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INTEREST: Jump Editor-in-Chief Explains What's Unusual About Demon Slayer's Success

Bueller wrote:

AutoOps007 wrote: Kisuke525 wrote: ThatMoonGuy wrote: Replica_Rabbit wrote: Wish, World Trigger was this successful. Anyway, glad Demon Slayer is successful. Probably should get around and read/watch it. It is odd, that demon slayer is the only Jump manga I avoided. I don't know why I would read Black Clover over it (and I not a fan of Black Clover) Ditto. WT was my favourite jump manga when it was running there and though I deeply love Kimetsu no yaiba a part of me wishes that WT had gotten this kind of traction. Also, while the anime played a big role on the rise of the manga that wouldn't have lasted so long if it wasn't for the merits of the story itself. KnY is Jump Manga realized to its full potential. I completely agree with the second part of your post. There is no doubt that the anime played a big role in its massive popularity, but it isn't the only reason. If people didn't enjoy the manga they would stop buying it after a few volumes and the sales would start to fall off in the later volumes, but the later volumes are selling just as well as the earlier ones. Well, Ashihara's health is pretty bad. Even before he went on hiatus for 2 years, he would frequently take several unscheduled breaks. So even if the series blew up, it still would've eventually hit a wall. But make no mistake about it; although World Trigger didn't blow up like Demon Slayer, if you look at how well the volumes were selling before it went on hiatus for 2 years, it was one of the best-sellers in WSJ, consistently selling better than series like My Hero Academia. Really, the only series in WSJ it wasn't outselling during the anime's run was extremely popular series in Japan (at the time) like One Piece, Gintama, Assasination Classroom and Haikyuu. When you look at the newer manga in Jump at the time (WT included in that group), it was easily the best-seller. And surprisingly, sales per volume have gone up since the the manga returned. So although it didn't blow up massively, it's done an incredible job of retaining the fans it got during it's peak (especially when you consider all the 2-year hiatus and several other sudden breaks). I like WT and miss it, and although the reaction to the adaptation was a surprise (it not only saved the manga from cancellation but also made it popular), it was far from anything big. It beat Toriko, but in its second volume Boku no Hero was already selling more.

Ok, I was wrong about the sales, since only took into account total sales, but the series was still selling better than most series in WSJ when it had it's anime, selling around the same amount as Bleach & Gintama. And the anime didn't save it from cancellation; you don't give anime to series in danger of cancellation, and even let him return to WSJ for 5 weeks after a 2 year hiatus (normally this doesn't happen, and the manga is immediately transferred). Even before then, they stuck with him through several unscheduled one breaks (they could've easily cancelled it back then, due the inconvenience of frequent sudden breaks). And pretty much all anime increase the popularity of the manga (well, at least for ones being adapted for the first time), no matter how good or bad the adaptation is. The question is by how much more popular it will get. It obviously never became super popular, but it has done well to maintain the popularity it had during that time, which is incredible given it went on hiatus for 2 years. People thought the series was dead and buried during that 2 year hiatus, so the fact it's anime is returning is incredible, and also proves that the manga was never in danger of cancellation (when it comes to success or anything other than Ashihara's health).

Demon Slayer is amazingly animated, sure. The reason it's successful? Characters who feel real and you want to root for and revisit. It's that simple and that hard. The trick will be holding that interest, and many fail. I hope KnY holds on.

AutoOps007 wrote:

Bueller wrote: AutoOps007 wrote: Kisuke525 wrote: ThatMoonGuy wrote: Replica_Rabbit wrote: Wish, World Trigger was this successful. Anyway, glad Demon Slayer is successful. Probably should get around and read/watch it. It is odd, that demon slayer is the only Jump manga I avoided. I don't know why I would read Black Clover over it (and I not a fan of Black Clover) Ditto. WT was my favourite jump manga when it was running there and though I deeply love Kimetsu no yaiba a part of me wishes that WT had gotten this kind of traction. Also, while the anime played a big role on the rise of the manga that wouldn't have lasted so long if it wasn't for the merits of the story itself. KnY is Jump Manga realized to its full potential. I completely agree with the second part of your post. There is no doubt that the anime played a big role in its massive popularity, but it isn't the only reason. If people didn't enjoy the manga they would stop buying it after a few volumes and the sales would start to fall off in the later volumes, but the later volumes are selling just as well as the earlier ones. Well, Ashihara's health is pretty bad. Even before he went on hiatus for 2 years, he would frequently take several unscheduled breaks. So even if the series blew up, it still would've eventually hit a wall. But make no mistake about it; although World Trigger didn't blow up like Demon Slayer, if you look at how well the volumes were selling before it went on hiatus for 2 years, it was one of the best-sellers in WSJ, consistently selling better than series like My Hero Academia. Really, the only series in WSJ it wasn't outselling during the anime's run was extremely popular series in Japan (at the time) like One Piece, Gintama, Assasination Classroom and Haikyuu. When you look at the newer manga in Jump at the time (WT included in that group), it was easily the best-seller. And surprisingly, sales per volume have gone up since the the manga returned. So although it didn't blow up massively, it's done an incredible job of retaining the fans it got during it's peak (especially when you consider all the 2-year hiatus and several other sudden breaks). I like WT and miss it, and although the reaction to the adaptation was a surprise (it not only saved the manga from cancellation but also made it popular), it was far from anything big. It beat Toriko, but in its second volume Boku no Hero was already selling more. Ok, I was wrong about the sales, since only took into account total sales, but the series was still selling better than most series in WSJ when it had it's anime, selling around the same amount as Bleach & Gintama. And the anime didn't save it from cancellation; you don't give anime to series in danger of cancellation, and even let him return to WSJ for 5 weeks after a 2 year hiatus (normally this doesn't happen, and the manga is immediately transferred). Even before then, they stuck with him through several unscheduled one breaks (they could've easily cancelled it back then, due the inconvenience of frequent sudden breaks). And pretty much all anime increase the popularity of the manga (well, at least for ones being adapted for the first time), no matter how good or bad the adaptation is. The question is by how much more popular it will get. It obviously never became super popular, but it has done well to maintain the popularity it had during that time, which is incredible given it went on hiatus for 2 years. People thought the series was dead and buried during that 2 year hiatus, so the fact it's anime is returning is incredible, and also proves that the manga was never in danger of cancellation (when it comes to success or anything other than Ashihara's health).

I remember that at that time everyone was surprised by the announcement because with the sales that WT had the possibility of an adaptation was quite small. But they saw potential in the series and were rewarded (they tried the same with Hinomaru Zumou, but it didn't work). Too bad the author wasn't able to enjoy the success properly.