Demon Slayer and the History of Weekly Shonen Jump

Demon Slayer’s success is attributable to a number of factors, but a big variable here has to be the site of publication: Weekly Shonen Jump, and the unique hold that this particular publication has on the world of manga in general. #demonslayer 1/12

It is not an exaggeration to call WSJ the epicentre of shonen manga, if not of the entire manga industry, with Drummond-Matthews arguing that WSJ “has been said to be one of the highest selling magazines in the world.” 2/12

As with the centrality of Disney in the animated market, WSJ has been seen by some to have a homogenizing effect on shonen manga, creating a template that has been wildly successful, but creatively uninspired. 3/12

Accusations of populism are not just apt but an open part of the WSJ business model. As noted by famed manga scholar Frederick Schodt, “Weekly Shonen Jump established a firm editorial policy that continues to this day…” 4/12

“…First, it conducted a survey of young readers, asking them to name (1) the word that warmed their hearts most, (2) the thing they felt most important, and (3) the thing that made them the happiest…” 5/12

“…The answers were yujo (friendship), doryoku (effort, or perseverance), and shori (winning, or victory). These three words then became the criteria for selecting the stories.” 6/12

Demon Slayer, of course, embodies all of these attributes to an enormous extent with a protagonist pursuing victory through the shared powers of unnatural perseverance and unnaturally instantaneous friendships. 7/12

More broadly, WSJ’s commitment to formula has had an impact on the entire industry as a whole, contributing to the perceived creative stagnation of shonen in the 1980s and the subsequent borrowing of shojo tropes in the 1990s. 8/12

In consequence of this, the success of Demon Slayer can be seen to hinge upon a question of whether it works because it innovates or because it abides by a pre-fabricated template for success. And, of course, can it be both? 9/12

Variation within an established norm (contrapuntal patterning) can be deeply creatively satisfying (think Jazz) and if what WSJ publishes is all within a pre-fabricated template, then an author looking to excel must indeed find creative opportunity within confines. 10/12

And while Demon Slayer can be seen to play it quite safe with a number of factors (protagonist, degree of violence, good vs evil) there’s some genuine innovation to be found in the art style and the genuine weirdness of the tone and atmosphere of the series. 11/12

Unfortunately, this again just leaves us at irresolution for a series that has its proponents and detractors operating with equal passion, but a fair conclusion would simply be that the publisher matters and merits consideration in this bizarre puzzle. 12/12