Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba saw a migration of its anime fan base to its manga fandom because of its promising enterprise. This increased the sales of the manga exponentially and even broke One Piece’s long-time record.
All these high expectations, unfortunately, culminated into a polarized opinion regarding its end. The time skip at the end has left fans wondering whether the franchise will return for a sequel.
1. Quick Answer
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga does not have any immediate plans for the sequel. The final chapter that showed the time-skip can indeed be a base for a sequel but Koyoharu Gotoge’s personal involvement on that is far fetched as of now.
There is, however, a spin-off series based on Rengoku by Hirano Ryouji in works.
2. Will there be a sequel manga?
Currently, there are no plans for a sequel to Demon Slayer manga, and it is unlikely that the project would continue in the near future. This is evident from the lack of announcements indicating any such intentions from the creator and the staff.
Given the popularity of the manga that soared the ranks last year, it is puzzling to see a manga with great potential not to rely on its content and popularity to expand its franchise.
There are two indicators of this notion — one is the nature of the ending and the circumstances surrounding the creator.
I. Demon Slayer Ending
The ending of the demon slayer has evidently disappointed the fandom who expected intense and drawn out complications from the final battle against Muzan. Despite this, fans are thankful for the journey and the positive ending. The end of Chapter 204 offers a glimpse of the modern world, which suggests a time-skip.
Chapter 205, “Life Shining Across The Years”, marks the last chapter of the Demon Slayer manga and expands on the time-skip showcasing the peaceful world that the characters left behind. We get the opportunity to witness the descendants of the heroes that fought against Muzan to shape the world as it is now.
It offers a pleasant and heartwarming contrast that reminds readers of the goal the Demon Slayer Corps fought for. Most of the descendants or reincarnates resemble the characters quite strongly, which makes the whole event more entertaining as the contrast of personalities is almost ironic. None of the reincarnated descendants remember the set of events that created a demon free world.
The only ones left alive are Ubuyashiki and Yuishiro, who have been addressed from a different perspective as the ‘longest living man alive in Japan’ and a ‘world acclaimed artist. Even the mystery of the Blue Spider Lily flower was debunked with its discovery and description as flowers that bloomed only during the day for 2-3 days every year. This is insanely ironic considering Muzan was after it his whole life. Still, as it turns out, his own discrimination against humans was a thorn to his side.
The ending tied all loose ends well; however, it is undeniable that it was rushed. Fans noted the pacing up of events since Tanjiro’s fight against Akaza. But, the final battle against Muzan picked up the pace even more. The complete reversal of Tanjiro’s transformation was done in just one chapter without properly exploring the scary implications of him becoming a demon. The deaths of the Demon Slayer Corps were brutal and sudden.
Still, the manga did not explore some of these characters properly as fans had expected. This reflects the creative staff’s issues, especially the creator Koyoharu Gotoge, who seemed to be in a hurry to end it. Therefore, the ending does not leave any loose ends that suggest an immediate sequel. Still, the premise and time-skip leave enough room for the project to be picked up if the issues are sorted in the future.
II. Gotoge’s Personal Issues
Rumors have been going around in the industry regarding Koyoharu Gotoge’s inability to move forward with the project due to personal issues. This makes complete sense given the fast-paced ending and the lack of further projects under Koyoharu Gotoge in the franchise.
A picture of a quote from Shounen Jump reveals that the mangaka Koyoharu Gotoge (who till present has avoided showing their face) is a female who was unable to continue her mangaka life in Tokyo due to family issues. It is believed that she will move back to her hometown after the manga ends.
This, in fact, makes the decision for an ending over a hiatus more understandable. We believe that even if Demon Slayer gets a sequel in the future, it would possibly continue without the original creator’s involvement unless her personal issues are sorted.
It is likely that there are a few publishers who’d like to capitalize on its popularity with new creators, similar to the case of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
3.Spin-off Series in Works
It was revealed that a spin-off series based on Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, is being created. The spin-off manga is not going to be made by the original creator Koyoharu Gotoge but has Hirano Ryouji at the helm.
Hirano Ryouji has previously worked on Kimetsu no Yaiba: Tomioka Giyuu Gaiden, a two-chapter story about the Water Pillar. The spin-off manga is likely to be short, so it might not explore Rengoku’s past, but any exploration of the Pillars in further works are welcome.
This may even open a portal for further expansion on the Pillars through spin-offs as it couldn’t be done in the main series.
4. About Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoge. Its publication in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump began in February 2016 with 19 collected tankōbon volumes released as of present.
In a world filled with demons and demon slayers, Kimetsu no Yaiba follows the lives of two siblings Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado after— the murder of their family at the hands of a demon. Their hardship does not end there, as Nezuko’s life is spared only for her to live as a demon.
As the oldest sibling, Tanjiro vows to protect and cure his sister. The story traces the bond of this brother-sister or better yet, demon slayer and demon combo against the odds of an arch antagonist and the society.
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