The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba -Entertainment District Arc- anime has finally reached its climax. As of February 13th, 2022, Demon Slayer Season 2 Episode 11 titled No Matter How Many Times I Am Reborn has been released.
And on May 1st, 2022, a Demon Slayer Entertainment District English dub version will be available to view on streaming platforms including Crunchyroll and FUNimation. An action-packed season may have come to an end, but the second cour of the second season has given fans plenty to think about in anticipation for Demon Slayer Season 3: Swordsmith Village Arc.
An announcement of the Swordsmith Village Arc anime isn’t the only good news either. With the overwhelming success of Demon Slayer Season 2, it’s currently plausible that future arcs such as the Demon Slayer Season 4: Infinity Castle Arc will come to life in an animated adaptation too.
Before the release of the next season, fans have time to sit and reflect on everything that’s happened in Season 2. And while the first cour’s show of burning flames was mind-blowing on its own, the second cour takes an even flashier turn.
What happens in Demon Slayer Season 2 Episode 11?
Similar to the Mugen Train Arc which followed Kyojuro Rengoku, the Entertainment District Arc follows Tengen Uzui — the flashy and flamboyant shinobi Hashira — and gives more insight into the ninja’s life beyond the glitz and glamor.
Living in the lap of luxury of the flower district isn’t as fanciful as it seems. Behind blossom-painted walls filled with women and wine lurks beasts of horror that stalk at night. A demon is hiding somewhere in the red light district, and Uzui — with the help of his three wives Makio, Suma, and Hinatsuru — is determined to take it down. When he loses contact with his wives, he along with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke head into the heart of the Yoshiwara Entertainment District to learn what happened.
So far in the Entertainment District Arc, Tanjiro and friend’s run-in with the self-proclaimed God of Festivals has led to dress-up antics, awareness of the harsh lives of courtesans, and an introduction of the fan-favorite Muscular Mice. But what has Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Episode 11 done to bring everything to a close?
Warning! Spoilers ahead.
Starting from the aftermath of Episode 10, Gyutaro and Daki have been beheaded but at a great cost. Tengen Uzui has lost an arm, an eye, and is suffering the effects of the demon’s poison. Tanjiro, too, struggles to maintain his breath as the immense pain slowly starts to fade the light from his eyes. And if matters weren’t already worse with Inosuke and Zenitsu’s injuries, Gyutaro, as a last-ditch effort, means to tear the town apart with a final Blood Demon Art.
All seems lost until Nezuko rolls from her storage box. Using her own Blood Demon Art, she’s able to nullify the enemy demon’s devastating attack. Whether that will be enough, however, is left unknown as Tanjiro slips out of consciousness — taking the viewer with him.
This leaves a lot of speculation about Nezuko and her power for anime-only watchers. Previously in the Mugen Train Arc, Nezuko was able to free Tanjiro and his friends from demon Enmu’s sleep inducement ability. The fact that she stands to nullify the effects of an Upper Rank’s Blood Demon Art means that she will be an integral ally to the demon slayers in their fight against Muzan and his hordes.
That said, future battles won’t be easy. Following the Mugen Train Arc, writer Koyoharu Gotouge pulls no punches when it comes to putting their demon hunter cast into tough situations. Hashira Rengoku suffered a fatal blow to demon Akaza, and despite Nezuko’s best efforts, the flower district has been razed.
But all isn’t lost. Tanjiro wakes, and while the world around him has been reduced to rubble, Nezuko’s newfound gift proves to be the source of hope needed. Gone from grief to lighthearted fun, the cutesy little sister’s nullification ability is enough to rid Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Uzui of the poison meant to destroy them.
Fans needn’t shed tears for yet another Hashira this season, but to say Uzui is in any condition to fight again is a longshot. He and his wives have been reunited after a whirlwind event meant to tear them apart. And after fellow Hashira Obanai Iguro arrives, Uzui confirms that he will retire — leaving yet another Hashira seat open.
Despite Iguro’s surprise, Uzui remarks that the fate of the new era of demon slayers rests with Tanjiro and his friends. Previously put on trial for his refusal to kill his demon sister Nezuko, Tanjiro has held true to his vows. Unconventional is an understatement as the young demon slayer not only has a soft spot for his demon-turned kin but for all demons.
Before their heads finally fade away, Tanjiro is able to confront Gyutaro and Daki and get them to show one last shred of humanity before their end. Seeing their past lives allows him to understand the events that led up to them becoming demons.
Born poor and in an abusive household, neither Gyutaro nor Daki received compassion from the world around them before turning into demons. Hideous and crude to those in his village, Gyutaro lived the life of an outcast until his sister, Ume — who later took on the name Daki — was born. For every bit as vile as Gyutaro was perceived, Ume was beautiful. But due to the circumstances of their class, Ume was forced to become a courtesan while her brother took to roughing up others for money as a debt collector.
Life, despite its harsh realities, was made worthwhile because the two were together. That ability to make the best of a terrible situation was undermined, however, when Ume was burned alive for stabbing a traveling samurai. Upon finding the scene of Ume’s burned body, Gyutaro sought revenge, but the samurai found him first and struck him down.
Working as hired muscle gave Gyutaro the skill to fend off his foe. He slew the samurai. The victory, though, was bittersweet once Gyutaro realized that his sister was slowly slipping away. It was then that an Upper Rank demon, Doma, found them. Taking pity on the two, the demon offered them eternal life at a cost. Given how the two of them lived, perhaps the cost wasn’t as great as it had been for others.
Returned to life — or unlife, rather — Gyutaro chose to flee after becoming a demon. In his mind, he only held his sister back. If he wasn’t around, he believed she never would’ve been in the situation that led to her moribund state and she would’ve flourished. Unbeknownst to him, Ume couldn’t feel more to the contrary: wishing to stay at her brother’s side no matter the hardships it could lead to.
As no surprise, this is where the episode’s title, No Matter How Many Times I Am Reborn, comes from. Gyutaro and Daki, despite their argument during their final moment, are able to recall the words they shared on the day they became demons thanks to Tanjiro’s kind heart.
When Tanjiro and Nezuko watch the pair fade away, it’s a bittersweet moment. True, the world is rid of an Upper Rank demon and the Demon Slayer Corps are one step closer to stopping Muzan. But the Hashira ranks are waning, and with each battle, Tanjiro and his friends come closer to death. More ominously, viewers get another peek of the mysterious Infinity Castle where the Upper Ranks are being called to meet following Gyutaro and Daki’s death.
Whether the Tanjiro and friends with Nezuko as an ally will be able to grow stronger and defeat the remaining demon hordes is something that remains to be answered in future anime adaptations of Demon Slayer.
What’s to come in Demon Slayer Season 3?
Manga-readers may have an edge plot-wise as the Demon Slayer manga came to an end on May 17, 2020. But if the anime adaptation continues to be as faithful as it has been, the Demon Slayer Swordsmith Village Arc is the next story to come. Demon Slayer’s official Twitter confirmed this along with a teaser trailer featuring the next two Hasira to take the spotlight: the cold, distant Muichiro Tokito and the warm, bubbly Mitsuri Kanroji.
Fans of the Hyottoko mask-wearing swordsmiths are in for a treat. Tanjiro’s next journey will take him to the village where the smiths work tirelessly to keep the Demon Slayer Corps stocked with sharp steel. As for what Tanjiro will find once he arrives? Stay tuned for Demon Slayer Season 3 to find out!