Episode 2
“Demon Slayer”, Season 4, Episode 2 picks up where the previous episode left off. After the crow departs, Yushiro, Tamayo’s companion, bursts into the room, urging her to move to a safer location. However, Tamayo decides they should go to the Ubuyashiki Mansion, the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps, indicating her acceptance of Kagaya’s request.
Meanwhile, at the Butterfly Mansion, Tanjiro receives a letter from Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Kagaya, bedridden due to his illness, asks Tanjiro to speak with Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka on his behalf, encouraging him to participate in the Hashira training. Despite still recovering from his injuries, Tanjiro agrees and prepares for the task ahead.
Early next morning, Tanjiro, equipped with a bag of rice balls prepared by Aoi, sets off to Giyu’s house. Upon arriving there, he calls out to Giyu but receives no response.
Undeterred, Tanjiro enters the house and begins discussing the Hashira training, requesting Giyu to train him. Giyu refuses and expresses his disappointment that Tanjiro has not mastered the Water Breathing technique. Tanjiro apologizes, following which Giyu mentions that since there is no current Water Hashira, someone must step into that position. Confused, Tanjiro asks if Giyu isn’t already the Water Hashira. Giyu bluntly responds that he is not and tells Tanjiro to go home. As Giyu exits the room, Tanjiro follows, remembering Kagaya’s advice to be persistent. Giyu goes into his room and closes the door, while Tanjiro leaves the rice balls there.
The next morning, Giyu finds Tanjiro sleeping outside. Tanjiro wakes up and continues to follow Giyu, trying to persuade him. Finally, Giyu opens up about his past. He recounts his Final Selection experience with Sabito, his fellow student under Urokodaki. During the trial, Sabito saved many participants, including Giyu, but lost his life to a powerful demon. Although Giyu passed the test after waking up from unconsciousness, he never felt he truly deserved the title of Water Hashira due to his guilt over Sabito’s death.
Tanjiro listens, understanding Giyu’s guilt and pain. He remembers his own grief over the death of Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku. Wiping away tears, Tanjiro calls out to Giyu as he walks away, asking if he plans to pass on what Sabito entrusted to him.
Giyu stops, feeling the sting of a memory where Sabito slapped him for wishing he had died instead of his sister. Sabito had told him to honor her memory by living fully. Giyu had buried that memory to avoid the pain of loss, and now he inwardly apologizes for his immaturity.
Overwhelmed by the memory, Giyu stands still while Tanjiro worries he’s made things worse. Desperate to lift his spirits, Tanjiro thinks of a speed-eating contest. Just as Giyu agrees to join the training, Tanjiro blurts out an invitation to race eating soba noodles. Confused, Giyu agrees. As they eat, Giyu asks what the Insect Hashira is training them in, indicating his willingness to train.
Back at the Butterfly Mansion, Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho struggles to control her anger. As Kanao prepares to leave for training, she approaches Shinobu, who informs her that she won’t be going to the training, leaving Kanao disappointed. However, Shinobu is pleased to see Kanao expressing herself more freely. Before Kanao departs, Shinobu decides to share the story of the demon that killed her sister, Kanae Kocho, the former Flower Hashira, and explain how to defeat it.
