According to a school-wide survey, 50% of people at MHS think Demon Slayer is the most popular anime. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (鬼滅の刃, Kimetsu no Yaiba, (“Blade of Demon Destruction”) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge.

It follows teenage Tanjiro Kamado, who strives to become a demon slayer after his family is slaughtered and his younger sister, Nezuko, is turned into a demon. However, differing from other demon slayers, Kamado sympathizes with the demons he kills; he understands that each demon has a part of their past lives attached to them even after they turn into demons. 

There is a wide demographic of students who watch anime at Manchester High School, and many of those have seen Demon Slayer. Most anime-watchers said they enjoyed the show, with various different reasons as to why.

Some people liked the brother-sister dynamic, and how determined Tanjiro is on protecting Nezuko. One person said they liked it because it made them cry and how emotional it was. Another person enjoyed the plot and the character designs. 

The anime itself has multiple messages in each episode, but every message is resounding and meaningful. A few people believed that the biggest message of the show was to fight for your loved ones and for the greater good, whereas others believe the message is about overcoming difficulties and finding ways to go through different challenges throughout life. 

Personally, I think the biggest message is understanding that there aren’t just “good” or “bad” people. Everyone has a past and a story behind them explaining why they are the way they are. The reasoning may not be rational, but there is always more than meets the eye. 

The way Tanjiro looks past the rough exterior of the bad guys and respects them despite their villainy perfectly shows this message. Demon Slayer is a good show in general, but the message is truly the best part of it.