Demon Slayer has quickly become one of the biggest franchises in the world as it shattered Japanese box office records and became one of the best selling manga series of all time. Fans will have plenty to look forward to this year as Demon Slayer recently announced a second season to the anime and a brand new video game titled Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan.
Developed by CyberConnect2, the studio behind the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series, it appears that Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan will be an arena fighting game. A recent demo showcased five playable characters from Demon Slayer as well as different movesets and mechanics that will appear in the game. Though a release date hasn't been confirmed, Aniplex has stated that it will be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Demon Slayer as a Fighting Game
Although some fans may be disappointed to see that the first adaptation of the Demon Slayer series is a fighting game instead of an RPG or adventure, it makes sense from a narrative perspective as protagonist Tanjiro's quest has only recently begun. Many of the plotlines from the first season of Demon Slayer remain unresolved and there are plenty of new locations or characters that have yet to be revealed. Thankfully, the Demon Slayer game has been confirmed to include a story mode together with its fighting mechanics. Moreover, the fact that CybcerConnect2 is developing the game should excite fans given their track record with anime-based fighting games.
CyberConnect2 is exceptional at creating a tight, responsive experience within its games and the Demon Slayer game should be no different. One of the biggest draws of the Demon Slayer anime was studio Ufotable's ability to create stylized weapon effects and colorful breathing techniques for each of the characters. The Demon Slayer game seems to nail that aspect of the anime well and this will likely translate to the flashy, fast-paced combat of the game.
Mechanics and Characters
The gameplay demo for the Demon Slayer game was shown in a video featuring the Japanese voice actors of Tanjiro and Zenitsu. CyberConnect2 has stated that the game is still in development but revealed 5 different characters in the demo: Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Giyu. Each of the characters have their own distinct moveset and more characters should be included in the final version of the game. Similar to other fighting games, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan will feature a guard system and unblockable throws. It seems that combat is mostly 1v1, although players are able to call upon tag team partners as long as they fill the rechargeable gauge.
Much like other fighting games, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Kepputan appears to feature diverse styles of combat ranging from light, heavy, and ultimate attacks. The demo showcased a number of ultimates for each of the playable characters and they each come with their own mini animated cutscene as well. It appears that there are currently two different game modes available: a story mode and tag battle mode.
Although details surrounding the different game modes are sparse, it's likely that there will be co-op and online functionality included. While the game is scheduled to be released in Japan later this year, there is currently no word about an English localization. However, given the enormous popularity of the Demon Slayer series, fans will likely see a Western release not long after.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Hinokami Keppuutan is in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.