English Dub Review: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment Distrct Arc: “What Are You?”

Overview: Zenitsu (Aleks Le) and Inosuke (Bryce Papenbrook) take one step closer in coming face-to-face with Daki, (Erica Lindbeck) the demon that has plagued the Entertainment District for quite some time. 

Our Take: “What Are You?” explores that very question by delving into the demon that Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke find themselves in the midst of as they infiltrate the Entertainment District and look for Izui’s wives. 

Mostly focused on Zenitsu and Inosuke, they make progress on their investigations and discover a demon behind the scenes of the houses they have infiltrated. Daki, an upper rank demon and distinguished Oiran, makes an incredible debut as a terrifying new demonic threat. Her quick speed and evasion of Inosuke, only teasing the destruction and carnage she leaves in her wake, sets her up as an imposing adversary for the young swordsmen. 

Daki’s ruthlessness is quickly made clear with her life during an older period of Japan. Her venomous nature driving girls to suicide and extinguishing any who figure her demonic identity drive home her pure viciousness. Her relationship with that of Muzan emulates that of most demons in being submissive and scarily obedient to him. However, with her you can see how much she respects him, making him even more of a scary adversary with how quickly her disposition changes around him. 

Zentisu, defending some young girls employed for Daki’s house that she is abusing, comes face-to-face with the monstrosity that she is. Daki is fierce as she is composed in her disguise as an Oiran. She also is shown to be a very intelligent one at that with her quickly realizing he is a part of the Demon Slayer corp. based on the minor damage and even the way he fell after being struck by her. Teasing a horrific battle from Tanjiro’s foreboding, he seems to be right on the money with Daki just on the verge of trapping Zenitsu before cutting to black and creating immense anticipation for the confrontation and, more than likely, battle ahead.