Philly Teens Dive into Civics with ‘Demon Slayer’ Mock Trial

Philadelphia teens gained hands-on experience with the legal system through a unique mock trial inspired by the popular manga and anime series, “Demon Slayer.” The event, held at the Parkway Central Library in partnership with the Committee of Seventy, aimed to foster civic engagement and literacy among young Philadelphians.

A Manga-Inspired Lesson in Law

Thirty Philadelphia teens stepped into the roles of prosecutors, jury members, witnesses, and courtroom staff during “Tanjiro v. The Demon Slayer Corps: A Mock Trial” on Wednesday. Participants engaged with a script, bringing characters like Rengoku, Sanemi, and Giyu to life within a simulated courtroom setting. The initiative was led by Anne Spector, a civic educator from the Committee of Seventy, who has been creating student mock trials for 20 years.

Building Civic Knowledge and Skills

Before the trial commenced, the teens received instruction on essential courtroom vocabulary, learning the distinction between direct and leading questions and formulating their own definitions of “fairness.” Spector emphasized the importance of providing young people with firsthand experience of the legal system to build civic knowledge, promote engagement in their communities, and cultivate skills in deliberation, debate, and advocacy. “To build basic civic knowledge, to promote engagement in their home, their school and their community by realizing their voice matters,” Spector said.

Literacy Beyond the Textbook

Yona Yurwit, a librarian at Parkway Central Library who served as the judge for the simulation, highlighted the alignment between the mock trial and the library’s mission to expand literacy. “Civic literacy is a form of literacy, so it’s very in line with our mission and values,” Yurwit explained. “It’s also in line with just having a healthy society; if you don’t understand how things perform, you can’t develop informed decisions.” The teens also honed their presentation skills by performing the script as a play.

Anime as an Engagement Tool

Joshua Ostby, who works in the Free Library of Philadelphia’s after-school program, noted the “huge buzz” surrounding the event and the appeal of using anime as a gateway to civic education. “Running an activity like this with an anime inspiration made the activity much more approachable,” Ostby said. He also expressed his hope that the experience would encourage the teens to exercise their civic duty as adults.

A Generation Increasingly Aware

Spector observed that children today are “much more aware” of the political landscape and that democracy has become increasingly important to them. “At some point, we’re climbing a mountain to let them recognize that they’re the future, and that their voices need to be heard,” she stated.