The latest episode of Demon Slayer season 3 episode 5, titled “Red Sword,” was a truly unforgettable ride. The episode continued to explore the character dynamics of the cast while also delivering some of the most memorable moments of the season. With its top-notch storytelling, stunning animation, and consistent pacing, “Red Sword” managed to exceed expectations and leave a lasting impression on viewers.
The episode picks up immediately where the previous one left off, with Tanjiro locked in battle against the four aspects of Hantengu while Tokito encounters the sadistic Upper Rank 5, Gyokko. Both of these fights showcase some of the most compelling aspects of Demon Slayer, from its intricate swordplay to its visceral horror and stunning animation.
As the battles unfold, we see the characters face their inner demons and push their limits in ways they never thought possible. Tokito’s encounter with Gyokko is particularly memorable, as he tries to protect Kozo Kanamori and Kotetsu from Gyokko’s gruesome art and the fish demons the Upper Rank summons. Through this fight, we see Tokito’s icy emotional exterior slowly begin to thaw, and he even has a moment of vulnerability when Kanamori reveals that Tanjiro asked him to make a new sword for him and that he should “be understanding towards you.”
It’s these moments in between the elaborate swordplay, where the show and the characters are able to breathe, that are some of Demon Slayer‘s greatest strengths. It offers stark, simple illustrations of how its cast can grow and change, making them all the more compelling to watch.
Gyokko is another highlight of the start of Demon Slayer Season 3. The Upper Rank demons have been a fascinating addition to the series, with their politicking and interpersonal drama at the start of the season leading up to the visceral horror of their animations. Gyokko, in particular, creates hideous, body-horror tinged sculptures that emerge out of vases, and he taunts Tokito with what he calls “Death Throne of the Smiths,” a twisted nightmare of death swordsmiths.
The fight between Tokito and Gyokko is short and inconclusive, but it’s another small, character-focused moment that stands out. When Gyokko says to Tokito that all he did was “save some worthless lives,” one of the latter’s lost, repressed memories comes back to him. The lower half of a face, through grit teeth, says “because your life is worthless” to a young Tokito, as the puzzle pieces of his youth and memory slowly come back together.
Demon Slayer season 3 episode 5: A Memorable and Emotional Ride
In Demon Slayer season 3 episode 5, Memory is the theme that connects the two plot threads in “Red Sword.” Tanjiro’s fight against the aspects of Hantengu is full of more drama and shock, while also exposing some of the flaws with the start of the Swordsmith Village Arc.
After continuing to unsuccessfully defeat Hantengu in a fight, Tanjiro and Nezuko flee, only for a powerful attack to leave them trapped under rubble, while multiple parts of Hantengu search for them. Even as he frantically tells his sister that he can move the rubble she’s trapped under if she just lets go of his sword, Nezuko holds on, digging her hands deep into the blade, covering it with drops of demonic blood. It’s in this moment that the promise of the title is revealed, and Tanjiro’s sword explodes with flames