Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season 2 Episode 4 Recap – Insult

Awaken

Spirit incarnations in the form of small children escort Tanjiro’s invader to his spirit’s core. But after seeing how Tanjiro’s spirit is so pure, the invader can’t bear to destroy it.

Inosuke’s intruder stumbles upon a dark, creepy cave. Soon after, Inosuke finds her and chases her around. Meanwhile, Zenitsu’s intruder finds himself in pitch-dark emptiness. As he walks around, an aspect of Zenitsu appears, holding garden shears. Zenitsu threatens to kill him like a serial killer; only Nezuko has the right to be there.

In the waking world, Nezuko sees both hosts and intruders struggling in their sleep. Tanjiro cuts through his neck in the dream and finally wakes up, relieved to see Nezuko is fine. He notices his friends are still asleep with the intruders tied to their wrists.

He realizes all of it is from a demon’s technique. Nezuko burns up the ropes. Tanjiro tries to wake them all up, but none of it works. Suddenly, the intruders wake up and threaten him. Tanjiro sees his intruder and realizes he’s sick and desperate — they were merely taken advantage of.

Tanjiro apologizes to them and swiftly knocks them out. He sympathizes with those who want to stay in the dream but knows he’ll have to hunt the demon.

Enmu

Tanjiro takes Nezuko as they follow the demon’s awful scent. He climbs to the roof to find Enmu waiting for him. Enmu tempts him even further, offering a better dream where his father would still be alive. Enmu relishes the sight of having the whole train suffer. His blood was laced into the passengers’ tickets, with the spell activating after the conductor punched through them.

Among all the passengers, only Tanjiro woke up. Tanjiro’s eyes flare as the demon relishes playing with people’s emotions. Enmu notices Tanjiro’s hanafuda earrings and rejoices at his luck. Once he kills the boy Muzan is looking for, he can easily climb the ranks of the Twelve Moons.

Tanjiro uses the Tenth Form: Constant Flux, while Enmu answers with his Blood Demon Art: Whispers of Forced Unconscious Hypnosis. Tanjiro gets caught and goes to sleep but wakes just seconds after. Enmu continues using the spell, but it only works for a split second on Tanjiro. He wonders if his demon art isn’t working, but after closer inspection, he learns that Tanjiro notices the smell immediately and slices his own throat once he enters the dream.

Enmu can’t believe he has the courage to end himself in a dream. He launches a particularly harsh dream, where Tanjiro is being blamed by his dead siblings for having survived, but they did not. His parents also appear to him and parrot his survivor’s guilt.

Grave Insult

Tanjiro awakes and yells that his family would never say such a thing. He considers the visions as an insult to his family. Tanjiro finally launches his slash and cuts off Enmu’s head.

Enmu’s severed head starts talking, saying he understands why Tanjiro is one of their main targets. Flesh regenerates from his neck and forms into a great worm. He goads Tanjiro and reveals it isn’t his real body but a distraction.

Enmu’s real body is fused into the train; every inch of it is his blood, flesh, and bones. All of its passengers are effectively his food and hostages. Enmu asks Tanjiro if there’s anything he can do to stop him before leaving. Tanjiro goes back to his friends to regroup. Thankfully, Nezuko finally awakens Inosuke, who starts cutting up the train’s interiors.

Our Thoughts

The demons in this show really contrast Tanjiro’s kindness in such a sinister way. I like it! 3.5/5.