Warning: Spoilers for Demon Slayer: The Swordsmith Village arc, episode #9Demon Slayer's fight against the Upper Four demon Hantengu is really heating up, but the sudden appearance of the Love Hashira herself has radically shifted the tide of battle. With the fate of the Swordsmith Village on the line, Tanjiro and crew need all the help they can get, but the situation has also offered this Hashira a chance to show her skill at demon slaying.
Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji had left the Swordsmith Village shortly before the attack but was able to turn around and make it to town in time to save the village elder and several other innocents from minor demons. While it showed off her sword's unusual properties, it wasn't too impressive given the weak nature of these demons, which were summoned into existence by Upper Five, Gyokko. Now, Mitsuri is being pitted against one of the highest-ranked demons in existence, and she's already impressing viewers with her timely rescue of Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya.
The Love Hashira Puts Talent On Display
Things were looking grim, with Nezuko and Genya wrapped in the coils of a stone dragon, while Tanjiro was swallowed whole by it and was actively being crushed. But, at that moment, Mitsuri appeared and was able to slice the dragon open, saving Tanjiro before diving headlong back into the fray to help Genya and Nezuko. Mitsuri flitted about through the air quite acrobatically, with her sword trailing behind her like a dancer's ribbon. She also wielded it in a defensive manner, swirling the blade around herself to deflect attacks, which is certainly a creative application of its whip-like design.
It's good to finally see the Love Hashira's sword techniques in action, as her strange sword made it a bit difficult to imagine her fighting style. It's a graceful one that incorporates elements of dance into it, which in an odd way gives her something in common with Tanjiro's Hinokami Kagura. It also makes her fight particularly showy, and it's clear that this kind of movement would require a colossal amount of training. A big part of Mitsuri's character is her being stronger than most men, so it's worthwhile to see her prove that through direct combat with a high-ranked demon.
The episode ended with Mitsuri preparing to attack the demon's latest form, so fans can expect that the next episode will feature even more of the Love Hashira's elegant techniques. With Tanjiro and his friends badly injured, the fight's outcome may well rest on Mitsuri's shoulders alone. Fans of Demon Slayer can only hope that the Love Hashira makes it through unscathed if only to see more of her bizarre and beautiful fighting style.
