Ranking ‘Demon Slayer’ seasons is inherently contentious but let’s give it a go

Ah, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. It boasts box office records, a giant fan base, and a more grounded basis to describe itself as “cinematic” than almost any other animated series in existence. And yet, as with most large fan bases in existence, there have been disagreements over various merits of the series.

Most recently, the biggest disagreement has been over season 4, which adapted the Hashira Training arc. Almost everyone agrees that the final episode is a masterpiece. But what came before that … oh boy.

Looking around at these disagreements, I’ve learned that I am an atypical Demon Slayer fan. My tastes are perhaps indicative of the kind of fan who’s not just coming for a dose of good ol’ shonen adrenaline. My favorite Demon Slayer seasons are the ones that most effectively dig into the characters. So this list is bound to ruffle some feathers. But someone has to speak up for the weirdos of the fanbase.

With a film trilogy of the final arc coming along the pipeline, let’s reflect on the series so far and rank the seasons from good to best.

4. Season 1 (Unwavering Resolve arc)

Season 1 starts off with one hell of an introductory hook. In the course of a single evening, Tanjiro Kamado’s life is changed forever when a demon kills his entire family. The only survivor is his sister, Nezuko, who is now a demon herself. It’s powerful and clutches your heart immediately.

Demon Slayer‘s first season is solid. But it’s also a foundation-setter. The show very literally only gets better from here. Still, the first time Nezuko comes out of that dang box to fight is the moment I knew I was in.

3. Season 4 (Hashira Training arc)

Season 4 depicts the manga’s Hashira Training arc, which is remarkably short. To pull off an abbreviated season, the anime adds a lot of padding to its eight episodes. The result is highly controversial. Several notable critics and large portions of the fanbase dismissed season four as “boring.”

I loved it for two reasons. One, I think it should get significant credit for the final episode, which is not only the best episode of Demon Slayer, but also contains some of the most masterful animation you will find from any studio producing anywhere in the world. Hard stop.

Two, after three incredibly action-packed seasons, taking the series’ penultimate arc to slow down was a good move. Season four gave us the opportunity to see the lengths of Tanjiro’s growth, while also building up characters who we didn’t know well and will be important in the final arc.

2. Season 2 (Mugen Train and Entertainment District arcs)

On one hand, there are some very frustrating aspects of the Entertainment District arc. Why can’t the lady be the most powerful baddie? Why can’t Nezuko have her (weirdly buxom) power-up and fight with everyone?

But the Entertainment District arc has one major asset and his name is Tengen, and we love him and his adoration for his three wives very much. The first part of the season is a TV version of Mugen Train, whose merits speak for themselves. Mugen Train provides Demon Slayer‘s first major heartbreak, which gives the Entertainment District arc an additional weight missing from the arcs previous.

This is the Demon Slayer where characters can die or get maimed. Nothing will ever be the same again.

1. Season 3 (Swordsmith Village)

Until the Swordsmith Village arc, Demon Slayer lacked something I rather enjoy having in my media: a character I could see myself in. (Remember, in the Mugen Train arc, Tanjiro’s mind was depicted as a beautiful, flawless place.) A female character for extra points, because we just had the infantilized Nezuko and the demon doctor lady.

But in season three, we spent serious time with Mitsuri Kanroji—and, also critically, Muichiro Tokito. In the development of those two characters, everything changed for me. I went from a casual Demon Slayer enjoyer to a fan. Kanroji’s backstory, her strength, and her cool-as-hell whip gave me an anchor for the series. Add to that an absolutely nail-biter of a fight, and you’ve got yourself an incredible season.

Is this apparently an outlier opinion? Yes. Did I miss Inosuke? Yes. Did I miss Zenitsu? … No comment.