Jujutsu Kaisen Vs Demon Slayer, And The Differences In Quality

Jujutsu Kaisen is an anime I got into late, on purpose. HYPE makes me step away from mainstream anime until things cool down.

Then I watch it.

After watching through all of it, I left with a good taste. The anime’s much better than expected.

I did the same thing with Demon Slayer after being begged to watch it. And while good, the anime didn’t match the hype.

The marketing behind it though is another story.

Jujutsu Kaisen Vs Demon Slayer: Which is better?

Apart from the obvious comparisons (demons), there is a difference between the two.

In fact Jujutsu Kaisen is more like Naruto or Bleach, while Demon Slayer is less like either. But has similarities.

Jujutsu Kaisen does a good job of staying unique in spite of it through. And portrays it well.

Let’s talk about it.

1. The animation + art style

The animation between both anime shows is nice and crispy. It’s sharp as f*ck. I don’t think anyone can argue with that.

Aside from episodes where both anime might “slightly” improve the animation for fights or whatever, it’s generally consistent.

You don’t ever feel like the animation in both Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer is off, mediocre, or choppy.

It’s on point from start to finish, and has some of the nicest animation of any anime.

Even the smallest details are highlighted and they don’t allow any of it to slip away.

If we look at the art style from screenshots (and the quality), it’s still clear both anime are killing it.

Ufotable’s approach is a little different to art and animation, but both are solid.

I might give a slight edge to Demon Slayer over Jujutsu Kaisen though (for still shots).

Jujutsu Kaisen’s gorgeous animation and art looks better when you’re watching it in real time.

Gojo’s domain expansion scene is the perfect example of this. It’s one of JJK’S best visual moments.

2. The fight scenes

Jujutsu Kaisen has some of the best choreography when it comes to its fight scenes.

It’s like watching a professional dance, except they’re fighting. That’s the way it’s portrayed anyway.

It’s artistic, NOT just good looking or flashy or brutal, or whatever other term you wanna use.

The angles, the lighting, it’s all deliberate and is one of the anime’s best features.

Since we’re comparing, Jujutsu Kaisen’s fights are BETTER than Demon Slayers.

While Demon Slayer has unbelievable animation and visuals to back it up… Overall, the fight scenes are a bit overrated.

There are some I loved, but overall Jujutsu Kaisen feels much better.

Demon Slayer puts too much energy into looking “flashy”, and you can see that from the GIF.

This plays out a lot throughout the anime. And it only starts to look even flashier.

Take that element away, and you start to see it’s over-hyped. The animation “carries” the fights, instead of the other way around or at least being equal.

Even if we take a different scene, the same thing is there. The flashy visuals meant to get you overly excited.

The crux of the fights in Demon Slayer though isn’t all that when you strip away the materialism.

It should have been toned down.

But Jujutsu Kaisen looks good even without the extra layers Demon Slayer loves slapping on top of it.

JJK doesn’t need it. And if it uses it, it’s only a tad. Enough to add “spark” without being dramatic.

The punches, the damage being dealt, all of these nuances are done better in Jujutsu Kaisen.

Demon Slayer is lacking if you ask me.

3. The characters

Yuji Itadori is a likable protagonist just like Tanjiro. Their stories are completely different, and their motivations.

For Yuji, it’s the death of his Grandpa. And of course – saving his friends.

For Tanjiro, it’s the death of his FAMILY. One of them still being alive but turned into a demon. His sister.

She becomes his reason for living. This strengthens their bond, and has a greater impact on the story.

Jujutsu Kaisen has a lot of characters-ish. The most important being Gojo, Nobara, Megumi, etc.

The rest are side characters. VERY few are memorable in a literal sense.

For me I only know the names of a few. The rest are more circumstantial and plot relevant, despite not being memorable for their names.

I feel the same way about Demon Slayer.

Not many are truly memorable for me by name.

I’d say Jujutsu Kaisen wins here but only slightly. It’s an issue with Shonen anime I’ve noticed.

Relevant: 13 Of The Best Anime Names

4. The villains

Sukuna is the main villain in Jujutsu Kaisen. He’s a strange antagonist because of his position.

Yuji Itadori swallows a cursed finger, allowing Sukuna to awaken inside of his body. But he doesn’t have full control.

When convenient, Sukuna can Interfere with Yuji’s body and even go against his choices. What makes Sukuna a GREAT villain is more about the progression.

As time passes, he becomes more of a threat. So something big is guaranteed down the line. Major plot twists.

This keeps him interesting, as well as his mysterious nature.

Muzan is a lot different, but still mysterious. Making him another villain that makes you wanna know more.

In his case he’s more of a threat to everybody from the beginning. And is able to shape-shift and makes chess moves from a far.

If we’re talking about personality, Sukuna is the better villain. But for the anime’s, not enough is known about either of them. Or where things are going.

Without either of them (Sukuna and Muzan), both JJK and Demon Slayer wouldn’t be possible.

5. The music

Personal taste, but Jujutsu Kaisen‘s music does it better for me. Especially the ending theme song.

Demon Slayer has its moments though.

6. The story

Ultimately, Jujutsu Kaisen is about CURSES, Demon Slayer is about…. demons. And Tanjiro’s human-demon sister.

The emotional connection in Demon Slayer is anything beyond Jujutsu Kaisen has done. It’s a different story.

It’s only natural. Demon Slayer wins in that area.

Jujutsu Kaisen wins for its angle, the nature of curses, and Sukuna’s connection to all of it.

In fact Sukuna is the center of it all, even without him directly being involved.

It comes down to what YOU want out of either anime

That said, Jujutsu Kaisen is the better anime for me.

Demon Slayer‘s hype is the most extreme we’ve seen from any anime in the last 2 decades. And that played a role in the anime feeling overrated, or “not as good” because of the hype.

JJK might have been hyped up, but it wasn’t on steroids like Demon Slayer. And that matters because it affects perception.