Hello and welcome to Project Nitsuj. So last week I took a look at a series that’s cooled down here in the west but is still popular. This series, hasn’t cooled down at all. Yep, Kimetsu no Yaiba or Demon Slayer continues to be a popular and merchandising juggernaut to this day. Despite the series coming to an end years ago, it remains fresh in everyone’s mind and is still regarded as one of the best animes. Seriously, everywhere I go I’ll see a kid or adult wearing something related to Kimestu no Yaiba (i.e backpack, shirt, keychain, etc.). Even my dates who don’t know that much about anime have said they’ve heard of or watched an episode of Kimestu no Yaiba. This series has united the world and with the first of three finale movies set to come out soon, I thought it’d be a good idea to review the fourth season. So pull out your Kimetsu no Yaiba merchandise. *Puts on Tanjiro’s hanafuda earing* This is Kimetsu no Yaiba S4.
Opening and Ending
This season’s opening is “Mugen” by MY FIRST STORY x Hyde. Out of all the openings this is probably my least favorite. It’s a good song, I especially like the start but it sounds and feels like a forgettable song. However, it does have the best visuals out of all the openings in my opinion and that’s saying something.
The ending is “Tokoshie” by MY FIRST STORY x Hyde. This is a pretty ominous ending. It starts off malevolent and foreboding like something sinister is about to happen, but then we get a key change and it sounds like hope and determination. It’s a perfect song that symbolizes Muzen and the hashiras. One side is fighting for his own selfish ambitions. The other is fighting to protect what they hold dear.
Episodes 1-4
The season starts with a special episode where we see Sanemi, the wind hashira, and Obanai, the serpent hashira (these breathing techniques get more and more obscure with each hashira) saving a woman in a castle full of demons. Despite slicing through a majority of them, some managed to escape via Muzan’s infinite castle (scene here: https://youtu.be/-7j2t_bJEkY?si=Z2-7CLE1SZ4UBNC7). A few days later and the hashiras gather where they talk about Nezuko and the impending war between them and the demons (all this just to get a girl demon who can survive in the sun. I’ve seen people go to war over crazier things. Scenes here: https://youtu.be/-9iUBwYJWlY?si=vbTIFVYw-lOAWqb7 and https://youtu.be/F9vFkqaPFVA?si=G4WLdWVh29vhRacV). The hashiras decide to hold a training camp with other slayers to help them get stronger and unlock their demon slaying mark in the process. Tanjiro hears about the training but can’t go just yet due to his injuries and needs more time to recover. The only one not taking part in the training is Giyu who has gone off to train alone (born loner). Meanwhile, Tamayo receives an invitation to the HQ of the Slayer Corp in order to examine Nezuko and hopefully defeat Muzan.
In episode 2 the master asks Tanjiro to speak with Giyu in the hopes of getting him to join the others in the training. Despite still recovering, Tanjiro goes to see Giyu where he’s mad at him for not becoming the water hashira. Giyu refuses to take part in the training so Tanjiro continues to stick around him (and if you’re an introvert this is like the worst thing imaginable). Giyu finally opens up to Tanjiro (his extrovert energy was too much) where he explains that despite holding the title of water hashira, it’s a title he hasn’t accepted. Remember back in season 1 when Tanjiro was trying to break that rock and he hallucinated two slayers his age helping him? Well the boy was Sabito and it turns out he and Giyu were good friends. They trained together and out of the two he was the stronger one. During the final selection exam, Sabito was killed and Giyu passed without so much as killing a demon during those 7 days (a far cry from where he is now). Giyu is suffering from survivor’s guilt. In his mind, he should have died on that mountain instead of Sabito and Tanjiro understands where he’s coming. He’s seen his family die and watched slayers stronger than him die as well while he continues to live (comes with the territory called life). Tanjiro tells him to keep on living to carry out Sabito’s will. Sabito doesn’t want him to live with guilt, he wants him to live with compassion for others (and if need be kill a demon or two. Scene here: https://youtu.be/ZR1Ea4ZjBwg?si=pkEj9HhK5AIOhDGR). Tanjiro’s words help Giyu remember Sabito and he agrees to take part in the training. With Giyu on board that now just leaves Shinobu who also isn’t participating in the training either and seems to have something brewing off to the side (and it’s not tea).
Nothing much happens in episode 3. Tanjiro finally enters the hashira training and his first stop is Uzui who is focused on strengthening their stamina. Tanjiro becomes the star pupil (the man has faced three upper moons. Technically more) inspiring those around them. In the end, they’re not able to keep up with Tanjiro but they resolve to get strong enough to support him as they believe he’s the one who will take down Muzan (the faith they have in him. Scene here: https://youtu.be/-p8OYpPemeE?si=qxDpr2yQrI5gnChd).
In episode 4 Tanjiro goes to next hashira for his training which is Muichiro (new best friend). As you’d expect Muichiro is happy to see Tanjiro again (scene here: https://youtu.be/-vHKRvTIjT8?si=J89TgCdX7ooaR_0Q) and treats him differently from everyone else. With Tanjiro he speaks softly, is friendlier, and has a smile on his face. With the others, he’s not necessarily mean per se but he is a lot harder on them and speaks in that monotone foggy voice (it’s adorable. Scene here: https://youtu.be/xCa6MVdYIkw?si=NTLHJ9sA48Y9hTdT). During the day Muichiro trains everyone and at night he spars with Sanemi and Obanai (scene here: https://youtu.be/yW5bjUOoNec?si=waSLpLOMjf0Trdzd). After five days of training, Muichiro gives Tanjiro the greenlight to go to the next hashira saying he has completed his training but before going, Tanjiro challenges Muichiro to a paper plane contest in the hopes of getting him to be nicer to the others slayers but he keeps losing. However, this does allow the other slayers to see that Muichiro just like them is a human boy who cares about them and wants to keep them safe. Everyone joins the competition and they have a good time with each other (scenes here: https://youtu.be/gXpv8o-8Gmo?si=NAlcgaC3Gpc4Gj3e and https://youtu.be/o74HlkWLevo?si=274hHoHYAoJS6H_j) a lot of people complain they were milking this scene but I liked it. In fact, a majority of this episode was anime-only content. I think a lot of us forget that a majority of these characters are still teenagers having to grow up sooner than expected so it’s nice to get scenes like this where they can forget all about the demons and just be boys).
Episodes 5-8
Episode 5 begins with Tanjiro arriving at Mitsuri’s place for the next part in his training. Just like Muichiro she’s happy to see him and makes him pancakes (why does nobody want to marry her again?). Her training begins which is all about staying limber and flexible (Shizuku: We do like a man who’s flexible) so they do a lot of gymnastics. After her he arrives at Obani’s training and he’s been waiting for this. Unlike the previous hashiras who like Tanjiro, Obani doesn’t care for him. Especially since Mitsuri talks about him so much and he happens to have a crush on her (finally, a man with common sense). His training is all about swinging with accuracy and speed (it reminds me of a sniper which fits his personality). The only problem with this training is that Tanjiro has to avoid striking other demon slayers who have been hung up for various crimes (the major crime being side characters). This training is tough as Tanjiro keeps hesitating and his strikes are too slow (block out the noise and concentrate on your opponent). It takes him four days but he manages to block out the distractions and land a hit on Obani’s haori to pass his training (scene here: https://youtu.be/C5fK74z_f0Q?si=kPhUrTSao-qgr79E). Tanjiro then goes to Sanemi’s training (ah yes, the one hashira who he has the most trouble with) and right away the two make it known that they don’t like each other. We meet Zenitsu again whose also training with Sanemi and it’s pretty hellish, all he does is beat them up (sounds like a training session with Minoru Shizuki). When Tanjiro comes across Genya and Sanemi talking to each other, he saves Genya’s life after he reveals that he ate a piece of a demon to survive. This leads to an all-out brawl between Tanjiro and Sanemi with everyone getting caught in the storm. Once the fight gets broken up, Tanjiro and Sanemi get reprimanded for their actions, Tanjiro’s training with him is suspended, and the two keep their distance from each other.
In episode 6 Tanjiro and Zenitsu leave Sanemi’s place and go to the next training session being run by Gyomei the Stone hashira (again, how does that work?). Not only is he possibly the oldest slayer we’ve seen so far but he’s also considered the leader of the hashiras (when he tells them to shut up they shut up) and the strongest member of the slayer corps (really? This war monk is considered the strongest?). We see Inosuke doing the training as well where even he can tell Gyomei is strong (if there’s one thing wild animals recognize its strength). Gyomei’s training is split into three parts. First part, standing under a waterfall (Mugen: Screw that). Second, lifting three logs (this is the easy part). Finally, moving a boulder one cho (358 feet). The whole point of this training is to strengthen their core and lower body (scene here: https://youtu.be/RSLfWYnBQhw?si=Kngfkk2W008kFkQL). Tanjiro struggles with the boulder but thanks to Genya’s advice he’s able to start moving it.
At the start of episode 7, Tanjiro successfully moves the boulder one cho completing his training. After completing his training he gets approached by Gyomei who acknowledges Tanjiro as a righteous person and tells him his backstory. Gyomei was a blind monk who looked after some kids. Despite having little, they were happy together. Until one night a demon caught one of the kids and planned to eat him. In order to save his life, the boy led the demon to the others where he killed all but one of them. Gyomei managed to beat the demon with his bare-hands (despite being skinning and slightly malnourished) but was arrested for the murder of the orphans as the one orphan who survived was in a state of fear, shock and confusion that she believed he was the one who killed everyone. It was thanks to the master that Gyomei was saved. Speaking of the master, he receives a visit from Muzan who found his house (I’m surprised he didn’t moonwalk in).
In the final episode Muzan and the master talk with each other. It doesn’t really go anywhere. We do learn that the master and Muzan are related to each other (which I’m guessing made family reunions awkward) and then the master sacrifices himself and his family by blowing up his house to cause damage to Muzan. While it doesn’t kill him it does slow down his regenerative abilities giving plenty of time for Tamayo to come in and feed him her medicine which will turn demons back into humans. Gyomei comes in to shatter Muzan’s head but even that’s not enough to kill him (it’s a battle of endurance. Fight until the sun comes up and kill him then). Tanjiro and the other hashiras arrive to fight but Muzan sends them all to his Infinity castle (a perfect spot for the final showdown). The rest of the Demon Slayer corp. gets transported to the castle as well as Muzan plans to kill them all (and it’s the war between the slayers and the demons. Let’s see who will be left standing when it’s all over. Scene here: https://youtu.be/gJpQljzMlgk?si=Rd-sRQZwbH6aRN8v).
Final Thoughts
And that was the fourth season of Kimestu no Yaiba. This whole season served as the build-up to the final battle with Muzan and it does a good job showing everyone getting ready for it. I enjoyed getting to see the rest of the hashiras and learning more about them. I also like how Tanjiro has become well respected not just by the hashiras but by other members of the corp. They really do believe that he’s the one who can defeat Muzan and are prepared to back him up so he can do it.
The animation is still great and even though we don’t get a lot of action this season the scenes that we do see of action are done well. I also did like the additional scenes the anime added.
Final Score
The final score for Kimestu no Yaiba S4 is a 7.5/10. A good build-up to the final battle and gets us excited for what’s to come. There’s going to be 3 movies coming out and they’re going to be high quality. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.