Fact Check: Is Koyoharu Gotoge's Demon Slayer manga based on a real life incident?

Modified Sep 25, 2024 10:30 GMT

Is Demon Slayer based on a real-life incident? (Image via Ufotable)

The Demon Slayer manga is a standout modern shonen series that has captivated the animanga community for good reason. Despite its relatively short run of around 200 chapters, it offers a well-balanced mix of plot and character development, making for an engaging read.

One of the reasons why this series is popular is due to its characters and the story. Koyoharu Gotouge’s writing is such that the readers completely immerse themselves in this fictional world. This raised the question - is the Demon Slayer manga based on a real-life incident? No, the Demon Slayer manga is not based on a real-life incident.

Demon Slayer manga and its intertextual relationships

The Demon Slayer manga features actual locations in Japan (Image via Sportskeeda)

As mentioned earlier, Demon Slayer is not based on any real-life incident. However, there are plenty of references to existing works. It’s not uncommon to see anime and manga titles taking inspiration from various sources. Owing to the themes explored in shonen titles, it’s quite common to take elements from existing folklore and religious texts. Koyoharu Gotouge’s magnum opus is no different.

One reason for this question is the setting. The story takes place in Japan, with locations like Asakusa, Shinjuku, and Yoshiwara featured in the manga. Some characters are inspired by folklore, including the main antagonist, Kibutsuji Muzan.

The Demon King was inspired by Nuraihyon, who is a fictional character who led all the Yokai. They are supernatural entities that use their powers for evil, and Nuraihyon is their leader. Muzan’s traits and his role in the story bear a significant resemblance to the aforementioned character.

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Daki, who was one among the two Upper Moon 6 demons was inspired by Rokurokubi. This entity was also a Yokai that had the distinct ability to extend her neck, much like the Upper Moon demon. While there are no real-life incidents that gave birth to the story, there are a few real-life elements that can be found in the series.

The series was set in the Taisho period and one can see the gradual feudal-to-modernism transition. The presence of the Mugen Train and Muzan’s attire are prime examples. Furthermore, the uniform donned by the staff of the Demon Slayer Corps is said to have been inspired by the military uniform that was sported by the military during the Taisho era.

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The presence of Wisteria flowers also showcased that Koyoharu Gotouge used such elements to inject a dimension of realism into the story. Wisteria flowers are quite poisnous to human beings contrary to what was shown in the animanga series.

Conclusion

These are some among the numerous references and inspirations that are connected to Koyoharu Gotouge’s work. However, it is important to note that there is no single real-life event that inspired the story of Demon Slayer. The fact that it involves demons only weakens the likelihood of real-life incidents being connected to the story, and there are none. However, as highlighted above, there are numerous fictional works whose elements have inspired various characters in this shonen title.

Stay tuned for more Demon Slayer manga and anime news as 2024 progresses.

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Edited by Divya Singh