English Title: Koyoharu Gotouge Before Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Japanese Title: 吾峠呼世晴短編集
Writer & Artist: Gotouge Koyoharu
Released: 2019
Length: ~200 pages
Publisher: Shueisha (Japanese), Viz Media (English)
My Verdict: Gotouge’s early work is intriguing. As expected, the art is not as refined but the storytelling is generally not bad.
● This is a collection of 4 one-shots. The collection was first published in Japanese in 2019. The one-shots were first published between 2013 and 2015.
● As the collection title implies, elements from these one-shots were re-used and developed for Demon Slayer; these include the premise, plot points and character designs.
● It should be noted only the first story is set in what appears to be the Taisho era. The other three are set in what appears to be present day.
● The artwork is, as expected, not as refined as Demon Slayer but it still demonstrates Gotouge’s talent. The design and linework aren’t bad but there can be more texturing and shading.
● Apart from the second piece, the storytelling is solid. Gotouge knows how to set the scene and move the plot. There could be more and/or clearer exposition on some points but there is nothing that outright ruins the work. In a way, since these one-shots are short-fiction, they show the writer’s plotting skills more so than longer works since shorter works have less room for filler.
● My primary complaint is that there could be more notes and publication details regarding each of the stories.
● “Overhunter Hunter” (過狩り狩り) – A series of gruesome murders draw the attention of a Muzan lookalike who demands Tamayo and Yushiro to help deal with the problem. Meanwhile, an armless hunter (demon slayer) and Tomioka-lookalike independently tracks the killer.
This story is moderately intriguing as it hints at a larger world and mythology. It has a beginning, middle and end—in other words, it has structure and progression—so it stands well alone as a one-shot.
● “The Monjushiro Brothers” (文殊史郎兄弟) – An orphaned girl hires two brothers to kill the man responsible for her father’s death. He was a police officer. Koshikidake, the target, is a rich gangster-businessman figure.
This is probably the weakest story in this collection as it lacks a plot. It is basically one action sequence of the two brothers carrying out the hit. The orphaned girl is introduced as someone significant but there is no character arc or plot for her. Not much is revealed about the two brothers either, except they are a bug/spider monster on which the Lower Rank Five demon as seen in Demon Slayer Season 1 Episode 15 is presumably based.
● “A Man Called Ribs” (肋骨さん) – A young man can see evil spirits that are hanging around people as well as a sense of their intentions. He finds a particularly nasty kidnapper (and probably a serial killer).
The story is a battle sequence with flashbacks of how this young man got his powers, the past and the present showing his character development. It is conventional but it works.
● “Zigzag from Haeniwa” (蠅庭のジグザグ) – This story follows a young man who can track and remove curses. He is brash and yet helpful in his own way. The plot is of him tracking a particular curse that seems to be causing a string of suicides.
It is a cool premise and the pacing is good. The background exposition regarding this character is done through dialogue so it is a little crude in that respect. The author admits there is more to his background as well as a few minor unaddressed loose ends, but none of that outright ruins the story.
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