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Personally, I’ve always had mixed feelings about Demon Slayer. While it’s undoubtedly a beautiful show, both in terms of animation and some of the emotional moments, I can’t help but feel that it stretches the story out a bit too much at times. The pacing, especially in the later arcs, has been a major point of frustration for me.

Take the Entertainment District Arc—to me, this is the perfect example of how the series can drag things out. The first few episodes seem to focus solely on the “demon hunt,” which, okay, is fine, but it feels repetitive after a while. The rest of the arc ... is basically just a fight with the demon, and I found it to be really tedious. Looking back, I can’t even pinpoint much of anything meaningful happening in that arc—outside of the big battle scenes, nothing really progresses.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of Demon Slayer. It hooked me from the start. The unique premise, the fresh setting, and Tanjiro’s emotional journey to save his sister were all things that drew me in. The balance between action, character development, and world-building was just right, and I have little to complain about when it comes to how the first season unfolded. It felt like the perfect introduction to the world of Demon Slayer—there was excitement, mystery, and emotional depth. In many ways, that first season set a high bar that the subsequent seasons, unfortunately, couldn’t quite live up to for me.

One of my biggest gripes is Tanjiro’s character development—or rather, the lack of it. From the beginning, Tanjiro is this kind, empathetic guy who’s willing to sacrifice anything for others, and while that’s admirable, it also becomes extremely repetitive. His character doesn’t seem to evolve much beyond that core trait, and after a while, it feels stale. It’s the same cycle over and over again: Tanjiro meets a demon, reflects on their tragic past, empathizes with them, and then moves on to the next one. I get it, but it doesn’t leave much room for growth or change, and it makes his personality feel a little one-dimensional.

The overemphasis on kindness also gets tiring. It seems like every encounter follows the same pattern—Tanjiro, full of empathy, reminds us how tragic the demon’s life was, and then he somehow finds a way to defeat them. I understand that this is meant to highlight his humanity, but it’s so predictable that it takes away from the emotional weight of the moments. I can’t help but think, “Here we go again,” every time he starts preaching about the demons’ suffering.

Another thing that stood out to me, and this ties into what I’ll call the “chosen one” problem, is Tanjiro’s rapid progression. Sure, there was a timeskip, but realistically speaking, it’s hard for me to believe that anyone could train like that and reach such a superhuman level of athleticism in such a short amount of time. Training can certainly lead to progress, but it should take much, much longer to develop the kind of resilience, strength, and agility Tanjiro demonstrates. By the time of his Hashira Training Arc, he already seemed to possess all the skills he needed, which left me feeling like the arc was mostly filler. Despite it being a supposed training period, he barely struggled and had already surpassed the average human in terms of abilities. I feel like this rush through his growth takes away from the story's stakes.

Now, I know Demon Slayer has a huge following, and I understand why—visually, it’s stunning, and the fights are intense. But for me, the show doesn’t quite live up to the hype. It reminds me of shows like My Hero Academia, where there’s a massive fandom, but the show itself feels kind of stale and formulaic after a while.

One change that I honestly think could’ve improved the story and added some real depth would be if Nezuko had been killed off in the Swordsmith Village Arc. Instead of surviving the sun’s rays and somehow conquering them, her death could have become a pivotal moment that would fuel Tanjiro’s growth in a way that felt earned and impactful. Not only would it have given Tanjiro a genuine sense of loss, but it could have turned his battle with Muzan into something truly meaningful and emotionally charged. The audience would have been more deeply attached to Tanjiro’s journey and the stakes of the fight, as he could have been driven by personal grief and vengeance.

This moment could have also created a profound shift in Tanjiro’s character. As mentioned, he’s by design an incredibly kind and empathetic person, someone who puts others before himself. But by killing off Nezuko—his only family, the one person who is literally his entire world—it would have completely turned his character around. Tanjiro, driven by the pain of loss, could have evolved into someone seeking revenge, someone whose desire for justice overtakes his usual sense of kindness. This transformation could have made his inevitable future battle with Muzan far more compelling, emotionally charging the fight and allowing the audience to connect with him on a much deeper level. The potential for this kind of character development after Nezuko's death is enormous, and it could have set the stage for a truly unforgettable climax in the series. It would have added a layer of complexity to Tanjiro’s character that’s missing right now, allowing him to transition from an empathetic hero to someone who grapples with deep, raw emotions in a way that pulls the audience in.

At the end of the day, Demon Slayer is still an entertaining show, but for me, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype it gets. There’s a lot of potential that feels underutilized, and while it has moments of greatness, it struggles to maintain that level of engagement throughout the series. In my opinion, it could have been so much more.

Ghost Stories is one of the most bizarre yet unforgettable anime experiences, not for its original content, but for the sheer audacity of its English dub. While the Japanese version is a fairly average supernatural series aimed at children, its English adaptation by ADV Films flipped the script entirely. Granted free creative reign due to the show's poor reception in Japan, the dub team transformed the series into an irreverent, self-aware comedy packed with absurd humour, pop culture references, and off-the-wall dialogue that often had little to do with the original story. The result is a chaotic parody that unapologetically pokes fun at itself, other ... anime, and Western media. While not for everyone due to its edgy humour, the Ghost Stories dub has earned its place as a cult classic, delivering an experience that’s more memorable for its comedic audacity than its plot. It’s an anime like no other—equal parts trainwreck and comedic genius.