Forum - View topicDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (TV + movie) (w/ index).
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2833 |
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Yuukaku-Hen #7
As refreshing as it is to see Nezuko give Daki a good stomping, there's a reason why Tanjirou has always kept her in the box and away from fighting. This is the first time she's lost control completely, and if she had been allowed to attack the civilian both siblings would have been executed regardless of the outcome of the investigation. It took a while to calm her down, but this isn't the first time Tanjirou's deceased family has saved the day and I doubt it will be the last. If viewers didn't read the source material, they would not have figured out Upper Six's true identity. Thankfully the show doesn't keep viewers in suspense and resolves that mystery before the end of the episode. The pair probably have a past of their own which has been hinted at over the last two weeks, but knowing the show it won't delve too deeply for now until the upcoming action scenes are resolved to a significant degree. One thing I'm not fond of is the new entrant's diction. VA is doing the role in a deliberate manner because the character tends to munch his syllables together, but it makes for taxing listening. He might call Daki short of a few brain cells, but the VA behind her speaks really well and is easy to understand even if she's throwing a tantrum. For the first time this series, Uzui Tengen is actually struggling against an opponent. Yes we're told how strong he is as one of the Pillars, but he's had it too easy compared to Rengoku in the previous arc and even Shinobu before that. To be fair, Muzan has commented on how unchanged his Upper Six have been for centuries whereas the Pillar turnover is much higher thanks to casualties and retirements. Rengoku took on Akaza bravely in the previous arc but fell valiantly, will Tengen be another casualty? The big difference of course is Tengen now has help, unlike Rengoku who had to do it all on his own. How much of a difference will Tanjirou and the others prove in the looming 4 vs 2 showdown? |
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ACｘS
 Posts: 876 |
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7:
Yep, I thought it was too easy to see Daki go down that fast, both in terms of the fight and the length of the series (we're only halfway through the series). If she's an Upper Demon, and Tanjiro was able to go one on one with her for that long, that something was off. Actually, the surprising thing to me was this: why did it not occur to Tanjiro (or even Uzui) how easy it seemed for an Upper Demon like her to be defeated. In game terminology, I guess this is now the "second phase of the boss fight". The "brother" (his name pending) is the one who's pulling all the stops, and the stronger between the two siblings. To see his not-so-appealing brother in contrast of his clearly-appealing sister... it kinda reminds me of a Dark Souls boss. Interesting; that's what makes games (and this show) fun to watch. Nezuko losing her marbles, I must admit, is a trope. I've seen a number of times in shounen shows where that one character goes aggro and loses control in the process, only to be kept at bay under the right circumstances. I guess the origins behind her unusual powers―instant regeneration, Blood Demon Art―requires explanation later on; you can't just make her IMBA and not clarify why she's like that. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2833 |
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Yuukaku-Hen #8
Situation isn't great, but it's not completely hopeless like it was with just Rengoku taking on Akaza on his own. On his own, Uzui Tengen would have been overpowered as we now know that Giyuutarou's blood blades are laced with a slow and potent poison. But with the other three participating, the chances for victory remain slim but are not at zero. Another episode where the animators show off their class. Yes, a lot of it is the blades just swinging around at speeds which the eye can't always match, but the details that go into the whole package are not something to sniff at. If it was any other Hashira taking on this pair, the three would have died. Fortunately for them having one with a Shinobi background has laid the groundwork for the battle to have lasted as long as it has. Tengen might hide personal insecurity behind his bling facade, but he's doing a brilliant job so far. Just figuring out beheading both of the Upper Six is the key to victory is something previous attempts never got to before ending in failure. His meeting with the head of household must have been sometime back, since the disfiguring scar on his face wasn't as extensive. Even if Tanjirou succeeds in decapitating Giyuutarou, it won't count unless Zenitsu and Inosuke do their part. Although they're not being overpowered, they can't get close enough to strike Daki. Zenitsu has already figured out the blades are poison, while Zenitsu in his sleep-induced trance remains fast enough to avoid them. No idea how he talks lucidly while sleeping, but it's a welcome change from his usual noisy self (and a nod to the range of his VA from absolutely annoying to understated levity). I'm not expecting Nezuko to make any further contribution in this story arc, but Tenzen's wife needs to be careful she isn't exposed to attack. |
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ACｘS
Posts: 876 |
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8:
Where the hell she pull out a cabinet full of kunai from. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11334 |
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Tenten's Ninja Art: Fūinjutsu Scroll of Weapons, of course.
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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He is also storing a huge amount of fireworks on himself, some of which apparently can go off with the slightest frictions, so surprising that he hadn't just blown up before now.
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 Bargain Hunter Posts: 23749 |
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Woo-hoo, I can finally join this thread! My grand entrance was delayed by the need to watch the five 2021 TV specials (as opposed to re-watching the entire first season), the seven Mugen Train episodes, and, of course, the first eight of the Entertainment District. I only started the process a few weeks ago, but I am now up to date.
A little disappointed discussion didn't start until episode #7 but I guess you were all busy over the holiday season and sadly this series discussion forum is under-used thanks to the attention that the episode review talkback threads get. In any case, I am so happy to be re-immersed in the Demon Slayer world. Watching a show like this really underscores how many mediocre shows are out there in terms of characterization, story-telling and how action scenes are handled. In lesser shows, I'm normally bored during the "action" scenes because they are often poorly staged and often just flashes of motion and sound signifying nothing. I not so patiently wait for them to be over because it's only the the result of a battle that is usually of interest... and sometimes not even then. I'm actually tense during the Demon Slayer battles because even though our main 4 characters have death protection, the writing and animation have a way of making the encounters meaningful. It's a tough trick to pull off. Anyway, I wonder if the title of episode 9 is going to be a misdirect? (Defeating an Upper Rank Demon). |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2833 |
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Yuukaku-Hen #9
The episode title in English is very misleading. For those who think it means the two antagonists getting killed this week, it's patently not the case. Those familiar with Japanese are well aware the title is better translated as "If an Upper Oni is slain", which fits in with the first half of the episode. Most of the episode is again preoccupied with showing off the ongoing concurrent duels, which as always are of a high standard. There's still time for character development though, as both Tengen and Hinatsuru get time in the spotlight. Especially the latter, as the episode title is attributed to what she said in the flashback scene. Regardless of what one thinks of Tengen, you can't accuse him of being shallow. He does care for his wives and will do anything to keep them safe and happy. Things looked to have been improving for the beleaguered Slayers, only for Giyuutarou to slam the door of victory shut once again. The Oni knows his poison is potent and that a long duel would increase the chances of victory, which has proven to be the case. Still, the story is not yet over and the next episode title speaks for itself. How the surviving Slayers pull it out of the fire should be an interesting discussion for those who aren't read up on this arc. |
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ACｘS
Posts: 876 |
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9:
Not wanting to be a wet blanket, but the whole switching back and forth with the flashbacks was a little irritating. Especially when it's deliberately used to bolster the gravity emotional impact of the fight. I know it's an all-or-nothing fight, but you don't have to be so direct with it. Not against the tool per se, but the way it's being presented especially when one flashback is slotted right in the middle of a fight. Also, the immaculate timing of the entire fight, especially with the concurrent fights that are occurring on both ends, required quite the suspension of disbelief. Stretching quite a bit there. I still love the fight. I mean, the whole hook of the show (at least for me) are the fights. But I have to point out how the show is pushing the envelope when I see it. At least the significance of this second Upper Demon battle, as far as the three protags are concerned, is how they aren't completely helpless as they were back in the Mugen Train Arc. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 23749 |
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Thanks for the translation clarification, Harleyquin, your version makes more sense.
AC x S: normally, I'd be right there with you in being irritated by mid-fight flashbacks, but Demon Slayer has consistently made the device work for me. The additional insights we learn from the flashbacks inevitably deepened my attachment to the characters and simply increased my emotional investment. But like I say I sympathize because normally I'd feel the way you do. I'm not familiar with the source material but there seem to be death flags for Tengen all over the place. I hope I'm flashily wrong. I am very curious how our fearless Demon Slayers are going to get out of this one. Will they be able to do it on their own or will there be a timely Hashira reinforcement? I guess we'll find out. To date, Demon Slayer has not, imo, pulled a cheap victory out of its butt - every victory has felt earned and I'm not expecting anything different this time. |
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ACｘS
Posts: 876 |
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Fair enough. It's a pet peeve for me about Demon Slayer in general: the way the show adds weight to Uzui's fight just feels forced for me, and it's because we know about him since the start of this arc. That's just nine episodes, and you can only do so much to me have that much of an emotional investment for somebody. Emotional investment and attachment takes a lot of time (as least for me), so it doesn't feel natural. This was even more pronounced for Rengoku's case in the Mugen Train arc; we only began to know him in that movie alone, so it didn't hit me in the feels that much. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2833 |
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Yuukaku-Hen #10
At last! Spoken lines for Nezuko's VA Kitou Akari! Those are rarer than hen's teeth in this series because Oni Nezuko has a mouthguard and spends most of her time growling and snarling. It's a waste as well, since Kitou Akari deserves more than that for her range (and she's earned it from her myriad other roles). No surprise the four of them turn it round, even if it does stretch the limits of the imagination. I don't know how much luck Tanjirou would have needed to pick up one Kunai while running before getting kicked, while it's physically impossible for Inosuke to move his organs by so much that he avoids a pulmonary perforation. Still, that's the way it goes and to compensate (and help the audience forget about the technical realities) there's one last bout of great action sequences to finish off the arc. Announcement that the last episode is also a double-header means the arc can do the one thing that's been missing thus far: a look into the background of these two oni. The animators kept this up until the movie, when time constraints meant we didn't see much of the surviving Lower First background. I didn't bother with the recap, so they might have done more of it then with the extra airtime but I don't think so based on a glance of the website's reviews. Even if all four of them survive Gyuutarou's final blast, the price is high. It's almost certain Uzui Tengen is out of the frontlines with one arm and an eye paid for contributing to Gyuutarou's demise, while the other three may or may not have long-term effects from their injuries and poison (surprisingly enough the first one back in action should be Zenitsu. He wasn't struck by the poison and bones and bruises from the debris are more straightforward than lethal Oni poison). Nezuko will most likely sleep through until the next story arc, so anime-only viewers will have a while yet before the saga continues. The animators need a break anyway, what with the effort put in to this series and the studio founder's recent brush with the law for tax evasion. Last edited by Harleyquin on Mon Feb 07, 2022 1:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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ACｘS
Posts: 876 |
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10:
Man this show's pulling out all the stops to outdo their own Mugen Train Arc. Although I feel like the show's stretching it with the whole "Uzui using his muscles to slow down the poison" or "Inosuke rearranging his organs to avoid being stabbed in the heart". I guess that's the shounen for you, and this show is the pinnacle of its genre today, alongside My Hero Academia. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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I can't recall the last time I was just so enamoured by the action in an anime. Such that I had started to get a little bored by anime action, but this episode was simply amazing, when it started with Uzui's comeback attacks, and even the whole lightning thing.
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ACｘS
Posts: 876 |
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I mean, I feel like every arc centers around the Hashira in topic's theme. In Mugen Train Arc, it was Rengoku's "burning". In this Entertainment District, Uzui has been preaching about being "flashy" so it's really living up to its theme. Now I'm wondering what the other Hashira are about.
But like I mentioned to my other circles, this show really wants to outdo itself every time. |
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