How to read Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba in English: where to start

What the story is

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a manga by Koyoharu Gotouge. It started in Japan in 2016. The genres are action, adventure, drama and the supernatural. Demons, swordplay and revenge sit at its core. The setting is historical.

The story takes place in Japan's Taisho era. Tanjiro Kamado is the eldest child in a big family. They make charcoal on their mountain and he sells it in town. One trip keeps him away for a night. That night a demon comes to the house. By morning his mother and most of his siblings are dead.

His sister Nezuko is still alive. The demon's blood is turning her into a demon. A demon slayer moves in to kill her. Nezuko does not attack her brother. She protects him instead. The swordsman spares her life. He sends Tanjiro to a teacher who trains him to kill demons with a sword.

Tanjiro wants two things. He wants a cure for Nezuko. He also wants revenge on whoever did this. The tone is direct and warm. The fights are sword fights and the heart of it is family. Tanjiro is a kind hero. Be ready for blood, beheadings and grotesque demons.

How far it is in Japan and in English

The series is finished in Japan. It ended there in 2020. The full run is 23 volumes.

English readers are in a good spot. As of October 2026 all 23 volumes are out in English. VIZ Media publishes the series. You can read from the first page to the last with no wait between books.

Where to start

Begin with Volume 1. Our facts list one way in.

• Volume 1 (Vol. 1) from VIZ Media. It came out on 3 July 2018.

We have no omnibus or other edition on record for this series. The single volumes are the path in. Pick up Volume 1 and read in order.

Questions readers ask

How many volumes does Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba have? It has 23 volumes in Japan. The story is complete.

Is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba finished? Yes. It ended in Japan in 2020. Every volume is out in English too.

How many volumes are out in English? All 23 of them. VIZ Media is the English publisher.

What comes next in English

No new volume is on the schedule. The English edition has caught up with Japan. Both stand at 23 volumes and there is no next English volume listed. Once you finish Volume 23 you have the whole story.

Every volume in one place

The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba series page lists every English volume with its release date. Use it to see which books you have and which one you need next.