Kimetsu no Yaiba is a series that is loved and hated in equal measure. The only manga to outpace One Piece, and not by a small margin. The manga received a tremendous boost from its anime adaptation by Ufotable, but even before that, its quality led it to become very popular.

I'll be honest, is it the most original work? No. Is it the best thing since sliced bread like those long queues in Japanese bookstores and the constant tweets on AniTwitter lead you to believe? No. What it is, is a really really good story, though. It does the little things right and does a decent enough job of world building, character development and growth.

While there are a lot of valid criticisms of the series like a subpar villain, less than stellar climax, final arc dragged on, etc. I'll mainly focus on the things I enjoyed. KNY is shonen done right. It's got all of the tropes and cliches you've come to expect from the genre, but they're executed in textbook fashion. The power ups, power of friendship, rivalries, etc. The Mangaka does a great job of blending them into the story in a believable fashion and creating an entertaining narrative.

From start to end, the manga remains fun, funny and engaging. The characters, no matter how much or how little time they get, make an immense impact on you. You genuinely do feel attached to the cast of the series and by the end, it feels you're losing a part of you by having to say goodbye.

The art is quite unique in my opinion and the expressions on characters' faces throughout the series enhance the experience by creating humorous situations. This is most evident with Tanjirou and Zenitsu throughout the series. I did find one weakness to be when the magaka depicted fights. At times I personally found myself confused and unable to discern what was going on due to the style.

Pacing wise, I had no issues with the series up until this final arc. I felt like I was reading the same chapter for MONTHS due to the repetitive nature of some of the chapters and panels. I think once Ufotable get their hands on it it will go much smoother, but in the manga format, I would have to dock points for the final arc.

I felt the ending was satisfactory for the most part, providing closure and resolutions for beloved characters as well as leaving the door open for more content later down the line.

Overall, KNY for better or for worse, is one of the biggest series of our generation. The numbers, hype and raving reviews all are evidence of that. While it's without a doubt overrated by many, it's also overly hated in equal measure. I found it to be a fun ride throughout and despite my minor issues with the pacing and art, enjoyed every moment of the past 4 years. Kimetsu no Yaiba gets 10 Spider Lillies out of 10.