Demon Slayer owes it success to a few things: studio UFOtable's stellar animation, the strong emotional core of the series, and some classic anime that came before it. This is a normal part of the manga/industry franchise, with newer anime drawing inspiration from what came before. The shonen "big three" are directly descended from the famed Dragon Ball, for example, and Demon Slayer has its own pedigree, too.
Author Koyoharu Gotoutge has already confirmed two particular anime by name as influences for Demon Slayer, and it's easy to name four more as being likely inspirations for this franchise. Wisely, Demon Slayer simply borrowed some pieces and ideas from those older anime while still having its own voice as a heartfelt story of humanity's struggles.
Demon Slayer: Nezuko's Most OP Moments, Ranked
Nezuko might not be a demon slayer, but that hasn't stopped her from killing it throughout the series.
Naruto Helped Inspire the Trio of Heroes Found in Demon Slayer
Three is the Magic Number For Battle Shonen
In its heyday, the Naruto anime was a must-see shonen title that paid tribute to Dragon Ball while carrying the torch into a new generation. Some years later, the same thing happened as Naruto passed that torch to Demon Slayer, which refined the formula a great deal. Both Dragon Ball and Naruto are lengthy franchises with huge casts of characters and serious power scaling, while Demon Slayer shows much more restraint than either of them.
Demon Slayer did borrow Naruto's tried-and-true idea of a trio of shonen heroes, with Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu being the new Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. However, Demon Slayer wisely streamlined the entire adventure for stronger pacing, and that allows each story beat to stand out that much more. The power scaling is also more limited, allowing Tanjiro's growth to feel smooth and steady, while Naruto kept powering up with quantum leaps in strength with new jutsu or forms.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Added Some Colorful Flair to Demon Slayer
These Colors Look Even More Vivid in Anime Form
Some anime fans might not expect this to be the case, but Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure helped inspire some elements of Demon Slayer. J oJo's Bizarre Adventure is about Stands and wacky comedy rather than swords and monsters, but fans of both titles may note some superficial parallels, at least. Just the way JoJo's Bizarre Adventure stood out with colorful and creative character designs, Demon Slayer caught everyone's eye with equally vivid visual designs.
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Demon Slayer set a new standard with its unique villains, fights, and storytelling.
Tanjiro and his friends might not be posing like Italian statues, but they are still honoring JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's colorful flair with their outfits and even their hair. Mitsuri Kanroji's two-color hair is one example, along with the bright orange, yellow, and white found on Zenitsu' lightning-themed getup. Funnily enough, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure has a meandering and leisurely plot while Demon Slayer is focused on its core story from beginning to end.
Inuyasha is All About Fighting Demons With Magic Weapons
Demon Slayer Lacks Time Travel, However
A number of fantasy anime definitely have some overlap with Demon Slayer, with Inuyasha being one of the most prominent examples. It's true these two anime have some differences between them, with Inuyasha featuring a time- travel well and a love triangle, while Demon Slayer does not. Also, Demon Slayer has more focus on formal organizations like the Demon Slayer Corps while the groups are more fluid in Inuyasha.
That being said, these two shonen action anime see eye to eye on many levels, including their fondness for fighting demons. Inuyasha may be half-demon himself, but he won't hesitate to fight his own kind with Tetsusaiga's oversized blade alongside his friends. Fans may also note how Naraku feels like the original Muzan Kibutsuji as an unforgivable, quietly menacing demon with a boundless thirst for power. Like Muzan, Naraku has a habit of making, using, and even mistreating his own demonic followers.
Yu Yu Hakusho Pits Yusuke Against Ever-Stronger Demonic Foes
Tanjiro is Hardly a Delinquent, Though
The connection between Demon Slayer and Yu Yu Hakusho is admittedly a distant one, but it's still there. This is a case where two action shonen anime have basic yet essential elements in common, such as a squad of heroes who fight monsters together. In fact, fans might call Inosuke the new Kazuma Kuwabara, a hothead who once antagonized the good-hearted hero before joining the crew.
Demon Slayer: 8 Characters Who Could Lead Their Own Series
Demon Slayer has plenty of interesting characters who would make great protagonists in their own series.
And, of course, both Yu Yu Hakusho emphasize mortal combat against demonic foes. Yusuke Urameshi does this with his bare hands and his Ray Gun, while Tanjiro gets the job done with his Nichirin blade. Ancestry for the main hero plays a role too, with Tanjiro's family tree holding the secrets of Sun Breathing while Yusuke's own lineage includes the mighty demon Raizen, whom Yusuke finally met in later episodes of Yu Yu Hakusho's run.
Bleach Helped Establish the Swords and Hashira in Demon Slayer
The Demon Slayer Corps is the New Gotei 13
There is little doubt that Tite Kubo's hit series Bleach played a major role in the design of Demon Slayer. The parallels are many, including the broader concept of sword-carrying heroes battling monsters as part of their professional duty in an anti-monster group. To that end, the nine Hashira are the new Captains, those being top-ranked swordsmen with serious power and authority. The Soul Society's pre-industrial Japanese setting may also feel reminiscent of Demon Slayer's own Taisho-era setting.
Ichigo Kurosaki the hero and Tanjiro may have some differences, but they're also quite alike. Both are teenage heroes with a black-bladed sword and sisters to protect, and both of them got involved in the monster fighting business when creatures attacked their innocent families one night. Fortunately for Ichigo, his sisters and father survived Fishbone D's attack, while Tanjiro's losses helped drive him to start fighting demons for a living. And like Naruto, the Bleach anime is much larger and more cluttered than Demon Slayer, though that's not entirely a good thing for either Bleach or Naruto.
Rurouni Kenshin Played a Role in Inspiring Tanjiro's Design
Good-Hearted Swordsmen Make For Great Anime Protagonists
On its own, Rurouni Kenshin is one of the finest action/romance anime a consumer can ask for, with the series having a lot of action and heart alike to feel like a complete package. That helps it compare favorably to the action-only story arcs of Dragon Ball, and it also makes Rurouni Kenshin fairly similar to Demon Slayer. These anime both know that the personal why of a fight matters just as much as everyone's power levels.
On an even more personal note, Rurouni Kenshin's leading man, Himura Kenshin, clearly influenced Tanjiro Kamado's own design. They are kind-hearted swordsmen who won't fight or kill without a good reason, and if it were up to them, no one would have to die at all. They also each have a scar on their faces as constant visual reminders of their rough pasts, with Tanjiro's own scar being on his forehead while Himura is known for his cross-shaped cheek scar.