Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hashira Geiko Hen – Episode 02 Review

「水柱・冨岡義勇の痛み」 (Mizubashira: Tomioka Giyuu no Itami)
Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka`s Pain

The latest Kimetsu no Yaiba’s episode focuses on Giyu’s past as he is compelled to let Tanjiro understand why he refuses to train and wishes to avoid being seen as a member of the Hashira. But Giyu’s mentality over his past regrets are put to the test when Tanjiro challenges him to overcome these feelings together.

GIYU’S PAST

With the Training arc, the story does its due diligence to use it not as a way to show the same training montages, but as a way to flesh out its cast now that there’s some off-time to do so. It’s pretty admirable considering how even the most recent shonen have been more adamant about speeding through the plot to get to the good stuff rather than pull you aside to give you a reason to get attached to the cast.

The premiere set up Giyu’s current struggle with being seen as a Hashira, going so far as to refuse to take part in the effort to fight Muzan. But this time, Tanjiro’s unshaken determination shows him lowering his guard and willing to let him know personally why he feels unworthy of the Hashira title.

In a sense, it ties a direct connection to Tanjiro and Giyu as people who are unable to forgive themselves when others sacrifice themselves for their sake. Tanjiro might be an empath when it comes to how others feel, but Giyu’s past hits very close to home for Tanjiro based on his own experiences with the Selection, Sabito, and Rengoku.

Having known Sabito from his training, Tanjiro already has a reasonable understanding of why and how Giyu endeared himself to Sabito, especially since Sabito kept pushing him not to let his regrets shape him. It’s easier said than done for Giyu considering how he internalizes being unable to save his sister and Sabito from sacrificing themselves for his sake.

Although nobody holds it against Giyu for surviving, he doesn’t see himself as worthy of the Hashira if he hadn’t done anything to pass the examination other than surviving. It’s interesting to see how this regret constantly lingered in the background whenever Giyu was confronting Tanjiro in the past.

But on Tanjiro’s end, he tries his best to connect with Giyu by mentioning his own bouts of self-loathing over being powerless to help others. Giyu losing his sister and closest friend to spare his life would mess him up, but Tanjiro reflecting on his grief over being unable to save his family or Rengoku definitely puts things into perspective.

Knowing that Tanjiro sees the sacrifices others have made for his sake as their way of keeping their stories alive, it’s nice to see that this is the one way he’s able to get through to Giyu. If Tanjiro feels that Giyu should pass down Sabito’s technique and story the same way he intends to pass down his family and Rengoku’s legacy, then it should offer Giyu the extra motivation to leave the negative headspace he’s kept himself in. Rather than continue hating himself for placing the expectation of passing water-breathing mastery onto others, he could join Tanjiro in mutually mastering water-breathing for Sabito.

It’s interesting how Giyu and Tanjiro’s moment is also juxtaposed with Kanao and Shinobu getting in touch. As her adoptive sister, Shinobu is more than ready to teach Kanao how to be resilient and avenge Kanae. Shinobu keeps trying to hold herself back from being overwhelmed with rage whenever she pays tribute to her late sister. This residual rage is what fuels their mutual interest to become stronger, though it’ll be neat to see more from their end since it ties into Kanao’s untapped potential as the one to take on Kanae’s killer.