English Dub Review: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc: “Aren’t You Going to Become A Hashira?”

Overview: Tanjiro (Zach Aguilar) and Genya (Zeno Robinson) team up to track down Hantengu’s (Christopher Corey Smith) main body in an attempt to take him down once and for all. 

Our Take: The split demons were a deadly ensemble in their numbers and vast range of abilities. Adding insult to injury, they escalate in how they prove to be even more challenging to kill in conventional beheading not sufficing. The real challenge lies in finding the real Hantengu, controlling his other selves, acting as the core life force. 

Genya’s race to get Hantengu ties into his inner conflict of wanting to prove himself and make amends with Senami. It stems from a past that’s especially hard to watch in his older brother having to kill their demon turned mother. The self-loathing Genya feels over his misplaced scorn towards his brother is a heartfelt way of tackling his guilt.  

Through it all, one of the most heartwarming aspects is how unrelentingly positive and encouraging Tanjiro is of his goal. He serves as a sweet albeit predictable inspiration, as he has for others in the past. It’s refreshing how Tanjiro breaks down his walls with his bright heart, with Genya even relying on him to kill Hantengu. Whether or not Kamado will pull it off, even when within striking distance of the demon’s neck, is another question.