Summary
In the long-running history of anime and manga,Demon Slayeris one of the newer franchises to have made a name for itself. What began as a manga series in 2016 has now grown into a popular anime adaptation, complete with its own video game spin-off.Demon Slayermay not have been around as long as the likes ofNarutoandDragon Ball Z, but it has quickly solidified itself as one of the most popular modern anime franchises around. Now that the anime series has concluded with four seasons, the door has been left wide open for more video game adaptations.
The franchise’s first big game arrived withThe Hinokami Chroniclesin 2021, followed by a mobile game and a digital tabletop title.The Hinokami Chroniclesadapted the series' early narrative, but now that its run has come to an end,Demon Slayercan live on with new stories via video games.
Demon Slayer’s Stories Can Continue Through Video Game Adaptations
Being a Smaller Franchise Can Actually Benefit Demon Slayer
Compared to other franchises in the genre,Demon Slayer’s amount of content is much smaller in scope. When stacked up againstDragon Ball Z,Naruto, andOne Piece,Demon Slayersimply has far fewer spin-offs and interpretations. However, thiscould actually benefitDemon Slayerin the long run. The three aforementioned anime have had their fair share of video game adaptations, but their narrative-focused games have continued to stick to the same formula of adapting already-established stories.
Instead of revisiting the events from the anime, future video game adaptations could expand the world of Demon Slayer by crafting all-new stories!
The Hinokami Chroniclesdid a great job of focusing on establishedDemon Slayerlore, but the small size of the franchise gives it the opportunity to build all-new stories with its games instead of revisiting old narratives.A newDemon Slayergame is anticipatedafter leaks suggested thatThe Hinokami Chronicles 2is on the way. Although it would be great to revisit some moments from the anime, crafting an entirely fresh story would be more rewarding. Many players have wanted a sequel toThe Hinokami Chroniclesfor a while now, but after this apparent sequel, a new chapter has room to begin.
TheDemon Slayerseries is perfect for different genres, as the characters and the world they live in create a treasure trove of content to adapt from. It’s safe to assume thatThe Hinokami Chronicles 2may focus on the anime’s last two seasons since the first game covered Seasons 1 and 2, but playing through stories that already exist could quickly feel redundant.
Demon Slayer Subverting Expectations
Thanks to these leaks, there are now expectations thatThe Hinokami Chronicles 2is imminent. However, the future of the series needs to live on in a way that sets it apart from other anime franchises when it comes to video game adaptations.Demon Slayeris filled with a diverse roster of charactersthat could lend themselves to compelling new story arcs. The likes ofDragon Ball ZandOne Piecehave a seemingly infinite pool to draw from to craft their game adaptations, but that can quickly grow boring.
At the end of the day,Demon Slayernot having a massive amount of content is actually a win, because it means that the story has the freedom to go in surprising new directions. WiththeInfinity Castlearcset to close out the series, it is easy to imagine the franchise getting a second life through video games.Demon Slayeradapts incredibly well in the gaming world, and it would be a shame to see such a unique world not being further explored in new ways through this medium.
Demon Slayer
Based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s shonen manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an action anime set in Japan during the early 20th century. Seeking revenge for the murder of his family while also looking to save his sister, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps as they try to eradicate Demons led by Muzan.