REVIEW: ‘Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba- Entertainment District Arc,’ Episode 10 – “Never Give Up”

The entire Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc has been high octane from the very start, and Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc Episode 10 is no exception. The battle against the Upper Rank 6 demons is close to reaching its finale, and things are looking bleak for Tanjiro and friends.

While the previous episode focused more on Uzui and his motivations, Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc Episode 10 returns the attention to Tanjiro and Nezuko. From the very start we see Tanjiro surrounded by his friends, all either dead or on the verge of death. The situation could not feel more bleak, and the excellent as always animation really drives home the despair. Gyutaro reinforces my belief that he is arguably the series’ most intimidating villain so far when he begins to taunt Tanjiro over what a disgrace him and his friends are. Driven to the brink, with seemingly no chance of victory, Episode 10 presents Tanjiro as someone needing to overcome severe deficiencies in order to defeat Gyutaro and Daki.

The line that struck me the most was when Gyutaro makes fun of Tanjiro for being so weak that he needs protection from his little sister. The whole premise of the series so far has been that Tanjiro is trying to save his sister, but he is slowly learning that it’s actually him who needs saving. The dynamic between Tanjiro and Nezuko has always been a fascinating one, and watching Nezuko grow more powerful as the show has continued has been awesome to see. Not just because she gains some really interesting abilities, but because of how it transforms the relationship between the two siblings. They learn to depend on each other and help each other, even while one is human and the other a demon. It’s such a well-written relationship that really plays out well on screen.

Beyond excellent storytelling, the action in Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc Episode 10 absolutely blew me away. I don’t want to spoil who is or who is not alive for what appears to be the final battle, but I will say that I was left absolutely speechless watching it. The fluid action, along with an incredible cinematic score backing it up, was as impactful a battle as I have ever seen on screen. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I had no clue who was going to win, and even after the battle I was not quite sure who actually one. The damage caused, the tragic aftermath of the battle, are going to be incredible to see in the next episode.

Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc Episode 10 takes a season that I already believed was near perfection and manages to find ways to continue improving it. The emotional weight is as heavy as can be, and the battles are so intense I felt goosebumps throughout. There really is not a better shonen anime out there right now, and anyone not giving Demon Slayer a making a huge mistake.

Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc Episode 10 is streaming now on Funimation and Crunchyroll.