We’ve done it everyone! We’re finally done with Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Train TV extended edition! Do you know what that means? That next week we finally get some new content! Before that though I need to do my due diligence and finish up this arc. So without further ado lets dive in!
Starting off: This episode should have been a double feature, merged with last weeks. Why? Well I’m going to use the P-word everyone probably hates, and I promise this is the last time but with Mugen Train ending I have to, pacing. This episode once again suffers from being cut into a weekly schedule. Its content, this long sustained fight, was not designed for a weeks break in-between. Like… I enjoyed this fight! Rengoku is great and once you get into the swing of things the hype is real! But because of the week long break, every episode of Kimetsu no Yaiba starts cold. We have to be re-introduced, re-heated, before we can really get into the fight and I think this episode is one of the clearest examples of that. Surely this isn’t just a me thing right? I’m not alone in how sudden the opening feels… right?
Anyways getting back to the good part of the episode, Rengoku is without a doubt the best part of this arc. I love everything about him. From his funny hair and boisterous personality to his mentorship role in the narrative. Yaiba does a great job of establishing his character, his power, and then jobbing the shit out of him to prove how strong the upper ranks are without ruining either of those things. Yeah Akaza spells it out a bit for us, describing how demons heal and humans don’t, talking about all of the advantages Rengoku would have if he changed. But this only reinforces Rengoku’s beliefs and puts us more on his side. It makes him the underdog, and everyone loves rooting for those.
And then we have his death… This was good. I liked how Rengoku switched to a full on suicide run. One last strike, giving his life to take down the demon and save everyone. And when that failed he resolved to hold him in place until the sun rises. Having read the manga… this might be my favorite moment in the series. It really drives home the differences between the Demon Slayers and the demons they hunt. As Tanjiro to eloquently put it: They have every disadvantage. They fight in the night, when demons are strong. They fight without powers or regeneration, often outnumbered. And the moment the tables the turn? The demons run. They run from the sun, from where they humans are strong. Because unlike the humans the demons are cowards. That cowardice being what pushed them to demon hood in the first place.
That all said I did find some of the reactions to be a bit… much? Tanjiro was fine, he continues to be the best of our main cast. He had a very heartfelt moment with Rengoku and this is basically setting the stage for the second act. But Inosuke felt… well it felt to comedic for my taste. I understand if others don’t agree, how everyone processes grief is different and maybe some connect with Inosuke more than I do. For me though this is supposed to be a very solemn moment and Inosuke is interrupting it by screaming and flailing about. Yeah, he is a character of action and wants to start training immediately to avenge him. I get that. The way its portrayed here though just doesn’t work for me. It makes him feel so childish compared to Tanjiro and Rengoku.
Anyways another short post as we wrap up a big fight scene. There was some other stuff to talk about of course. Rengoku smiling as he died or the philosophy of “The strong are born to protect the weak” and how thats a nice message to send etc. But that would just be me saying “Yeah, its good” and everyone already knows that! So instead I’m takin it easy this week and we can go hard next week. Speaking of… Next episode sees us finally getting to the new stuff with the Entertainment District and I am ready. I will freely admit that rewatching a movie I have already seen but in 20 minute chunks once a week has left me with… little patience for its shortcomings. Hopefully the new stuff can bring me back and make me enjoy Yaiba again because I really want to.
About Inosuke, you have to remember that he isn’t used to deal with grief. In fact, this might be the first time he experience someone he look up to die. He literally doesn’t know what to do in that situation but still try to tell other to be strong since that the only answer he got.