Highlight:
* Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 1 was released last weekend and here’s everything that happened in it.
* We finally saw Sanemi and Obanai in action.
* The Demon Slayer mark is discussed and explained.
Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 1 of the anime has finally released and we’re all seated for the upcoming To The Hashira Training Arc. While mainly a set-up arc for future fights and key plot developments, the arc is still hyped for Sanemi, Obanai, and Gyomei- the 3 remaining Hashiras whom we haven’t seen in action. Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 1 starts off strong so let’s take a look.
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Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 1 Explained: To The Hashira Training Arc Begins
Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 1 blasts off with Sanemi and Obanai in action against a few lower-level demons who are trafficking human women to oblivion. This is a 48-minute gigantic first episode covering a majority of the Demon Slayer To The Hashira Training Movie with only a few anime-original scenes to fill in some gaps in the manga. Let’s look at the highlights.
Wind Hashira Sanemi & Serpent Hashira Obanai in Action
Right off the bat, we see the angry, rugged, and scarred Wind Hashira Sanemi and the cold, sneaky, quiet Serpent Hashira Obanai in action. While their special abilities and breathing styles aren’t explained, we do see their Wind Breathing Style and Serpent Breathing Style in action respectively. The Wind Hashira’s endless slashes are animated in green while Obanai’s slashes form a white serpent biting through its enemies.
The Hashira Training Program & The Demon Slayer Mark
The Hashira Training Program begins after all the Hashiras learn of the special mark that appears on each Demon Slayer who is pushing their abilities to the absolute limits. They learn that it appears once the ‘first marked one’ appears which happens to be Tanjiro in this case. After a Demon Slayer pushes themselves to the point of death while Tanjiro is close, they will manifest the Demon Slayer mark.
Based on the upcoming war with the demons and this special mark, Gyomei begins a Hashira Training program to buff up the lower ranks and the new recruits using the Hashiras (ex and present except Giyu Tomioka) as teachers. Their roles, for now, are as follows:
- Tengen Uzui (ex-Sound Hashira) for stamina and endurance training.
- Muichiro Tokito (Mist Hashira) for speed and combat reaction training.
- Mitsuri Kanroji (Love Hashira) for flexibility training.
- Obanai Iguro (Serpent Hashira) for swordsmanship training.
- Sanemi Shinazugawa (Wind Hashira) for endless attack training.
- Gyomei Himejima (Stone Hashira) for strength training.
The lower-ranked slayers are sent to each camp one after the other for holistic training and development. Of course, it goes without saying that the Hashiras will be training on their own too.
Other Plot Developments in Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 1
The first part of Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 1 teases us the Infinity Castle Arc- one of the penultimate arcs before the final war between the Demon Slayers and Muzan Kibutsuji.
We also learn that Ubayashiki is in bad shape due to his failing health and that his death is imminent. We also learn that Ubayashiki’s Kasuga Crow has independently been tracking Lady Tamayo and at the end of the episode he finally infiltrates her domain to meet her. We also see Tanjiro heal and his sword repaired while Nezuko gets accustomed to talking and playing under the sun.
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He explains how he tracked her of his own accord and says he bears no hostility before asking for her assistance. He wants Lady Tamayo to collaborate with Shinobu Kocho to research Nezuko’s sun-resistant body and develop a poison or an antidote to Muzan’s demon blood. Demon Slayer changed mainstream anime so it’s good the anime is back.
