by The fourth episode of the TV anime’ Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ Pillar Training Arc (Fuji TV / Every Sunday at 11:15 pm) is set to air on June 2nd. Including anime-original scenes, a topic of much anticipation since the first episode, has thrilled many viewers. However, this excitement is met with a sense of foreboding from the original manga fans.
In the fourth episode, ‘I can smile’, Kamado Tanjiro embarks on high-speed movement training under the guidance of Tokito Muichiro , the Mist Pillar. The inclusion of more anime-original scenes, a trend that started in the third episode, has expanded the story from a few frames in the original to a full episode, adding an element of surprise and intrigue.
The topics that are attracting attention can be broadly divided into two: ‘Pillar-to-Pillar Training’ and ‘Regular Corps Member Training’. The ‘Pill.’-to-Pillar Training, ‘which was expected in the previous exchange, surprised viewers by featuring not only Iguro Obanai and Shinazugawa Sanemi but also Muichiro. This training is a crucial part of the series, where the strongest demon slayers, known as the Pillars, hone their skills. On the other hand, the ‘Regular Corps Member Training’ focuses on the development of the main characters’ comrades, who are also preparing for the battles ahead.
In response to the showdown between the three pillars, which does not appear in the original work, social media was flooded with comments such as, ‘The rehearsals between the original pillars in the anime are too crazy…’, ‘The effort put into the anime original drawings is different,’ ‘All the voice actors are from Gundam (including Kugimiya-san),’ and ‘All three are main characters.’ These ‘rehearsals’ are intense practice battles that the Pillars engage in to sharpen their skills. However, there were mixed reactions to the rehearsals of the regular soldiers, who, like the previous episode, were closer to the characters.
Most anime fans were pleased, saying, “It’s amazing how the anime original has expanded the content while still considering the appeal of the characters,” and “It’s good that they portray these soldiers looking so happy…” On the other hand, those who read the original work made heavy comments that hinted at the future fate of the Demon Slayer Corps members, such as “It was a high-quality anime original, but only those who have read the original can feel that the gruesomeness of Hell has increased, “Anime originals that don’t exist in the original at all are dangerous. I’m starting to remember the faces of the mob soldiers…”, “The more mob soldiers are involved, the deeper the flavor of the final battle will be,” and “People who have only seen the anime original: ‘They say it’s just rehearsals, but it’s nice to see the gap between the pillars and the soldiers getting weaker.’ People who know the original work: ‘The anime has no human heart.'”
