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Koyoharu Gotouge’sDemon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaibais one of the most successful anime and manga series of all time. Much of its continued success is due to ufotable’s unrivaled animation and, of course, Gotouge’s original work. With the upcoming theatrical release of the Infinity Castle movies, the only way forDemon Slayeris up. Anime fans know it will continue to break records, likely surpassing the box-office success of the Mugen Train movie.
Demon Slayerconcluded with 205 chapters in 2020, ending Tanjiro Kamado’s long and difficult fight againstMuzan and his army of demons. Years later, fans are wondering about Koyoharu Gotouge’s next manga. It’s been ages since the seasoned mangaka released anything, taking a well-earned break and a much-needed hiatus after the grueling weekly schedule of Demon Slayer. Luckily, the creator had already hinted at their next plans.
Koyoharu Gotouge Hits Pause on Manga Serialization After Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer Captivated Fans for Over Four Years
Even a veteran author like Koyoharu Gotouge needs time away from weekly manga serialization. For over four years,Demon Slayer’s creator invested so much time and effort in completingTanjiro Kamado’s simple but impactful story. Now, they’re reaping the fruits of their labor as Demon Slayer remains a household name in the anime and manga industry, and there’s no stopping its success anytime soon with the Infinity Castle trilogy.
BeforeDemon Slayerbecame a global sensation, Koyoharu Gotouge also experienced rejections and setbacks from their one-shot experiments. His one-shot manga, “Haeniwa no Zigzag,” failed to be serialized, but their next offering, “Ka Gari Gari,” became an award-winning title. The same one-shot manga would be thebasis of Demon Slayer’s storyboard, and the rest was history.
With over 150 million copies sold globally,Demon Slayersuccessfully cemented Koyoharu Gotouge’s legacy in the industry. While the manga only has 205 chapters, unlike otherlong-running series likeOne PieceandNaruto, Koyoharu Gotouge told a complete story for over four years. Even without fillers or unnecessary detours, the manga wrapped things up before fans or even Gotouge themselves grew tired of it.
Koyoharu Gotouge’s Next Manga Is Possibly a Sci-Fi Love Story
A Complete Departure From Demon Slayer
At this point, it’s clear that Koyoharu Gotouge is not one to rush into new manga projects despite the relativelyshort run ofDemon Slayerby shonen standards. To this day, fans are still waiting for Koyoharu Gotouge’s next manga, as Demon Slayer’s creator remains silent about their new manga project. And since Gotouge is not exactly a fan of public appearances and creator interviews, fans find it difficult to get updates about their new work.
Perhaps the only clue Koyoharu Gotouge left for fans to ponder was the comment they had in the second fan book of Demon Slayer released in 2021. The fan book contained intriguing details about Koyoharu Gotouge’s inspiration for a new manga:
“Recently, I was rewatching old movies about aliens, and I was surprised to find that the impression I had when I was a kid was completely different from the impression I have now as an adult. It’s interesting how these things change through time.
I feel like drawing a science fiction romantic comedy that will make your stomach muscles ache [from laughter] after reading it!”
-Koyoharu Gotouge
While nothing has been officially announced yet, Demon Slayer fans are quick to speculate that Koyoharu Gotouge may already be working on the storyboard for their next manga with a science fiction setting. If so, this is a major shift from thedark Taisho era that was Demon Slayer. Instead of demons, the new characters in Koyoharu Gotouge’s next manga might be aliens.
Could Koyoharu Gotouge Release More Demon Slayer Content?
New Demon Slayer content is always welcome for the many fans of Koyoharu Gotouge’s magnum opus. While Tanjiro Kamado’s story is already completed, side stories or spin-offs featuring other characters like the Hashira, Yorriichi Tsugikuni, or even Muzan Kibutsuji could still be expanded. It might be difficult to release a sequel given the ending, buta prequel to Demon Slayermay still be possible to reveal more lore about Muzan’s origins that date to the Heian Era.
For now, Koyoharu Gotouge remains one of the most accomplished mangaka in history. Whatever they choose to release next, be it a sci-fi rom-com manga or a prequel toDemon Slayer, fans will surely show their support.
