Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba (Season 2B) Entertainment District Arc Talkback Thread *spoilers*

[PicardMan]

The dub for this arc is finally about to arrive. Discuss the arc here.

Entertainment District Arc​

Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu accompany the Sound Hashira, Tengen, on a mission to Yoshiwara to help search for his missing wives who were investigating rumors of demons within the district.

Episode 34 "Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui"​

After the Mugen Train incident, Akaza visits Muzan Kibutsuji. Guided by a crow, Tanjiro Kamado heads off to the Rengoku residence to convey Kyojuro Rengoku's last messages to his father and little brother. Tanjiro's group return to the Butterfly Mansion.

When: Season 2 English Dub begins Sundays starting February 20 at 8 am PST, 11 am EST

Where: Funimation and Crunchyroll

# of Episodes: 10, Episodes 34 to 44

See Also:
-Demon Slayer (Season One) Talkback Threads

Spoiler

-01. Cruelty
-02. Trainer Sakonji Urokodaki
-03. Sabito and Makomo
-04. Final Selection
-05. My Own Steel
-06. Swordsman Accompanying a Demon
-07. Muzan Kibutsuji
-08. The Smell of Enchanting Blood
-09. Temari Demon and Arrow Demon
-10. Together Forever
-11. Tsuzumi Mansion
-12. The Boar Bares Its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps
-13. Something More Important Than Life
-14. The House with the Wisteria Crest
-15. Mount Natagumo
-16. Letting Something Else Go First
-17. You Must Master a Single Thing
-18. A Forged Bond
-19. Hinokami
-20. Pretend Demon
-21. Against Corps Rules
-22. Master of the Mansion
-23. Hashira Demon
-24. Rehabilitation Training
-25. Tsuguko, Kanao Tsuyuri
-26. New Mission

-Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Movie Discussion Thread (the previous arc)
--Note: In Demon Slayer: Entertainment District, this movie is Episodes 27 to 33.

Spoiler

-27. Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku
-28. Deep Sleep
-29. Should Have Been
-30. Insult
-31. Move Forward!
-32. Azaka
-33. Set Your Heart Ablaze

Also, season 3 has been officially announced. Titled Swordsmith Village.

 

[Magmaster12]

The dub for this arc is finally about to arrive. Discuss the arc here.

Next time can you please list the streaming service that will have the dub

 

[Yojimbo]

Wait, so Muzan poses as a little adopted boy, too... okay.

Blue Spider Lily. Hmm. If Muzan is trying to gather rare ingredients, can't be good.

Naturally, back to the mansion for healing. Though the mental trauma from Rengoku's death may take awhile to heal from.

Karma for stealing that plate of food. lol.

Boy, what a piece of work. The movie alluded to it but he's even more cruel. I guess he's that way because his wife got ill and passed away prematurely.

The father knew of Sun Breathing right away? The earrings mean something. The first form and everything came from it? Intriguing.

Headbutt saves him again, heh heh.

Aw, damn. The father ripped up the book. All that history. Perhaps Senjuro will become an academic and preserve the history of the Demon Corps. Classy of him to offer the sword guard.

He did love his son.

lmao, yes, he'd be furious Tanjiro lost his sword.

4 month time skip past another training arc. No problem with that.

What a way for a Hashira to make an entrance...

So this Tengen was a shinobi and cares about flash and style. And now he kills only demons. Ok.

Zenitsu is going to be mighty tempted in the Entertainment District...

Ok, so end credits definitely confirm the next demon is another of the uppers. Matches one of the silhouettes when Enmu was fantasizing about challenging an upper in a scene during Mugen Train.

All in all, that's cool we're getting longer runtimes for episodes and the animation looks as amazing as ever. And having to fight an Upper in a populated area should be a challenge.

 

[PicardMan]

This episode was mainly for the characters, and by extension the audience, to mourn Regoku (RIP). We get our first peak at the Sound Hashira and he's not nearly as nice as Rengoku, based on how he treats women. Next week it looks like the arc proper starts. Demon Slayer seems to be able to do its emotional moments pretty well as Rengoku's death was pretty crushing to the audience. Some people say the show's all pretty pictures and nothing else, but I think the show has more going for it than that. It's one of the better anime out there.

 

[PicardMan]

Season 2 Episode 2 (Episode 35) "Infiltrating the Entertainment District"​

Led by Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui, Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu disguise themselves so they can get hired in the Entertainment District.

 

[PicardMan]

After tragedy, we get comedy, and pretty twisted comedy as Tanjiro and friends infiltrate the entertainment district disguised as female prostitutes, um, courtesans as the dub chose for a euphemism. That was pretty funny in a dark way, but I think the demons are going to attack before Tanjiro loses his virginity to a man twice his age and has to reveal what he actually has under his robe. We learn that Uzui is a polygamist. Some of the comedy wasn't a hit like Zenitsu screaming in jealousy over Uzui's multiple wives, but Demon Slayer can be funny. Another fun solid episode.

 

[Yojimbo]

lmao, what a total contrast to Rengoku.

Hello, Yoshiwara. Neat so the arc's set in an actual place in Tokyo just like when Tanjiro bumped into Muzan in Asakusa early in the series. Had a feeling Inosuke and Tanjiro would be out of sorts.

Ok, interesting premise. Instead of a straight up fight, they have to infiltrate and find Uzui's wives as well as figure out which courtesan is the demon. I suppose it was a natural change of pace to get back to comedic elements of the series after Rengoku's tragic death.

Ah, a Wisteria base. Logical for there to be one.

Three wives? Oooookay. Oh, they're kunoichi. Still, I thought only nobility and the imperial family practiced polygamy in the loose era this show takes place in. Still cheating on your wife was pretty much institutionalized even in the early Meiji era. I would also think Uzui doesn't care about standard customs as he looks like the epitome of counter culture but the thing that surprised me was he called them "his wives" and not "my wife and two mistresses." So there's an interesting caveat there at least...

Omg, they have to pretend to be girls.

Ok, so one of the wives is being interrogated and tortured by the arc's big bad and Ino is all by himself.

 

[PicardMan]

Season 2 Episode 3 (Episode 36) "What Are You"​

A mysterious Oiran is creating havoc in the brothels but who is she?

​

 

[PicardMan]

We find out one of the prostitutes is a demon and I guess this show literally demonized a sex worker. Well, kind of shocked the demon isn't a pimp oppressing women like most cliché stories about brothels. So far, it's kind of surprising that the show has completely avoided discussing institutionalized prostitution and how it affects women. I think Rurouni Kenshin did a lot better with historical social commentary, but this show should deliver in the big fight scenes and sexy women that the teenage boys are here for. Things don't necessarily have to be deep to be good, and it seems like a good deal of anime fans seem averse to social commentary for some reason. Yeah, it feels really rare to see that in modern shonen, but because shonen's made in Japan, the country's social commentary might fly over the heads of Americans. Demon Slayer isn't a bad show, but it could be more ambitious with plot and themes. Rurouni Kenshin is still my vote for best battle shonen set in a historical period.

 

[Yojimbo]

Villain of the arc established. Pretty logical the demonic threat of the Entertainment District arc turned out an Upper Rank demon acting as an oiran, or an upper ranked courtesan, for many generations. As the highest ranked courtesan, she could easily conceal her murders as she's the breadwinner of the house and the heads would bend over backwards to keep the status quo.

Between the lines, Daki does ascribe to class structure prejudices of that era and looks down pretty harshly on the little girls that work there and Zenitsu incognito, being touched on the arm by Zenitsu, and the scene where the proprietor is on his hands and knees begging Daki to let him handle the punishment so they can get ready for the night is another example of how much power the oiran commanded until they lost influence in favor of the geisha, the changing times, new laws, etc.

Threat level established. Killed seven Hashira. Yikes. That does make some sense in that I'm sure they battled in those tiny rooms. Not much maneuverability with swords. Not that it matters, as we saw in the flashback, she's rather mobile outside compared to most demons -- seemingly levitating in the air. I hope whatever element Uzui is the Hashira of, it's the winning edge. Hmm, wonder if other Hashira are going to be called in to take down Daki.

Curious if Daki's obi is part of her body, a special cloth, or maybe even a sentient monster. Sorta of similar to Doctor's Strange's Cloak of Levitation. Also intriguing, it seems that while Daki was in the Kyogoku House where she is based as an oiran the whole time but her obi sash was able to traverse all the way to the Ogimoto House to capture and interrogate Makio? Speaking of, odd we haven't seen the other 2 wives yet in the other houses.

 

[PicardMan]

Season 2 Episode 4 (Episode 37) "Tonight"​

Tanjiro and Inosuke further continue the investigation even after Uzui's disapproval of their participation in the mission.

 

[PicardMan]

This episode begins with more wacky and weird comedy as we meet the muscle mice, who are muscular mice who shout the word "muscle" and deliver swords. Finally, at the end of this mostly comedy episode, we have Tanjiro encounter the main villainess and get the beginning of the big fight sequence. As always, Demon Slayer delivers dazzling action sequences rivaled only by Jujutsu Kaisen. It is interesting to note that Demon Slayer picks having a woman be the main villain of the arc, as it seems very rare that shonen has major female villains who can throw the male protagonist through a wall with ease. We'll see if she develops an interesting personality as while it's a really close call between Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen in terms of fight scenes, the latter wins of terms of compelling villains like Mahito. I'd still say Demon Slayer has a more interesting setting than Jujutsu Kaisen's generic monster hunting school and has better humor, but it's a legit contest as to which series is the new king of battle shonen. Next episode is titled "Things are about to Get Flashy," and I think it will deliver what the title implies.

 

[Yojimbo]

Agreed, the buff mice came out of nowhere -- so weird. But then again, talking crows. But on top of the mice, Inosuke's method of contacting them, plowing his head through the ceiling, makes it the typical DS oddball humor I've come to enjoy, lol.

I did appreciate that the nice oiran knew Tanjiro was a dude the whole time because of the bad disguise.

Did not guess that's how the demon's been eating people. It's also a frightening set of implications. Is she the only demon that can eat people like that or are there more and/or is Muzan trying to create more demons like her? So I wonder if there's a way to save the oiran and restore her to normal i.e. by killing the demon or she already dead?

Tanjiro held his own pretty well against Daki in the air but the longer fight is, the more her advantage. She has killed several hashira and is an upper. Then again, if the obi sash has the same weakness as a standard obi, Tanjiro has a certain dance that would give it fits. I guess another question is who will show up first, Inosuke, Zenitsu, or Uzui.

as it seems very rare that shonen has major female villains who can throw the male protagonist through a wall with ease.

Yeah but like MHA and Toga for example, this demon seems to be following the standard anime trope for the major female villain being psychotic and critique her targets as cute or ugly and subservient to a male big bad.

 

[PicardMan]

Yeah but like MHA and Toga for example, this demon seems to be following the standard anime trope for the major female villain being psychotic and critique her targets as cute or ugly and subservient to a male big bad.

In MHA, all the main villains of the arc, Stain, All for One, Overhaul, Gentle, Redestro have been male and Toga's never been the main villain of any arc, so I'll give Demon Slayer points for that even if she's a minion of Muzan. Harribel from Bleach was hyped as a powerful female villain, but she didn't really accomplish much. Yeah, female shonen villains don't seem to be given complex personalities.

 

[Yojimbo]

In MHA, all the main villains of the arc, Stain, All for One, Overhaul, Gentle, Redestro have been male and Toga's never been the main villain of any arc, so I'll give Demon Slayer points for that even if she's a minion of Muzan. Harribel from Bleach was hyped as a powerful female villain, but she didn't really accomplish much. Yeah, female shonen villains don't seem to be given complex personalities.

Fair. One that comes to mind is that super powerful female big bad Psykos in One Punch Man. Well, and Queen Beryl in Sailor Moon. I think a lot of people like Medusa Gorgon from Soul Eater.

 

[PicardMan]

Fair. One that comes to mind is that super powerful female big bad Psykos in One Punch Man. Well, and Queen Beryl in Sailor Moon. I think a lot of people like Medusa Gorgon from Soul Eater.

Those first two are seinen and shojo, but Soul Eater is of perhaps the most well written female battle shonen villain. Shonen villainesses seem to get the short end of the stick.

 

[PicardMan]

Season 2 Episode 5 (Episode 38) "Things Are Gonna Get Real Flashy!!"​

Tanjiro continues to fight with Daki and starts using Hinokami Kagura instead of Water Breathing while Tengen saves one of his wives stuck in Daki's belt, and orders her to retreat. Inosuke, Zenitsu and Tengen's other wives fight the belt demon.​

 

[PicardMan]

The battle escalates and all the heroes (except Nezuko) join the fray. Tanjiro fights Daki herself while everyone else fights her sentient robe sashes. We get to see Uzui's wives in action for the first time. One seems to be a hothead and the other one seems to have confidence issues. They seem pretty endearing as characters. We see that Uzui really does love his wives despite his lifestyle being pretty taboo to modern social norms and the fact that he seems to act as his wives' superior commander. Uzui's values are obviously of a different time and place, and that seems to be the idea of his character. Of course, I think there were a few historical liberties taken as polygamy wasn't actually common in this era, and ninja weren't a thing anymore in the 20th century. Rurouni Kenshin did seem to strive for period accuracy, better, although that show had the occasional villain with magical powers and obvious non historical things. Historical accuracy doesn't really seem to be the point, as it's a show about sword fighting demons. The sword fight was amazing as it normally is, with Jujutsu Kaisen being the only rival when it comes to fight scenes. With solid characters and fights, this continues to be a good arc.

 

[Yojimbo]

And we're at the halfway mark of the season.

Back to Inosuke doing odd things like dislocating his bones to get in the tunnel. Glad to see him get a bit of focus but he again still had his limits. Good thing he happened to free Zenitsu, Makio, and Suma then Uzui shows up. Always impressive when Zenitsu goes to sleep and uses his ability. Uzui's sound abilities looked really impressive, too. Neat parallel that he has good hearing like Zenitsu. Though as a sound hashira, makes sense his hearing would be enhanced compared to others. Dug the animation at the end of Uzui 'juggling' his blades -- nunchuk cleaver thingies? Made short work of the sentient obi creature.

Like the title sequence implies, Tanjiro switches up to hinokami kagura. But still not fast enough. Hm, wonder if that means Nezuko will bust out a new ability when she enters the battle. Don't recall those red vines we see in this season's title sequence. Though that exploding blood art thing alone she did in the mountain mission could be useful against Daki's obi attacks.

 

[PicardMan]

Season 2 Episode 6 (Episode 39) "Layered Memories"​

As the fight between Tanjiro and Daki continues, Daki causes immense damage to the district resulting in Tanjiro turning berserk due to rage.​