Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season 2 Episode 13 Recap – Layered Memories

No Remorse

Tanjiro continues to face off with Daki, who is increasingly annoyed with his persistence. She recalls the sashes from the battle underground, combining them with her flesh. She’s overjoyed with the news that a Hashira has come. It’s her opportunity to impress Muzan.

Daki’s appearance changes; her veins flare up. A citizen comes out and scolds Tanjiro for making too much noise.

Tanjiro calls for them to hide, but Daki’s clothing whiplashes throughout the street, destroying buildings and wounding everyone caught in its path. Badly wounded, Tanjiro wants to fight while Daki leaves him for dead. All around him, the people are screaming and crying for the innocent victims.

Tanjiro’s eyes start to bleed.

In the Rengoku household, Shinjuro writes an apology letter to Tanjiro. He admits he was devastated by his incompetence following the death of his wife. All of the anguish led him to drink and hide from his problems. He admits Kyoujuro is a good son who taught himself Flame Breathing on his way to becoming a Hashira. He tells Tanjiro that Flame Breath users have red birthmarks on their foreheads, just like him.

Tanjiro refutes him, claiming it’s a burn mark that got wounded further. It was his father who had a birthmark. He isn’t one of the chosen users, but he can’t afford to back down with the death and destruction around him. He will not tolerate those who kill without remorse.

Beyond

Tanjiro cuts Daki’s foot as she tries to run away. He yells at her with bloody eyes, asking how she can easily trample on people’s lives.

Daki remembers those words. The same as those from a man in her distant memories, whom she cannot recognize. It’s Muzan’s memories borne from his cells.

Back at the cave, the rest of the Demon Slayers rescue the wounded. Inosuke wants to fight, but Tengen wants to help. After some words from his wives, Tengen takes Inosuke and Zenitsu to find Daki.

Tanjiro continues questioning Daki’s motives, saying she once was human. Daki relishes not having to die or get sick. She enjoys her freedom. Tanjiro moves in for a strike while Daki defends herself with a weaving of cloth, her Blood Demon Art, and a finishing move.

Tanjiro cuts through them easily with Hinokami Kagura. Daki feels the cuts are deeper than before, making it hard to regenerate. Tanjiro’s body should have been failing by now as Daki struggles to defend.

She runs away in panic, but Tanjiro speeds in to cut her throat. Daki saves her neck with an elastic sash. Tanjiro dips into a trance, seeing every single one of her moves. He gathers her sashes and holds them with his blade. He then rushes in with a flurry of strikes toward Daki’s neck.

Limits

Suddenly, Tanjiro’s sister appears in his mind, calling for him to breathe. Tanjiro drops and coughs incessantly. His vision blurs. He’s at his limit.

Daki sees this as an opportunity to end him, but Nezuko appears to smash her away. Nezuko grunts with anger, remembering the time when Muzan attacked them.

Daki’s head is severed in half, yelling at Nezuko for laying a hand on her. She remembers Muzan’s words about a rogue demon wearing a kimono. Daki was instructed to kill Nezuko as well.

Nezuko’s limbs get cut as she attacks. She’s too weak without eating human flesh, but to Daki’s surprise, Nezuko regenerates as quickly as an Upper Rank. Leaf patterns appear in Nezuko’s flesh as her anger flares.

Tanjiro slips into a dream where his younger brother tells him how he and Nezuko are alike — gentle but ruthless when angered, which can be self-destructive.

Nezuko brawls against Daki with no regard for her safety.

Our Thoughts

So many reveals and power-ups. I’m speechless. That was the perfect episode! 5/5.