Demon Slayer New Hashira Training Arc Deserves Fan Praise

There was no doubt going into this Demon Slayer arc that it was going to be a little more boring than the ones leading up to it. It’s a whole arc, or season, focused solely on training, and there’s really nothing much the animation team could have done to make it more entertaining without deviating dramatically from the source material.

Honestly, I think the team, Ufotable (Fate/Zero), did as well as they could with this season of Demon Slayer. They took the “Hashira Training” arc and focused on the scenes, making even the slowest moments breathtaking. Additionally, the final episode did a great job of building up the tension and getting fans excited for the final battle.

Many of the scenes were absolutely breathtaking. Even Tanjiro walking down narrow pathways between stone and bamboo while on his way to see Giyu was amazing to watch. Ufotable went all out for the final episode of Demon Slayer’s “Hashira Training” arc as well, from Muzen walking to the start of the fight that segways into the final arc.

And honestly, after hearing how many people didn’t like the arc, it was better than I expected. There are plenty of shows that focus heavily on training montages, especially shows like Bleach and Naruto. The main reason I think this training arc stands out so much in comparison is that the Demon Slayer manga is a lot shorter, so having a rather large portion of the story dedicated to one training arc can come across as too much for some fans.

However, I think it was the best time for it. Up until the “Hashira Training” arc of Demon Slayer, there were several Hashira we’d never seen fight, including the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima. It was a good chance to learn more about those who have been rather overlooked throughout the series and get to see more about them.

My only frustration with this season of Demon Slayer was a lack of Nezuko. After seeing her survive the sun, I would have liked to have seen her do more with it than just stare out a window. Perhaps she could have joined her brother so they could practice fighting together more or have some of the other demon slayers fight against her as practice.

It felt weird to see so little of her, especially when she was the person that the whole epic fight was for. Muzen wants her so he can be fully immortal, and it’s thanks to her that Tamayo, the demon that helped Tanjiro and Nezuko at the beginning, learned more about their curse from Muzen and potentially how to combat it. And yet, the girl herself is missing.

REVIEW SCORE

Besides that slight complaint, though, I think it was a good season of Demon Slayer. It helped draw out the tension for the last fight in a realistic way and gave viewers a chance to meet more characters that will be vital in the final fight. And I appreciate Ufotable for putting so much effort into the season despite it not being the most action-heavy.

If you want to watch the season or rewatch all of the show in preparation for the final arc, Demon Slayer is available to watch on Crunchyroll.