I kind of view this as a second first impressions of Kimetsu no Yaiba. I don’t like to say it’s on trial with me, but basically that’s the case – as we begin the summer season this show is squarely on the bubble. The fact that it’s a generally thin season is a factor in its favor, but I’m still going to need some convincing if I’m going to keep covering it. And while this wasn’t the worst start, I wouldn’t say Kimetsu made a lot of headway either.
One big problem I see here is that this series is not especially great at comedy, and as the focus sharpens on Tanjirou’s two “classmates” in the demon slayer corps, comedy has moved to center stage. Zenitsu isn’t getting better – every time Hiro-Hiro opens his mouth I just want him to STFU. And boar-man (who finally has a name, Inosuke, though he’ll always be “Boaris” to me) isn’t much better. Inosuke remains pretty much a berserker here, just wanting to fight anything that moves, and the fact that he’s apparently dumb as a post doesn’t help matters. He also screams almost as much as Zenitsu (though Matsuoka screaming is marginally less grating than Shimono).
I don’t really care that these characters will get rehabilitated as we go along – obviously there’s more to them, as there could hardly be less. The fact that they’re introduced in such juvenile and insufferable ways says something about the overall level of the writing. I get that it was supposed to be amusing watching Tanjirou play the tsukkomi dealing with two boke, but it just wan’t that funny. Certainly not funny enough to sustain an entire episode – and that’s a recurring problem for that matter. Things are taking a little too long to happen – it seems apparent that some padding is going on here, and it’s adversely affecting the narrative’s forward momentum.
On the plus side, from a realism standpoint I was glad that we at least see the boys ordered to rest and be treated by a doctor. For a while there it seemed as if the main goal of the corps was to get as many of its members killed as quickly as possible (starting with the selection process). For now, the best thing that could happen in my eyes is for Kimetsu no Yaiba to return as quickly and single-mindedly as possible to the Kibutsuji Muzan storyline. He’s by far the most interesting element of this story and the farther it drifts from Kibutsuji and his sphere of influence, the more adrift it seems to be.
GC
July 7, 2019 at 11:07 amWhile I like the 2 new hunters I wish both would shut up. They are annoying like Asta of Black Clover. Screaming characters so annoying they cost the show viewers.
Scampi
July 7, 2019 at 1:30 pmI recently started on Jujutsu Kaisen, and I couldn’t help but compare some of it with Kimetsu no Yaiba. Both have a youngest generation team of three, but in comparison Kimetsu is badly lacking in developing them. When I was reading Kimetsu there was a general dissatisfaction that something is missing but the sidekicks really stick out like sore thumbs when something better comes along to show how it should be done. It feels like the author shoehorned in Zenitsu and Inosuke because it’s the shounen template rather than wanting to tell a story with them. It’s quite ironic that the vampire backstories have so much more impact but there is simply not enough of that to carry KnY.
Patch
July 7, 2019 at 5:38 pmI don´t mind the comedy though, different tastes I guess.
leongsh
July 7, 2019 at 10:24 pmThis episode is just a bridge to the next storyline which is expected next episode. It will return to the horror action core theme. It’s also where it starts getting serious.
bnbros
July 7, 2019 at 10:52 pmCaught a look at the preview of what’s coming up on Twitter, and I’m definitely intrigued.
Guardian Enzo
July 7, 2019 at 10:54 pmHopefully you guys are right, because right now I’m really wavering.
Yann
July 8, 2019 at 1:12 amSame here. I thought I didn’t like one stupid character, but turns out I just can’t take their attempt at “humor”. It completely takes me out of the story and it’s… well… not funny at all.
And this started as my favorite show of the season…
Tim
July 8, 2019 at 2:45 amIm reading the manga and trust me it gets much much better , the comedy becomes less frequent , but it actually works better once the dynamic is developed , and this part leads into an awesome arc , there isn’t a long break from the main story
Marty
July 8, 2019 at 4:17 amEpisodes like these show that a pretty face can only get you so far. As much as people like to harp on MHA for its popularity (and in the process undervalue its writing quality), the fact of the matter remains that there wasn’t a single boring or “weak” episode in my book (even the slower season 1 was engaging and entertaining, even upon rewatch).
Unlike other long-running shounen, such as Black Clover (which I personally prefer over Demon Slayer), Demon Slayer doesn’t really suffer from inconsistent animation, so it’s writing limitations become more apparent.