Review Of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Episode 04 – The Names of Dead Children

Just a few minutes ago I somehow managed to loose all the screen caps I had taken for this episode. It’s a bummer. I had so lovingly chosen each one. Oh well, I guess I’ll do it all over again in a little bit. Happily, this minor annoyance has not dampened my enthusiasm for the episode. Irina here, I will be hosting this week’s Demon Slayer discussion. First, how are you Crow? Recovering from Easter yet?

 

Doing fine, thanks for asking! Trying to recover from Easter as much as from the excitement of this episode!

The episode quickly reminds us that Tanjiro was finally able to cut the boulder thanks to Sabito and Makomo’s help. The music got a touch overbearing this week but once again the CG was on point!

What’s more. The scene showing an exhausted Tanjiro quietly listening to Urokodaki admit that he had given him an impossible task to keep him from the dangers of the final selection and the cathartic release that followed were genuinely touching. I could feel both men’s grim determination an mutual respect. Am I reading too much into this??

If you are, you have company! I thought that was a beautiful, touching, and authentic moment. After all that training and effort, after slicing the boulder, Urokodaki saying “Tanjiro, you’re a remarkable kid” meant a lot to both of them.

As bittersweet as it was, Urokodaki could not hold Tanjiro back from his destiny and meter they chose to celebrate with fasts and a gift of masks. I really like masks. Especially kitsune ones.i think more rites of passage should be marked with gifts of masks.

Unless they’re like the masks from that Twilight Zone episode. < shudder >

had to look it up – is this it?

You know, I have been a bit judgy on the perceived motivations in this show and kept reminding people that Tanjiro never wanted to become a demon Slayer in the first place. However, if I remember correctly, he’s been training for this for close to two years now. Even if he may not have set out for it, becoming a demon Slayer is the only purpose he’s known for a while now, I bet it’s beginning to mean a whole lot to him.

And in all that time, Nezuko has not woken up once. Do you miss her too Crow?

Yes, I do! I’m also wondering if Urokodaki is turning her from time to time, because if she doesn’t, she’ll get bed sores! And that bamboo bit has got to be chafing by now! And secretly? Part of me wonders if her slumber is a bit too convenient…

I’m just going to say it: told you so. Told you those two were Yokai!

Yes, you did! In the comments from the last episode, Lynn was close, guessing they might be spirits. And didn’t you think how the episode presented them was so sad? They were dead themselves, but they kept worrying about Tanjiro! But I’m getting ahead, aren’t I? Please, carry on!

Thank you! As Tanjiro made it to the final selection, I got a bit nervous. It reminded me of the Hunters Hunter exam and that’s not a good thing. Maybe it was the creepy twins or the brutal nature off the exam but I have a though time trusting the demon Slayer organization.

The show is teaching me to distrust cute, that’s for sure.

The second half of the episode was basically one tense survival/fight scene. One thing that has consistently impressed me about Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba is how well it creates disturbing scenes.

The mega demon was nothing short of an abomination and it was a little difficult to watch him with the victim. Am I just too precious here?

That monster was horrifying! And do you know what helped sell that idea? Tanjiro’s reaction! The other candidate was screaming, but we have no idea who he was. Maybe he screamed in terror at the sight of kittens! But Tanjiro? We know he’s tough. So if he’s scared, there’s something to be scared of!

But a lot of shows can’t stick the landing. Even after we saw the creature – it was still horrible!

The episode also did a great job at creating an emotional reaction. After all, I know Tanjiro is going to be OK, I see it in the opening credits. This fight doesn’t have that much riding on it all things considered and yet. I was wringing my fingers holding my breath and rooting for Tanjiro like my life savings were on the line.

The scene pulled us in so deeply that were were in the flow, so to speak; anxious to know what was next! That’s a great sign.

I think they managed this through a couple of tricks. First you had that rather brutal introduction to the big Demon that instantly identified it as not just an antagonist but an abomination. Second, you had that other student playing the role of damsel in distress to get our protective instincts ging, and finally you had the demon bring up a personal connection and history with both Urokodaki, Sabito and Makomo. And what a history it was.

I am not a blood thirsty person by nature nor do I find vengeance particularly motivating but I really wanted Tanjiro to kick his but!

Did you see Tanjiro’s reaction? His moment of realization? Powerful stuff. For me, his motivation at that point was less revenge (which is completely understandable!) and more a primitive instinct: to remove a threat to your kind.

If we overthink it for a second, there’s quite a bit of fridge horror going on here. Basically they are all on a mountain which is surrounded by a wisteria grove. For reasons not yet revealed (and maybe never to be revealed) demons stay away from the flowers to the point that they are trapped on the mountain. I’m not sure how often these final selections are held but I’m thinking no more than once a year. Potentially even once every other year or less. Those demons are starving. Even one that’s been around for eras has only managed to eat 50 hopefuls. Considering a demon like that could probably get quite a few every time.

They are sending a lot of trained but still completely green recruits without backup or supervision in there to survive or 7 days. With no food, shelter or light. No provisions at all. Just their weapons.

Tanjiro was incredibly lucky to have run into that thing right off the bat. Imagine if it was night 5 and he was exhausted, hungry and mildly dehydrated, show would be over.

If the training and selection are this brutal, what’s waiting for them after graduation? For the few that graduate, I mean. I suppose one way to look at it is if they send poorly trained slayers into the field, they just become demon food, which makes the demons stronger. They can’t have that!

In any event, you’re absolutely right about how lucky Tanjiro was. And did you notice how he had thought things through? He was planning to stay mobile at night when the demons were active and sleep during the day. He was also heading for the spot on the mountain where the sun would hit first! He’s a smart kid!

I’m happy we finally got to see those ‘water’ animations. Seems it’s the style Urokodaki teaches. I find it visually stunning. Do you think other masters wield different elements?

That’s something cool to think about, isn’t it? What did you think of the moves’ names, like Striking Tide, Water Wheel, or Water Surface Slash? I geek out over that kind of stuff!

We saw a few faces that I recognized among the kids at the selection. If I had to guess, I’m thinking we’re going to be seeing more of them next episode. I’m pumped this is a 24 episode run. Even with everything that happens each week, I always feel like we’re going to run out of time. Maybe that’s just because every week, the episode is over before I know it!

An I got my screencaps back! And then some.

That’s a relief! Oh — did you notice how Tanjiro said “Rest in peace” after killing the first two demons? That reminded me a lot of Allen Walker from D.Gray-Man! That differentiates those two heros from their peers.

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Episode 01: Cruelty
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Episode 02: Trainer Sakonji Urokodaki
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Episode 03: Sabito and Makomo

and here are those screencaps in question. Some are very pretty, the wisterias for instance!