Highlights
- The Hashira Training Arc in Demon Slayer has been disappointing with little happening, leaving fans wanting more action and development.
- The latest episode introduces humorous tasks like standing in cold water, showcasing character personalities and struggles.
- While Muzan plans his attack, Tanjiro's mark darkens, hinting at potential future significance and adding depth to the storyline.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Demon Slayer episode 61, "The Strongest of the Demon Slayer Corps" available to stream on Crunchyroll
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - HashiraTraining Arc has been a bit of a disappointment so far. While some of the individual training sessions have been fun to watch, viewers have not been able to shake the feeling that there simply isn't much happening.
One could argue that this was expected to a certain extent. However, it's safe to say that most fans were unprepared for just how uneventful this season has been so far. The series has character-driven episodes, but it's rare for it to feel like nothing is happening. Now that it's at the halfway point, will the season finally start picking up? Will things finally get interesting? Or are things beyond the point of no return?
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The Strongest of the Demon Slayer Corps
While the latest episode opens up with more training that will need to be done, it is (refreshingly) humorous this time around. Unlike previous episodes where the tasks involve skill, speed, and cunning, this time Tanjiro and his friends will have to deal with more mundane tasks like moving a boulder and (most hilarious) learning how to deal with standing in cold water. It turns out that withstanding the blows of a wooden sword is far more preferable to having to stand under a waterfall of freezing water. It also doesn't help that some of the characters have difficulty swimming to boot.
How Cold is It?
The water is so cold that members of the Demon Slayer Corps find relief in hugging rocks that have been in the sun. Whenever any of the characters get a chance for a break, they hug these huge rocks as if they were their own personal heaters or something. This may seem like a strange thing to focus on, but these scenes communicate the absolute torture of these trainings better than any seen so far, because it is the one thing that viewers may actually be able to relate to (who hasn't had to stand in cold water for summer camp, military training, or just plain fishing in their life?).
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Muzan Waits in the Shadows
The Demon Slayer Corps are not the only ones training for an upcoming battle: Muzan is still around, planning his attack to absorb Nezuko, and viewers finally see what some of those plans look like. Muzan is also acquiring an army and counting down the days when he will strike. Unlike the Demon Slayer Corps, Muzan is not training his army or building up his own strengths. Confident in his own abilities, he's sitting around reading a book while demons who don't want to be on his bad side swear allegiance to him (after all, if his plan succeeds he will be invincible, and no demon will want to be on his bad side after that).
Tanjiro's Mark
Probably the most interesting development is the fact that Tanjiro's mark on his head has gotten darker. Why is this? What does it mean? At the moment, it's hard to say. What is obvious is that if you have read any fantasy books where the main character has a unique scar, that scar is likely to play an important role later on. At this point, it's too early to tell what that will be, but it's a nice bit of foreshadowing that has largely been absent this season so far.
More Training, But More Revelations as Well
Despite complaints that this season of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has been relatively little story development due to the nature of training, there have been moments of good character development. This episode is the best example of how good said development can be when it is integrated into the training and the characters' personality traits are allowed to shine. As a result, this is a far more interesting episode to watch. The fact that the training and demon slaying may be having an effect on Tanjiro's health is something viewers can bite into. Seeing how the Demon Slayer Corps are running themselves into the ground while Muzan and his allies loaf around speaks volumes of their confidence in the upcoming battle.
That most of the Demon Slayer Corps would rather do heavy labor than stand in cold water is relatable (and funny). In short, if more episodes of the season had given the audiences glimpses into how the characters thought and felt about the training, this might have been a more interesting season so far. This is a step in the right direction. Through a whopper of an ending, this is the first time viewers might find themselves looking forward to the next episode. Here's hoping the creators keep the momentum going, because they are finally onto something here. However, what do you readers think?
Demon Slayer
Based on Koyoharu Gotouge's shonen manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an action anime set in Japan during the early 20th century. Seeking revenge for the murder of his family while also looking to save his sister, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps as they try to eradicate Demons led by Muzan.
