzan arriving at the Ubuyashiki Mansion, among others, are exclusive to the anime and greatly add to the overall intrigue and excitement of this arc.

2025-08-21 13:43