After splitting the bolder in last week’s episode of Demon Slayer Merch: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Tanjiro is ready to take the next step. The last two years of training will be put to the test in the final selection. Now, we’ll see if Tanjiro is up to scruff. The final selection will quite literally make or break our hero.
Plot
Urokodaki gives Tanjiro his blessing to participate in the Final Selection. He reveals he never wanted Tanjiro to actually go as he’s sick of sending children to their deaths. He tells Tanjiro he and Nezuko will be waiting for Tanjiro when he gets back. Tanjiro makes his way to the final selection, where we see some familiar faces from the opening credits. Two creepy girls inform the demon slaying hopefuls that they must last a week on the mountain. Tanjiro’s first night doesn’t pass by easily. After being attacked by two demons, he saves another examinee from a morphed demon. With the children from last week’s past revealed, we learn that Tanjiro’s battle with the morphed demon isn’t just for survival.
Episode Highlights
Urokodaki’s love: One of the best things about shounen anime is seeing the teacher-student bond, and Urokodaki and Tanjiro are no different. Over the last 2 years it’s clear that Urokodaki has grown to care for the boy, and is equal parts proud and nervous about his future. That hug and head pat at the end – just too sweet!
Matching Pair: The cloth characters wear is becoming an interesting feature of Kimetsu no Yaiba. In this week’s episode, Tanjiro wears the same cloud and pale blue print as Urokodaki.
Tanjiro’s Growth: This episode we got to see not only how much Tanjiro has grown stronger both physically and mentally. When he sees the other test taker being attacked, he still hesitates on what to do. More so because of fear, rather than indecision. But now he can act quickly, and has the mental fortitude to overcome his freezing.
That Demon: Oh boy, this week’s episode really showed us that the demons before were small fry compared to what’s out there. However, knowing how awful the demon was, made it all the more satisfying when Tanjiro defeated him. The fight scene was so tense and well animated, I was gripping my seat the whole time.
Themes & Trivia
Wisteria: The Wisteria flower typically represents longevity, and the ability to endure through hardship. In Japan the flowers were associated with nobility as commoners were forbidden from using the color purple. The trees can live up to one hundred years old, but some have been recorded as over one thousand years old. At the Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan you can see wisteria that are (besides the typical purple) pink, white, and yellow, throughout April and May.