On June 3, 2026, an article titled "Children's Day School Becomes Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' Popularity Underestimated in China" was published on the Chinese portal site Sohu.

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The article stated that "a primary school teacher in China shared online the scene of a Children's Day/June 1 International Children's Day event held at their school. On that day, wearing uniforms was not mandatory at school, and children were allowed to attend school in free clothing. The teacher then saw children in many classes wearing Demon Slayer Corps uniforms from 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' or cosplaying as characters from the work as they came to school."

It continued, "When asked for the reason, the children said they had watched the anime and then searched for and purchased the costumes themselves. According to the teacher's observations, only the classic costumes of Sun Wukong from 'Journey to the West' or the house robes from 'Harry Potter' could rival the popularity of 'Demon Slayer' cosplay. What was even more surprising was that many teachers in their 40s knew only the name 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' despite not having watched the work itself," it mentioned.

The article argued, "Although some netizens pointed out that 'this is merely judging based on anecdotal evidence,' considering the global recognition of 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,' such a situation is by no means surprising. Of course, it should also be considered that 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' has a big advantage in that its cosplay difficulty is low. As a real-life experience, there were also voices stating that the recognition of 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' was overwhelmingly prominent among students from elementary school second grade to high school. While not everyone is an enthusiastic fan, hardly anyone doesn't know the work, and this level of recognition is something many anime works cannot achieve," it concluded.

It also stated, "The theatrical film 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Mugen Castle Arc: Chapter 1 - Akaza Returns,' released a little while ago, surpassed 677 million yuan (approximately 15.9 billion yen) in box office revenue in China, becoming the 4th highest-grossing Japanese animated film screened in China. At the time of its release, there was also an online debate about whether 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba' was suitable for children. Some people thought that there were cruel depictions in the work, and minors needed to be cautious. On the other hand, there were also voices from parents saying that children were not particularly scared after watching it; rather, they understood Tanjiro Kamado's dedication to protecting his sister and his spirit of self-sacrifice," it added.

Furthermore, 'When discussing the national popularity of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," a comparison with "NARUTO," which boasts unparalleled presence in the Chinese-speaking world, is almost inevitably brought up. However, the representative works of each era differ by generation. Current elementary and junior high school students experienced the huge boom of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" just as they were beginning to understand things, so it's a natural progression for them to become fans. Online, many voices were seen saying that even adult female acquaintances like this work. There are also voices saying that Shinobu Kocho significantly surpasses many other anime characters of the same period in terms of general popularity and recognition. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" is starting to have an influence among current elementary and junior high school students comparable to that of "NARUTO" in the past, and it can be said that it is becoming the 'national shonen manga' for the new generation,' it emphasized.

On top of that, 'Some people express concern about such widespread appeal to the general public. One netizen pointed out that while "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" is a popular work, its cosplay includes Japanese elements such as haori and katana, indicating an invisible limit to its spread in China. Unlike works with weak ethnic characteristics like "Doraemon" or "Ultraman," the Japanese-style uniforms and weapons in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" tend to become factors that cause controversy in the process of popularization. Furthermore, some people frankly stated, 'Rather than having children cosplay as Japanese samurai or in Japanese clothing, it would be better to show them Chinese 3DCG animation,' it said.

It then mentioned, 'In terms of international influence, the gap between Chinese and Japanese anime is still significant. The story of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" is simple, and its values are easy to understand. However, by brilliantly depicting that simple story, and with the addition of high-standard video production, it has gained strong communicative power. This is precisely what many current Chinese anime lack. Of course, I hope that more Chinese anime will expand overseas. However, as director Jiaozi, known for "Ne Zha," said, satisfying Chinese viewers should come first, and only after that should overseas expansion be considered. This order must not be confused,' it mentioned. (Translated and edited by Iwata)