When Does Demon Slayer Take Place and Where Is It Set? (Demon Slayer Timeline)
The timeline of the popular demon anime Demon Slayer is just perfect for the swordsmanship being displayed by the main characters, the Demon Slayers who fight the evil demons and prevent them from spreading. It’s also perfect for an anime, which is made in Japan, as the setting of the series is set in the country itself.
Demon Slayer took place in the Taisho era of Japan, which occurred around 1912 to 1926. The places seen throughout the story were set throughout various areas in Tokyo, including the setting of the movie and the train. This is why Demon Slayer has a historical genre for a series.
As observed in the timeline, Demon Slayer is regarded as a manga series with a historical genre. For me, I find the setting of the story perfect for the fighting styles of the Demon Slayers, who are based on the samurai of the Taisho period. There are several interesting stuff in Demon Slayer that is based on the Taisho period as well. To know more about Demon Slayer’s connection to almost everything in the Taisho era, particularly in terms of appearances, I will show you everything in this article.
Demon Slayer Timeline
Demon Slayer’s timeline is the Taisho period, which took place from 1912 to 1926. The era was also mentioned in the story’s earlier parts, such as the scene where Tanjiro fought the grotesque demon with several hands. There are several places and things that are reminiscent of the Taisho era, which will be explained later on.
It is an era where modernization is starting, which is why the setting still has the touch of ancient Japan. The wooden houses, the wide fields and wilderness of the country, the countryside lifestyle of most Japanese people, railway systems, and Samurai are the remarkable features of such a setting. This is kind of unique when it comes to a manga series, since most anime series are often set in the Edo period, or might have the theme of the era.
The Demon Slayer’s uniform is a well-known military garb worn by Samurai in the Taisho era, which is completely different from the common robes that they wore in the Edo period. This is what makes the samurai-themed anime unique from other animes who have a historical concept as well, who often uses the Edo period, as stated earlier. This is one of the most remarkable concepts featured in Demon Slayer that gave its unique charm to the viewers.
Take note that the whole series focused on the Taisho era, except for the manga’s extended final chapter. This means that even the movie took place during the same period. As for the movie, I will explain further details about the place where the battle and almost the whole movie happened. So keep on reading to learn more about how rich Demon Slayer is in terms of historical value.
When Does Demon Slayer Anime Series Take Place
The timeline of the story in real life started around 1912 to 1926, though there was no specified date in the series. The concept of the series regarding demons befits the historical period, where people strongly believe in superstition. One notable example was the Wisteria flowers, which were regarded as something that’s heavily connected to the dead since they were assumed to grow near graves. This befits the deathly theme of demons and adds an ironic feel to it since it’s used as a repellent against them.
Another instance of folklore in the story is the Tengu mask that Uroodaki wears, as well as other supernatural creatures of Japanese Folklore. Artwork about folklore was also a common decoration in houses and other buildings during the Taisho era. Habits of people during the Taisho era were also noticeable in the series. One perfect example was the amazement of Tanjiro when he noticed the bustling civilization of Tokyo, as compared to the villages that he often visits at his home.
Speaking of Tokyo, the Taisho era was also the period where there was a noticeable difference in the civilization of communities. Since it’s an era where modernization and industrialization are starting, technology and newer trends in clothing are being introduced. That is why characters like Muzan were wearing a suit. There are also trains present in the timeline, as well as the notable difference between Tokyo and other places outside the bustling city.
The uniform worn by the Demon Slayers also came from the Taisho period, which looked like the black school uniforms that male Japanese students wear. And of course, who would not forget the legendary samurai of ancient Japan? The samurai in the Taisho era is exactly the Demon Slayers of the series, with the Nichirin Blade being their katana for combat. Women’s attire is somewhat reminiscent of the ancient era, compared to Muzan and the Demon Slayers’ outfits, as evident with Nezuko and Tamayo’s clothing.
Since the Demon Slayer Corps have a samurai theme onto them, they possess Nichirin Blades which are just the same as a katana would be. Even some of the fighting styles of the characters in the series are similar to what actual samurais did, except for the extraordinary effects of the Breathing Styles. No matter how many series have passed with the same theme, samurais and anime come together in perfect harmony!
When Does Demon Slayer Movie Take Place?
The Movie, Mugen Train, took place in the same period. The trains back in the Taisho period are similar to the trains in other countries such as the United States during the early 1900s. The train has a coal-powered engine for it to operate back in the day and is black and cylindrical in terms of its overall appearance. This is the classic train that goes “choo-choo”, coupled with a chimney that emits all the smoke due to the coal used to power the vehicle.
Knowing that the era was focused on industrialization, the Taisho era train present in Demon Slayer is just as comfortable as how life is starting to get back in the 1910s and 1920s. This is evident due to the model of the train being used, with fits the early 1900s. Thanks to the trends of industrialization and modernization, the appearance of the train’s interior appears to be classy, with seats that are as comfortable as what would the modern seats of today would offer.
As for the location of the railway, it could vary a lot, especially during the part when the train started to run. The location might vary, as the exact place of the train was never revealed since the movie focused on the hunt for a demon. Thus, the setting of the movie might have taken place around the outskirts of Tokyo, or in areas like Yokohama or Shinbashi.
When Does The Final Chapter Take Place?
The final chapter of the manga is quite different, as it was an era that took several decades after the Taisho era. This is the era of today, where we can see bustling buildings that tower the sky. There are also streets, concrete houses, modern furniture, the internet, manga, playgrounds, schools, police cars, and many more. The story took place on a timeline similar to what we have, which is around 60 to 80 years away from the Taisho era.
It’s just that most characters looked similar to Tanjiro and the others because they are the direct descendants of these children going to the same school. They could be the great-grandchildren of the main characters of those who lived in the Taisho era. The characters also showed traits that fit the modern era, such as running late for school, waking up through an alarm clock, as well as being artistic enough to draw manga. The setting of the final chapter is most likely in Tokyo, as the place is located near a bustling big city.
Where Is Demon Slayer Set?
Demon slayer is set in Japan, as seen in some scenes of the series where the actual places in Japan were mentioned. The setting of some of the fight scenes in the story is also known to match the appearance of structures back in the Taisho era. Some villages are still made of wood, and some houses are still located in forests, just like Tanjiro’s house.
Since modernization is only present in Japan during the time, most of the places in the story, especially during the first parts of the series, are located in the countrysides that do not have any vehicles at all. The lifestyle of the people during that time is also known to be as hard as the ancient era. This is evident when Tanjiro had to walk for several hours just to get to a town that’s nearest to their home that’s secluded in the woods.
Some of the fight scenes in the series show the style of houses back in the Taisho period. One notable example was the scene where Tanjiro first met Zenitsu. The huge building that changes rooms has a lot of historical designs that befit the era. There’s the classic structure of a Japanese home that’s purely made of wood. And of course, the tatami will never be excluded from most of the structures in the series.
Some objects reminiscent of the Taisho period were heavily featured in the series. One of the most notable items was the katana, which is a common weapon for samurai to yield. The Tengu and fox masks are also used back in ancient Japan, as it’s part of the folklore that they are so good at during the past.
Objects based on folklore such as the Omnoyo symbols are also present in the series, but play a more supernatural role than the one in real life. Omnoyo was heavily used in folklore, which is why it’s used as a design for Yushiro’s Blood Demon art.
European-inspired clothing can also be seen in Tokyo, worn by ordinary people and main characters like Muzan. After all, a lot of cultures came rushing in when Japan became open to the rest of the world. But take note that traditional Japanese clothing was still present. Tabi socks, two-toed socks that many Japanese commonly wear back in the day, were heavily featured in the series. There’s also the Kyahan, which is a type of ankle warmer that also serves as an under-padding for a samurai outfit.
The final chapter shows modern-day Japan, complete with buildings and a lack of village and secluded houses in the woods. It also showed schools, which is the main setting of the final chapter.
Where Does Demon Slayer Take Place In Japan?
As far as the story goes, it’s the mission to become a strong Demon Slayer, which looking for a cure to turn Nezuko back to normal, was the focus of the places that Tanjiro visits. Thus, there are no specific details regarding most of the locations in the story, except Tokyo, which was revealed to be as modern as the real-life version of it in the actual Taisho era.
If you observe the places that Tanjiro visited, the only way for you to find out the other places in Japan that were featured in Demon Slayer is by backtracking to where Tanjiro was before he arrived in Tokyo. If you look at some maps, you might assume that Tanjiro was in the direction of areas like Hitachi, Shimotsuma, Shizouka, or even Nagano. These are notable areas that surround Tokyo. But take note that this is just my assumption as the areas were never revealed in the series, and for sure you know well that Demon Slayer has already ended.
Demon Slayer is one of those awesome anime series that shows the rich culture and tradition of ancient Japan by setting the story in a historical era. It’s what makes Japan just as appealing as what it is today, and how creative they were even before manga and anime were born.
