Demon Slayer has been experimenting with anime original scenes for the majority of its fourth season. With Muichiro Tokito and Tengen Uzui’s episodes individually elaborating on their stories, episode 5, I Even Ate Demons, picks up the pace of the series, considering that the 4th season has already entered its second half.
Instead of expanding on a page and a half into an entire episode, the series now takes up three different Hashira’s in only one part. The point is to not make it seem stretched while also progressing the story at a balanced pace. However, there were areas in which this episode lacked. While comedy is always appreciated, proving to be both a pallet cleanser for the seriousness and an equalizer to all the harshness; sometimes it can prove to be overbearing.
Demon Slayer Gets Serious in Its Training
Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc’s fifth episode, I Even Ate Demons is a shift in the tone. While melancholy has been touched upon in previous episodes, each Hashira has a different way of expressing it. Tengen through his nightmares and Muichiro through his silence. The episode starts off with Tanjiro entering Mitsuri’s compound and being bombarded with hospitality and food. However, he quickly meets his latest enemy – flexibility. While he may be a formidable fighter, what he lacks is flexibility and agility, something Mitsuri masters in.
In only four minutes the scene changes, going from the limitations faced by the protagonist in terms of his flexibility to facing Obanai Iguro. He has an instant dislike for Tanjiro, not because of his sister being a demon, but because of how Misturi praises him. Obanai is overwhelmed with jealousy and envy, vowing to give Tanjiro hell because of how he thinks the protagonist is getting a little too friendly with the Love Hashira.
While this may be taken in a comedic sense, this is where things begin to take a turn. Audiences have seen so far that with some difficulty but understanding, Tanjiro can overcome whatever obstacle the Hashiras have set up for him.
Tanjiro Cannot Always Win
With Obanai Iguro’s training, Tanjiro finds himself to be weak. He is unable to match with the Serpent Hashira and no matter how hard he trains, it is almost impossible not to get hit brutally, even if it is a wooden katana he faces. There is much he still has to learn. Whether driven by jealousy or not, Obanai is a man filled with immense skills towering over Tanjiro. It is almost humbling to see that the protagonist’s journey and the purpose of this arc is to learn and improve, not show off.
The second half of the episode takes him to Sanemi Shinazugawa’s residence, where he gets to reunite with both Zenitsu and Genya. While there have always been instances where Tanjiro is friendly with everyone around him, also being welcoming to people no matter they be demons or humans, that is not the case with Sanemi.
Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Episode 4 Review – Another Hashira Prodigy Gets His Time to Shine
Fear is the first thing that is made to be seen when entering any Hashira’s training grounds. How harshly they treat the other members of the corps and how ahead they are in their own training because of it. However, the very essence of it isn’t felt to its fullest until Sanemi and Obanai come into the picture.
The Strings of a Complicated Family
Sanemi’s estate is where things get extremely serious. His familial ties with Genya get put to test and things are looking far from good for them. Despite all that they have done for each other, Sanemi despises his brother while Genya yearns for his approval and acceptance. The young Demon Slayer reveals his dark secret of having eaten demons in order to survive and the anger of that consumes the Wind Hashira.
Tanjiro is used to solving problems. He is used to mending ties no matter how strained they may be. Even in the case of Gyutaro and Daki, he played a hand in their being to express their love. It is only fair that he thinks doing the same for Sanemi and Genya is also possible. He is far from right about it. Things aren’t as black and white when it comes to the sibling duo and while they may be working on their problem in their own ways, Tanjiro cannot help no matter how much he tries. He may be the protagonist, but that doesn’t mean plot armor protects him and makes him invincible.
Despite all the serious themes that are being tackled, the humor added seems more obstructive rather than balancing. Demon Slayer has always been charming when it comes to its balance of humor and seriousness, something this episode lacks greatly.
Rating: 6/10
Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
