Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Episode 4 Review: Final Selection

After splitting the bolder in last week’s episode of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Tanjiro is ready to take the next step. The last two years of training will be put to the test in the final selection. Now, we’ll see if Tanjiro is up to scruff. The final selection will quite literally make or break our hero.

Japanese Original Episode Title : 最終選別

Plot

Urokodaki gives Tanjiro his blessing to participate in the Final Selection. He reveals he never wanted Tanjiro to actually go as he’s sick of sending children to their deaths. He tells Tanjiro he and Nezuko will be waiting for Tanjiro when he gets back. Tanjiro makes his way to the final selection, where we see some familiar faces from the opening credits. Two creepy girls inform the demon slaying hopefuls that they must last a week on the mountain. Tanjiro’s first night doesn’t pass by easily. After being attacked by two demons, he saves another examinee from a morphed demon. With the children from last week’s past revealed, we learn that Tanjiro’s battle with the morphed demon isn’t just for survival.

Episode Highlights

Urokodaki’s love: One of the best things about shounen anime is seeing the teacher-student bond, and Urokodaki and Tanjiro are no different. Over the last 2 years it’s clear that Urokodaki has grown to care for the boy, and is equal parts proud and nervous about his future. That hug and head pat at the end – just too sweet!

Matching Pair: The cloth characters wear is becoming an interesting feature of Kimetsu no Yaiba. In this week’s episode, Tanjiro wears the same cloud and pale blue print as Urokodaki.

Tanjiro’s Growth: This episode we got to see not only how much Tanjiro has grown stronger both physically and mentally. When he sees the other test taker being attacked, he still hesitates on what to do. More so because of fear, rather than indecision. But now he can act quickly, and has the mental fortitude to overcome his freezing.

That Demon: Oh boy, this week’s episode really showed us that the demons before were small fry compared to what’s out there. However, knowing how awful the demon was, made it all the more satisfying when Tanjiro defeated him. The fight scene was so tense and well animated, I was gripping my seat the whole time.

Themes & Trivia

Wisteria: The Wisteria flower typically represents longevity, and the ability to endure through hardship. In Japan the flowers were associated with nobility as commoners were forbidden from using the color purple. The trees can live up to one hundred years old, but some have been recorded as over one thousand years old. At the Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan you can see wisteria that are (besides the typical purple) pink, white, and yellow, throughout April and May. Check them out over here.

Comments

The anime does not shy away from showing the brutality of demons. Almost every episode so far has had a scene of bloodshed. But this episode managed to communicate the horror without the gore. The portrayals of Sabito and Makomo’s deaths were heart-wrenching, even more so with the intercuts of their ghosts talking to one another. If Tanjiro manages to survive the week and return to Urokodaki, I wonder what he will tell him. On the one hand, I’m sure Urokodaki would love to know why all his students had failed the examination, but on the other, I wonder if he could bear it.

One very small segment I’d also like to talk about is when Tanjiro is knocked unconscious. One of his brothers appears to ‘wake him up’. I believe this is the second or third time that his family has helped him from beyond the grave. It’s a truly bittersweet way of showing how strong their bonds are, and that they are always watching over the surviving Nezuko and Tanjiro. Aahhh! I’m getting teary just thinking about it!

Go for the head!

As Tanjiro entered the final selection, the camera focused on two other characters. A boy with a scar across his nose and another boy with bright hair. They both appear in the opening credits. I’m really excited to see them properly introduced and see their backstories in the coming episodes. Tanjiro will definitely need strong allies to last the final selection week.

NEXT TIME: My Own Steel

Remember to check back next week for my review of episode five. In the meantime, make sure to check out the rest of our Spring 2019 reviews. This series is also part of our weekly anime previews.