REVIEW: ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc’ — Episode 5

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc is only on Episode 5, and already, the battles are epic, the moves are new, and we’re learning so much more about Upper Rank demons and the village itself in the process. In “Bright Red Sword,” Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 5, our leads this season are all in their own battles against the Upper Rank demons who have come to the Swordsmith Village.

Last episode expanded on the battle between Upper Four’s split demons and our Demon Slayer trio, Tanjiro, Genya, and Nezuko. However, when Tanjiro is split off, things take a turn. Now in this episode, Gyokko makes a gruesome appearance to Muichiro Tokito, while Kanroji dispatches her own monsters while protecting another part of the village.

A lot is going on in Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 5, and none of it is for worse. With three locations, the audience gets a chance to see Kanroji’s skill, Gyokko’s disgusting and deadly entrance to the center of this arc, and Tanjiro’s battle with the Upper Four end in his flashiest attack yet. That said, each part of the episode feels like a different act and keeps the narrative taught while still managing to be expansive. This is an episode about action, but it isn’t without it’s emotional beats to.

While Kanroji has the smallest of the episode’s focuses, she still holds it and does so well. Kanroji isn’t just fan service; she’s also extremely strong with her Shivers of First Love attack and a sword, unlike anything we’ve seen, she packs a giant punch. A member of the Demon Slayer Corps I have been waiting to see in action—yes, boob window and all—her strength is unrelenting. While it’s easy to dismiss her as a fanservice ploy, she is given the respect and position she deserves at the same time, although her dispatching just regular monsters and not an Upper Rank Demon left me wanting more. I know I’ll get it in the coming episodes, especially with Tokito struggling against the vase-dwelling disgusting body horror artist Gyokko.

On that front, ufotable has reached a new disgusting height with its design of the multi-limbed demon. Coupled with the wet sound design os his small hand hitting together and his body as he slides out of the vase, it’s all just ugly. I mean that in a good way. With mouths for eyes that talk just the same, Gyokko and his obsession with creating art from the swordsmiths of the village is a lot to take in and it leaves an impact.

All of that said, the true stunning moment in Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 5 is at its end. Close to losing, Nezuko turns Tanjiro’s blade into a pink fire that, when used with his fire-breathing techniques, is unstoppable. While this moment is a testament to how much Tanjiro has grown in skill across each subsequent battle, it has to be one of the most beautifully animated moments of the entire series—including the film.

Using ufotable’s signature style of illustrative edges, thick line work, and vibrant uses of light, Tanjiro’s bright red sword is masterful. While Nozomu Abe leads the ufotable animation team, it has to be said that the beautiful and dynamic use of light is captured thanks to the compositing team. I rarely want to watch moments on a big screen, but the climax of Tanjiro’s fight is one of them. The color, the light, the use of the entire frame, every bit of this one sequence captures ufotable’s ability and highlights exactly why Demon Slayer will always be one of the best-animated series.

Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 5 is action-forward, and in doing so, ufotable has created one of the most beautiful moments in the series’ history. With the ending frames of Genya, it’s clear we haven’t even reached the peak.

Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 5 is available now on Crunchyroll with new episodes every Sunday.