Demon Slayer by Koyoharu Gotouge is a 23-volume manga series serialized from 2016-2020 in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series has been adapted into an anime by Ufotable. So far, there have been two seasons with a film in between. The latest season, which aired from October 2021 to February 2022, follows Tanjiro Kamado and his friends as they help Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira, face off against the Upper Rank Six demons, Gyutaro and Daki.
The "Entertainment District" arc introduces many important plot points that will impact the future of the series. Tanjiro has learned more about his fighting style as well as his sister, Nezuko. The Demon Slayers are faced with the reality of their work and how it will impact them moving forward. The "Swordsmith Village" arc will lean into the aftermath of the second season.
The Demon Slayers Battle Members of the 12 Kizuki
The second season begins with Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke getting recruited by Tengen Uzui. After Tengen stops receiving letters from his wives, who were reporting to him about a possible demon in the area, he knows that he must go to the location himself. It's up to Tanjiro and his friends to help Tengen save them. However, the only way that the young boys can help is if they dress up as girls and earn a position as courtesans in the Entertainment District, where the demon's presence is threatening the public. It isn't too difficult for Tanjiro to find work, but Tengen suffers with Zenitsu and Inosuke by his side until he's eventually able to find someone to give them positions. The boys are then able to investigate the area to try and find Tengen's wives and where the demon may be hiding. Their discoveries lead to learning a lot more about the demons than they were aware of, as well as themselves.
The Demon Slayers identify a famous courtesan, Daki, as a member of the 12 Kizuki. Tanjiro struggles to fight her alone, but with the help of Nezuko and Tengen, they're able to weaken her. However, things get much worse for them as Daki splits into two, revealing that she and her brother, Gyutaro, were melded together. The two siblings both hold the position of the Upper Six Demon. Before this instance, the Demon Slayers had never come into contact with demons quite like this. Because the two demons share the same position, they need to be decapitated at the same time for them to die, making the battle a major challenge for Tengen, Tanjiro and their friends.
What Did the Demon Slayers Learn?
Before departing for the Entertainment District, Tanjiro had been investigating sun breathing techniques and how they correspond with his family's Hinokami Kagira dance. He takes his minimal knowledge of these techniques to battle. While fighting Daki and Gyutaro, Tanjiro pushes himself past his limits in order to defeat them, combining what he can of sun breathing with what he has already perfected in the water breathing style. This combination is so strong that it surprises Tanjiro, but it isn't enough to knock out the enemies on its own.
Tanjiro isn't the only person pushing themselves past their limits. Nezuko, Tanjiro's demon sister, works hard to assist her brother. While attempting to protect him, Nezuko's demon side threatens to take over. She is stronger than ever before and is able to regenerate as fast as an Upper Rank Demon. Tanjiro must attempt to keep his sister at bay while also trying to protect others, which causes the mission to become more difficult.
While leading the battle, Tengen Uzui learns plenty. While working alongside Tanjiro and his friends, he discovers the fate of the Demon Slayer Corps. He can rely on their strength in order to succeed in killing the two demons. However, his care for them gets in the way, causing him to get extremely injured. Tengen ends up poisoned and loses an eye and hand during the battle against Daki and Gyutaro. As the poison takes over and Tengen is on death's door, Nezuko appears with a new Blood Demon Art. She is able to burn away any poison within someone's body, saving Tengen and others from the harm brought onto them by the battle. Tengen decides that this was his final battle with the Demon Slayer Corps and chooses to retire. While his retirement will cause issues for the Hashira since they had already lost a member prior to him, he knows that this is what is best for his life.
There Are More Battles to Come in Demon Slayer's Swordsmith Village Arc
The battles in Demon Slayer have caused a decrease in numbers for both sides. Many members of the Demon Slayer Corps have passed on while in battle. With the loss of Kyojuro Rengoku and the retirement of Tengen Uzui, the Corps are down two Hashira members. This means that these empty positions must be filled by the strongest Demon Slayers who specialize in their styles. Along with this, multiple demons have been killed.
However, Akaza, the Upper 3 demon, was introduced in the Demon Slayer: Mugen Train film and is still alive. There are five demons, including Akaza, of the Upper Rank Demons that the Demon Slayer Corps still have to face. The "Entertainment District" arc revealed that killing Upper Rank Demons is more complicated than killing a regular demon. Daki and Gyutaro had to be decapitated at the same time in order to die, and they were the weakest of the Upper Ranks. It's possible that the remaining will be even more difficult for the Demon Slayers to destroy.
The "Entertainment District" arc provides Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Nezuko and more with the opportunity to grow. With the chance to learn more about the demons they're fighting against, Tanjiro and his friends are able to fuel their own goals and help the other Demon Slayers when facing tough demons. There is still plenty to come, but the second season has proven itself to be a game-changer for the cast.