Demon Slayer S5: Hashira Training Arc & Finale Setup

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

“Hashira Training Arc”

Most shounen anime have their own dedicated season to showcase the MC or main cast training in order to get stronger. These may not be the most hyped arcs in the series, but they show the important hard work and dedication that went into the characters bettering themselves in order to reach their respective goals. It can be physical training, mental training, magical training, and so on, but whatever it is, the characters must triumph over this hurdle before they are thrown into the fray again. The same can be said for real life, for most lasting results are built upon the foundations of actual dedication and discipline…

“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Hashira Training Arc,” also known as “Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hashira Geiko-hen,” is an 8-episode TV anime series that aired from the 12th of May till the 30th of June in Spring 2024. Aniplex and Shueisha produced it, Aniplex of America licensed it, and Studio ufotable brought it to life. Each episode has a runtime of 29 minutes and features the genres of action and supernatural, alongside the historical theme. Targeted at the shounen demographic, it earned a rating of R—17+ for its violence and profanity. It was further released as Blu-ray and DVD in the form of four volumes from the 3rd of July till the 2nd of October, 2024.

This Anime season is chronologically Season 5 of the Demon Slayer series, which also features a canon arc from the source manga of the same name, set after the events of the Swordsmith Village Arc. The manga is also known as the “Blade of Demon Destruction,” running 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 5 is the “Kimetsu no Yaiba: Swordsmith Village Arc,” also known as “Demon Slayer: Katanakaji no Sato-hen,” which aired from the 9th of April till the 18th of June, falling under the Spring 2023 anime season. The sequel anime movies “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” (“Kimetsu no Yaiba Movie: Mugen Jou-hen”) are confirmed to be a trilogy adaptation of the Infinity Castle Arc. These three movies are set to air in 2025 by the same studio, featuring the climatic finale as per the events of the original manga, which will bring this demon-slaying tale to it’s conclusion.

The Demon Slayer series was filled with exhilarating battles against numerous Upper Rank Demons, one after another. With each mighty clash, the main cast and the Hashira become stronger amidst losses as well, but tougher battles are looming on the horizon. This is exactly why the Ubuyashiki clan has now begun making preparations for the one final stand against the hellish demonic force of Muzan Kibutsuji and his underlings. To finally defeat this immortal demon leader, the clan and the Demon Slayer Corps devise a rigorous training camp for all the demon slayers. These efforts would be led by none other than the remaining Hashira or “Pillars,” the people who are the most elite warriors in the entire organization. Thus, each Hashira formulates a specialized exercise regime with the dual aim of honing their own skills and those of the ordinary Corps.

The series features MC Tanjirou Kamado, a boy who finds himself at the center of the escalating conflict, alongside his half-Demon sister Nezuko. As he recovers from the wounds he suffered at the Swordsmith Village, Nezuko is placed under the care of the researcher Hashira, Shinobu Kochou, who aims to study her unique condition. Being aware of what's to come, Tanjirou trains with each Hashira to master their specialties so he can fight Muzan and his forces. Tanjirou and the other Corps need these skills and abilities because each has a role in eliminating Demonkind for good. Our MC has long since vowed to be the very warrior to bring down the Demon King, but there are far too many barriers along the way….

Let me start by saying that this season isn't as exciting and action-packed as previous seasons, and that's okay. The reason is this is a Training Arc for the main cast and a bridge connecting us to the blood-pumping finale where so much is going to go down in every sense of the word. So cast aside the usual formula of the show, where there is a very clear antagonist to defeat and the characters must go through a series of challenges to achieve their objective. While there is a bit of action from the training itself and the suspense slowly built up only pays off in the sequels to come, this season offers us something to remember for each character left standing and would make their final battles that much more impactful. The source material is not long enough to have a dedicated separate Arc for each Hashira and Upper Moon, but this season offers a breather to tell us about them, and I believe they achieved this objective well.

In the story department, the entire first 7 episodes focus on Tanjiro himself engaging in the varied training regimes of each of the remaining Hashira, excluding the research-busy Kochou Shinobu but including the retired Tengen Uzui. As a side note, I’m so glad he’s here because this man is a total experience and I love every second of his screen time! Either way, each Hashira trains the Corps in their own expertise, from flexibility, accuracy, endurance, and so on. But these little exercises reveal a few things about each Hashira to the audience, prompting us to care about them some more and even see their flawed human selves. My favorite example here is Iguro Obanai, the calm and cold Pillar who seemingly doesn’t care about anyone, but this season makes his jealousy towards Tanjirou for having grown close to Kanroji Mitsuri blatantly obvious.

It goes without saying that the MC doesn’t have many issues with the Training and aces nearly all of them, prompting everyone to praise him to high heaven. This man has faced multiple Upper Moon Demons head-on and unlocked new abilities, but I feel they could’ve shown this without the unnecessary glazing. Regardless, we witness the Hashira diligently pursuing their own training and self-discovery, aided by Tanjirou's cinnamon-roll-coded assistance. The season ends with a 40-minute episode featuring one of the best action sequences of the year, where so much stuff goes down before you can even catch your breath. This finale is truly cinematic, setting the perfect stage for the Infinity Castle Arc amidst its heavy losses, leaving you incredibly excited for what's to come. So yeah, there isn’t really much of a story here but a slow yet effective buildup that focuses on the diverse important characters and events to come.

In the character department, Tanjirou remains to be the chosen cinnamon roll as always. The highlight here is his interactions with Hashira, particularly his understanding of Obanai's jealousy. I have been waiting for more Tomioka Giyuu content for some time, and while we don’t get him training the Corps, we do see him have genuine heart-to-heart moments with Tanjirou that allow him to rediscover his purpose in life. Characters who were disappointingly missing or didn’t have enough screentime this season include Zangetsu, Inosuke, Nezuko, Shinobu, and Kanao, which was a real bummer for me. The Swordsmith Village Arc provided us with a thorough introduction to Mitsuri and Tokitou Muichirou, providing us with a deeper understanding of their personalities. We see that no matter how big a prodigy he is, even he trains relentlessly day in and day out for the battle to come, so it was even nicer when Tanjirou managed to get him out of his shell for an evening just to be a kid like the rest of them. Shinazugawa Sanemi also gets some focus, but not nearly enough to make you warm up to him just yet. Kibutsuji Muzan, Ubuyashiki Kagaya, and Ubuyashiki Amane have one of the slowest but most badass sequences ever in the season finale, where we clearly see what each of them stands for and what truly separates a great leader from a cruel dictator. This human couple may not be fighters with flashy moves, but their intellect, level-headedness in the face of death and extent of sacrifice make them legendary nonetheless. Last and not least, hats off to Lady Tamayo for everything she’s been doing off-screen and what’s to come!

I don't have much to say about the Art and Animation department; they continue to excel, even in this slow-paced arc. The colors and lines are crisp and sharp as usual, the vibrancy of the backgrounds hasn’t gone down, and as short-lived as they are, all the action sequences are just perfect. The final episode is a visual masterpiece, showcasing meticulous attention to every detail, including artwork, camera angles, CGI, special powers, transitions, and animation. You need only see it to believe it. There are a few visual hints of events to come thrown in as well, but I won’t go there in the name of spoilers, so let’s just say it brought me to tears in advance…

The Sounds and Music department is just as outstanding as the latter. The opening theme is "Mugen" by MY FIRST STORY, HYDE (which instantly made it to my playlist), fits the Training theme well, and is symbolic of the hope and humanity the characters are fighting for. The ending theme is "Tokoshie" by HYDE, MY FIRST STORY, which is memorable for it’s grim and ominous atmosphere. It is indicative of the threats looming in the shadows and merciless battles to come, serving as a reminder that this show isn’t all sunshine and roses. The voice acting is superb across the board; nothing new here. The OSTs, particularly in Episode 8, set the perfect tone for the Infinity Castle and carry an unparalleled level of hype. I've seen that sequence so many times that waiting for the movies is painful!

Overall, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Hashira Training Arc" lacks the thrilling and exciting elements of the previous seasons, except for the final episode, which carries significant impact and stands alone. This is not a season you can afford to miss if you are to follow this franchise to the very end, because there are so many details and nuances that would hit you like a truck in the Final Arc here. So even if the story and characters disappoint you, watch this season as a much-needed bridge to the conclusion and try to build up at least a minor connection to each character featured for the best experience at the movies to come. The final episode itself is like a mini-movie and is a true work of art, so watch it as many times as you desire~ Recommend!