The Demon Slayer series gained widespread recognition with the release of its anime adaptation. Although the manga had strong sales, it was the anime that truly propelled the series to success, quickly becoming one of the most popular modern shonen anime series. The series owes its success to various factors, including its well-developed characters, high-quality animation, and impressive pacing that fans adore.
The anime adaptation’s pacing is excellent for two primary reasons. Firstly, it remains faithful to the events depicted in the anime. Secondly, as a seasonal anime, it avoids filler episodes or arcs.
Despite their perfected formula, there is a small possibility that the series may deviate from the manga and present fans with an unexpected ending. The decision on whether or not to do so will likely be made during season 4, leaving fans curious about the potential reasons for this divergence and the crucial role that season 4 will play in it.
Please be aware that this article contains major spoilers for the Demon Slayer manga chapters.
How the Fourth Season of Demon Slayer Could Hint at the Possibility of an Anime-Original Conclusion for Fans
Prior to discussing potential developments for season 4, it is important to consider why the anime may deviate from the manga despite consistently following the source material. Fans who have read the manga will recall the final arc and how it was received at the time. During that period, many were dissatisfied with the manga’s ending.
During that period, the manga was being released on a weekly basis, which resulted in the content feeling slightly rushed.
In the manga series, characters such as Kokushibo, the demon of Upper Moon 1, had very little screen time. Despite being a part of one of the most thrilling battles in the story, this character could have been developed further.
Despite fans’ high expectations, the battle against Muzan did not last as long as anticipated. The final showdown was underwhelming and lacked the grandeur and visual spectacle often seen in shonen final battles. As these were noted weaknesses in the story, Ufotable had the opportunity to showcase their creativity and potentially create an anime-original ending that would satisfy fans.
The role of season 4 in this regard is a question worth considering. It has been confirmed that the next season will focus on the Hashira Training arc from the manga series. While this arc is relatively short in the overall story, it is receiving a full season’s worth of attention. This could potentially mean the addition of anime-original episodes. With only nine chapters to cover, it is likely that the contents will be condensed into approximately three episodes, assuming the first episode is an hour long.
If the season features a significant amount of anime-original material, it is highly likely that the conclusion may differ from that of the manga. Even if it is not a completely different ending, fans can anticipate Ufotable to incorporate additional elements to the existing source material.
Keep an eye out for further updates on anime and manga throughout the year of 2024.
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