If I’m honest, this was really the first time I was hearing alarm bells in my head during an episode of Kimetsu no Yaiba. It’s always a risk with a series that’s so formulaic and relies on execution over innovation, but I felt my mind starting to drift by the B-part. I kind of just wanted it to get to the point where I eventually knew it would, because the path to get there was so familiar. That’s the concern – with this recipe for success if the execution slips even a little bit, there’s not much else to hold everything together.
Truthfully, it’s not like the execution actually did slip much. The fight between Tanjirou and Sabito was very well-choreographed and (mostly 2D) animated. Admittedly if you put two scenery-chewers like Hanae Natsuki and Kaji Yuuki together that’s a problem – they’re both serial overactors, and even with Sabito seemingly not a long-term factor it is worrying that this is the overall direction the series is headed with seiyuu (another hamster, Shimono Hiro, is on deck to play Tanjirou’s best friend). But the fight itself was a good one.
Another concern I have here is that so far at least, the female characters (and this is perhaps ironic, since Gotouge Koyoharu is one of very few female mangaka in WSJ to get an anime) seem to fall into the moeblob category. Both Nezuko and Makomo (Sabito’s sister – maybe? – voiced by Kakuma Ai in full moeblob fashion) have been largely utilized for the cute factor so far. Makomo like Sabito doesn’t seem to be a major character but Nezuko is obviously here for the duration, so I hope she’s going to do more than ride around in a basket and sleep.
Speaking of sleep, boy, did she ever – Nezuko was out cold for the entire episode, which advanced the story by a whopping 18 months. It strikes me as a bit curious that Tanjirou seemed not to grow at all in that time apart from his hair, given that he was supposedly 13 when the series begins. Training arcs can be tough things to write in an interesting way, so maybe it was a blessing that Kimetsu compressed this entire one into one episode. But that said, it wasn’t especially interesting apart from the fight choreography.
As to what Sabito and Makomo actually were, I’m not sure – call them the “boulder twins”, maybe, since they might just be Kami inhabiting the boulder that Urokodaki instructed Tanjiriou that he had to slice before he could advance to the final test to become a demon slayer. Frankly I don’t know yet whether Kimetsu no Yaiba is the sort of series that explains stuff like that, or just leaves it open to interpretation. That final test is presumably where the narrative is heading next, so we’ll see if that packs a little more intrigue than this relatively routine episode did.
sparrow
April 21, 2019 at 1:57 pm“another hamster, Shimono Hiro, is on deck to play Tanjirou’s best friend…”
Gee, thanks, Enzo; now I can’t get the image of a small furry mammal talking with Shimono’s voice out of my head.
Is it just me or has your opinion of Hanae’s acting soured a bit over the years?
Guardian Enzo
April 21, 2019 at 2:33 pmIt’s not just you.
I quite like his breakthrough performance in Tari Tari, and he’s done some good work over the years. But as sometimes happens with seiyuu, over time you realize he’s a persona more than an actor. He basically plays himself (or whatever his only on-screen self is) in every role. Kaji Yuuki is the worst example and there are others, of course (KanaHana, for example). Unfortunately this style (with males) also tends to involve yelling a lot.
This is a style of voice acting that’s become very popular as the industry has tended towards the safe, generic and familiar – not surprisingly. That’s why you see actors from the old school who adapt this style have more staying power than chameleon types. Sakurai and Fukuyama are in this group too, but also have the ability to stretch when allowed (forced?) to. Akira Ishida is another example – he’s forced to play himself most of the time, but when he’s allowed to show his chops he’s as good as it gets (like in Rakugo Shinjuu). I haven’t seen any indication from Hanae that he’s capable of that.
ivan-san
April 21, 2019 at 5:44 pmI was under the impression that even two years passed. One under urokodaki, then half until Sabito’s appearance and another half until beating him. I guess I’ll have to watch it again to be sure 😛 I hope the final test will be more interesting indeed.
Guardian Enzo
April 21, 2019 at 5:49 pmI certainly could have lost count. All the more reason to think it strange a boy going from 13 to 15, during which time he’s extensively training every day, doesn’t physically grow apart from his hair, no?
Ivan
April 21, 2019 at 11:53 pmYes I totally agree. And same for his clothes that somehow lasted that long. However, that’s with most anime 😛
Guardian Enzo
April 22, 2019 at 9:09 amMakes you appreciate Hikaru no Go that much more. I would say that was the most realistic depiction of adolescent growth I’ve seen in anime or manga.
Miyu Fan
April 22, 2019 at 9:36 pmI haven’t watched a single episode yet, but I did feel like the seiyuu casting was a bit uninspired with almost no newbie seiyuu and all the veteran (male) seiyuu are safe and popular choices. Wasn’t convinced with Hanae’s acting in CM too and really felt like a fresh newbie seiyuu will be better as the lead. Maybe they didn’t held an audition because it will be taxing for ufotable (lol).
water imp
April 23, 2019 at 1:59 amre:Tanjirou looking the same. feels like the whole Gintama riff off of having a memorable character silhouette for a seriesno matter the number of eps.
Guardian Enzo
April 23, 2019 at 7:34 amWell, he did look older than 13 to begin with (and Nezuko certainly older than 12). Maybe the mangaka knew the prologue would be short and simply didn’t want to have to draw two different character designs.