Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season 3 Episode 2, “Yoriichi Type Zero,” is a odd episode that feels almost like filler. I don’t think it was bad but it felt out of place compared to the first two episodes. Anyway, we get our first look at the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito. He’s harassing a young swordsmith for the key to a mechanical battle doll called Yoriichi Type Zero. The doll is modeled after the mysterious demon slayer that resembles Tanjiro and the Upper Rank One demon Kokushibo.
Tanjiro being the kind man he is can’t stand the rudeness Muichiro displays. The Hashira is cold. His eyes are dead and he speaks in a dull monotone. He also appears to forget people easily. Muichiro is arrogant, he dismisses Kotetsu as being “old good for making weapons.” Muichiro argues that “a Hashira’s time is more valuable than,” a swordsmith and believes that fighting is the most important thing.
Training with Yoriichi Type Zero
The mechanical doll possess six arms in order to successfully imitate the movements of the warrior it’s based on. Muichiro trains with it first, breaking his sword and breaking off one of the dolls arms. He leaves having taken one sword from the doll to replace his broken one. It seems like demon slayer swords break more often than we were lead to believe. Tanjiro witnesses some of Muichiro’s training and is impressed. Muichiro is Tanjiro’s age and despite his small frame according to Tanjiro he’s strong.
Tanjiro trains with the remaining parts of the doll with Kotetsu as his coach. Kotetsu is a harsh teacher. He denies Tanjiro food and water after failing to land a blow on the doll. Tanjiro faints during the battle with the doll and has a vision he’s in the Sanzu River and he walks in the afterlife. So far this season I’ve found the various dreams and visions in this series to be confusing. I assuming that it will all make sense later but right now it’s not too useful. As a result, of this dream Tanjiro develops a new scent ability. It’s different from Opening Thread, allowing him to detect movement earlier.
A hidden sword
Having mastered a new skill, Tanjiro is able to dodge the dolls attacks. However, Tanjiro hesitates to strike the doll because it means so much to Kotetsu. Unexpectedly, Kotetsu tells him to break it, telling Tanjiro that he can fix it. Tanjiro hits the doll breaking the swords he was given. The doll begins to crack open revealing a 300 year old sword inside.
Swords are clearly going to be important in this arc. I hope we get some more information into how they’re made, why there so useful against demons, and why the swordsmith wear masks. It seems obvious that the sword is what the mysterious demon slayer left behind. I can only assume that its better that the average Nichirin Sword. I think this episode felt weird due to it’s humor, and the female crow threw me off, particularly her eyelashes. Anyway, Tanjiro gets an upgrade and some training he desperately needs.
