What Kind of Person is Koyoharu Gotoge, the Original Author of the Anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"?

"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" is a Japanese-style fantasy battle manga serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" by its author Koyoharu Gotoge. The first TV anime adaptation was "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc," consisting of 26 episodes, which aired from April to September 2019 and was a huge hit.

Additionally, the sequel film "Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train," released in October 2020, became Japan's highest-grossing film. The TV anime versions "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc," "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc," "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc," and the latest "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc" have also been aired.

In this article, we will explore information about Gotoge-sensei, the original creator of "Demon Slayer." We'll delve into their mysterious profile, reasons behind their nickname, what can be inferred about their personality from comments in the comic books, and also touch upon the rumors about their retirement that trended for a while on X (formerly Twitter).

Popular Anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"

Set in the Taisho era, the protagonist Tanjiro Kamado, born as the eldest son in a family of charcoal burners in Okutama District, Tokyo Prefecture, loses his family to demons. To return his only surviving sister, Nezuko, who has turned into a demon, to human form, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps to protect people and fight demons in fierce battles.

"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" starts with this premise and portrays the battle between demon slayers and demons who eat humans. While it's a classic Shonen storyline focused on friendship, effort, and victory, it isn't a simple good-versus-evil story that just paints demons as villains. It also explores the tragic past of demons who were once human, earning high praise for its dramatic aspects.

Who is Koyoharu Gotoge-sensei?

The original manga of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" from February 2016 to May 2020, consists of 23 volumes. Though "Demon Slayer" was Gotoge-sensei's first serialized work, they had previously created one-shot works like "Kagarigari," which won an honorable mention in the 70th JUMP Treasure Newcomer Manga Awards in 2013.

Other one-shots include their commercial debut work, "Monju Shirou Kyoudai," published in "Shonen Jump NEXT!!" 2014 issue 2, "Rokkotsu-san" in "Weekly Shonen Jump" 2014 issue 39, and "Haeniwa no Zigzag" in "Weekly Shonen Jump" 2015 issue 21, all compiled into the manga collection "Koyoharu Gotoge Short Story Collection."

As for Gotoge-sensei's profile, their birth date is publicly known as May 5, 1989, as published in the official art book for the "Weekly Shonen Jump Exhibition VOL.3" in 2018. Their place of birth, Fukuoka Prefecture, was revealed during the entry for the 9th Gold Future Cup with "Rokkotsu-san." However, beyond these details, their profile remains unknown. Their gender isn't disclosed, but due to reasons such as their "rounded handwriting," many fans speculate they might be female.

No photos of them are available, and their self-portrait in comic books features a spectacled crocodile, hence the nickname "Crocodile-sensei" among fans. Gotoge-sensei also seems to jest about it, as seen in the 16th volume of the comic series where they drew a crocodile biting a person with the joke comment, "Once I bite, I won't let go because I'm a crocodile."

As a manga artist, Gotoge-sensei is renowned for the originality and power of their dialogue, exemplified in the line “Never leave yourself so defenseless in front of an enemy!” spoken by the character Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira. The first editor for “Demon Slayer,” Tatsuhiko Katayama, praised the overwhelming power of the dialogue in an interview. He also appreciated the sophisticated character development, recounting how he fervently expressed his admiration for a scene where Tanjiro holds the hand of the Hand Demon he defeated, telling Gotoge-sensei, “I’ve never seen a protagonist like this. This is Tanjiro!”.

Katayama further shared an interview revelation about what Gotoge-sensei considers a cool man: “One of his appearances was Golgo 13,” and how, inspired by a certain manga, they valued a man who would carry away a dead cat, run over by a car, without worrying about getting dirty while others found it gross.

Fans continue to speculate the source of this inspiration. Some suggest it could be “Tough” by Tetsuya Saruwatari (Shueisha), while others propose “Jinrui Nekoka” by Naoki Mizutani (Shogakukan). Regardless, it’s evident that Gotoge-sensei is an avid manga enthusiast, openly a passionate fan of "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" and "Gintama."

Moreover, a distinctive feature of the author comments on the cover flaps of the original comic books and official fan books is that they almost consistently convey gratitude. A check reveals that out of the 25 volumes (23 comics + 2 fan books), 22 contain messages of thanks like “Thank you” and “Gratitude.” This indicates an essence of politeness and regard for others.

What is the truth behind the retirement rumors of Gotoge-sensei?

Since "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" finished its serialization in "Weekly Shonen Jump" in May 2020, with no new one-shots announced as of July 2024, rumors of Gotoge-sensei's retirement have circulated online. However, since there's been no official retirement announcement, there's little credibility to these whispers.

An investigation into the time intervals between serializations for "Weekly Shonen Jump" authors reveals, for instance, that after ending “Neuro - Supernatural Detective,” Yusei Matsui took about 3 years with some one-shots in between before starting "Assassination Classroom" and then took around 5 years to begin "The Elusive Samurai" post-finalization.

Similarly, Kohei Horikoshi spent about 2 years between the end of "Barrage" and the start of “My Hero Academia,” while Tite Kubo took 4 years from the end of "BLEACH" to a short series for “BURN THE WITCH.” In contrast, Takeshi Obata started "DEATH NOTE" the same year he ended "Hikaru no Go," but both projects had another author, making their case an exception for rapid succession.

Therefore, in "Weekly Shonen Jump," it seems common for several years to pass between a popular author's end of serialization and the start of new work. Nevertheless, many return with a one-shot within approximately two years, so there’s a possibility that Gotoge-sensei will eventually release new material.

Summary of basic information about Gotoge-sensei, author of the anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"

Above, I summarized information about Koyoharu Gotoge, the author of the anime "Demon Slayer," based on original comics and similar sources. Fans and non-fans alike might be curious about a follow-up, but as for when that will happen, it's uncertain. So why not enjoy the "Demon Slayer" anime and patiently wait for the announcement of new work?

(C)Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable

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