Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc: ‘I Even Ate Demons’

Overview (Spoilers Below):
After completing Mitsuri’s training, Tanjiro moves on to train with Iguro. Upon his arrival at the training site, Iguro greets him with visible anger. Will Tanjiro manage to complete this intense training focused on refining his sword skills?

Our Take:
The next phase of Hashira Training introduces us to another session led by a Hashira whose cheerful demeanor is as strong as her sword techniques. Mitsuri’s stage, “flexibility,” is notably calmer and more elegant compared to previous training stages, but that doesn’t make it any less grueling. Luckily, this is not the central focus of the episode. Unlike prior episodes that concentrated on a single Hashira’s training, “I Even Ate Demons” bundles three training sessions into one episode. Given the season’s short length, this approach was necessary to prevent the storyline from becoming too repetitive.

Following Mitsuri’s sessions, Tanjiro trains under two other Hashira who share one common trait: a strong dislike for Tanjiro. Iguro Obanai’s training stage involves Tanjiro sparring with him while making sure not to hit the bound trainees. This exercise forces Tanjiro to focus on his target, ignoring obstacles and hesitation. The resulting action sequence features an impressive, art-like color palette.

Next, Tanjiro trains with Sanemi along with Zenitsu. Their session, however, gets interrupted when Genya, Sanemi’s younger brother, becomes involved in their sibling rivalry. The intensity heightens further when Genya admits he has consumed demons in an attempt to earn Sanemi’s respect. Due to this complication, their training is suspended.

“I Even Ate Demons” successfully keeps the narrative flowing by incorporating multiple training sessions into a single episode, which aids in maintaining the season’s pace. However, this episode lacks a happy ending, mainly due to Iguro and Sanemi’s hot-tempered nature towards Tanjiro and Genya, with Sanemi being particularly harsh. While it’s clear both Hashira possess incredible sword skills, their negative attitudes are hard to overlook. At least Muichiro knows how to adjust his attitude quickly, unlike these two. Here’s hoping Tanjiro’s final training session with Gyomei Himejima will offer a more uplifting experience and shift our focus away from Sanemi’s irritable demeanor.