A review by mylord
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 18 by Koyoharu Gotouge
4.0
what a roller coaster, ive said it on a previous volume but the way gotouge draws is so visceral, especially the eyes, from fury to sorrow, it has a raw line that the animation just couldnt replicate. you can see it in the first page, ubuyashikis children trying to stave off emotion despite the fresh grief of their father passing, being so helpful through the pain, the hatches of black as the entire pupil seems so simple but it does the point extremely well, you can also see this with kanao on the final battle.
now,,, akaza is just. oh god. im still finding it hard to fully sympathize with him, but it wouldn't be so wrong as to admit that he was also a victim of his circumstances, death is extremely traumatic, especially suicide, let alone murder. akaza turned to violence as this was all he had left. still it does not excuse him, and the life he has lead after, and this is evident in the way it was constantly reiterated how he could never be with the three most important people to him ever again.
the thing is, akaza turned into a demon, making him forget his memories, though he says he kills for his sheer hatred for weak people, and how he never kills women, its the product of the life hes abandoned as a human. try as he might, it's still haunting him. the ghosts of the people that left you is indelible to your actions from then on. i could go on about this for forever god im gnna stop now.
one last thing i really did not expect was for inosuke to be so tied to douma like so. it's the first real glimpse we have of his vulnerability and past, i did find it jarring how kanao was clearly on the set to be the one to finish douma off, and he just spawned out of nowhere, maybe it was written as is to have substance to a grand fight? honestly im not convinced, it's turning out to be just another version of man save woman in battle. hopefully im wrong and the next volume proves me otherwise.
now,,, akaza is just. oh god. im still finding it hard to fully sympathize with him, but it wouldn't be so wrong as to admit that he was also a victim of his circumstances, death is extremely traumatic, especially suicide, let alone murder. akaza turned to violence as this was all he had left. still it does not excuse him, and the life he has lead after, and this is evident in the way it was constantly reiterated how he could never be with the three most important people to him ever again.
the thing is, akaza turned into a demon, making him forget his memories, though he says he kills for his sheer hatred for weak people, and how he never kills women, its the product of the life hes abandoned as a human. try as he might, it's still haunting him. the ghosts of the people that left you is indelible to your actions from then on. i could go on about this for forever god im gnna stop now.
one last thing i really did not expect was for inosuke to be so tied to douma like so. it's the first real glimpse we have of his vulnerability and past, i did find it jarring how kanao was clearly on the set to be the one to finish douma off, and he just spawned out of nowhere, maybe it was written as is to have substance to a grand fight? honestly im not convinced, it's turning out to be just another version of man save woman in battle. hopefully im wrong and the next volume proves me otherwise.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide