Welcome back everyone, not only to a new season but to another season of Kimetsu no Yaiba! I was a bit harsh on the previous season, rightfully so I feel. While generally well produced, it felt like the season missed the mark emotionally. So the question going into this season is: Can it avoid the same? Lets dive in and find out!
After that spectacle of a pilot, Yaiba has decided to drastically slow things down. And you know what? That’s probably a good thing. As was said in the discord, the previous arc suffered from severe blueballing. It constantly set us up for some kind of emotional payoff, only to continue the fight again and again and again. This season seems to be trying to avoid that, setting up not only multiple fights with multiple Hashira but also investing us in the characters early. For instance this week we meet Kotetsu, a young Swordsmith child desperate to protect his families legacy. We learn about his home, what he holds dear, all that jazz. Nothing has really happened with it yet, mostly just pushing Tanjiro to train more. But that’s fine! If Yaiba wants to take it’s time with this stuff, I’m happy to let it. Just give me that payoff later.
Speaking of Hashira, last week we got to see Kanroji and this week introduces us to Tokitou. And I ahve to say… this guy is kind of an asshole. While this is probably the point, setting him up as an early antagonist only for us to connect with and root for him once the real monsters show up, right now I can’t say I find him particularly compelling. I think it has to do with how unemotive he is. The guy is like a robot. Compare this to Kanroji, Uzui and Rengoku, all of whom have much stronger, much more memorable personalities. Again, this isn’t a condemnation. We’ve just met him and have an entire season in front of us to see/learn more. For now though, I can’t say I’m particularly interested and I don’t think that “More” can come to soon.
Moving on, lets talk about the doll! This thing is the main subject of the episode after all. On a surface level, it’s nothing more then a doll, Kotetsu’s family legacy. And while that’s compelling for Kotetsu, I think that what that doll hints at is far more interesting. I am of course talking about Kokushibo, the Upper One of Muzan’s inner circle. The looks just like him, as does the man from Tanjiro’s dream, hinting at not only how long it’s been since he became a demon but his past most likely as a Demon Slayer himself. Was he a Hashira that joined Muzan, like Akaza offered to Rengoku? Is that why he’s so strong, having mastered both breath and swordplay as well as being gifted with a Demon’s physical abilities? Only time will tell, but I’m always eager to learn.
There’s also the issue of the sword hidden inside the doll. This is clearly that treasure Yaiba mentioned back in episode 1, and will most likely replace Tanjiro’s broken swords with something that can handle his new techniques. What I’m curious about though is who the sword belonged to. Was it Kokushibo’s? Or perhaps it was hidden from him and it’s something he was looking for? Whatever the case, it’s a connection to the Upper One and should lead to some interesting conflict when they inevitably meet like… 2-3 seasons from now, or however many Yaiba has set up in front of it. Stepping back from that though, I’m also curious if the sword will have any special traits. Probably not considering its age, but you can never be sure with these ancient weapons!
Finally lets talk about Tanjiro’s training. There isn’t much to say here, it’s a pretty standard power up sequence leading into the next big fight, one done fast. While its kind of nice to see him getting his ass kicked, showing off the difference in power between him and the Hashira, I’m not sure I really buy into this “Driven to exhaustion and forced to evolve” thing. Especially when presented as “scents”. I can buy into that for life and death fights sure, its just the genre. But against a training doll of the Upper One I was hoping for more of a… replicating/learning from its techniques. This thing is ancient, built with 6 arms to match a man with only 2! Surely you can learn something just from how it moves and fights. Especially if the guy was one of the original Hashira or something.
So yeah, all in all it was a solid setup episode. I think Yaiba is prepping a lot of stuff that, if used well, could definitely improve this arc over the last one. I’m definitely not worried about the production in any sense. Yes, I would like it if they chilled out with the 3D dynamic camera moves and shit, there is such a thing as restraint. But if not it at least makes Yaiba fun, like nothing else in the season, and if that’s the worst I have to suffer through for otherwise pretty well animated action sequences, I’ll gladly take it. For now though, let’s just wait and see what Yaiba is going to do to try and one-up the last season, shall we?
P.S. The OST was kind of fire.
Most of the hashira members are assholes, with a few exceptions. Frankly, if it wasn’t for the plot Tanjiro would have distanced himself from these jerks a long time ago.