Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

[KrayZ33]

I'm okay with it if you establish it as a thing. But suddenly introducing it this far in does indeed feel like a copout.

For what?
Did this memory provide anything that wasn't explained or was difficult to explain or something else?
The doll itself with the earrings already tell us that there is a connection to Tanjiro, then there is Tanjiro's birthmark, which gets bigger when he does this Sun(? can't remember)-breathing of his. The hair - even the doll has the "mark" in some way. Then there was the Demon in episode 1 this season who lived for hundreds of years and has this same mark as well (+ another one on the lower left of his face from who knows where/how/what it means - probably a different guy or generation btw, because it's a different sword + a different voice actor...)

So obviously, there are connections established already and the memory didn't give us any more to work on imho.

I mean - okay, if we assume the demon and the swordsman (for reasons mentioned above) are not the same, I guess we got some new information out of it that would be "hard" to explain. But at the same time it's not like the information was necessary for something that wasn't already shown/told otherwise.

[DarthEnderX]

then there is Tanjiro's birthmark, which gets bigger when he does this Sun(? can't remember)-breathing of his.

Isn't that mark a tattoo that he got over his original scar?

So obviously, there are connections established already and the memory didn't give us any more to work on imho.

Not for us. But it's giving Tanjiro information he wouldn't otherwise have.

I mean, why not just put the info in the book he's reading?

[shinta|hikari]

I'm okay with the generational memory. It has more realism than breathing techniques, and also clearly shows how Tanjiro's ancestors learned from the Sengoku sun samurai.

[MFauli]

Ok, can we pls agree that generatonal memory is NOT any more realistic than breathing techniques? Thank you, LOL.

[KrayZ33]

Not for us. But it's giving Tanjiro information he wouldn't otherwise have.

I mean, why not just put the info in the book he's reading?

I'm not saying there aren't other ways.
I'm saying it's not a copout. (in what way is the author required to use that scene, he didn't have to at all - if he trusted the viewers more, they would probably get it without it)

As you mentioned yourself, it doesn't take much to get the information across. So for sure the author thought about how he wanted to do this and he did it "this" way. But it's not like he did do it "this" way, because he had no other way or couldn't think of anything.

Keep in mind that Tanjiro was mindreading, dream/trancewalking around in scenes he didn't know and talking to ghost and stuff ever since episode 1 or 2 in the first season.

Isn't that mark a tattoo that he got over his original scar?

I don't know what it is, but it expands and burns into a different shape when he does his super-breathing style his father once did when he danced outside in the snow.

[shinta|hikari]

Ok, can we pls agree that generatonal memory is NOT any more realistic than breathing techniques? Thank you, LOL.

Generational/Genetic memory actually has some theories on it IRL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneti...ns%20of%20time.

Breathing techniques IRL is for relaxation and meditation, not powering up.

[DarthEnderX]

Ok, can we pls agree that generatonal memory is NOT any more realistic than breathing techniques? Thank you, LOL.

Are you suggesting Assassin's Creed isn't scientifically accurate!

I don't know what it is, but it expands and burns into a different shape when he does his super-breathing style his father once did when he danced outside in the snow.

Hmm. I never noticed it.

[DarthEnderX]

03

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"No no! I couldn't accept this amazing secret ancient sword!" Grinning all the while. Tanjiro is a true gamer.

[Buffalobiian]

03

---

"No no! I couldn't accept this amazing secret ancient sword!" Grinning all the while. Tanjiro is a true gamer.

Yeah his grin and cry betrays it all. It was pretty funny to watch. I don't remember Nezuko having interacted with the pink haired Hashira at all to form such admiration.

So "waki" means both armpits and sides? That can be confusing if I had to say... follow instructions..

Tanjiro not being able to smell that demon is kind of lore-breaking unless they explain this specifically. Smelling things is kind of his thing.

[MFauli]

The silly smith masks are really ruining this whole arc for me. Kinda. They look so both dumb and unpleasant, it's so off-putting to look at that design. Like, it reminds me of Popeye when he blows his smoke pipe. Really dumb. And because of that the sudden switch to "now serious" didn't work for me this episode.

Another upper rank who doesn't die when decapitated is kinda lame. Although I'm curious what his weakness is gonna be, considering even simultaneous multi-decapitating didn't work against him.

And then there's the vase upper rank, too. After not having killed an upper rank in over hundred years or so, I'm not sure how plausible it's gonna be for the Hashira to slay two of them at once now (I'm assuming they'll win ultimately).

Genya totally is a fake and twin or so of the original Genya, isn't he? The tooth either is either fake, re-grew by supernatural causes or means this is a different person.

[DarthEnderX]

New Upper's gimmick seems to be every time you kill him, he splits into individual emotions.

Like that Raven episode of Teen Titans.

And then there's the vase upper rank, too. After not having killed an upper rank in over hundred years or so, I'm not sure how plausible it's gonna be for the Hashira to slay two of them at once now (I'm assuming they'll win ultimately).

I mean, they're 100% gonna kill all of them, like, this year. Because this is a bog standard shonen.

[neflight86]

They got nine more episodes to do it, then.

I assume the personality splitter only goes so far, and maybe it'll be a 'gets weaker with each division' setup.

If we can safely assume that uppers don't die from simple beheadings, that would explain why none of them have been killed in living (human) memory.

Nichirin buckshot? Excellent.

Now the mist hashira is also throwing up death flags by having character growth from Tanjori's good-guy schtik. I'm predicting both him and love hashira die to kill number 4, and Tanjro and the other survivor will have to tag team to kill number five in a moment of opportunity. Just putting my bets in now.

[KrayZ33]

Love(?) Hashira is still in town as well, right? Or did she leave last night.

[MFauli]

Smith Village Arc Episode 4:

I'm not feeling this battle yet. On one hand, the supposed upper rank-demon feels weak compared to the previous 2 we saw. On the other hand, everyone is sustaining way too much damage too quickly. All those deep wounds Tanjiro suffered from the talons, then the fatal (?) wounds the annoying guy suffered, and Nezuko also got heavy damage. It all feels rushed right now, like we're not even watching the real fight right now.

I'm also not a fan of "decapitating won't kill them anymore", it was a simple, effective rule so far.

I'm assuming the female Hashira will take the spotlight in this arc, together with seaweed Hashira.

[neflight86]

I'm assuming the female Hashira will take the spotlight in this arc, together with seaweed Hashira.

I figured hashiras will always do that from now on, since I expect them to be present during these battles.

This whole last two episodes is a low for Demon Slayer. The stakes and powers are too vague and obscure to create the tension a battle like this needs. That swordsmith kid would have been a decent addition to the battle area since he's the only side character to get development this arc (protecting him as stakes); but instead is a side-mission for the seaweed hashira who we find out has amnesia as a telegraph for some shocking twist later...

Tanjiro's battle with joy demon was quite a step down from his previous few main battles as it was weakly directed and, again, showed little imminent danger to Tanjiro. Daki was on the verge of killing him a couple times and that entire scene was much more visually interesting. Joy was a retread of the 'death by a thousand cuts' speed demon archetype and Tanjiro's method for faking him out to land a blow was awkward and didn't feel earned or impressive. Shrug.

Agreed that these four split emotion upper demons have been pretty unimpressive so far. Their attacks seem too gimmicky to be taken as a serious threat, suggesting their longevity comes from their hidden weak spot- a boring proposition.

I would argue that the only one keeping this battle somewhat interesting is the shotgun kid by being able to survive death blows by unknown means (demons getting a taste of a human who won't die when 'killed normally' is a fun twist) and is getting a few hits in. Plus his style of sword x gun is a welcome change of pace.

Love hashira took her sweet time getting ready to join the fight, but hopefully next episode can recapture the energy previous seasons had in the headliner fights!

[DarthEnderX]

On the other hand, everyone is sustaining way too much damage too quickly. All those deep wounds Tanjiro suffered from the talons, then the fatal (?) wounds the annoying guy suffered, and Nezuko also got heavy damage.

If Genya can regrow a tooth, I assume he has some kind of regeneration.

Tanjiro's battle with joy demon was quite a step down from his previous few main battles as it was weakly directed and, again, showed little imminent danger to Tanjiro.

It's hard to pretend Tanjiro is fighting seriously when he's not even using his breathing techniques yet.

[Buffalobiian]

Genya can regrow a tooth, yet he's got a scar. Maybe he's got demon stuff implanted in him (but demon body parts are supposed to disintegrate once they truly die so I don't know). Or maybe it's something to do with whatever Wind Breathing is supposed to do given that he's the ?brother of the Wind Hashira.

[KrayZ33]

Overall the splitting-dude seems rather weak. He doesn't feel as ominous as the others.
Feels like a generic Final Fantasy enemy or something. Weird to describe.

The vase-demon kinda has a different feel to him. The way he devoured that smith was disgusting and thus scary AF.

[shinta|hikari]

I guarantee the splitting demon has more tricks up his many sleeves. It isn't Kimetsu if you don't feel the despair.

[MFauli]

I guarantee the splitting demon has more tricks up his many sleeves. It isn't Kimetsu if you don't feel the despair.

That's part of my criticism, though: Our heroes are already kinda fucked (Genya hit by deathblows, Tanjiro with many deep flesh wounds and electro shocks, Nezuko being ineffective) and yet there is no feeling of despair. Hence why I said it doesn't feel like the fight has really started.

If Tanjiro takes this long to truly get into fighting spirits, that's a bad sign.