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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Demon Slayer: Hashira Training

Demon Slayer is pretty good - the latest season is not.

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I certainly wouldn't describe myself as an anime fan, nor is it a subject or area of interest I plan to dedicate more time to in the future. Yes, I have actually watched every episode of Naruto with my friend Rasmus, partly to overcome a budding postpartum depression, but it took me over three years. I dip my toes in when the opportunity presents itself, and I've actually been keeping up with Demon Slayer.

It's hard to say why, but when the reviews came out for Mugen Train, the series' first bid to take over cinemas as well as phone screens, there was a lot of electric energy around the series, mostly due to its surprisingly broad appeal globally - in fact, it grossed over $500 million on a $15 million budget.

Mugen Train was the absolute high point of the series in terms of both storytelling and visual style and quality, and since then many, including myself, believe that Swordsmith Village - and now Hashira Training, too - is a bit of a stumbling block when it comes to key aspects like pacing and tone.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

Demon Slayer, for the uninitiated, is about Tanjiro Kamado who lives in Japan during the Taisho period (1912-1926) and tragically loses his family to a "demon", which in this universe is a kind of play on a vampire, meaning they can't stand sunlight, and they can create new demons by giving their blood to selected victims. However, they all stem from the same source, Muzan Kibutsuji, and Tanjiro's goal is to get revenge by killing him and all demons. He also discovers that there is a secret order that has made it their solemn duty to slay demons wherever they may be; the Demon Slayer Corps.

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It sounds generic and simplistic, but what follows is actually a fairly precise narrative that contains both emotionally resonant moments enhanced by grandiose action sequences that are more grounded than, say, Dragon Ball, but are so finely honed that your heart will be in your throat.

And if you're on the verge of giving it a look, perhaps I can persuade you by stating that Demon Slayer, compared to certain other anime series, has actually already been completed as manga, and that with the upcoming sixth season (if you think of Mugen Train as a season) we're simply closing the book. This isn't a continuous perpetual investment - it's quite finite, actually.

The latest season is Hashira Training, where Tanjiro must both lick his wounds from past escapades, but also train with the high-ranking fighters of the Demon Slayer Corps, and prepare for what promises to be the series' climactic battle. It's all well and good, but again, the series unfortunately manages to drag itself across the finish line without the hard-hitting action it's world-famous for. This season is basically just character exposition and funny little sequences that punctuate the pace and drain the series of all its colour in exchange for a cheap laugh.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
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In other words, yes, Hashira Training sets up this rather exciting world for the end of the conflict we've been waiting for since the beginning, and that counts for something, but it's done in the most anaemic, stagnant and borderline boring way. You get to know more about the Hashira fighters who are on the front line of the battle against the demonic advance, and that's worth something, and the animation quality is still sky-high, as is the Japanese voice acting, but beyond that it's not a worthy sequel to the series' most successful seasons, no doubt about it.

But you should still give Demon Slayer a shot, even if there are elements of the typical anime bullshit, such as comically enlarged breasts, chibi-style oversized dialogue and phrases like "acknowledge each other" and "don't push yourself too hard" - narrative staples that Japanese storytellers simply can't let go of. This is one of the easiest anime series to watch as an outsider, and even Hashira Training is recommended for the sole reason that you're then ready to watch three full feature films that make up the sixth and final season.

05 Gamereactor UK
5 / 10
overall score
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