Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Episode 21) – Against Corps Rules
Rui’s memories of his family return as a watches Tanjiro protecting Nezuko. He remembers killing his parents only to realise that their bond was true. Then, Giyu protects Tanjiro and Nezuko from Shinobu!
What did you watch?
The buzz from episode 19 continues, but this is episode 21 of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba so surely it’s time to take a breath and relax. Isn’t it? Hopefully, this time Rui is actually dead and he didn’t just remove his own head again! Let’s get straight into things and, of course, there will be spoilers.
What happened?
As Rui died, his head rolled across the ground, but his body stumbled towards Tanjiro and Nezuko. Seeing the two siblings lying together, sparked a memory he’d long since forgotten. It was of his life before. He was a sickly child until Muzan Kibutsuji showed up and offered him the chance to become stronger. Rui took the offer and became a demon. He grew suspicious of his parents and then when they tried to kill him, he killed both of them believing their bond to be fake, but it wasn’t until they were dead that he realised he had been wrong.
Back in the now, once Rui’s body had disappeared Giyu approached Tanjiro and Nezuko, only now recognizing the pair from their first encounter. Within seconds, he stepped over them and protected them from Shinobu’s blade. She warned Tanjiro that the girl he was protecting was a demon and when he said it was his sister, she offered to use a calmer poison. Giyu told Tanjiro to run, offering to delay Shinobu.
What did you think?
This episode was all right. It didn’t live up to the previous two episodes, but I feel like we’re getting ready for the next arc. Seeing Rui’s past as he died didn’t really do that much for me. Maybe we would have been better getting that one last week instead of the flashback to his fake demon family. It was cool that Giyu recognized them and then went against corp policy to protect them. No doubt, he’ll pay for that in one way or another.
What was your favourite moment?
Once more, I really enjoyed Shinobu and her wit. She is just as vicious with her words as she is with her sword, but at the same time, her voice is soft and friendly, despite the words that come out. I loved the exchanges between her and Giyu, particularly when she revealed that no one likes him and then complained when Giyu was about to tell her a two-year-long story. Other than that, there really weren’t any standout scenes that grabbed my attention.
What was your least favourite moment?
I think it’s the flashback to Rui’s life before becoming a demon. It just felt like we should have been past this point and that the show was just dragging its heels. I did enjoy seeing Muzan again, but it wasn’t that spectacular either. On top of that, and this will probably be controversial, but I didn’t really care for Nezuko turning into a child to evade the Demon Slayer. It felt like a moment of forced cuteness just for the sake of it.
Who was your favourite character?
Even though she was trying to kill Nezuko, I still thought that Shinobu was a great character and someone that I really want to see more of. I do enjoy fun dialogue and she really does have some great lines. She also seems to be a little crazy, which based on her appearance in the last episode it would be hard to argue with.
Who was your least favourite character?
This isn’t exactly a character, but I’m going with the Demon Slayer Corps. There’s no way they didn’t know about Nezuko by now. The crows have been flying back and forth relaying information. So, having the crows stop the demon slayers from killing Nezuko at the last second felt a little too convenient and was just there to once more stretch out the episode. Also, I couldn’t help but notice that Giyu isn’t in the image below. Is it because he knows Tanjiro or because he’s in trouble for getting in Shinobu’s way?
Would you like some more?
Towards the end of the episode, we saw Inosuke being cut down and him having a moment of reflection where he realises he’s not that strong. Will that force him to be more pig-headed or will he start to get serious? Only time will tell. On the other hand, we appear to have found the perfect guise for Zenitsu – bound up like a mummy so he can’t scream and wail. Again, how will this experience change him? And, obviously, I need to find out what’s going to happen with Tanjiro and Nezuko!
Other reviews in the series
- Anime
- Season One
- Episode 1 – Cruelty
- Episode 2 – Trainer Sakonji Urokodaki
- Episode 3 – Sabito and Makomo
- Episode 4 – Final Selection
- Episode 5 – My Own Steel
- Episode 6 – Swordsman Accompanying a Demon
- Episode 7 – Muzan Kibutsuji
- Episode 8 – The Smell of Enchanting Blood
- Episode 9 – Temari Demon and Arrow Demon
- Episode 10 – Together Forever
- Episode 11 – Tsuzumi Mansion
- Episode 12 – The Boar Bares Its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps
- Episode 13 – Something More Important Than Life
- Episode 14 – The House with the Wisteria Family Crest
- Episode 15 – Mount Natagumo
- Episode 16 – Letting Someone Else Go First
- Episode 17 – You Must Master a Single Thing
- Episode 18 – A Forged Bond
- Episode 19 – Hinokami
- Episode 20 – Pretend Family
- Episode 21 – Against Corps Rules
- Episode 22 – Master of the Mansion
- Episode 23 – Hashira Meeting
- Episode 24 – Rehabilitation Training
- Episode 25 – Tsuguko, Kanao Tsuyuri
- Episode 26 – New Mission
- Movie
- Season Two – Yuukaku-hen
- Episode 1 – Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui
- Episode 2 – Infiltrating the Entertainment District
- Episode 3 – What Are You?
- Episode 4 – Tonight
- Episode 5 – Things Are Gonna Get Real Flashy!
- Episode 6 – Layered Memories
- Episode 7 – Transformation
- Episode 8 – Gathering
- Episode 9 – Defeating an Upper Rank Demon
- Episode 10 – Never Give Up
- Episode 11 – No Matter How Many Lives
- Season Three – Katanakaji no Sato-hen
- Season One
- Analysis
- Bonus Posts
- Manga
- Volume 1 – Cruelty
- Volume 2 – It Was You!
- Volume 3 – Believe in Yourself
You might also like…
