by The fifth episode of the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Pillar Training Arc has captivated fans since its airing on June 9th. A standout moment in this episode was the addition of an original scene featuring Mitsuri Kanroji (voiced by Kana Hanazawa) enjoying a plate of pancakes. This unexpected twist has left fans in awe, with comments like ‘I’m dying of love’ and ‘This is the best!’ flooding the fan forums.
The anime series “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” is based on the manga of the same name by Koyoharu Gotouge, which was serialized in “Weekly Shonen Jump.” Set in the Taisho era, the story depicts the struggles of a young boy, Tanjiro Kamado (CV: Natsuki Hanae ), whose family was killed by demons.
Following the massive success of the ‘Tanjiro Kamado: Unwavering Resolve Arc’, which began airing in April 2019, the ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ series has become a cultural phenomenon. The sequel, ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train,’ further fueled the fan frenzy. This was followed by the ‘Mugen Train Arc,’ which introduced completely new episodes from October 2021, the ‘Yukaku Arc’ from December 2021, and the ‘Swordsmith Village Arc’ from April 2023, adding to the series’ popularity and fan engagement.
In the last episode, episode 4, the episode of Tokito Muichiro’s (CV: Kawanishi Kengo) training on the pillars was largely supplemented with original content for the anime. Seeing Muichiro harshly judging the other corps members, Tanjiro suggested a paper airplane competition. He told the corps members to speak to him more gently if he won. When the competition began, Tanjiro was no match for Muichiro, whose hobby was paper airplanes. However, the other corps members also started participating in the contest and deepened their relationship with Muichiro.
The heartwarming, original anime scene featuring Mitsuri and Tanjiro has struck a chord with fans, eliciting positive feedback. Comments such as, ‘It’s so peaceful I cried,’ ‘I wish they could keep having paper airplane battles…’ and ‘It was so emotional when they all flew the paper airplanes at the end’ reflect the emotional resonance this scene has created among the fan community.
In episode 5, “Even If I Had to Eat a Demon,” Tanjiro visits Mitsuri, the “Love Pillar.” Mitsuri takes Tanjiro to the dining table, saying, Ske some tea and pancakes at 3 o’clock.” Tanjiro is confused, trying pancakes for the first time, and asks, “How should I eat these?” Mitsuri tells him, “Tanjiro, feed me.” and makes him eat them.
In the original work, the scene moved to the next scene when the pancakes were introduced. Still, in the anime version, many interactions between Mitsuri and Tanjiro, such as “Aahn,” were added. Fans on the internet were excited, saying, “I’m dying,” “Tanjiro… that’s unfair,” and “Mitsuri’s “Aahn” is the best.” There were also many happy voices when Mitsuri appeared in a white apron, saying, “She looks super cute in a white apron,” and “Thank you for the anime original!”
Episode 5 “Even if it means eating demons”
Thanks to Tanjiro’s efforts, Muichiro and the Demon Slayer Corps members have grown closer through training. After finishing Muichiro’s training, Tanjiro heads to Mitsuri’s training hall, but the flexibility training there is more complicated than it looks.
