Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season 1 Episode 13 Recap – Something More Important Than Life

The Beating of Drums

Zenitsu paces through the halls, worried about Tanjiro. Shoichi asks if they’re running in circles, so they stop and check every room instead, with Zenitsu still terrified after each step. The room then rotates, and they fall into an open window.

Meanwhile, Tanjiro keeps tumbling around the room. It’s taking its toll on his body. The demon keeps hitting his drums relentlessly, and he can’t approach. Claw strikes run towards him as he desperately dodges. He promises never to give up Kyoshi–the boy with rare blood.

This angers the demon, and he lashes out a barrage of drum strikes, turning the whole room in disarray.

We go to a flashback, showing the demon Kyogai’s youth, where his career as an author falls to pieces as a man criticizes his writing. On top of that, his skill with the drums is also trashed, and Kyogai kills him with a drum slash when the man turns his back.

Back at the mansion, Kyogai rapidly plays his drums–disorienting Tanjiro and making it hard to evade. Tanjiro learns to lighten his step and advance his breathing during that time. This way, he can sense where each attack is coming from. He moves to strike using Total Concentration Breathing Ninth Form. His step becomes lighter as he rushes to come into range. He sees the opening thread and tells Kyogai his technique is impressive before decapitating him with a clean slash.

First Sample

Tanjiro wins, but it takes a toll on his body. The demon asks him if his Blood Demon Art is amazing. Tanjiro says it is, but killing humans is unforgivable. He takes a blood sample with a knife Yushiro gave him.

A cat with Yushiro appears before him, carrying a pouch in its back. Tanjiro puts the blood sample inside it, and it disappears with a spell.

In his last moments, Kyogai remembers his writings. He remembers how the man trashed his writing and stepped on it. Tanjiro, however, managed to dodge the papers with great care. Before he leaves, he pays respects to Kyogai’s soul.

Tanjiro runs around the rooms to find Kiyoshi and Teruko. He finds them both safe. Teruko cries, but Tanjiro comforts her and carries Kiyoshi outside.

Suddenly Tanjiro smells blood. They hurry outside to find the boar-man kicking Zenitsu. Zenitsu is bloodied and bruised as he hugs Nezuko’s box.

Something Important

With Zenitsu’s hearing, he can listen to people even in his sleep. That’s why he knew that Tanjiro won against the demon. Shoichi tells him he was the one who saved them both, but he’s worried as Zenitsu’s head is bleeding.

The boar-man breaks through the house as he smells a demon nearby. Zenitsu recognizes him as one of the few who passed the Final Selection, and Tanjiro never met him because the boar-man passed first and left the earliest. He is about to attack Nezuko’s box when Zenitsu defends it.

Zenitsu knew there was a demon inside that box, but its sound was different from anything evil. Every being has a voice, and he has learned to recognize everyone through his lifetime. He vows to protect the gentle voice inside the box as well. The boar man beats him silly for it, turning into a messy scuffle.

When Tanjiro arrives, he sees Zenitsu’s valiant efforts. The boar-man, meanwhile, continues to beat him up for it and challenges him to a sword fight. When pressed with resistance, he threatens to slash him along with the box instead.

Tanjiro jumps in to intervene with fury in his eyes.

Our Thoughts

Tanjiro continues to be a wholeheartedly-wholesome boy. Someone gentle and yet strong, quite different from all other anime MCs. I enjoyed how they portrayed the shifting gravity within the mansion too. Each ability from either friend or foe continues to be very interesting. I rate this 3.5/5.