Episode 2: "Trainer Sakonji Urokodaki"
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Episode two starts off with Tanjiro being a stubborn little bugger, refusing to accept a free basket from a local. He's insisting on paying for it, which is a very Japanese thing. I've learned myself that if a Japanese person insists on treating you, then let them. Trust me, it's easier and saves minutes of polite faffing around.
Anyway, Tanjiro gets his way and pays, and uses this basket to ferry Nezuko around. It also seems Nezuko has been confirmed as a half-demon.
The scene is very well set here. Setting sun, locals telling the siblings to be very careful as many have ventured up this mountain and have never returned. Plus Tanjiro smells blood---literally I mean.
They encounter an old house and inside, something is devouring a human. Oh yes, another demon scene!! The ogre turns around and is actually pretty frightening. He wants to eat the siblings. Suddenly, though, he opens his mouth and starts speaking. I wish he hadn't. As demons go, this guy clearly hasn't read the manual properly, mainly the chapter on voice training. He sounds completely ridiculous!
Another fight scene ensues, and despite Tanjiro's obviously brilliant but unnurtured skills, the demon starts getting the upper hand. I mean that both metaphorically and literally, as he isn't getting the upper mouth/voice. Please, shut up, man, you're making the fight scene a farce! Then suddenly BANG! Nezuko comes and boots the demon's head clean off! I'm laughing hysterically! Comedy and horror, I love them both, but they don't mix. Keep them separate. However, on this occasion, the mix seems to work.
The brute keeps speaking (wish he wouldn't) while his head is metres from his body, which keeps wrestling (which is great!). It seems Tanjiro needs to finish the job (remember Mortal Kombat, folks? "FINISH HIMMMMMM!") Yet Tanjiro suddenly gets all compassionate.
The wise old man (who I'm assuming is the focal point of the episode) then appears. Looks scarier than the demon, who actually looked scary! I emphasise "looked", past tense, because now his head and ass are at opposite ends of the clearing. The Mr Miyagi wannabe is wearing a goblin mask. He starts the Miyagi-isms. "You know what you must do," "You must make a choice," etc., etc. Tanjiro contemplates caving the demon's head in but then the sun rises, and just like Dracula, Nosferatu, and the rest, it seems demons can't handle light, and the beast disintegrates.
Mr Miyagi, or Uroka-something (can't pronounce his name despite about ten attempts---girlfriend's laughing at this more than the demon), berates Tanjiro for not having the balls. He then sets a challenge the next day, for Tanjiro to climb a mountain, which he does, following Urakadakadakadaka who seems fitter, stronger and faster. He then tells Tanjiro to get down before sunrise and suddenly disappears. Tanjiro obliges, despite the attempts of both the mountain and Mr Uradokadoka-something to flummox him. Reminds me of a time I scrambled down Mt Gozen, on my own, in the dark...
Tune in later in the week for episode 3, and while you're waiting, don't forget to check out our Demon Slayer Collection of Japan-exclusive collector's items. These things are super cool!