Demons and Humans

The very first episode of Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentosho was absolutely brilliant and beautiful. It's hard to believe that an opening episode could feel so much like a climax.

The animation is stunning and incredibly smooth. The music and sound effects are top-notch. I started the episode at night when I was feeling sleepy-and believe me, within 20 minutes, I was wide awake.

While watching it, at times it gave me Demon Slayer vibes, and other moments felt as emotionally heavy as Grave of the Fireflies. The first 20 minutes were solid, but the last 30 minutes were an absolute masterpiece.

This premiere is honestly on par with the first episode of Attack on Titan, and in my opinion, even better than the first episodes of The Promised Neverland and Death Note. The pacing is fast, and it never bored me-especially after the 20-minute mark.

Characters like Jinta, Shirayuki, and Suzune are well-written and compelling. This single episode holds more character development than many entire seasons of new-gen anime. The action, dialogue, and writing are all powerful and deeply engaging.

Without giving away spoilers, I'll just say this: I loved it. It exceeded my expectations in every way.

One of the best first episodes I've ever watched.