Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

“Entertainment District Arc”

Have you ever had a period where you were simply reeling from an awful prior experience? It’s like you weren’t getting anything productive done and were just sitting there, wallowing in your mistakes or the harsh reality that has hit you in the face. At times like these, it’s best to try and lose yourself in work so that your mind cannot wander back into the pit of negativity. We cannot change the past, so the least we can do is salvage the future. The losses and failures of the past are debts to be paid in the future using success... Honestly, would we be who we are if not for those negative experiences?

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc,” also known as “Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen,” is an 11-episode TV anime series that aired from the 5th of December till the 13th of February in Winter 2022. It was produced by Aniplex and Shueisha, licensed by Aniplex of America and Crunchyroll, and brought to life by Studio ufotable. Its primary staff included producers Miyake Masanori, Takahashi Yuuma, Fujio Akifumi, and Takano Takashi. It featured action and fantasy alongside the historical theme, catering to the Shounen demographic. This series of 26-minute episodes earned a rating of R-17+ for its violence and profanity.

This show is basically Season 3 of the Demon Slayer series, featuring a canon arc from the source manga of the same name, which adapts events from Chapters 67 to 97, set after the Mugen Train incident. The KnY manga also goes by the alternate name “Blade of Demon Destruction,” which ran for 23 volumes from February 15, 2016, to May 18, 2020. It is the work of author and artist Gotouge Koyoharu and was serialized in Shounen Jump (Weekly).

The prequel to Season 3 is both the “Kimetsu no Yaiba Movie: Mugen Ressha-hen” movie and the “Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Ressha-hen” TV series, which aired on the 16th of October 2020 and in Fall 2021, respectively. The sequel series “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc” (“Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen”) ran for a total of 11 episodes from the 9th of April till the 18th of June 2023 in Spring 2023. This series continued the original events of the manga, covering Chapters 98 to 127.

The devastating results of the Mugen Train incident weigh heavily on the series protagonists and Demon Slayer Corps alike, as Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyoujurou was beloved and respected by all. But his sacrifice saved everyone on the Death Train and bestowed immeasurable values upon Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, who must now get back up to brave the lingering threat of Demons. They have much to recover from both physically and mentally, but “there’s no rest for the wicked” because news of another merciless demon comes to their attention: one terrorizing the beautiful women and citizens of the Yoshiwara Entertainment District.

This is essentially the series’ Red Light District, and as if to match the flashiness of the new setting, the Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui and his three wives are on the case! Tengen had sent his wives in as undercover agents to investigate but soon lost contact with them and began to fear the worst. Thus, he ends up enlisting the aid of the leading trio and Nezuko to jump into the fray and save his wives before it’s too late. How? He dresses the three boys up as young girls and has them infiltrate the district's most prominent houses to bring down this depraved upper-rank demon hiding within before more innocent lives are lost!

One thing many people admit is that Demon Slayer has next-level visuals and outstanding soundtracks, but the story itself isn’t that amazing. It follows a standard Shounen format, and there aren’t many groundbreaking twists. But I feel the story has stepped up compared to previous seasons regarding the Entertainment District Arc. It’s still nothing to write home about, but the story, setting, and vibe this time had so much flair, and I think that’s best credited to Tengen-sama himself.

The Red Light District is a fiery location full of passion, lust, envy, jealousy, desire, and beauty. It is a symbolic place to stage a grand battle between humans and demons, where all their imperfections and insecurities are bare. Tengen is NOT another Rengoku; he is an entirely different person who embodies the same noble values. We see the story from both sides, showing us how Tangiro and Nezuko would have ended up if not for slight differences along their path, which is perfectly reflected in the backstory of Gyutaro and Daki. Tengen is a flashy heartthrob (I actually envied the Wives, even if they had to share him), but his priorities lie in protecting his loved ones and humans, even at the cost of his own life. I also loved how Tengen's three wives, Makio, Suma, and Hinatsuru, were mirror reflections of the central trio, probably part of why Tengen warmed up to them so fast.

Either way, the story is simple and fun to follow, the characters bring each moment to life, and the pacing is fast enough to set the vibe right. It is never a dull moment here: flamboyant, fabulous, action-packed, and flashy, all while emotionally deep. Even after everything that happened, Tanjiro was empathetic to the Demon siblings at the end and even helped them reconcile, ensuring that neither passed on with hate for the other.

I already talked about the Characters above, but more must be said. I loved this cast from day one. They are all distinct, memorable, and likable and keep the ball rolling. Everyone has their own goals and ambitions in the story, but coming together is where the fun is. The dynamic of the main trio has to be among my favorites: refreshing, lively, funny, ridiculous, warm, and synergistic at the same time. Inosuke throws logic and reason to the wind multiple times, but the exception is so well done that you just accept it and laugh. Zenitsu is loud and whiny, as always, but this is the sanest guy here, and most of his complaints are valid. Tanjiro is a complete cinnamon roll with country-bumpkin stupidity on occasion but is no doormat who stands for evil or injustice.

This protagonist will slay Demons but tries his best to give them a warm sendoff. Nezuko has her best battle sequence this season, going completely off the rails with her Demon Powers and technically saving everyone at the end with her “purifying flames.” The girl is an excellent example of a strong female that doesn’t overdo things. Tengen and his wives are a phenomenon that must be experienced, and I will not say more! Gyutaro and Daki are excellent antagonists who perfectly show the ugly side of the Red Light District. They are a helpless duo who ran into an upper demon in their darkest hour, unlike Tanjiro and Nezuko meeting Tomioka Giyuu. I didn’t feel much character development, but honestly, it’s not very necessary here.

Next, I feel I should talk about the dialogue. Character conversations are simple and easy to understand, but they are occasionally stupid for comedic effect. This is executed well enough for audiences to enjoy, and meaningless banter in Shounen is actually darn enjoyable. Most of the talk is funny or emotional, which the voice actors pull off perfectly. The dialogue is not a significant part of the story progression; they make only a few key points clear, and that’s all we need to know to follow the plot. I recommend not looking for significant philosophical meaning in these words and remembering that this story is set in historical Japan, not the modern-day West.

As always, the art and animation department is the show's highlight. This was the most visually stunning show of the season, and I cannot praise it enough! The artwork is just as unique, colorful, and popping out of the screen as ever, and their traditional Japanese style hits the nail on the head. All the backgrounds, including battlegrounds and scenery, are finely detailed and vivid to the point that they feel alive.

The character designs are top-notch, ranging from handsome hunks like Tengen to voluptuous women like Daki, whose personalities and traits are well reflected in their designs. Some may call it fanservice, but honestly, none of it felt forced, and there were proper reasons why each character showed said part of their body on a given occasion. The animation is god-tier; you won’t find more incredible battle sequences anywhere else, and I cannot stress this enough! The movements, clash of blades, camera angles, bursting colors, fine lines, and fluidity mesmerized me; the level of craftsmanship and detail put into it can bring you to tears! Just watch it... There’s nothing else to say.

The Sounds and Music department is perfect, though less groundbreaking than the Visuals. The composer Kaijura Yuki is seriously excellent, and this show is a testament to that fact. The OSTs add so much to each moment and evoke so many emotions in you; the series simply won’t be the same without it. The sound effects, particularly during the battles, are spot-on; you can feel each slash and clash through the screen, down to simple steps and breaths. The opening theme is "Zankyou Zanka" by Aimer, which perfectly exudes the vibe of this season; it is flashy, intense, fun, and booms through your speakers, alongside a tint of seriousness, all in perfect sync with vivid visuals.

The ending theme is "Asa ga Kuru," also by Aimer, which follows a more serious, dark, sorrowful, and emotional vibe, a nudge to the cruel side of society. As I said before, the voice actors perform stellar, particularly Konishi Katsuyuki as Tengen-same; they play a huge part in landing the comedy and keeping each frame alive.

Overall, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Entertainment District Arc” is a must-watch for anyone who moderately likes the series. It deserves all the hype, even if the story is nothing special and has been done millions of times. It is not without flaws, like how they come up with ridiculous explanations on the spot, but it doesn’t even come close to outweighing the pros. The visuals alone are enough justification to watch this, and I think they did a brilliant job with the characters this time. It is highly recommended!