Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Season 3 Episode 10 Recap & Review

Staying True To Oneself

Episode 10 of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba season 3 titled ‘Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji’ starts off with Mitsuri destroying the dragon heads with her whip-like sword. She then scolds Zohakuten, the Hate Clone for hurting Nezuko and Genya. He swears at her and she is shocked.

While she is busy being scandalised, the Clone uses thunder to attack. Tanjiro warns her but she quickly deflects the attack and declares that even though the clone looks like a child, she is furious with him. As the two fight, Tanjiro is in awe of her sword-wielding technique and speed. 

He suddenly remembers his main aim which is to cut down the main body of Hantengu. But at that moment, Mitsuri gets close to Zohakuten and tries to cut his head while the Clone opens his mouth. Tanjiro tries to warn her but it is too late and the demon uses sonic sound to throw her off. A worried Nezuko tears off her limbs to escape but turns out Mitsuri wasn’t too affected as she stiffened her muscles before her attack. 

Zohakuten is annoyed at first but while Mitsuri is shell-shocked, he gloats that eating her will give him more strength. Tanjiro tries to reach them just as Zohakuten goes to crush her skull.

It cuts to a flashback where a man rejects 17-year-old Mitsuri’s proposal. He says that only an animal will marry her as he cannot imagine his children getting her odd hair colour. 

She remembers how when she was a child she was in awe of her father’s strength and how her mother used to be shocked at her picking up a rock to help out at home. She also had a big appetite and while her mother and father indulged her, the rest of the locals found her odd. She used to arm-wrestle and even defeat grown men.

It is only when she is older that she realises she is different and wonders if she will ever marry. Her family is not worried as they say she can stay with them forever. After her engagement is cancelled, she dyes her hair black, eats less and pretends to be weak. She finally finds someone but she does not like that she has to hide her true self. 

At that moment, she comes back to the present and sees Tanjiro, Nezuko and Genya hugging her as they escape Zohakuten’s attack. As Genya and Tanjiro discuss how to protect her, she is moved. But before they can get too far, the Clone attacks with lightning. But as the air clears, we see that Mitsuri has easily slashed the rocks that flew their way. She apologises for messing up and claims she will protect them while the three look at her in awe.  

In another flashback, Mitsuri is surprised to hear Ubuyashiki tell her that she should be proud of her strength. She tears up and she thanks her parents for everything. She easily befriends the Kakushis by sharing food and assures the victims she saves that they are safe. Even the ruthless Hashira, Iguro ends up gifting her green socks. She says she will treasure it and he doesn’t mind if she doesn’t as he can just give her new ones.

It cuts to the present and we see that the socks she is wearing are the same ones that Iguro gave her. She says she was holding back because she was scared that others would not see her as human. She remembers Tanjiro saying that she is their only hope and she tells them to stay back as she singlehandedly takes on the dragon heads so they can focus on the main body. Zohakuten figures out their plan but Mitsuri easily destroys the dragon heads targeting the junior slayers. 

Meanwhile, Tanjiro is able to smell Hantengu and heads his way with Nezuko and Genya. As Mitsuri easily slices through the multiple dragons that keep on forming, Zohakuten suddenly notices that she has a mark on her neck (just like the one that formed on Tanjiro and Muichiro’s faces). He thinks it is a demon crest but is more worried about his dragons. 

As for Hantengu who is hidden inside a tree, the trio reach him but they are not able to slice through. Genya starts biting through the bark with his fangs and breaks it in half. The tree starts attacking with its tendrils which Nezuko slows down with her blood demon art. Tanjiro uses the Flame Dance technique to slice through the tree and as the other two hold it open, they see that Hantengu has run away.

Something flips in Tanjiro who is finally frustrated and screams at him not to run as he should take responsibility for his evil deeds. As he runs after him, Hantengu stumbles and cries that he is only responsible for his own actions.

It cuts to someone threatening him and calling him a two-faced liar. He cries that he has never said a lie and that while he is good-natured, he is weak. His self-pitying speech angers Genya who throws a tree at him. And as it takes him down, Nezuko reaches for him.

In the epilogue, Tanjiro, Nezuko and Genya thank Mitsuri for protecting them and promise to kill Hantengu. Tanjiro then reveals that because she used to eat 170 Sakura mochis a day, her hair turned colourful. Muichiro shows up and asks if it is true. He says logically it is impossible to eat that many mochis but Mitsuri suddenly arrives and shoves one of the sweets in his mouth. She then offers the sweets to the rest of them.

The Episode Review

Mitsuri is by far the cutest demon slayer if we don’t factor in Muichiro with his new/old personality which shined when he was bickering with Gyokko. Her getting scandalised in the middle of a battle that Zohakuten who looks younger than her little brother swore at her is so absurd and funny.

But that doesn’t even come close to how strong she is. Even though Tanjiro couldn’t withstand the sonic attack at close range, Mitsuri was able to think quickly and use the best defences she had. With Genya and Muichiro getting their back story, it was about time that we got Mitsuri’s as well before Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba season 3 ended.

While she doesn’t have the same hardships as them, it is so sad to see that she has been doubting herself just because others who are afraid of her have been looking down on her. She needs more supportive people around her, and her friendship with Iguro, Tanjiro, Nezuko and Genya in episode 10 is the best thing that happened.