Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Episode 25 Review: Tsuguko, Kanao Tsuyuri

The bootcamp from hell continues for Tanjiro. He pushes his body to its limits and beyond and finally it seems that the training is paying off. He’s stronger, faster, and more agile. Zenitsu and Inosuke have some serious catching up to do. Let’s just say, I’m glad I’m not in their position. Let’s see how they went in Demon Slayer: How Heavy are the Dumbbells you can Lift edition!

Japanese Original Episode Title : 継ぐ子栗花落カナヲ

Plot

Tanjiro continues his 24/7 concentration breathing with the help of the cheering trio. Zenitsu and Inosuke start feeling a bit guilty about staying in bed all day. They visit Shinobu to learn about what training regime Tanjiro is under. She gives them a quick overview of the concentration breathing and convinces them to try their best. The boys are back together! The episode also gives us a bit of insight into Kanao’s tragic past and her history with Shinobu and Kanae Kocho. The episode ends with the appearance of a new demon that needs slaying.

Episode Highlights

Cheer Squad goes above and beyond: The stars of this episode were definitely the cheer trio. They agree to watch over Tanjiro while he sleeps to make sure he continues the concentration breathing. The trio spend all day looking after Tanjiro plus they have to do their own work tasks; they must be exhausted! But still they watch over Tanjiro without complaint because they genuinely want him to succeed. Three cheers for the hard working trio!

Shinobu’s charm: A few episodes ago when Shinobu was teasing Giyu about no one liking him it was clear she could be very sharp with her words. But now I’ve realised she’s not only eloquent but she’s also very astute. She knows exactly what to say to get the reaction she wants from people. She knows to get Inosuke fired up she needs to challenge him but Zenitsu requires some gentle and sweet cheering. Gosh, I adore Shinobu, she’s good at everything!

Nobody breaks my swords!: I absolutely lost it seeing the two swordsmiths getting angry at Tanjiro and Inosuke. That first scene of Tanjiro and Insouke so excited to get their swords only to be greeted by Haganezuka chasing them with a knife – hilarious! And that contrast of when the swordsmiths were leaving and Tanjiro profusely apologising while Inosuke grips Tanjiro’s shirt like a small child was perfect!

Season 2 (kinda) confirmed?: Next week’s episode is titled ‘new mission’ and will probably see the slaying squad face off with a new demon. As strong as they have all become I would be very surprised if the episode rushed through them tracking down the demon, the demon’s backstory and a fight scene in one episode. I’m pretty sure (hopeful) next week’s episode will end on a cliffhanger and a setup for season 2!

Comments

Seeing a younger Shinobu with her sister in this week’s episode almost caused a bit of whiplash. Her younger self is so different from her current self. She was spontaneous, cheeky, and a little smug. Her being was electric with emotions and life. But she’s taken on her sister’s personality the same way she wears her haori. It’s a cover over her. I suppose seeing this echoes back to what Shinobu was saying last week. She’s overwhelmed by the constant strain of trying to honor her sister’s memory. I had assumed it was just about showing empathy for demons. But she must see ‘honouring’ her sister’s memory as living exactly as she did. Rather than simply following her ethos, she mimics her. Seeing this, I honestly feel so horrible for Shinobu. I had thought that her kindness and personality were something uniquely precious to her, something she could not lose (like I said last week). But I was wrong. With the death of her sister, the demons had stripped everything from her and she’s using her sister’s memory to desperately fill the hole that was left.

Speaking of tragedy, Kanao’s past is just as horrific. The abuse she faced at the hands of her parents caused her to quite literally ‘snap’ and disassociate. I’m so glad the Kocho sisters found and saved her. Perhaps that could explain another reason why Shinobu has taken on her sister’s personality. She saw her sister as the ideal sister, a symbol of protection. Even after her sister passed away, she wanted to ensure that Kanao still felt that same love and care, so she began emulating her sister. Excuse me, I need to go cry for a bit.

The Boys are Back!

The boys are back together and ready to do some demon slaying. Unfortunately, there’s only one episode left for them to squeeze any action in. While I’m sure a season two will be announced, I’ll still miss seeing the squads antics between the release. I’m so looking forward to next week’s final episode. I’m sure Ufotable will hold nothing back to make a truly epic final for such an incredible series.

NEXT TIME: New Mission

Remember to check back next week for my review of Demon Slayer’s final episode! In the meantime, make sure to check out the rest of our Summer 2019 reviews. This series is also part of our weekly anime previews.