Demon Slayer’s Entertainment District Arc – the second arc of the second season – continued with the eighth, a continuation of last week’s events. Here’s everything you need to know about overall episode 41,”Gathering.”
Previous episode synopsis
Nezuko fought Daki as Tanjiro was unconscious, nearly succumbing to her demon desire when their battle entered a building and she saw a human woman holding her bleeding arm. Takeo Kamado appeared in Tanjiro’s subconscious and told him to wake to save Nezuko. Tanjiro prevented Nezuko from attacking the human, using a lullaby their mom used to sing them to calm her down. Nezuko reverted to her child-size form and promptly fell asleep.
After, Tanjiro went to face Daki, but Tengen Uzui made the save. He didn’t give Daki any attention, just ridiculing her for her weakness instead. He decapitated her, but noticed she wasn’t dying. She cried out for her brother, who appeared and landed a slice on Uzui’s head. Gyutaro consoled his sister and turned his attacks to Uzui; Gyutaro and Daki together form Upper Moon Six of the Twelve Kizuki (Demon Moons). Uzui told Tanjiro to flee with Nezuko. As Tanjiro is about to leave, Inosuke and Zenitsu appeared.
“Gathering” synopsis
Tanjiro runs through the town, carrying Nezuko. The bloodied brother is thankful his sister is still asleep as a flashback plays to Tanjiro preventing her from eating a human, Nezuko’s mindscape as Tanjiro “sung” the lullaby, and her eventual breakdown. He leaps to a roof and places her inside the box Urodokadki made for him, then returns to the fray, saying he will battle until the end. The opening credits play.
Gyutaro complains that Uzui is good looking, has three wives, and is full of swagger. He adds Uzui is different from the Hashira (Pillars) he’s eaten in the past and that Uzui must have been a special talent since the day he was born. Uzui asks if he looks like someone with any talent, saying Gyutaro must live a blessed life to think that about him. Uzui mocks them for staying in the same place for centuries when the country is vast and “teeming with people who’d blow your mind.” He yells that he isn’t chosen because “Just how many lives do you think I’ve let slip through my fingers until now?” Internally, Uzui tells himself he can’t be like the departed Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku.
Gyutaro asks how Uzui can explain how he’s refusing to die even with the deadly poison from his Blood Sickles, scratching his neck like he’s Tomura Shigaraki from My Hero Academia. Uzui reminds Gyutaro that he comes from a line of shinobi and is resistant to poison, which Daki scoffs at since the shinobi were eliminated during the Edo Period. Uzui says they still exist and he’s one of them. He tells his story of having nine siblings, seven of whom died before he was 15. Then, he tells them of his father training them relentlessly until only he and his younger brother, two years his junior, survived. He describes his brother as just like his father, using everyone as pawns and “resolutely indifferent,” saying he didn’t want to become like him
They cut to a scene where Uzui and his wives are in Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s courtyard. He tells Uzui the path he’s chosen is tough, rejecting the values that shaped him and were instilled on him from a young age even while on the battlefield. Ubuyashiki compliments the persistence in moving forward of the Hashira just so they can protect other lives. Ubuyashiki then gives Uzui his thanks, calling him a remarkable child. Uzui, back in real time, says he should be grateful to the Master, saying he’d never think twice about laying down his life as blood and sweat pour down his face.
Gyutaro notices that Uzui’s breathing is becoming more labored, realizing the poison is slowly taking effect due to Uzui’s resistance. Uzui laughs and yells that it’s having no effect and that he could 100 bowls of tempura udon – in a flashy way, of course. He attacks, separating the two with a kick to Daki that launches her into the air. Timing their counterattack, Uzui throws out several small explosives that while Gyutaro dodges, hit Daki. Gyutaro notes those are special bombs made to damage demons that explode at the slightest friction.
Uzui’s blade reaches Gyutaro’s neck, then suddenly extends. Uzui connected his sword by the hilts using the chain and grabbed the tip of the blade on one end with his thumb and forefinger, slicing the neck of Gyutaro lightly. Meanwhile, Daki yells out about being beheaded again and asks why she’s always the one being decapitated. Gyutaro then realizes Uzui is onto the secret of how to defeat them, which Uzui promptly denies. Inosuke-“sama” and a still sleeping Zenitsu then make their appearance, followed shortly by Tanjiro’s reappearance. Uzui compliments the three on their flashy entrances.
Humans are shown running away and escaping from the district. Some are wounded, others coughing from the dust and debris. Uzui’s wives are shown to be leading the rescue and escape effort.
After the mid-episode interlude, Gyutaro tells them they’re all going to die, so “stop staring with those sparkling eyes!” Tanjiro, having been absent when Gyutaro appeared, quickly ascertains that there are now two demons and the Belt Demon (Daki) isn’t dead even though she was beheaded. He deduces they’re connected and the “main unit” is Gyutaro because the “weight of his scent” makes the back of his throat feel like it’s going numb. He wonders if he’s shaking from fear or fatigue, then Uzui yells out they’ll win, the Demon Slayers.
Uzui and Daki yell at each other a bit more, the latter telling the former to quit with his bravado. Uzui says they’ll win because the three who joined him are his Tsuguko (Successors) and have relentless grit to the point that even if you hack off limbs, they won’t quit. Uzui then proudly proclaims he knows the secret: behead them both simultaneously. Tanjiro looks back at the smiling, shining Uzui and sees the visage of Rengoku. Gyutaro confidently says that all those other Demon Slayers perished, even Hashira, because they couldn’t accomplish that simple thing. He says he’s eaten 15 and his sister seven.
Daki says the long night belongs to them and launches an attack at Uzui. Zenitsu steps in and uses his Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunderclap and Flash Sixfold to take Daki into the air and away from the others. Inosuke goes to join Zenitsu, now on the roof. Daki realizes who Zenitsu is, and Zenitsu demands she apologizes to the girl she hurt by pulling their ear. He tells her she had no right to do whatever she wanted to them. Daki says in that city, women are merchandise to be bought, sold, and destroyed, and the inept shouldn’t be treated as human. In both voices, they say the terrible things done to them they do to others to collect on those debts. Her third eye opens, revealing the number six.
Back inside, Tanjiro remarks the bloodlust is making him shake, but he has to protect Uzui because of the poison coursing through his body. Gyutaro moves before Tanjiro can think, nearly impaling him with a sickle through the base of the chin. Uzui is able to toss Tanjiro back and engage Gyutaro. Tanjiro chides himself for becoming a hindrance as Daki sends her belts down through the roof as blades, forcing Tanjiro to defend.
Inosuke appears and remarks on the third eye. Daki says she can now see all their movements thanks to the third eye. Gyutaro notes how their movements are so out of sync as Daki enjoys toying with the other two. An intense battle ensues where Uzui has to fend off both Gyutaro and Daki’s belts. Uzui remarks that Gyutaro really is like a praying mantis as he suffers more and more light slashes. Gyutaro’s Blood Demon Art: Flying Blood Sickles flank Uzui, but Tanjiro appears just in time to block them with his sword. He struggles, knowing he’ll lose in a power battle, then thinks of the Water Breathing technique most suitable for defense. He takes a breath and is able to knock the sickles to the sides.
Uzui then engages his Sound Breathing Fifth Form: String Performance to push back against Gyutaro as Daki – aided by her brother’s Blood Demon Art – keeps Zenitsu and Inosuke at bay with her Belts. Tanjiro, rather then deflecting the Belts, pierces some and removes them from Uzui’s area. Uzui marvels that Tanjiro is even still standing and that the only thing keeping his sword in his grip is that he tied his left hand to the hilt; Uzui blames himself for getting poisoned. Tanjiro is thrown aside, saying he might black out unless he starts Recovery Breathing.
Hinatsuru – Uzui’s wife that was abducted – somehow drags herself to a roof overlooking the battle, which spilled outside. She launches a surprise attack with a device that shot out around 50 kunai at Gyutaro. Realizing such a futile attack would mean nothing unless there was something more, he unleashes Blood Demon Art: Rampant Arc Rampage to deflect the kunai. Uzui launched into Gyutaro’s space even while three kunai had pierced him – one to each arm and one embedded in the right side of Uzui’s face. Uzui slices Gyutaro’s legs off at the knees as a kunai embeds in Gytaro’s neck, the poison preventing him from regenerating. Tanjiro goes for the decapitation as Gyutaro compliments them (in his head) on syncing their movements so quickly. The episode ended with Tanjiro yelling out for his final slash.
The post-credits scene show a contemplative Uzui, wondering how Rengoku would fight and he could never do it like him. Rengoku yells out he could never be like Uzui. Uzui turns to see his mind’s visage of Rengoku standing there, arms crossed with a big, proud smile on his face. Rengoku says Uzui’s sword skills are a thing of beauty even if he has too many wives. Rengoku asks Uzui to watch over “young Kamado, the yellow boy, and the boar head boy” for him. Uzui says to leave those flashy jobs to him.
What named characters appeared in the episode?
- Tanjiro Kamado
- Nezuko Kamado
- Kie Kamado
- Tengen Uzui
- Gyutaro
- Daki
- Inosuke Hashibira
- Zenitsu Agatsuma
- Makio
- Suma
- Hinatsuru
- Kagaya Ubuyashiki
- Kyojuro Rengoku
- Gyomei Himejima
- Muichiro Tokito
Were there any notable deaths in the episode?
There were not any deaths in the episode, named characters or side characters. It appears the suggestion that all humans escaped safely at the end of the previous episode held true with the brief scenes of the evacuation effort led by Uzui’s three wives in Makio, Suma, and Hinatsuru.
Did Uzui figure out how to defeat Gyutaro and Daki?
Yes, Uzui was correct in surmising that, since Daki survived being beheaded, then both must be decapitated to defeat them. As long as both are beheaded before one can reattach their head, Gyutaro and Daki will die.
What is Recovery Breathing?
Recovery Breathing is a variant of Total Concentration Breathing that focuses on speeding up the recovery of the user. Since many of the Breath Techniques that Tanjiro uses at this stage cause him to hold his breath – leading to the near blackout during the battle – he has to take use Recovery Breathing lest he should fall unconscious.
What is the box Tanjiro uses to carry Nezuko on his back?
The box was given to Tanjiro by Sakonji Urokodaki, Tanjiro’s mentor. The box is made from lightweight yet sturdy Mist Cloud Fir. Tanjiro uses the box to protect Nezuko from the sunlight or in this case, to keep her with him at all times, even during battle.
Remember that Zenitsu protected the box with Nezuko inside from Inosuke after their first meeting. Inosuke wanted to kill the demon (Nezuko) inside, but Zenitsu protected the box and her because Tanjiro said it was more important than his own life. This was after the battle with the Drum Demon.
Why did Daki’s third eye only open now?
Daki’s third eye can only open when her brother, Gyutaro, is also in battle. It never appered previously since Gyutaro was hidden. Gyutaro’s comments about syncing movements is apt considering he and his sister coordinate their lives together, using their techniques to assist the other.
What does the ending mean for the next episode?
The next episode is titled “Defeating an Upper Rank Demon,” so it seems to suggest that Gyutaro and Daki will finally be defeated at the hands of Uzui, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu. This battle plays a pivotal role in Uzui’s role for the rest of the series.
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