Demon Slayer season 3's major change is for the better
Demon Slayer season three has brought the action-packed show jumping, shouting and slashing back onto our screens.
In almost every way it's the same show we've watched and loved for years; Tanjiro and Nezuko are in a new place, Upper Rank Demons are causing chaos, and powerful new characters are showing up. Oh and there's blood. Lots and lots of blood.
One thing has changed though that, in our opinion, has made the show so much better. The total absence of Inosuke and Zenitsu.
The pair were major supporting characters through Demon Slayer's first two seasons, training alongside Tanjiro to become members of the Demon Slayer Corps, and aiding in the defeat of more than one top-tier Kizuki.
They were also extremely annoying.
It's not unusual for shonen anime to feature a specific type of whiny character in the vein of Zenitsu, or someone extremely aggressive and confrontational like Inosuke. But just because those tropes are well-established, doesn't mean they're needed or wanted.
Zenitsu's main character trait throughout the first two seasons is cowardice, except for those moments when he unexpectedly leaps into action like a sleepwalking John Wick. We learned in a few brief flashbacks that this is something he wants to overcome - but we're still waiting.
That said, we're not too big to admit that Zenitsu's fight sequences are among some of Demon Slayer season one and two's coolest scenes.
His fight with the Spider Demon family during the show's first season, which involved him defeating a horde of creepy-crawlies while unconscious, was one of the show's first jaw-dropping moments.
During the climax of the Entertainment District Arc he also proved his worth by appearing out of nowhere to knock Daki around and buy Tanjiro and Uzui some precious time.
But, if we're being honest, a character only being enjoyable to watch when they're unconscious isn't a glowing endorsement of any show.
On the other hand, we often wished Insouke was similarly out-for-the-count. The best aspect of that character remains his design, it's just a shame we still have to hear him talk underneath that giant boar head.
One of the most contentious elements of Demon Slayer is the way its character work can sometimes feel glacial, and the cliched way both these characters are depicted adds to that feeling. If, at this point, they aren't much more than tried tropes then how can we expect them to change and grow?
And once we start picking at that thread, it starts to reflect on all of the characters surrounding them. For instance, realistically, are Tanjiro and Nezuko any different now than they were during the Demon Slayer certification arcs in season one?
By temporarily getting rid of dead weight like Zenitsu and Inosuke, we hope the show can spend more time building out characters we like – without very loud or very sleepy sidekicks getting in the way.
Speaking of very sleepy, it's also great to have Zenitsu out of the picture because it means we don't have to deal with his romantic overtures towards Nezuko – who is, in case you forgot, a child.
The slightly pervy side of Zenitsu is another symptom of his trope-y origins, but in the context of the show also becomes a bigger red flag.
That's because Demon Slayer's approach to female characters is already pretty retrograde, as shown by Kanroji's truly terrible rom-com reason for wanting to be a Hashira.
There's also the much-maligned fact that the show's central female character, Nezuko, is essentially gagged and put in a box most of the time.
When you add the 'pervy friend' element to the story, the whole thing just feels even more adolescent.
That's all to say we're glad they're gone. In their place, we'll hopefully get to meet some new dynamic characters in Demon Slayer season three.
We've already started to spend time with Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito, a new character whose comedic combo of stoicism and obliviousness is creating interesting friction with our heart-on-his-sleeve hero Tanjiro.
We're also hanging out with Genya, who uses an extremely cool demon-slaying gun, and the aforementioned Kanjiro. Luckily for fans, the latter rises above her fanservice-y design and weak motivation to be just an absolute joy on screen.
We're also happy to be proven wrong. We know that fans of Demon Slayer have a soft spot for Inosuke and Zenitsu, and if you've read the original manga then you'll know some pretty wild things are in the works for when both characters return.
Until then though, we'll enjoy the peace and quiet.
Demon Slayer season 3 is available on Crunchyroll, and seasons 1-2 are available on Netflix.
You Might Also Like
