Waiting for Sunrise // Kimetsu no Yaiba Ep. 2 Review
Trainer Sakonji Urokodaki: Episode 2 Review
Its demons abound for Kimetsu no Yaiba Episode 2. Tanjiro has found a way to transport his vampiric sister during the day. He doesn’t know yet how important his makeshift luggage is, but he will find out. He really shows extreme care for her as they make their way to the next plot point. She has to basically live in this basket, encumbering her brother’s progress. I find it super adorable how she pokes her head out of the ground when he comes to find her early in the episode, and again after the major fight scene.
Nezuko’s Demonic Ability
I feel bad for Kito Akari, Nezuko’s voice actress. Its already the second episode of the Kimetsu no Yaiba, and she only had half a scenes worth of dialogue. Her character is on screen for most of the episode and yet she is muzzled. I like her character. There is some depth to explore in someone who has the needs of a demon with the heart of a human. Maybe she can actually have something to say soon.
Fortunately her actions speak louder that her words. As our heroes begin their journey to the mountain, they encounter another demon. This is still not the one that slaughtered the Kamado family, but it is dangerous nonetheless.
Nezuko could probably find her way onto a decent NFL team with the kick she gave to that demons head. It came clean off with some incredible power from this little demon girl. Now we know demons posses incredible strength compared to humans, even though Tanjiro seems to be able to spar with the, and hold them back. We also know that killing them is a little more difficult than cutting their throat off.
Urokodaki Sakonji
In the first episode we met Tomioka Giyu, named in this episode. He gave our heroes the quest to meet and learn under Urokodaki Sakonji, and become a demon slayer. All while hopefully curing Nezuko of her demonic affliction.
I am a little split on Sakonji, like he is split on Tanjiro. He can see something special in Tanjiro. He knows he has the passion to save his sister and hopefully rid the world of demons. Its Tanjiro’s hesitance to smash the skull of a random demon that breaks the illusion for everyone watching. I have to ask how long was Tanjiro standing around waiting to crush the demon head?
Somehow he was able to stand around long enough for the sun to come up and Sakonji to carry all of the bodies out of the house and bury them. We quickly find out that Sakonji definitely is no mere man, but how didn’t Tanjiro notice that? This wasn’t particularly clear in the episode and I wasn’t a fan of that.
“Sniff Out Each of Those Traps”
Tanjiro follows Sakonji through the fields to the base of a mountain, leaving Nezuko there to rest during the night. Sakonji has Tanjiro going at full speed with his sister on his back, only to tell him he hasn’t begun to test him. Good moment and the exasperation in Tanjiro’s voice made it. They both run up the mountain only to have Sakonji stop and tell Tanjiro to find his own way right back down before sunset. Now the test begins.
I have to wonder is Sakonji actually wants an apprentice at this point. The first two traps that Tanjiro sets off heading back down the mountain are innocent enough. Rocks come flying at his face and he falls into a shallow tiger pit. Nothing too dangerous, but definitely impeding his movement. Then he gets hit with a log out of nowhere. Full on Return of the Jedi log smash to the face. At this point I imagine Tanjiro asking if this is just one death trap after another.
He gets back down the mountain by using his amazing sense of smell. I was able to buy in that he can smell when a demon is nearby because the creatures have a scent, and the blood in the air is potent. Being able to smell that a human set a trap, and that is enough to avoid it? I don’t buy that. He doesn’t make it down unscathed because he needs more training, but lets limit how much his amazing schnoz can help.
[Sources and Further Reading]
[Kimetsu no Yaiba Episode 1 Review]
[Images via Crunchyroll]