![]() So, what about the new stuff? The second half of the episode takes a small break to show Tanjiro and the others train in the four months since Rengoku's death - it's kind of odd seeing a shirtless, beefed-up Tanjiro. ![]() It may be a throwaway gag, but the chase still has some stunning animation with more weight to it than many action-heavy shows. His return is an absolute highlight of the episode, as we get a hilarious Scooby-Doo-like chase sequence with the swordsmith trying to murder Tanjiro for breaking yet another one of his swords. Thankfully, there's more than just tears in this episode, with plenty of visual gags and jokes providing a good balance of laughs and emotion, like the return of Tanjiro's strongest and scariest opponent, Haganezuka the swordsmith. ![]() Mugen Train showed the abusive childhood of the Kyojuro kids, so seeing Tanjiro providing some closure to Senjuro and some words of comfort fits right in with the show's knack for heartbreaking backstories and making us feel for even the smallest of side characters we probably won't see again. Still, as a resolution to Rengoku's story, this is an emotional and effective episode. Though the idea that Tanjiro's father's fire dance is actually an ancient breathing technique from which all breathing techniques originate, the way Shinjuro conveys that information to someone he believes already knows it is rather jarring. Here, the episode falls victim to infodump in a rather dull way, as Rengoku's father, Shinjuro, starts blurting out lore at Tanjiro the moment he sees his earrings. Tanjiro fulfills his promise to Rengoku and visits his family home to pass on the fire hashira's passing words to his family, as well as learn about the Dance of the Fire God. The episode can mostly be split in half, with the first part dealing with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke reeling from the death of Rengoku, unable to move on, and who can blame them? After all, if even one of the Hashira can be so powerless against a demon, what chance do they have of killing all Twelve Kizuki, plus Muzan, in order to turn Nezuko back into a human? Ufotable proves to be one of the best animation studios working today, not only providing spectacular action sequences - more on that in a bit - but even in the way they animate the subtle facial expressions of our main trio and the way they try to hide their grief. The mix of the absurdity of seeing anime Damien Thorn with the sheer terror in Akaza's face makes for a splendid showcase of Demon Slayer's main villain, a reminder that there is still a long road ahead before Tanjiro can become strong enough to face him. The kid is framed rather ominously, but it isn't until Akaza bows in front of him that we see the new form of the demon Muzan. Then the episode picks up with a strange kid whose adoptive family adores but is concerned for the strange illness that prevents him from going outside during the day. Indeed, the first five minutes of the episode are a recap of the fight between Rengoku and Akaza in Mugen Train, resulting in the devastating loss of the fire hashira. ![]() Those expecting to jump right into the next adventure may be a bit disappointed that the premiere lacks some momentum, as despite being twice the length of a regular episode, most of it serves as an epilogue to Mugen Train, resolving the emotional loose ties of that movie before introducing a new mentor for Tanjiro and the gang. Two years after the release of the first season, and eight months after the Mugen Train movie, Demon Slayer is finally back with a new episode that brings back memorable characters, stunning animation, and a metric ton of emotion. ![]()
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