Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Season 3 Episode 5 Recap & Review

Strange Abilities

Episode 5 of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba season 3 begins with Kotetsu and Tokito Muichro, the Mist Hashira rushing to save Kanamori. After killing the fish minion, Tokito asks for his sword and Kotetsu is dumbfounded by his priorities.

Kanamori doesn’t mind and says Tanjiro in fact told him to help by making a sword for the Mist Hashira and Tokito is surprised. Kotetsu reminds them of Haganezuka and they go look for him. Kanamori sees that Tokito’s sword is chipped and says he has made a sword for him which is lying in a hut. But before they can reach the hut, the potted demon, Gyokko stops them. 

In the village, the fish minions wreak havoc but just as it seems that hope is lost, Mitsuri, the Love Hashira shows up. She kills all the fish minions and runs to find the chief. The chief is in the hands of a fish minion with only one swordsmith trying to save him.

He loses hope but Mitsuri shows up just in time. The subordinate sees that her sword also doubles up as a whip and he admires it as he realises the chief made it for her. In one move, she kills the fish minion and catches the chief who is just happy to be held by her.

Elsewhere, the clone demons attack Nezuko and Tanjiro as they try to run. Sekido attacks them with lightning and Nezuko blacks out. Tanjiro wakes up first and runs with her as Karaku chases them. As he throws them out of the house, Nezuko wakes up and holds on to Tanjiro’s blade.

The house is destroyed and the clones start searching for the siblings amongst the ruins. Nezuko is stuck under debris but she keeps holding on to the blade till her hands bleed and Tanjiro is confused.

As for the misfit trio, Gyokko attacks them by creating a minion with the 5 swordsmiths it consumed. The swordsmiths are still alive and can feel pain. Annoyed, Tokito attacks. Gyokko keeps escaping but is furious that Tokito sliced his vases and does not appreciate art. While Tokito realises that just beheading is enough to kill Gyokko, the potted demon attacks Kotetsu and Kanamori with fish needles.

Tokito runs to them and instead is pierced everywhere by the poisoned needles. He tells the two swordsmiths to run and hide as he faces off the potted demon. Gyokko goads him as he says he will lose his life while trying to save worthless lives and that triggers a memory of Tokito. Someone tells him that his life is worthless and he wonders about it.

At that moment, Gyokko attacks and traps him in a water prison. He then gloats that he will destroy the village which will weaken demon slayers. This will make it easier for the demons to then kill Ubuyashiki. 

Meanwhile, Nezuko uses her blood demon art to transfer her power to Tanjiro’s black sword which turns flaming red. As Tanjiro moves to attack, he suddenly gets an inherited memory of the 300-year-old slayer. A woman had marvelled at his sword which had similarly been black but turned red when he fought. Tanjiro is confused but he declares that his sword has turned red because of Nezuko helping him.

He is inspired by all the people along the way that have helped him and steels his mind to repay their kindness by defeating the demons. He confronts the clones while Urogi and Karaku just laugh at him. However, Sekido, who has a memory of Muzan, realises that the sword is similar to the 300-year-old slayer who almost beheaded Muzan.

He sees that Tanjiro’s scar has changed into the same scar the slayer had and as he strikes, Sekido sees a vision of the slayer behind him. In one form, Tanjiro easily beheads all three clones simultaneously. He recalls that he used the same form to behead Gyutaro and that his whole body had felt like it was on fire. Tanjiro realises that all heads of the clones need to be cut at the same time.

As he looks for the fourth clone, Aizetsu he sees that Genya has already beheaded him. Tanjiro is overjoyed by the timing, as it has now stopped all 4 clones from regenerating once and for all. But when he rushes to him, he sees that Genya’s eyes are black and he is foaming at the mouth. 

In the epilogue, Tanjiro and Nezuko ask Mitsuri how she sheathes her whip-like sword. She easily sheathes it and they cheer. She is touched that they found it cool and hype her up. She again and again keeps showing off and they cheer her.

Episode Guide

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has this high-drive, rushed pace which is evident even in season 3. Despite taking up the first half of the season, it didn’t feel like much time passed for this Swordsmith Village arc. With the clones defeated, only the potted demon, Gyokko remains. However, it doesn’t seem that Tanjiro will be of much help in rescuing Tokito as he already has his hands full.

It is always interesting to see the different abilities of the slayers, but whatever Genya has turned into to kill the clone demon is not human. And while he looks rabid, hopefully, he doesn’t bite off Tanjiro’s head or get himself killed before we can see more of his cool transformation.