English Dub Review: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc: “Yoriichi Type Zero”

Overview: Tanjiro (Zach Aguilar) defends the swordsmith, Kotetsu (Jeannie Tirado), from Muichiro (Griffin Burns), the Mist Hashira, who doesn’t exactly give the warmest welcome to the swordsman. 

Our Take: The squabble Tanjiro attempts to solve proves to be more than a chance encounter in meeting the Mist Hashira. Muichiro is a different beast from the other Hashira in how cold and calculating he is. However, what truly makes him interesting is how the lack of emotion involved with no bad intentions. It’s a personality trait that gives him a strangely robotic feel. 

Muichiro’s Terminator mode creates a tense conflict with Tanjiro in the cruelty he shows the young swordsmith, Kotetsu. The mechanized training doll is intriguing in how it is far more advanced than most technology in the time period. Beyond that, its resemblance to an Upper Rank, both in fighting style and appearance, sets up a strong new opponent. 

If Muichiro rubs you the wrong way, Kotetsu will warm even the coldest of hearts. His spirited, comically ruthless nature makes him an absolute gem. His childishness is endearing and hilarious with his brutal training regimen for Tanjiro in wanting to get back at Muichiro. Tanjiro’s effect on him is also touching in the inspiration he instills within. 

Tanjiro’s constant improvements are always a treat in how inventive they are. His smell has always been a nice buff, but expanding it into sensing enemy movements is a cool, versatile upgrade. The nature of the stone and how dreams play a part in Tanjiro’s past is intriguing in how they’ll foreshadow characters and aid him. The hidden sword is also interesting in what abilities make it so coveted as, presumably, it’s the one Mitsuri spoke of.