Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season 2 Episode 16 Recap – Defeating an Upper Rank Demon

Promises

Tengen slices off Gyutaro’s feet, so with Tanjiro, they aim for his neck.

In a flashback, Tengen and his three wives visited the Uzui family grave. They pray under the scent of burning incense. Tengen pours a bottle of sake for his departed siblings. They had a picnic right after. Tengen invited them to eat flamboyantly.

Hinatsuru asked him about his siblings. He’s never once forgotten about them. It felt like yesterday since they left home. They enjoyed their meal under the sakura blossoms. Tengen promised to live his life flamboyantly, knowing that death is in their line of work.

Tengen picks off a sakura bloom from Hinatsuru’s hair. Hinatsuru asked to keep it; Sumi and Makio were jealous.

Gyutaro regenerates in a split second and retaliates by swinging his arms in a torrent of Blood Sickles. Tengen answers using Sound Breathing: Constant Resounding Slashes. Fireworks emerge in a flurry of blades, but Gyutaro disappears.

Gyutaro grabs Hinatsuru by the throat while Daki’s sashes block Tengen from following.

Hinatsuru once invited Tengen to live as normal human beings once they defeated the Upper Rank demons. They knew their time as ninjas could never be taken back, so they must make the most of life after it. If someone didn’t survive, then there should be no hard feelings.

Breakthrough

Tanjiro rushes in to help Hinatsuru, but the sashes are in his way. He can’t use Sun Breathing due to his lack of stamina, so he moves in with a combination of Sun and Water Breathing to sever Gyutaro’s hand and carry Hinatsuru back.

Gyutaro glares at him. Tanjiro’s gambit worked, as combining two techniques allowed him to go further. Innovating breathing techniques has always been a staple of Demon Slayers.

Tanjiro parries the enemy, and Tengen moves in behind to help.

Meanwhile, Daki’s attacks keep both Inosuke and Zenitsu at bay. Inosuke sees Tengen is almost at Gyutaro’s throat, so he steps up so they can decapitate their enemies together. Zenitsu calls for him to focus and keep attacking after the others have done their part. Inosuke can’t believe how cool Zenitsu is.

Gyutaro defends his neck and bites Tengen’s other sword. The demon unleashes an attack that throws Tanjiro and Tengen away.

Inosuke joins Tanjiro and suggests they attack Daki instead and leave the other for the Hashira. Meanwhile, Hinatsuru retreats.

Teamwork

Daki mocks the three for their slowing movements. Inosuke gets frustrated that they haven’t been progressing. Tanjiro suggests they’ll have to decapitate her in different directions. Inosuke volunteers with his dual blades while the two others cover for him.

Inosuke braces himself for Beast Breathing, Eighth Form: Explosive Rush, while the others repel Daki’s sashes. They pave a path for Inosuke, who glides through and brings his blades to the enemy’s neck. Inosuke then uses Sixth Form and decapitates Daki’with a sawing motion.

Inosuke catches her severed head while evading the barrage sashes. He calls for the others to help Tengen while he runs around town. All Daki can do is defend with her hair, which gets cut off quickly by the boar-man.

But then Gyutaro appears and plunges a blade into Inosuke’s chest — blood splatters from his mouth. Tanjiro sees Tengen down in the dirt with his hand cut off. Zenitsu calls for Tanjiro to return as a wave of slashes rain down on the district floor.

Tanjiro apologizes to everyone as he falls to the ground.

Our Thoughts

The back and forth in this episode is INSANE. The heartbreaking end made it predictable and even better than if it were an immediate victory for our heroes. 4.8/5.