As one of the most popular anime in the world right now, it seems Kimetsu no Yaiba can do no wrong. Even after announcing its finale in 2022, KnY continues to release top of the pack novels that readers everywhere enjoy.

ARC received by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am not quite sure why it took me so long to review this book because I really did enjoy it. Being able to see more of the side characters was a blast. It gave them both more depth that made certain parts of the main story even more heartbreaking. Plus, the art was also enjoyable to look at. I would recommend this book to those that loved the main series and wish to get back into that world.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba--Stories of Water and Flame is a nice read for fans of the main series. Both Giyu and Rengoku are well-beloved characters, so being able to read stories from their perspectives is an interesting change of pace. It allows fans to see a side of these Hashira that isn't present in the main series, emphasizing their core values and sense of justice. While this is not drawn by Koyoharu Gotouge, Ryoji Hirano's artwork is very impressive. Hirano's art has a more "clean" look when compared to the main series, but they take advantage of this through the manga's detailed environments and dynamic actions scenes. If you're looking for more Demon Slayer content, this book is definitely worth checking out.

yes yes yes. i love the hashiras, so i absolutely loved this volume. highly recommend for any demon slayer fan.

The world of Demon Slayer isn’t over quite yet, Stories of Water and Flame features two short bonus prequels centering fan-favorites Tomioka and Rengoku. The manga is based on the original work of Koyoharu Gotouge, but this time features the story and art by Ryoji Hirano (BOZEBEATS). A relatively standalone volume, it compliments the original series well, and collectors will likely enjoy having it to round out the series on their shelves. The volume is translated by John Terry and edited by Jennifer Sherman. It features touch-up art and lettering by John Hunt and design by Jimmy Presler.

Stories of Water and Flame opens with the first of the two-part specials: Giyu Tomioka’s Story, which originally was printed in Shonen Jump magazine in 2019. Tomioka’s story also features another fan favorite: Shinobu Kocho. This is great as she adds an additional layer to the short piece, and it is always fun to watch her poke fun at Giyu’s expressionless demeanor. The story itself is relatively simple, but the timeline placement is what makes it intriguing. It takes place shortly after Giyu first encountered Tanjiro and Nezuko, so the concept of a demon turning back into a human is fresh in his mind. The framing is what makes the story interesting, although since it is so brief a lot is left unexplored.

The second half of Stories of Water and Flame takes a peek at Rengoku and Kanroji before they became Hashira. While Giyu’s story can be read with very little context, it is important to read the original story through Volume 14 so you at least know the entire cast of the story, or it loses impact. It is lovely to go more in-depth on Rengoku’s relationship with his mother and father, especially as it is a stronger aspect of Demon Slayer overall. However, there are elements of the story that leave readers guessing because there isn’t enough page space to explain everything. It can be reasonably inferred that the demon with amnesia is mistaking Rengoku for his father, but it would have been stronger if that was a bit clearer.

Overall, a universal theme of Stories of Water and Flame was “more.” It is nice for collectors, but storytelling-wise is pretty average because of the limited space. The stories themselves are simple, but fortunately, there are a few strong character moments that make them worthwhile to read. There is also a huge portion of the book that are just comedic short comics based on each episode of the anime, which are fun but again feel more to add more width to the manga to justify a full volume. Hirano’s artwork is good, unique enough to be their own style, however, it honors and echoes Gotouge’s faithfully. It feels very accurate to the Demon Slayer art style. Letterer John Hunt elevates this by making sure the sound effect lettering matches the original series as well.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Stories of Water and Flame is a good addition for any collector who is invested in the series, but otherwise is rather average in terms of storytelling. Hirano’s art is solid and fits in well to match the overall style of the series. Ultimately, the stories have interesting placement in the timeline and highlight some popular Hashira’s, but their short length deprives them of substance readers crave with the characters.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Stories of Water and Flame is available now where books are sold.

After reading the whole Demon Slayer series and crying because it ended, it was nice to read this spin-off volume. The art is still amazing but we just learn more of the other characters of the main manga.

This is somewhat of a prequal about Rengoku and Giyuu. Telling the story of the battle that made Rengoku achieve the rank of Hashira. And for Giyuu what a demon slaying trip looks like for him. The stand alone also feachures a couple more of the Hashira ranks. I loved it. So I bought it. Reading about Rengoku is always a fun time and his battles are fire just like him.

That was a pretty cool story collection that helps flesh out some stuff from before the series really gets rolling, specifically with the Hashira whom we don't meet for some time. It was nice to see them all either before they became the big scary Hashira or as they were growing in power. It fleshes their characters out just a bit more.

Was this a necessary book? Definitely not. But it's worth the read if you're a Demon Slayer fan to see what some of your faves may have been up to in the early days, and the end comics are super cute.

Demon Slayer had such spectacular world building that it almost seems a shame that the main storyline didn't give more screen time for the characters they introduced. Stories of Water and Flame seeks to rectify that by providing two side stories, the first featuring the Water and Insect pillars (Giyuu and Shinobu), and the second featuring the Flame and Love pillars (Rengoku and Kanroji). The first story features Giyuu shortly after his first meeting that set Tanjiro on his path to becoming a demon slayer and features more of the antagonistic yet collegial interactions between Giyuu and Shinobu. The second features Rengoku before he became a pillar and Kanroji right after she passed the final selection to become a Demon Slayer. While the events appear to occur well before the anime, please be advised that it has spoilers for the Mugen Train storyline/movie. This would be an excellent addition to the main set of Demon Slayer volumes. (I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Viz for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba—Stories of Water and Flame was a fun supplement to the main Demon Slayer series. Beautifully drawn and written by Ryoji Hirano, it takes readers deeper into the lives of two two Demon Slayer characters, the Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, and the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Tengoku.

The two stories did not delve into character as much as I had hoped, but they were still satisfying and told complete narratives. I would definitely recommend this collection to current Demon Slayer fans, and a school or library that already has some of the main series would benefit from having this in their collection.

Story and Art by Ryoji Hirano
Original Concept by Koyoharu Gotouge
Translation: John Werry
Touch-up Art and Lettering: John Hunt
Design: Jimmy Presler
Editor: Jennifer Sherman