Demon Slayer and Solo Leveling are some of the most popular anime of the current era. Although they revolve around different themes and have their own distinct style of storytelling, their fight scenes have been a key reason for their massive popularity.

While both shows have been praised by anime fans for their well-choreographed action scenes, Demon Slayer is widely regarded as the gold standard when it comes to bringing intense battles to life. While almost all of its fights are legendary, one has stood the test of time and is rated as perhaps one of the greatest anime battles of all time. With Solo Leveling slowly emerging as the new face of the genre, can its upcoming season surpass Demon Slayer's most iconic fight and set a new standard?

Demon Slayer: Why The Series Ended So Early, Explained

Demon Slayer is a lot shorter than other shonen anime and manga. Why? Why did Demon Slayer end seemingly so early?

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By Finley Ullom

The Entertainment District Clash: Demon Slayer at its Finest

Tanjiro's First Battle With an Upper Moon Was a Cinematic Masterclass

Manga: Chapters 64 to 97
Anime: Episodes 34 to 44

Over the years, Demon Slayer has adapted some of the most intense battles from the eponymous manga. These high-stakes battles have given every character a chance to express their principles and their unique perspective on the world, maintaining the delicate balance between emotional storytelling and breathtaking action.

The sufferings of my past were lessons on what to do to others as revenge! If I don't cause misery equal to my own unhappiness, I'll never balance the scales! That's how it was when you're a demon! And we kill anyone who tries to tell us otherwise. ~ Gyutaro in Entertainment District Arc

Perhaps the primary reason for the show's popularity has been its ability to humanize villains instead of just using them as mere pawns for the protagonist's character development. Demon Slayer has done it on several occasions, but the battle in the Entertainment District stands out as its best because of the unforgettable animation and villains with heartbreaking backstories.

Gyutaro and Daki complemented each other beautifully and were extremely difficult to defeat. The steep challenge created the tension for an intense battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats till the end. Each move in the fight was beautifully animated and showcased the true potential of every combatant involved. It also captured the evolution of Tanjiro and his friends, who had never fought an Upper Moon before.

Over the years, the Entertainment District battle has become widely recognized by fans as one of the best fights in the series. While there have been other battles that have been intense, none have come close to capturing the choreographic brilliance, emotional weight, and hype of the final battle in the Entertainment District arc.

Can Solo Leveling Level Up in Season 3?

Solo Leveling Will Have to Get a Few Things Right To Rival Demon Slayers

Solo Leveling has taken the anime world by storm in just one year since its release. However, it was already quite a popular web novel even before the story got adapted. While its popularity played a role in the success of the anime, the fight scenes were perhaps the primary reason that it became such a cultural phenomenon that it overshadowed most anime inspired by Japanese manga or light novels, something that almost never happens.

A split image of Tanjiro and Uzui in Demon Slayer (1)

Is Demon Slayer’s Animation Carrying the Series?

Demon Slayer's animation is stunning, but its simple narrative, relatable characters, and emotional depth also contribute to its massive popularity.

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By Andrew J

In the first two seasons, the series adapted several high-stakes battles and concluded on a high note with Jinwoo fighting the Ant King. But as brilliant as the fight sequences have been so far, they pale in comparison to Demon Slayer for a number of reasons.

Perhaps the most obvious flaw is Solo Leveling's storytelling, which is hyper-focused on the protagonist to the point that other characters just feel neglected. Any high-stakes battle that does not get viewers emotionally invested can never be as exciting as battles that do. Now, Solo Leveling does so to some extent, but it fails miserably to use other characters more than just mere pawns.

On the other hand, Demon Slayer goes in-depth to explore every side character's backstory and humanizes them so that fans can connect to them. Even the villains are not portrayed as soulless monsters, but are instead just represented as humans whose tragic circumstances turned them into something they shouldn't have been.

Perhaps the most unforgettable aspect of watching any Demon Slayer fight is its otherworldly animation and cinematography. Each and every scene is almost perfectly executed and is a treat for the eyes.

A screenshot of Solo Leveling protagonist, Sung Jinwoo, in the final scene of season 2.

Therefore, Solo Leveling can only come close to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba if it focuses on giving its side characters more screentime and respect. For this to happen, the creators will have to take creative liberties and do a few things differently from the manhwa. The Ant King and Jinwoo's fight also showed that A-Pictures does have the potential to animate unforgettable fight sequences.

While they might not be on par with Ufotable just yet, they still have to cement their legacy with Solo Leveling Season 3. It remains to be seen how things will eventually transpire, but the popularity of the anime does warrant going the extra mile to make the series the best of the current era.