Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has become a huge hit among people of all ages and genders. While the series is characterized by its harsh and harsh writing style, its merciless and heartless human drama, and its comical moments, many people may not be familiar with its creator. In this article, we'll introduce you to Koyoharu Gotouge, the creator of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
"Koyoharu Gotouge, the Creator of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"
"Profile"
Gotouge is a manga artist from Fukuoka Prefecture. His face and gender are not publicly known. While the difficult kanji and pen name may lead you to believe he is a man, it is rumored that he is a woman. Gotouge's self-portrait is a bipedal crocodile wearing glasses. Fans call him "Mr. Crocodile." His favorite manga is everything from "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" to "Crayon Shin-chan," but he especially loves Gintama, which he says inspired him to bring his manga to Shonen Jump.
"Until My Debut as a Manga Artist"
Gotouge first drew manga in his third year of high school, but he couldn't draw at all. He continued to draw until he finally managed to write a one-shot manga.
In 2013, I created my first one-shot story, "Kagarigari," and submitted it to Shonen Jump.
"The Original Idea for Demon Slayer!? What is Kagarigari?"
Kagarigari is set in Meiji-Taisho Japan and depicts the battle between demons and demon hunters. It can be considered the origin of Demon Slayer. The protagonist is a one-armed, blind character named Nagare. Compared to Tanjiro, the protagonist of Demon Slayer, he is quieter and more silent. If anything, he is reminiscent of Giyu Tomioka, the Water Pillar. In addition to the demon-slaying rules and the Final Selection engraved on the sword, many settings remain in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, such as Tamayo and Yushiro appearing in Overhunting with almost the exact same appearance.
"Overhunting Synopsis ①"
A series of murders have occurred in a certain town, perpetrated by a vampire who had drifted from a foreign land. Tokikawa, a former demon, seeks the help of fellow demon Tamayo in his quest to track down the culprit who is invading his territory. Yushiro, a young man accompanying Tamayo, openly displays hostility toward Tokigawa, and Tokigawa responds in kind, but Tamayo manages to calm the situation and sets off to find the culprit.
"Overhunting Story Part 2"
The scene shifts to a nighttime riverside setting, where a vampire dressed in Western clothing is attacking a human, and Tokigawa and Tamayo appear and engage in combat. The battle continues to shift toward the vampire, despite the two-on-one situation, until a person approaches. Tokikawa and Tamayo retreat from the scene, and the vampire finds himself facing an approaching figure. The figure is a human with one arm and a scar on his face, holding a sword. The vampire attacks with great enthusiasm, but both of his arms are quickly sliced off, and before he can escape, his neck is slashed and he is wiped out.
"The Struggles Leading to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"
After creating "Overhunting Hunt," Gotouge-sensei released numerous works, but his hard-hitting and serious style didn't suit Shonen Jump, and none of them were serialized. Gotouge-sensei began work with the resolve to quit manga if he couldn't get a serialization by 2015, but his project was rejected during the serialization meeting, leaving him with no other options.
"Demon Slayer: The Way of Demon Slayer, the Predecessor of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"
My editor at the time suggested I return to my roots, so I created a new work using the Taisho era of overhunting, demons, swords, and other settings. This work became "Demon Slayer: The Way of Demon Slayer." Episodes 1 through 3 of this work have been written, and it's getting quite close to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Many settings remain, including the Demon Slayer Corps, which exterminates demons, Nichirin swords, the crows that accompany the corps members, the trainers who raise the corps members, and the setting of the Final Selection and Mount Fujikasane. Other characters, such as Sakonji Banta, who raised the protagonist Nagare, and the Swamp Demon, are also retained.
"From the Demon Slayer School to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"
The silence of the protagonist of the Demon Slayer School and the harsh worldview make it difficult to serialize, and the series was rejected. With the next serialization meeting approaching and no time to waste, I decided to make some major revisions. That was to change the main character. The original idea for a supporting character in Demon Slayer: Ryu was a charcoal seller who joined the Demon Slayer Corps to turn his sister, who had been turned into a demon, back into a human. I decided to make that character the main character. That's right, the well-known "Tanjiro Kamado" was born.
"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"
Because the main character was changed from Ryu, the title was changed to "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba." Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba passed the serialization meeting with flying colors and began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2016. The series continued, and with the 2019 anime adaptation, it became a social phenomenon and quickly rose to become one of Japan's most iconic works. The story behind the creation of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is deeply connected to two works by Gotouge: "Overhunting" and "Demon Slayer: The Way of Demon Slayer," which were created through Gotouge's considerable effort and hard work.
"Summary"
What did you think of this behind-the-scenes story about the creation of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Koyoharu Gotouge? "Demon Slayer: The Way of Demon Slayer" is included in the official fan book, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Demon Slayer Corps Travelogue." "Overhunting" and other stand-alone works are included in the "Koyoharu Gotouge Short Story Collection." These works, which can be considered the foundation of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, are available at bookstores nationwide, so if you're interested, please pick them up and give them a read.
