4 Demon Slayer arcs that were better in the anime (& 4 where Ufotable let fans down)

There are plenty of Demon Slayer arcs that have been animated at the time of writing. In fact, the anime adaptation is quite close to concluding the series with only two arcs left to adapt. Among the two, one of them is currently being animated and the movie adaptations will be released eventually.

In the meantime, fans decided to revisit some of the older Demon Slayer arcs. Some sections of the story were quite exciting, and some didn’t really impress the fanbase. The enjoyable ones stood out because of the animation in the fight sequences as well as the director’s creative choices.

On the other hand, the sections of the story that didn’t really do well were due to the contents of the source material itself, paired with a couple of rare technical errors on Ufotable’s part.

Disclaimer: The article contains spoilers.

Demon Slayer arcs that fans loved

1) Mount Natagumo

Tanjiro vs Rui was one of the defining moments of this series (Image via Ufotable)

This was one of the most enjoyable Demon Slayer arcs that was released towards the end of the first season. This season put the series on the map and its popularity grew multifold. A big reason for this arc’s success was the fight involving the strongest Lower Moon demon - Rui.

He was a fierce opponent who nearly killed Tanjiro Kamado. However, the protagonist managed to use a variation of one of the Breath of the Sun forms, which was shown during this fight. The fluidity and the vibrancy of the fight animation were unmatched. Ufotable hinted at its potential with this particular arc in season 1.

2) Mugen Train

Rengoku's death in Mugen Train had an impact on the subsequent Demon Slayer arcs (Image via Ufotable)

This is one of the most memorable Demon Slayer arcs in the series because of the death of a Hashira. Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira barely received any screen time. However, he quickly became a fan favorite because of how this character was written. His death in the series was well-executed because of the manner in which this series packed emotional content.

This was one of the most impactful deaths in modern shonen anime. This arc also introduced Akaza, the Upper Moon 3 demon who goes on to become a fan-favorite when his backstory is explored.

3) Entertainment District

Ufotable put on an animation masterclass with the Tengen vs Gyutaro fight (Image via Ufotable)

The Entertainment District arc is probably the best arc on this list. Ufotable as a studio showed off its potential with animation when Tengen Uzui and his comrades took on Daki and Gyutaro. Some might even say that it has the best fight sequence animation ever seen.

The fights were well-choreographed, they utilized dynamic camera angles, and a vibrant color palette, and featured Tanjiro using the Demon Slayer Mark. This paired with the hilarious moments involving Inosuke Hashibira made it one of the most, if not the most entertaining Demon Slayer arc.

4) Hashira Training

Ufotable's experiment with anime-original scenes paid off (Image via Ufotable)

Fans had absolutely no expectations with this story arc since it had very little content and featured almost no action. Ufotable is also known for adapting the manga faithfully. However, the animation studio decided to incorporate a ton of anime-original scenes.

They put on a masterclass on how a studio can use anime-original scenes to enhance the story as opposed to forcing viewers to watch irrelevant filler content. The character interactions were quite entertaining and it also animated Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro’s Breathing Techniques, making it one of the best Demon Slayer arcs.

Demon Slayer arcs that didn’t hit the spot

1) Kidnapper’s Bog

The fight against the Swamp demon was underwhelming compared to the fight sequences in other Demon Slayer arcs (Image via Ufotable)

This was a story arc that didn’t really have much exciting content to begin with. While the animation wasn’t bad by any means, it certainly didn’t stand out. The fight took place in the swamps and the dull color palette didn’t entice fans the way some of the fight sequences did in other Demon Slayer arcs. This story arc was a bit of a letdown because of the lack of exhilarating action and plot development.

2) Asakusa

Muzan was introduced in this story arc (Image via Ufotable)

This section of the story had a few interesting moments that viewers enjoyed. However, when we compare this to the rest of the Demon Slayer arcs, this one does not have the same impact that other arcs did.

The pacing for this arc was just a tad bit slower compared to the remaining arcs. The introduction of Kibutsuji Muzan and Tamayo were enjoyable moments in the series. However, there was nothing more that was memorable from this arc.

3) Rehabilitation Training

This arc lacked the action that most other Demon Slayer arcs featured (Image via Ufotable)

This was yet another slow-paced arc that didn’t stand out since it was all about the demon hunters recuperating from their mission. While it was interesting to see Kamado Tanjiro’s interaction with Kanao Tsuyuri, it didn’t have the same impact that other Demon Slayer arcs did.

It also came up short in the comedy department and most fans found Zenitsu’s antics quite irritating. While this arc didn’t hit the spot, it featured an important scene in the series that showed the main character potentially developing a love interest in the series.

4) Swordsmith Village

Swordsmith Village arc was a letdown despite being great on paper (Image via Ufotable)

This was one of the most disappointing Demon Slayer arcs on this list for various reasons. On paper, there was plenty to enjoy since it showed Muichiro Tokito and Mitsuri Kanroji in action. However, the Upper Moon 5 and Upper Moon 4 demons did not have the same presence that Daki and Gyutaro did.

Considering they’re far superior to the Upper Moon 6 demons, they lacked the screen presence and therefore, the fight sequences weren’t as impressive either. Furthermore, the use of CGI during Muichiro’s fight scene wasn’t well-received by fans. Poor pacing combined with the underwhelming fight sequences had a negative impact on the overall viewing experience.

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Edited by Tiasha