Reeling from the global success of the blockbuster movie Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle released just two months ago, Filipino fans were up to experience a different dimension of the series. This time, we got to experience the iconic Demon Slayer soundtrack live, as played by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra at The Theater at Solaire on October 11. Presented by Circles Entertainment, the concert was an entertaining spectacle for fans of the beloved anime series.

Known as one of the most popular manga and anime series to date, Demon Slayer has drawn the love and attention of millions of people of all ages – otaku and non-otaku people alike. Created by manga artist Koyaharu Gotoge, the manga has sold over 220 million copies worldwide, while the anime holds its place as one of the staple favorites on prominent streaming sites. It was no wonder then that the fans of the series were more than thrilled to attend the concert. Some wore their favorite Hashira’s haori while others flaunted their merch. Among girls, notable favorites were Nezuko’s pink kimono and Shinobu’s white haori with the fading pink and turquoise butterfly wings design.

The original Demon Slayer soundtrack, composed by Go Shiina and Yuki Kajiura, is filled with a lot of vibrant orchestral pieces, amplified with a bit of rock, and laced with an ingenious mix of Japanese as well as Bulgarian folk chants In fact, the powerful impact of its music is one of the things that made Demon Slayer the epic franchise that it is. The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, composed of 18 musicians – 3 in the choir, 6 in the string section, 1 pianist, 2 in percussion, 1 guitarist, 5 in the wind section – entertained the crowd for a little over an hour.

The setlist was mainly composed of tracks from the 1st season of the franchise, taking inspiration from Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra’s orchestral arrangements during their Kimetsu no Kanade concerts in Japan.

As the orchestra regaled the crowd with their performance, a montage of the pivotal scenes in the anime were flashing across the screen. Starting off with “Demon Slayer Corps”, the beginning felt like a properly booming welcome, followed by the succinct opening music heard during the episode title introductions.

Watching the concert live was a great way to re-experience the beauty of the series. It was bittersweet to see the sequence of Tanjiro’s story. Bit by bit, with the help of the live music, the audience was taken back to the show’s gut-wrenching moments. It was a push and pull of emotions. The serene strings of “家族 (Family)” played when Tanjiro’s family was introduced, violently upturned by the ominous “悪夢 (Nightmare)” and “to destroy the evil” as the demons attacked their home.

The concert also included snippets of Tanjiro’s journey to become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps and his encounter with Muzan, the Demon King. Tracks like “真菰 (Makomo)”, “浄 (Purification)”, “水の呼吸 (Water Breathing)” and “鬼舞辻の匂い (The Scent of Muzan)” were included as well. Some comical moments also had their time in the spotlight, like when the infamous Taisho Secrets music played as well as during Zenitsu Agatsuma’s hilarious introduction.

Some stand-out performances during the concert included the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra’s somber renditions of the Kamado sibling’s themes — “Tanjiro’s Song” and “Nezuko’s Song” which captured the quintessential theme of the story: hope amidst tragedy. There were also the undeniable crowd-pleasers: the orchestral performance of LiSa’s “Gurenge” which had a lot of people in the audience and “Homura” which was a pleasant surprise as it was technically a song from the following arc: Mugen Train.

Special thanks to Circles Entertainment!

by Sandra Mae Laureano