Demon Slayer: from history to fantasy

Abstract

“Demon Slayer: From History to Fantasy” is a research project that aims to show that you can study the culture and history of a country from all kinds of media. In this case, through the manga and its anime adaptation. Tanjiro takes us to the Taisho period, but Muzan takes us to the Heian Period, we have the sun breathing that takes us to the realm of the gods, the bushido and the honor of the samurai, the family questions, the red light district, westernization of Japan... these and many more references that are taken for granted by Japanese audiences but harder to understand for the common western viewer, lost in translation. Come along with me in this journey and together we will explore the various references in this fantasy world that allow us to understand the real history behind the fiction.