REVIEW: ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc’ — Episode 7

Things look dire for Tanjiro and the other demon slayers, but Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 presents a chance for them to take the upper hand. Genya has proven to be a key ally in the fight and Tanjiro has discovered new abilities and continued to grow, but it might not be enough to defeat Upper Four and his Emotional Demons.

Upper Four’s Emotional Demons have been tough to fight so far, but Tanjiro has been able to hold his own. After Nezuko infused his sword with her blood, his enhanced flame breathing technique is as destructive as it is fascinating to look at. The problem is, Tanjiro has not seen all of the Emotional Demons yet.

Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 reveals the Emotional Demon Zohakuten who is so much stronger than the others. He is a combination of all of the other Emotional Demons, a final phase in the fight against Upper Four. Straight away he is physically more imposing than the others were on their own, and seeing him revealed sent a chill down my spine. Demon Slayer has always done such a great job revealing new demons, and this is no exception. The visual reveal along with the epic score in the background makes for a truly breathtaking moment.

Beyond just looking cool, Zohakuten is stronger and smarter than his counterparts. He also has a twisted sense of good and bad, calling Tanjiro and Genya “awful villains”. He has a righteous anger that only makes him more of a challenge for Tanjiro to face. Tanjiro can smell the countless humans Zohakuten has devoured and refuses to let him get away with trying to play the victim card. Zohakuten may have his own righteous anger, but Tanjiro is truly committed to fighting for what is right and takes Zohakuten stance as an offensive that just fires him up even more.

We also get to see what is happening with Muichiro in Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7. Still trapped by Upper Five, he is on the verge of death with seemingly no way out. The visual image of Muichiro trapped in water and riddled with needles is harrowing, and his struggle to break free is brilliantly animated by ufotable. Upper Five may not be as strong as Upper Four, but his brutality is on full display here when he tries to see what Muichiro was protecting.

It is in that confrontation between Upper Five and the swordsmiths that we see that it isn’t just the demon slayers who are brave. The idea of Demon Slayer is that Tanjiro isn’t the most powerful but he is the most determined and his sense of justice drives him to never give up. In that same vein, Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 shows Mr. Haganezuka display immense bravery in the face of such a dire threat. He is determined to serve his role as a swordsmith by preparing a sword that Tanjiro can use to defeat the Upper Rank demons and refuses to back down even when Upper Five unleashes some brutal attacks on him.

I’m glad we were shown more of the non-demon slayers playing important roles and having the same type of strength and bravery even if they aren’t nearly as strong. It is a reminder to the viewer and to demon slayers like Muichiro that the fate of the world is not just in the hands of the demon slayers. It is in the hands of those who support them and also those who show immense courage when it doesn’t make sense. These role players that exhibit true selflessness are inspirational to the demon slayers and their contributions physically and mentally could be what they need to win the war against the demons.

Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 shows that courage that doesn’t make sense in the face of unfathomable danger can make a huge difference. It isn’t just the demon slayers that are needed to save humanity. Everyone has a role to play, and even the smallest contributions can make a world of difference.

Demon Slayer Season 3 Episode 7 is available now on Crunchyroll with new episodes every Sunday.