Demon Slayer is one of the most famous anime and manga series in the world. But who is the incredible mangaka behind it?
Tanjiro’s engaging storyline and stunning visuals have long established Demon Slayer as one of the new Big Three in modern anime.
First published in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in February 2016, the Demon Slayer manga has always been popular. But its fan base has grown exponentially since the anime series debuted.
However, not much is known about the author behind it. So if you’re curious. Here’s everything we know about the man who wrote Demon Slayer.
Who wrote Demon Slayer?
Demon Slayer is written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge. This is the pseudonym of the creator, who has remained anonymous for many years.
Without any known social media handles and hidden behind an adorable crocodile avatar, everything else we know about this mysterious artist has been pieced together by clues.
What is Demon Slayer?
Koyoharu Gotouge’s Demon Slayer tells the story of Kamado Tanjiro’s journey. Transforming from a cheerful coal seller to a serious young man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he embarks on a journey to avenge his family after a demon’s brutal murder. With his sister Nezuko as the sole survivor, Tanjiro faces the formidable task of defeating the demon Muzan Kibutsuji and stopping her transformation into a demon before it is too late.
Where is Koyoharu Gotouge?
Writing under the pen name Koyoharu Gotouge, the manga artist behind Demon Slayer is from Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan and is currently 34 years old.
Located on the mountainous island of Kyushu, home to a large population and one of Japan’s main industrial centers, the mangaka’s home couldn’t be further from the setting of Demon Slayer – which includes many real-life locations around around Tokyo.
The author uses a pseudonym to remain anonymous, which is quite common in the world of manga and anime. Even though they chose not to reveal their faces, instead choosing to sport the avatar of a crocodile wearing glasses, we still have some hidden clues to their identities.
Koyoharu Gotouge’s career
In 2013, at the 70th Jump Treasure Newcomer Manga Awards, Koyoharu Gotoge’s 45-page one-shot manga Kagarigari gave genre enthusiasts their first look at the realm of Doom. devil.
In the following years, Gotoge released a series of one-shot manga such as Rokkotsu-san and Haeniwa no Zigzag. However, by 2016, the manga landscape changed forever when Gotoge started Kimetsu no Yaiba. This groundbreaking series, loosely based on the previous Kagarigari, evolved into the formidable Demon Slayer series.
Is Koyoharu Gotouge a woman?
The author has intentionally chosen not to reveal his gender identity, choosing gender-neutral pronouns as a personal preference or to maintain anonymity. However, this decision has not stopped fans from speculating.
Due to mangaka’s preference for they/them pronouns, it is widely acknowledged that they can identify as non-binary. However, in recent years, fan speculation has arisen that Koyoharu Gotouge is a woman.
Why? Well, this speculation stems from an incident during Madfest’s Demon Slayer 2019 panel in Perth, Australia, where the anime staff referred to the mangaka as “Kanojo,” a Japanese term meaning “she.” Some fans believe this confirms another clue to Koyoharu Gotouge’s identity. However, it is important to note that gender pronouns are not commonly used in Japanese. So, using “Kanojo” may not make any sense at all.
Another leak from a Weekly Shonen Jump employee also confirmed that the author is a woman. However, due to the lack of official statements from the mangakas themselves, there is no sure way to confirm Koyoharu Gotouge’s identity or how they chose to identify themselves.
Koyoharu Gotouge’s inspiration for Demon Slayer
Famous for his unique and award-winning art style, WSJ editor Kohei Ohnishi said that Koyoharu Gotouge’s “serious nature, honesty and strong sense of responsibility” shine through the pages. story. Especially as seen in the main character Kamado Tanjiro.
In a long-forgotten interview from 2016, Gotoge also revealed the top 3 manga series that inspired Demon Slayer. This provides further insight into their very private personalities.
“There is too much [manga] to count,” Gotoge said, “But if I had to pick a top three, it would be Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Naruto, and Bleach.”
Gotoge also revealed that Bleach’s Gotei 13, a military branch of the Soul Society, inspired the mysterious Demon Slayer Corps.
Following in the footsteps of these three Shonen Jump classics, Koyoharu Gotoge’s Kimetsu no Yaiba has become one of the best Shonen series ever. And Koyoharu Gotoge has established himself as one of the anime and manga industry’s biggest mysteries.
