Demon Slayer Season 4, Episode 4 Review: Muichiro Tokito Is the Star of This Slow Training Episode (2024)

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is finally taking the Hashira Training Arc seriously. After recuperating from his wounds and taking a detour to reach out to Giyu at the behest of the Master, Tanjiro Kamado finally joins the training. He completes every hurdle on Tengen Uzui's course and moves on to the next one, where the dojo of the Mist Hashira awaits. But the thought of Muzan Kibutsuji coming to abduct his sister Nezuko haunts his steps, making him worry to no end. Tanjiro knows he has to get much stronger before he has any chance to take on the demon lord and looks optimistically forward to Muichiro Tokito's training exercise.

Animated by Ufotable and streaming on Crunchyroll, Demon Slayer Season 4, Episode 4 reunites Tanjiro and Muichiro for the first time since the Swordsmith Village Arc, where they fought an Upper Moon demon together. Episode 4 may not have such thrills to offer, but it has some serious training scenes that put both Hashira and lower-ranked slayers through the works. The story still feels laidback and takes time to find its rhythm. It only packs a pinch of action and suspense, which is not worth the hype surrounding the current arc. Still, Episode 4 has its moments, such as when the usually cold Muichiro strikes a chord with the ever-jovial Tanjiro.

Demon Slayer Has Never Been More Rudderless

The Training Montages and Scenes Are All Bark but No Bite

Demon Slayer Season 4, Episode 4 picks up where Episode 3 ended, with Muichiro giving a strict lesson on swordsmanship to a batch of young demon slayers. As Tanjiro enters the dojo, a silence falls over him, with only the sound of clattering wooden swords and Muichiro's voice welcoming him to the next level of Hashira training. Audiences can immediately feel the focus on the Mist Hashira, whose little introduction sets the stage for a character-driven episode. But it is not just Muichiro's whims and actions at the crux of the tale, as Tanjiro also fills in as the deuterogonist. The episode's story constantly cuts away between fierce training sessions and thoughtful conversations to keep the pace from dozing off. But four episodes in, Demon Slayer Season 4 feels sluggish due to the story's lack of direction or an antagonistic presence to raise the stakes. Sadly, Episode 4 strikes out on both counts.

Unlike the rough-and-tough nature of Tengen's exercise regimen, Muichiro's training is steadierr. This is precisely how the story builds its tension inch by inch, for better and worse. While the Hashira training is no joke, Muichiro makes it even more punitive for the low-ranked demon slayers with his hard stance. For the boys stuck between duty and a sense of reverence for their instructor -- which is something heavily ingrained in Japanese society -- this is a source of friction that starts to decay their morale. Tanjiro basically serves the same role that he did in previous episodes, as he once again acts as the catalyst for change. To some, Tanjiro's habit of inspiring others through sheer willpower will understandably feel formulaic and predictable, not just by Demon Slayer's standards, but by those of shōnen anime as well. The episode's slower pace doesn't help much either. Thankfully, Episode 4 gives enough reverence to the young Mist Hashira to see his training program through, thus giving him ample time to justify his methods and optimism. That said, with the episode being mostly confined to the dojo, the training will feel claustrophobic after a while.

The only time Muichiro ventures out of his comfort zone is also the only time the episode shows off a bit of action and suspense. Although Kibutsuji's demons have yet to come out of hiding, their spies spread fast through the village adjacent to the Ubuyashiki Mansion. These ominous shots create a spine-chilling foreboding of things to come. The show goes from dark to lively in seconds when Muichiro meets up with the Serpent and Wind Hashira, and a swashbuckling mock battle begins. This is the most action the episode sees in its entire runtime. As expected of Ufotable, the fight is a sight to behold that also makes the absence of such moments in the episode even more glaring.

Muichiro Tokito & Tanjiro Kamado’s Relationship Is Put to the Test

The Episode Finds Its Warmth From Their Friendship

Muichiro takes center stage in this episode, as the current arc gets up close and personal with each Hashira. As a prodigy and master swordsman, it falls upon the Mist Hashira to beat the basics of movement and flow with the katana into his band of inexperienced cadets. From the get-go, Muichiro's style of teaching rubs his students the wrong way, with his cold demeanor and disconnected personality not helping his cause. Like his strictness in the dojo, Muichiro is also hard on himself. He teaches during the day and leaves the dojo in the evening to join Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro in their sparring sessions. To his students, what may seem cold and cruel is really the only way Muichiro knows how to do things. But there is also a childlike enthusiasm in him that's suppressed under the weight of the world. Muichiro's lighter side takes flight once Tanjiro finds a way to reach out to him, making Episode 4 quite the heartfelt affair by the end.

Unlike Episode 3, where Tanjiro's tenacious energy spreads through the whole outfit like wildfire, Episode 4 lets Muichiro take the reins. Tanjiro finds himself on the spectator's bench, observing events unfold at the same time as the audience. Muichiro does take Tanjiro's arrival at his dojo warmly, opening up to him like an old friend. He even tells Tanjiro of his plans to keep the swordsmith Kozo Kanamori at his place permanently, but conveniently leaves out the part about his nightly escapades. A subtle disparity remains because of their ranks, which Tanjiro is the least bit concerned about. With his overtly positive and observant nature, Tanjiro comes up with a way to close that gap between him and Muichiro. Specifically, they bond over a simple hobby that momentarily takes care of all their earthly worries.

Tanjiro's voice actor, Natsuki Hanae, has a relatively peaceful episode. But that does not mean he can take a break, as his character is always busy feeling concerned for everyone around him. Hanae lets out Tanjiro's emotive self whenever he witnesses a moment that does not sit well with him or shares in on the silliness with his smile. Meanwhile, Kengo Kawanishi's performance as Muichiro remains calm throughout the episode, even though he has the most screen time.Muichiro's emotionless eyes and voice may be the reason for his students to find him off-putting, but Kawanishi's voice perks up once Tanjiro is in the frame. This doesn't just show the introverted Muichiro's fondness for familiar faces, but also Kawanishi's own impressive vocal range.

Demon Slayer Season 4, Episode 4 Trades the Anime’s Signature Flair for Peace & Calm

Ufotable Shows That It Can Animate Tranquil Scenes as Well as Its Fights

By now, Ufotable has become adept at animating serene countrysides full of birds, trees, and small rivers -- all of which are completely antithetical to Demon Slayer's bloodstained and kinetic reputation. This isn't a bad thing, since this ironic juxtaposition emphasizes just how much the demons disrupted the characters' peaceful lives and their serene homes. But with the current arc charting its course through calm waters, the animators used Episode 4's downtime to create detailed backgrounds to house the characters rather than show amazing fights and carnage.

Episode 4 looks more rustic than previous episodes because of the setting's impeccable details. The dojo's wooden interiors almost look like the real deal, complete with polished floors that capture the characters' shiny reflections. The episode only has one action scene that still warrants attention. To that end, Ufotable makes it a fest of colorful special effects to emulate the clash of blades. The lighting in this episode is also something to marvel at. From the sunset's glow to the sinister darkness from where demonic eyeballs crawl out, Ufotable gets the ambiance right every time.

Compared to the episodes before it, Demon Slayer Season 4, Episode 4 trudged along slowly. One would expect some reckless swordplay, sudden twists or maybe some comedic outbursts from this episode, as is tradition in the anime. But there are no such things in store for fans here. Instead of watching yet another explosive spectacle, viewers are invited to experience the same mundane routines that Tanjiro's enjoying. What viewers do get is a deeper look into Muichiro and the relationships he's forging in the Demon Slayer Corps. As Tanjiro skips and hops toward Mitsuri Kanroji's mansion for his next training session, this episode ends on a warm note, which has been the only other mainstay besides the pacing of this Hashira Training Arc.

Demon Slayer Season 4 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Demon Slayer Season 4 Episode 4

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When Tanjiro Kamado returns home to find his family was attacked and killed by demons, he discovers his younger sister Nezuko was the only survivor. As Nezuko slowly becomes a demon, Tanjiro sets out to find a cure for her and become a demon slayer so he can avenge his family.

Pros

• The episode balances training and a heartfelt story well.
• Tokito and Tanjiro's friendship is at the center of the story.

Cons

• Demon Slayer is still stretching out the Hashira Training arc.
• The lack of a plot makes the episode go adrift.
• The episode has flashy fights, but none with enough stake.