You may hate me for this, but Demon Slayer cannot dethrone Bleach from Big 3

It wouldn't be wrong to say that Demon Slayer is nearing its peak at this point of time. Studio Ufotable opting to showcase the biggest battle of the story in the form of a series of movies is turning out to be a brilliant play. Put simply, the Infinity Castle Arc is being adapted into a trilogy of theatical films, with the first one already out in Japan in July 2025.

The first movie has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with numerous fans flooding theatres and calling it a masterpiece, at the very least. Judging from this response, Studio Ufotable looks to have hit the bullseye with this one. Even on the whole, Demon Slayer itself has been majorly successful. Many even claim that it may dethroned Bleach from the Big 3. However, the truth is, that it never can.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion.

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Demon Slayer will be unable to displace Bleach from the Big 3

Ichigor Kurosaki (Image via Pierrot)

As mentioned, Bleach cannot be displaced as one of the Big 3, neither by Demon Slayer nor any other manga. In essence, the Big 3 is the English anime/manga fandom shorthand referring to the three largest Weekly Shonen Jump (WSJ) Titles that were immensely popular all the way back in the 2000s. At the time, the Big 3 were considered to be One Piece, Naruto and Bleach (beginning 2004).

These three series were immensely popular, quite literally spearheading WSJ and were the largest gateways into the anime/manga community. Non-fans would traverse one of these series to intergrate themselves into the world of anime and manga before either exploring the other two titles branching off and discovering series in the genre(s) of their choice.

Thus, this means that Bleach's role as a Big 3 member cannot be taken away. Now, with time, as Naruto (2014) and Bleach (2016), the stability of the trinity shifted. One Piece, till today, retains its position and shows no signs of letting up, but titles like My Hero Academia, Black Clover, Fairy Tail and recently Boruto have been in contention for the other two spots.

The Infinity Castle Arc begins (Image via Ufotable)

Demon Slayer can very well be included in this list as a potential candidate. But Koyoharu Gotouge's series ended in 2020 with a 205th chapter, and when compared to Bleach's popularity, likely wasn't on the same level. To put this simply, Bleach was one of WSJ's driving forces in the 2000s, thus its status as a Big 3 series. This also implies that Demon Slayer or any other manga cannot displace it.

There is also another interpretation of this situation - the modern day has brought forth so many stunning titles that it need not rely on a specific two or three. The number of gateways into the anima/manga community have now increased in number, with newer titles emerging and offering individuals a very varied pool to choose from: Jujutsu Kaisen, Haikyuu!!, Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man, etc.

With that said, the idea of the "Big 3" has changed, given the evolution of the anime and manga landscape over time. Today's fandom flourishes on variety and lively storytelling across genres. Demon Slayer may not be able to stake its claim as a Big 3 title (traditional sense), but global impact and exploits in sales and cinema has undoubtedly made it a modern-day great.

It wouldn't be incorrect to say that the series represents a new era - many titles dominate simultaneously and the emergence of newer ones constantly redefine what mainstream means in the anime/manga industry.

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Final Thoughts

Zenitsu Agatsuma (Image via Ufotable)

To reiterate, Demon Slayer cannot take Bleach's place in the historical Big 3 lineup. However, the series has very convincingly position itself as a cultural giant. A soar in popularity (anime and manga), nuanced storytelling, and mind-blowong credit to Studio Ufotable's talented team have enabled it shatter records and draw in a huge global fanbase.

The manga had already built up the Infinity Castle Arc very well, and now the popularity of the first film of the theatrical film trilogy reinforces its standing as a genre-defining series of the current generation. Then again, anime and manga have grown past the need for a reliance on a few titles. Rather, there is a flourishing roster of excellent series that have something ready for everyone.

Koyoharu Gotouge's series' legacy lies not in it dethroning a classic, but in it being one of the heralds of a new dawn for anime and manga - many share in mainstream success and greatness is slowly receiving a very broad definition that continues to grow.

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Also read:

• Fans can't believe Demon Slayer's controversial win when "Bleach was right there"
• Yhwach's walk scene in Bleach TYBW part 3 gives Muzan from Demon Slayer a run for money
• Demon Slayer what-if: What would have happened if the Demon Slayer Corps came under government control?

Edited by Casey Mendez