Demon Slayer season 3 (Swordsmith Village Arc) review: The focus shifts to Tanjiro, you will miss everybody else

3/5

Story:

Tanjiro, Tokito, Genya and Nezuko fight the demons in Swordsmith Village. Kanroji steps in and steals the spotlight.

Review:

Swordsmith Village Arc aka the third season of the much-loved Demon Slayer commences on a strong note. From the madness between Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu to the deadly demons waiting to attack the Swordsmith Village, the start of the show has everything in place. The VFX works great till the very end but the story falters from time-to-time. For the most parts, you tend to miss the mad trio.

With this season, you meet new characters Genya Shinazugawa, Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito and Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji. The only problem is, the focus constantly shifts away from them, back to Tanjiro, even though they have a lot to offer.

Tokito, who is the most memorable character in the series, gets recognition only after episode eight. The balance between Kanroji being professional and free-spirited is off till episode 10. In a sense, the makers dumb down her character and do not show her as a woman who gathers respect from the very beginning. That is disappointing when it comes to her. Something similar happens with Genya, who comes into focus in episode six.

Tokito’s distant attitude, Kanroji’s sword and battle techniques, and Genya’s monster-like ability are the most attractive things when it comes to the slayers this season. However, even that isn’t utilized to the fullest. There is a lot of back-and-forth when it comes to at least two of the characters and two episodes are dedicated to their stories. While important to the plot, dedicating a whole episode does take away from the viewing experience.

Nezuko is a surprise factor in this series. She pushes past her limits again-and-again and thankfully, this time the makers put the focus on her work rather than her body parts. The hot-tempered swordsmith Haganezuka shows a different side of him with this season and it is worth noting.

The intrigue factor is very much there when it comes to the demons on the show. Each one is introduced with a unique quality and of course, Muzan steals the show slightly more.

Gyokko, who is one of the top demons, is in focus this time. He makes for the entire series. However, this one has a lot more to offer than what meets the eye. For the most bits (at least 75%), he makes the series worth a watch.

There are many things which are left unsaid with this season. Episode two raises many questions and introduces many things but does not give you any context to it. This leaves you feeling that the show is a drag in many episodes. No, they aren’t fillers either.

While the start of the show is great and it gets better towards the end, it is what happens in between that gets disappointing. Even though executed well, the story of the show doesn’t do justice to the powerful characters we have seen so far in the series.

Verdict:

Demon Slayer 3 is not as up to the mark as the previous seasons. The show is still great with its VFX but it lacks a lot of depth story-wise this time. There are many questions raised throughout the show which remain unanswered. That take away from your viewing experience.