This is awful.
What kind of battle do you have to wage to end up like this?
Found them!
Everyone! I need you to come!
They're here!
Is that right?
They defeated it?
An Upper Rank?
Master Kagaya...
For a hundred years...
For a hundred years, nothing had changed!
But now it has!
Do you see?
This is an omen!
Fate is about to take a dramatic turn!
The consequences will be widespread!
Sweeping up everything around them, shaking them to their core!
And eventually, they will reach that man!
Muzan Kibutsuji!
We will defeat you without fail during our generation!
You, the sole blemish on my family!
The alternate dimension.
The Infinity Castle.
The fact that I was summoned here means...
that an Upper Rank was killed by the Demon Slayers!
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA SWORDSMITH VILLAGE ARC
Well, well, if it isn't you, Lord Akaza!
So lovely to see you in such good health!
What has it been, 90 years?
The thought that you might've perished made my heart sing—
It made my worried heart fill with anguish!
Terrifying! Terrifying!
In the time we've been apart, you've even forgotten how to count, Gyokko.
It's been 113 years since we were last summoned.
An indivisible number...
Unlucky and uneven...
An odd number!
Terrifying! Terrifying!
Biwa Woman!
Is Lord Muzan not here?
He has not yet arrived.
Then, where's Upper One?
Don't tell me he's been killed.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Hold up a second, will you, Lord Akaza?
Aren't you even a little bit worried about me?
You don't know how dreadfully worried I was,
since you all are cherished comrades of mine!
And I'd be heartbroken if I lost any of my comrades.
Hyo!
Lord Doma!
Hey there!
Long time no see, Gyokko!
Is that a brand-new pot?
It's a beauty!
You know the pot you gave me?
I'm displaying a woman's head in it!
In my room.
That wasn't its intended use.
But I do find it intriguing!
Listen!
You should come over to my place sometime.
Get off.
Huh?
Get your hand off me!
Whoa!
Wow, that was some punch.
A bit stronger than before, would you say, Lord Akaza?
I summoned Upper One here first.
Even now he's listening to us.
I've been here the entire time.
Lord Muzan has arrived.
Gyutaro is no longer with us.
Meaning the Upper Ranks are now incomplete.
Is that true, my lord?
You have my sincerest apologies!
Since I was the one who brought Gyutaro in.
How can I atone for this embarrassment?
Shall I...
gouge out my eyeballs?
Or should I—
I have no need for your wretched eyeballs.
I knew that Gyutaro would be defeated.
As expected, Daki proved to be his weakness.
Had Gyutaro fought alone from the start, he would've won.
If the battle hadn't gone on after he'd poisoned them.
Oh well.
It doesn't matter anymore.
How worthless.
Can't you see you're falling in order of who has the most of their humanity remaining?
But neither does that matter anymore.
I expect nothing of you all.
There you go again with the melancholic words.
Has there ever been a time when I didn't meet your expectations?
You still haven't annihilated the Ubuyashiki Family.
What about the Blue Spider Lily?
Why can't you find it after so many hundreds of years?
I'm...
starting to question why you all even exist.
Oh! Please forgive us!
I beg of you!
I don't know what to tell you.
Ubuyashiki...
is a master at concealing himself.
Search and detection isn't my strong suit, either.
I'm at my wits' end.
Lord Muzan! Not me!
I've acquired some information that will bring you a step closer to your goals!
A mere moment ago—
The one thing I dislike is change.
Changes in circumstances.
Physical changes.
Emotional changes.
In most cases, change of any kind means degradation.
It's decay.
I prefer the unchanging.
A perfect unchanging state that lasts forever.
Ah!
To have Lord Muzan's hand on my head!
How sublime!
For the first time in 113 years, an Upper Rank has been killed...
and my frustration has reached a boiling point!
Don't ever give me unconfirmed information!
And wipe that smirk off of your face!
I'd advise you all to apply yourselves with more desperate urgency from now on.
I've been far too lenient considering your failures...
all because of your status as Upper Ranks.
Gyokko, once you've confirmed that information,
head over there with Hantengu.
Understood, my lord!
That's hardly fair! I'm the one who got the information in the first place!
How annoying is that!
But that's what makes it intriguing!
Huh?
Lord Gyokko!
What kind of information do you have?
I'd like to tag along.
No, that wouldn't be...
Can't you let me in on it? Please, I'm begging—
Did Lord Muzan give you any orders?
Get lost.
Akaza...
You always go too far.
It's all right, Lord Kokushibo.
I don't mind in the least.
It's not for your benefit that I speak.
Disrupting the hierarchy...
which, in turn, undermines subordination.
That's what dismays me.
Oh, is that right? I see.
Akaza...
If you're disgruntled,
you should battle for a replacement.
Well, well! If I may, Lord Kokushibo,
even if he were to challenge us, Lord Akaza could never defeat us.
And in my case, since I became a demon after Lord Akaza...
yet was promoted before him,
I'd be angry, too, if I were in his shoes.
Don't be so hard on him!
And besides, I didn't dodge that blow on purpose.
It's just a little harmless horseplay!
This is how you nurture friendship, you know.
Those of us on top shouldn't give our subordinates a hard time.
Don't you think—
Akaza!
Do you understand...
what it is...
I'm trying to say?
I understand.
I'm going to kill you...
if it's the last thing I do.
Is that right?
Then do your best.
Goodbye, Lord Kokushibo!
Goodbye!
It kind of feels like I got shut out of the conversation.
But that's just me overthinking it, right, Lord Akaza? Huh?
Lord Akaza!
Hey, I was talking to you.
Huh?
Please send Hantengu and myself to the same location!
Wait! Can you send me, too?
Hey!
Biwa Lady!
If you're interested, would you join me for...
I respectfully decline.
Huh.
You're all so cold to me.
Lord Founder...
Your disciples have arrived.
Oh, is that right?
Sorry to keep everyone waiting.
Here we go.
All right.
Let me put this on first.
Ready when you are!
Please send them in.
I've brought you some tea.
Right.
Thank you.
Look how soundly he's sleeping.
Sorry about this. Looks like my wife's fast asleep, too.
I really must apologize.
Making our guest babysit like this.
No need to apologize.
She must be exhausted.
It's a lot of hard work, giving birth and raising a child.
I'll be leaving after I've had this.
It wouldn't be right to keep eating for free here.
Don't say that!
You saved our lives!
If it hadn't been for you, not only would we be dead,
but this child wouldn't have been born, either.
Very well.
Then the least I can do is to pass down your name to posterity.
No need for that.
But didn't you say you were at a loss because you have no heirs?
Even if a humble charcoal-seller like myself can't do it,
I'm sure that one day, somebody will.
No need for that...
Sumiyoshi.
Those who have mastered their skill...
share the same fate.
Even if it's a new era.
Even if you must take a different path to get there,
you'll always find your way back to the same place.
You seem to perceive me as some kind of special person,
but you're wrong about that.
I failed to protect anything that was important to me,
and throughout my life, I was unable to do what I was supposed to do.
My name is as worthless as I am.
Please don't.
Please don't say something like that.
Please, I'm begging you!
Don't think of yourself like that!
So sad.
It... was a dream.
Where...
am I?
Are you okay? You've been in a coma for two months ever since that battle!
Is that right?
I see.
I'm so glad you woke up!
EPISODE 1: SOMEONE'S DREAM
My name is Goto.
I'm a member of the Demon Slayer Corps Cleanup Crew, a Kakushi.
During the Hashira Meeting, someone said to Tanjiro Kamado,
"Are you going to sleep all day? Wake the hell up, will you?"
That was me.
It seems fate tends to draw us together.
I was also the one who found him and his friends two months ago in the Entertainment District.
Since I found them like this...
"They're pretty close!" I thought.
Or so I thought, until I saw that all three of them were critically wounded and comatose.
They're younger than me, and they became swordsmen who risked their lives in battle,
so I respect them wholeheartedly.
I have no clue about this one. What's his deal?
And what I have here in my hands is premium castella.
To be honest, it's taking everything I have to stop myself from gobbling it up this second.
But this is a gift for him, since he's still unconscious.
They say he's got a great sense of smell, so maybe...
Clean up this mess!
I swear, this girl never sees anything through!
Gee, Kanao. You never talk, and you're such a weirdo!
It's all because they made you slay demons since you were a kid!
Well, it's not like I can scold her since she's higher ranked than me.
Even though I'm already 23.
Excuse me. I'm going to set this castella down, so please clear it away after a while.
If it seems like it's about to go bad, you can have it.
Oh, thank you... very much.
Hey, he's out of his coma!
Make some noise about that!
You really are scatterbrained, you know that?
You're supposed to call for someone!
Say, "He's regained consciousness!"
You little idiot!
Everyone's worried, okay?
Seniority doesn't mean jack, all right? At least, not in this case!
Kiyo! Sumi! Naho!
Aoi!
Tanjiro woke up from his coma!
Thank goodness you're okay!
You can have my crackers!
There's castella on the bed!
Gee.
Oh my gosh, it's a ghost!
Oh, it's just Ms. Aoi tangled up in the laundry!
Thank goodness you woke up!
Since you went in my place!
You guys...
Thank you.
What about the others?
Are they all right?
The kid with the yellow hair... Was it the day before yesterday?
Yes!
He's back at work!
I hear he's already out on a mission.
Against his will.
Mr. Zenitsu woke up the next day.
The Sound Hashira walked out with his wives' help.
Man, ow! So annoying!
The Kakushi all recoiled at the sight. Too tough to believe.
I mean, they were reeling.
I'm scared!
He's standing... on his own!
It's scary!
It's insane, huh? With those injuries?
I see.
What about Inosuke?
Mr. Inosuke was also on the brink of death at one point.
Mr. Inosuke was in such terrible shape!
Because of all the poison in his body,
he couldn't stop the bleeding with his breathing in time!
I see.
So, I must be hallucinating Inosuke stuck on the ceiling above me.
How are you doing that?
Good on you for noticing me, Tanpachiro!
Well...
I am lying face up.
I'm the guy who woke up seven days before you did!
I'm so glad...
Inosuke.
You're amazing.
Keep heaping on the praise! And you! You're a weakling!
Shame on you for making us all worry!
It's you who's not normal, Mr. Inosuke!
Lady Shinobu said as much herself, remember?
Oh, wait, Mr. Tanjiro!
Please take a look at this book!
This is a weasel from a foreign country called a "honey badger"!
It has a thick hide-like armor!
Even getting bitten by a lion can't hurt it!
It's so cute.
Since it's poison-proof, it'll just eat up poisonous snakes, too!
Wow.
Lady Shinobu said that Mr. Inosuke is just like this honey badger!
Lady Kocho makes some irresponsible comments, huh.
Huh?
Maybe she just got tired of thinking about him?
Hey... Come on! Get down from there!
In other words, I'm immortal!
In your dreams. Are you an idiot?
Who you callin' "an idiot"?
Stop it, please!
Fight me! Step outside with me, scumbag! Stop it, please!
Hey! Knock it off, will you? Fight me! Step outside with me, scumbag!
Poison doesn't have much effect on you, but neither does medicine,
so you need to be careful like Lady Shinobu said!
You forget so easily!
B-Be quiet. You forget so easily!
B-Be quiet.
Shut up! Quit yanking at me, you shrimp! B-Be quiet.
What's that? You're not that much taller than me!
Tanjiro's asleep, so please be quiet!
Oh...
Oh man! He went back into a coma!
Would you mind not saying ominous stuff like that?
Please just be quiet!
Ms. Kanao?
Let's go cook some rice gruel.
Okay.
Let's hope he recovers soon, so he can eat tons of food!
It's like I'm the wind!
- Let me go next! - Let me go next!
A week later, Mr. Tanjiro was back on his feet.
When we notified Mr. Goto, who was away on an expedition,
he was stunned by the speed of Tanjiro's recovery.
Are you kidding me?
Beasts, all of them!
Soon afterward, Mr. Inosuke returned to duty.
I'm the strongest of all!
Yeah!
Heading out now!
Nooooo!
I'm so cold!
I'm so scared!
I'm going home!
I'm lonely! No! Let me go!
Oh, yes. Mr. Zenitsu is still out on a mission far away,
and the other Corps members say it's like a nonstop racket.
Ms. Aoi!
You just remembered me now!
Miss me? You miss me, do you?
Of course you miss me, don't you?
Shut up!
As for Mr. Tanjiro, he's been doing his Rehabilitation Training every day.
Ouch, ouch, ouch!
So frustrating!
I've got a long way to go before I gain back my stamina!
Hey, wait!
Did a new sword come while I was asleep?
To replace the one that I chipped!
Oh!
A sword, you say?
A sword...
You did get some letters from Mr. Haganezuka.
Would you like to see them?
I have no sword for the likes of you!
This is... really bad!
It is, isn't it?
Two months went by, but no sword ever arrived.
And it was only chipped this time!
I snapped it into two last time!
Swords are always getting damaged,
but Mr. Haganezuka just happens to be a bit difficult, doesn't he?
Why don't you go to the village?
Maybe it would be best to talk to him directly.
The village?
The village where all the swordsmiths live.
Huh?
I can go?
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA SWORDSMITH VILLAGE ARC
Nice to meet you.
As the Master has granted approval, I shall be guiding you there.
Nice to meet you!
I'm Tanjiro Kamado!
Thank you for taking me!
As your guide, I cannot tell you my name, but I look forward to serving you.
Now then, put these on.
What are they?
A blindfold and earplugs.
The village is hidden.
Also...
I will be carrying you on my back.
Huh?
Moreover, as you are known to have an acute sense of smell...
take these nose plugs.
Have a safe journey!
The Swordsmith Village, where Nichirin Swords are forged,
is an extremely vital place for the Demon Slayer Corps.
Its whereabouts must be kept secret to protect it from demon attacks.
That's why...
nobody knows where the village is.
Needless to say, this lady doesn't know where it is, either.
Meaning that after traveling a certain distance, I get passed to another Kakushi.
Not only that,
but both the routes and the Kakushi get changed up again and again.
The Kakushi are guided to the next Kakushi by crows...
but the crows do a lot of switching up, too.
Please be careful on your way back!
What a good kid!
I'm told that the mansion where the Master lives is hidden in an even more complex way!
Seriously, smart people are incredible!
I'm going to remove this now.
Whoa!
Wow!
These buildings sure are amazing!
Everyone who comes here says the same thing.
And this scent...
There must be a hot spring nearby!
Yes, you're right about that!
Please go there later to refresh yourself.
But first things first.
Turn left at the end of this street, and you'll find the chief's home.
Please go there to greet him before you do anything else.
Right!
I'll be taking my leave now, but I wish you the best.
Thank you very much!
I just heard an echo of gratitude.
Does that mean someone's here? I think I feel my heart pounding!
DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA SWORDSMITH VILLAGE ARC
Hello there!
I'm the chief of this village, Tecchin Tecchikawahara.
Nice to meet you!
The smallest person in this village... and the most important, is me.
Well, why don't you bow your head down so low your forehead touches the mat?
I'm Tanjiro Kamado!
It's a privilege to meet you!
Well, what a fine boy. Come here.
Have some sweets.
Thank you very much!
These are delicious!
Aren't they?
Oh, about Hotaru,
at this time, he seems to have gone missing.
We're searching for him, too, so please be patient.
Hotaru?
That's right. Hotaru Haganezuka.
That's such a cute name!
Right? I'm the one who named him!
But Hotaru himself said it was too cute and blasted me.
That's sad.
That boy's been like this since he was a child.
He loses his temper just like that and falls off the face of the earth. Sorry about that.
No, please!
It's my own fault for breaking my sword and chipping it so easily!
No, you're wrong about that.
He's the one who forged a faulty sword, so it's all on him.
As soon as he's found, we'll apprehend him and bring him back here.
So, please, rest assured.
Right.
You... aren't gonna hurt him, right?
I hear that you haven't healed enough yet to hunt down demons.
If Hotaru hasn't forged another sword by then,
I'll assign someone else to be your swordsmith.
Our hot spring can work wonders on a weakened body,
so go have a good, long soak.
I'll show you the way.
I hope this won't turn into an argument.
There are...
foundries and workshops all over this village.
That's how all your swords are forged.
It's thanks to you all that we can wield our swords, isn't it?
Thank you very much!
Oh please, it's our job, so no need to thank us.
The hot spring is at the top of this hill.
It has all kinds of healing properties.
Cuts, burns, hemorrhoids, bleeding piles, constipation,
everything from gout to the pain of a broken heart.
It works on anything, so please treat yourself to a leisurely soak.
Right!
I'll be down here, preparing your meal.
Right! Thank you so much!
Ohhhhh!
Ohhh!
It's you, Tanjiro! Tanjiro!
W-Watch out!
Please be careful! Your breasts are this close to spilling out!
Ohhhhh!
Listen to me! Listen, will you?
Watch out! Listen to me! Listen, will you?
Just now, up there, I got ignored!
I said hello, but he ignored me!
Who ignored you?
I don't know!
So, I asked him his name, only to be ignored!
Isn't that awful? I'm a Hashira, you know!
And now all the good vibes I got from my bath have been canceled out!
I hear that dinner will be ready soon.
It's supposed to be matsutake rice!
Whaaat?
For real?
Dinner tonight is matsutake rice! Oh, yes it is!
So, she's a hearty eater. Dinner tonight is matsutake rice! Oh, yes it is!
Wow! It's so spacious!
Ouch!
A front tooth?
Did somebody drop a tooth?
That mohawk-style haircut!
Right, the name I heard from Sumi...
Genya Shinazugawa!
Die!
Huh?
Long time no see!
How've you been? I meant to ask. Are you and the Wind Hashira related?
Stop talking to me, dammit!
And here I thought we could bond in our nakedness.
Making new friends sure is tough.
Wow, that's impressive!
You think so?
I really only nibbled today!
I'm going to eat plenty, too, so I can get strong!
I almost forgot.
The guy you met at the hot spring was Genya Shinazugawa,
who was my fellow swordman.
What? Is that so?
That would make him Mr. Shinazugawa's younger brother, right?
But Mr. Shinazugawa said he didn't have a younger brother.
I wonder if they're on bad terms.
That's just heart-wrenching.
Is that right?
I wonder why.
What is it, Nezuko?
There, there!
There are five of us siblings in my family, and we all get along...
so it's hard for me to fathom.
I thought, "Those Shinazugawa brothers are scary!"
Genya still hasn't shown up.
I was hoping that we could at least have a talk.
I don't think he's coming.
I heard the villagers saying that he never takes meals.
I wonder if he brought something with him.
I wonder if he's all right.
I'll bring him some rice balls later.
Good idea! Let's do that!
Nezuko, Nezuko!
You know what?
The sight of these rice balls is making me hungry again!
Don't tell anyone, okay?
Why did you join the Demon Slayer Corps, Ms. Kanroji?
Hmm? Me?
This is embarrassing! Oh dear, what should I do?
You want to hear? Well, it's...
To find the gentleman with whom I'll be spending eternity!
I mean, any girl would prefer someone stronger than herself, right?
Because we want to be protected! Do you know what I mean?
Or maybe it's hard for a boy to understand!
See, Hashira are powerful, right? But it's not like you can just meet up with one!
So I knew I'd have to become a Hashira myself, and I worked really hard!
Genya doesn't seem to be here.
Lady Kanroji?
They'll be done honing your sword soon.
We'd like you to come to the workshop to make some final adjustments.
Oh my, it looks like I have to go now.
Please don't mind us. I'll be happy to walk you over.
That's all right. I'll probably be leaving in the middle of the night.
Oh, but...
I see, then...
Tanjiro...
We might not live to see each other again, but let's fight the good fight!
You took on an Upper Rank demon and survived.
That kind of experience is priceless!
Nothing can ever top what you've learned from firsthand experience.
It's equal to five years, no, ten years of hard training!
Right now, Tanjiro, you're far stronger than you ever were before!
Mitsuri Kanroji is rooting for the Kamado siblings!
Thank you very much!
But I've still got a long ways to go.
Mr. Uzui just let me win, that's all!
I'll work even harder!
To defeat Muzan Kibutsuji!
Oh!
Tanjiro, you've been granted permission for a long stay, right?
Uh, yes, that's what I've been told.
They say there's a secret weapon in this village that will make you stronger.
Try to find it, okay?
Bye now!
Wow!
You're starting me off with a feast this morning!
These wild vegetables were all picked on the mountainside here.
And this fish was caught fresh from the river this morning.
Really?
The chief has sent word that he'll be contacting you as soon as they've found Mr. Haganezuka.
Until then, please build back your stamina and get some rest.
Right! Thank you so much!
Thank you for this meal!
Hey, listen, Nezuko...
I know I have to rest up,
but while I'm waiting for Mr. Haganezuka,
I wanna look for the secret weapon that'll make you stronger, the one Ms. Kanroji told me about.
Wanna come with me?
I wonder what kind of weapon it is.
It has to be a sword, right? You think it's buried in the ground, maybe?
Isn't this exciting, like a treasure hunt?
Ugh!
I really like it here, but that hot spring smell is so overpowering.
I guess not being at full strength is affecting my sense of smell.
Quit pestering me! Give it a rest!
I've had enough of you holding out on me.
You're wasting my time, arguing with me.
A kid? And the other one is...
Huh?
That's a Hashira.
What did Ms. Shinobu say his name was?
Oh, right!
The Mist Hashira...
Muichiro Tokito!
So, there's another Hashira here at the village.
Give me the key.
I'm not handing it over!
My ancestor made this, and it's precious to me!
Wait, is there someone else behind them?
Didn't you hear me? I said I'm not giving it to you!
Hey... Is that...
a person?
Who could it be?
I know him.
I've...
seen that man before!
Thank goodness you woke up, Tanjiro.
Thank goodness!
Thanks, everybody!
By the way, how long do you think Inosuke was stuck onto the ceiling?
So, that means he was there for over an hour at least?
He's as reckless as ever.
Uh-huh!
Wrong!
What do you mean, "wrong"?
I was there since yesterday!
Whaaaaat?
Rustle, rustle, rustle...
Wake up! Wake up, Kanpachiro!
Open your eyes!
Wake up already! You hear me?
Is that what you were up to?
So, Tanjiro had no choice but to wake up, right?
- I guess so. - I guess so.
Being sick is all in the mind!
Inosuke, thanks a lot.
Next time, Episode 2, "Yoriichi Type Zero."
I'm going to give it my all in the Swordsmith Village, too!
Don't even think about making me worry!
TO BE CONTINUED