How Is Demon Slayer’s Success Hurting The Anime Industry

Demon Slayer’s success is undeniable. It broke box office records, turned Rengoku’s “Set your heart ablaze” into a mantra, and made Ufotable’s animation the gold standard for action scenes. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Demon Slayer’s meteoric rise isn’t just a win for anime, it’s reshaping the industry in ways that could hurt creativity, storytelling, and even the people who make the shows we love.

This isn’t about hating Demon Slayer, it’s a masterpiece. But its success has created a dangerous template: studios now chase its formula (flashy animation + simple story) at the cost of originality, worker well-being, and narrative depth. Let’s break down how Demon Slayer’s shadow is looming too large over anime.

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Animation Over Story: The Ufotable Effect

Demon Slayer’s animation is breathtaking. Ufotable’s use of CGI, particle effects, and color makes every fight feel like a fireworks show. But this has set an unrealistic standard. Studios now prioritize visual spectacle over tight scripts or character development, assuming fans just want “pretty fights.”

Take Chainsaw Man: MAPPA poured millions into its cinematic style, but fans criticized its pacing and emotional depth. Meanwhile, gems like Heavenly Delusion, a sci-fi thriller with rich storytelling get overlooked because they don’t have Demon Slayer’s budget. The message is clear: style sells, substance struggles.

Rushed Adaptations: The Demon Slayer Copycat Crisis

After Demon Slayer’s success, studios greenlight adaptations faster than Zenitsu runs from danger. The goal? Cash in on the hype. The result? Rushed, incomplete stories that sacrifice character development and world-building for quick profits. Fans are left with half-baked adaptations that fail to capture the magic of the source material, turning potential classics into forgettable flops.

Look at The Promised Neverland Season 2. It skipped entire arcs to catch up, ruining one of anime’s best thrillers. The God of High School is another example, which crammed around 112 webtoon chapters into 13 episodes, turning a martial arts epic into a rushed, confusing mess. These aren’t isolated cases, they’re symptoms of an industry chasing Demon Slayer’s profit, not quality.

Burnout Culture Born With Demon Slayer's Success: Animators Pay The Price

Demon Slayer’s animation quality comes at a cost: brutal working conditions. Ufotable’s staff reportedly faced unpaid overtime and extreme crunch to meet deadlines. But instead of fixing these issues, studios now see this as “normal."

A 2023 survey found that most animators in Japan are overworked, underpaid, and face harsh working conditions. In fact, data from TFR News revealed that 90% of them quit within three years. When Demon Slayer's movie made $500 million, almost none of that money reached the animators.

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Homogenization: Everyone Wants A Tanjiro

Demon Slayer’s formula - sympathetic hero, tragic backstories, monster-of-the-week fights, is being copied everywhere. New anime feel like Demon Slayer clones, sidelining unique genres like romance, slice-of-life, or psychological horror.

Even established series are shifting. My Hero Academia Season 6 leaned harder into flashy battles, skipping character moments fans loved. Why? Because studios think “more action = more Demon Slayer money.” The irony? Demon Slayer worked because it balanced action with heart. Copycats miss that.

Final Verdict: Can The Anime Industry Escape Demon Slayer’s Shadow?

Impact of Demon Slayer's success on anime industry

Demon Slayer success isn’t the problem, it’s the industry’s obsession with replicating it. Studios are burning out animators, rushing adaptations, and sidelining creativity to chase quick profits. But audiences are catching on. Chainsaw Man’s divisive reception and Attack on Titan’s messy ending prove fans crave good stories, not just flashy fights.

The solution isn’t to hate Demon Slayer. It’s to demand better: pay animators fairly, let stories breathe, and celebrate diversity in genres. Otherwise, anime risks becoming a factory of pretty, empty spectacles, and losing the magic that made Demon Slayer special in the first place.