I love Demon Slayer's Manga greatly, and even the Hashira Training Arc of the Anime has impressed me.
Like many Demon Slayer fans, I felt conflicted when it was revealed that the upcoming season will solely cover the Hashira Training storyline. Though it is a crucial component of the narrative, the Hashira Training is among the weaker sections of the manga when compared to what has come before and what comes after. Covering just eight chapters, it is also the shortest—the same length as the "rehabilitation training arc," which the first season of the Anime ran through in just four episodes. Given that this is an abbreviated season, I worried about how they would be able to extend this the whole season.
Conversely, if any arc of Demon Slayer had to be enlarged upon, it was this one. While Tanjiro works directly with Rengoku, Tengen, Muichiro, and Mitsui and gets rescued by Shinobu and Giyu, he never gets a chance to work side-by-side with the Wind, Serpent, and Stone Hashira. One of my issues with Demon Slayer, by this point in the Manga, is that there were still several Hashira who had barely been introduced. This means that these three had a genuine disadvantage in terms of developing their personalities prior to the last fight; hence, this chance to extend the arc was the ideal means of correction.
I Anticipated More from the Hashira
When the Hashira were initially presented, it made me rather reminiscent of first seeing the Gotei 13 in Bleach. The best fighters of their company, the Hashira occupy leadership positions just like Bleach's Captains do out of their power. As a result, like the Gotei 13 did, I believed they would become somewhat significant to the narrative. After presenting the group as a whole, the Manga chose to get to know them a few at a time; this was just great by me, especially considering the Mugen Train arc and how wonderfully Rengoku was handled, which made him immediately adored despite getting such little screen time.
As we got to meet Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui, then at the Swordsmith's Village, Love Hashira Mitsiri Kanroji and Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito, this most certainly persisted throughout the next few arcs. But I was somewhat down to learn later on that the surviving Hashira would not be receiving highlight arcs of their own since the book was nearing its end and starting the very protracted last battle. In Bleach, the narrative opens out and veers from only Ichigo, but Demon Slayer keeps its attention pretty closely locked on Tanjiro, therefore eliminating one of the simpler methods to give the Hashira more characterization. This caught me as a major error since one's emotional commitment in the final battle mostly depends on their relationship to the Hashira. With roughly half of the Hashira not having their own adventures with Tanjiro, it was left to the last fight itself to provide readers a cause to care about these characters, which was a dangerous prospect. The existence of this Hashira Training Arc, which should by its very name provide more characteristics to the Hashira, but instead runs through the training to get on with the final battle, was especially annoying. Should such be the case, why have the training at all?
The Anime Has Provided The Hashira More Characterization
Thus, considering this, I started to think about maybe extending this arc into a full season, not that horrible of a concept. The degree to which the first episode changed the narrative startled me, and I understood right away that there would surely be a lot of Anime original content (what some would dismissively label "filler") to help shape this into a season. With some fresh scenes featuring Giyu Tomioka, episode 2 of Hashira Training proved this; but, it truly hit in episode 3, which featured nearly totally new material not derived from the manga. What was just a few panels now comprised a full episode.
Although catching up with Tengen was undoubtedly beneficial, I was most happy with what this meant for the rest of the arc. With a whole paper airplane flying contest reportedly based on a databook entry claiming Muichiro had an interest in origami and paper airplanes, Episode 4 also offered a significant dosage of fresh content. Given Muichiro's age, it made a lot of sense that he might have an interest like this; even seeing a Hashira's pastime at all made him feel far more like a person. Given the transformation he experiences in the Swordsmith Village, this kind of fresh approach was rather helpful. Sanemi and Obanai showed the two both in action and just hanging about, helping to somewhat humanize them; even the more enigmatic Hashira got a little attention. It was not lost on anyone that most episodes featured either of them at least somewhat. These two are also the two Hashira most hostile to Tanjiro, hence there is only so much you can do to make them more likeable. Episode 5 proceeded through their training rather fast and reverted to more precisely following the manga. Though, given what transpires between Sanemi and Tanjiro, there was not much chance for development on that specific section of the training.
Expanding on the Hashira Training Made Sense
Anyone who has read the Demon Slayer manga is aware that a lot of characters are going to die and that the last battle is a quite brutal one. The audience must be engaged in their deaths if they are to count; thus, using this chance to get to know them better can only benefit the last arc. Every moment we spend with the Hashira before their last fight will have far more impact on their ultimate destinies.
Although the season isn't finished yet, I believe that the original Demon Slayer anime works have only improved the narrative by allowing more chances for knowing the Hashira as characters. Though technically "filler," this extra material seems like what filler should be: an elaboration of what's already existing, meant to highlight particular characters and correct the problems with rushing in the book.
Demon Slayer: A Review of the Series
Based on the Koyoharu Gotouge manga series, the well-known anime Demon Slayer chronicles the tale of Tanjiro Kamado, a small child who grows to be a demon slayer when his sister is turned into one and his family is assaulted by demons. Stunning animation, intense action scenes, and a moving narrative abound in the series. It is a narrative about conquering obstacles, the strength of family, and the relentless search of justice.
Demon Slayer has gained immense popularity, both in Japan and around the world, with its gripping storyline, compelling characters, and beautiful animation. The series has been praised for its ability to seamlessly blend action, humor, and heart, creating a truly unforgettable anime experience.
Demon Slayer Season 3: The Hashira Training Arc
The Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc is a significant part of the story, as it sets the stage for the Final Battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, the Demon King. Tanjiro and his friends are training under the direction of the elite demon slayers, the Hashira, who epitomize swordsmanship. The arc sees Tanjiro pushing his limits as he strives to become stronger and learn new techniques to defeat the demons.
With its focus on intense training and character development, the Hashira Training arc is a crucial turning point for Tanjiro and his companions. The arc introduces new challenges and threats, showcasing the power and determination of the Hashira, and setting the stage for the ultimate showdown against Muzan.
