Finally, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fans: we have our first episode of the long-awaited third season! In fact, in Ep. 1 “Someone’s Dream”, we even get to see Tanjiro and Nezuko have their own adventure together at long last. After all, what better way for them to have a brother and sister bonding trip than a grand day out at a village of swordsmiths? Especially when said swordsmiths have their own hot springs spa?

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” ~ Details

'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Swordsmith Village Arc' NA key visual.
It looks like Nezuko is going to have an even bigger role this season. Even more so than the last.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” is, as its title suggests, the first episode of this latest season of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. This dark fantasy adventure martial arts anime is the anime adaptation of the manga of the same name by Koyoharu Gotouge. Ufotable (Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Tales of Zestiria the X) is the animation studio behind this new season of the anime, as they were in the previous 2 seasons.

Production Details

As for the production staff behind Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream”? Apparently, Shin’ya Shinomura and Takashi Suhara are the directors of this particular episode. Suhara also did the storyboarding alongside Yūichi Terao. As for the anime in general: Haruo Sotozaki is still the director, with Akifumi Fujio, Masanori Miyake, and Yūma Takahashi producing. Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina are still the composers behind the anime’s incredible music.

Speaking of music, “Kizuna no Kiseki” (“Bonds of Miracle”) by Man with a Mission and Milet is the opening theme music for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc. Funnily enough, Man with a Mission and Milet also sang “Koi Kogare” (“Yearning”) as the ending theme music.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc stars the voices of Natsuki Hanae (Zach Aguilar in English dub) as Tanjiro Kamado, and Akari Kitō (Abby Trott in English dub) as Nezuko Kamado. Other notable voices include Kana Hanazawa (Kira Buckland in English dub) as Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji, and Kengo Kawanishi (Griffin Burns in English dub) as Hashira Muichirō Tokitō.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” premiered on April 9, 2023. You can watch this episode only on Crunchyroll.

Warning: spoilers for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” below. If you want to watch Tanjiro and Nezuko’s grand day out for yourself, then stop here and come back once you’ve had a nice long hot springs soak too.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” ~ Plot Summary

I know it’s not exactly a vacation here for them. However, it’s the closest thing they have to a family outing.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” doesn’t quite pick up where we last left off in the previous episode: season 2, Ep. 18 “No Matter How Many Lives”. Instead, we get a trip back into Kibutsuji’s reality-bending castle: the home base for the Demons. We get to see a bunch of the Upper Rank Demons (including a Demon who bears a striking resemblance to Tanjiro), and as it turns out, 1 of them has acquired some useful intel on the Demon Slayers. What intel is that is still unknown though. At least, for now.

Meanwhile though, while Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui’s wives help him limp off the battlefield, Tanjiro and co. have apparently been in a coma since the final battle with Gyutaro and Daki. Fortunately, Zenitsu and Inosuke woke up (with the former even going on a mission, albeit unwillingly), with Tanjiro waking up last. Unfortunately, when he woke up, the sword he broke in the fight against 2 Upper Rank Demons still doesn’t have a replacement yet. Thus, Tanjiro and Nezuko set out on a journey to the Swordsmith Village to acquire a new sword. All courtesy of runners carrying Tanjiro (who himself is carrying Nezuko) blindfolded, earplugged, and nose-plugged to keep the village’s location hidden. It’s an excellent way to keep the village itself hidden, but as we can anticipate, it’s probably not enough. But that’s presumably for later.

The Hot Springs Village Arc?

'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: "Someone's Dream"' screenshot depicting Tanjiro watching the sunrise in the Swordsmith Village.
A perfect relaxing pose to take in this peaceful village. Too bad it probably won’t last all that long.

Immediately, Tanjiro and Nezuko receive a very eagerly friendly welcome from Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji. So eager in fact, that Tanjiro has to fasten her kimono for her to keep her most impressive bust from spilling out. Unfortunately, Genya Shinazugawa is a far less welcoming person. Even Tanjiro’s attempt at hot springs skinship doesn’t crack his foul-tempered and foul-mouthed exterior. Even more unfortunately, Hotaru Haganezuka (the swordsmith who was supposed to be making Tanjiro’s new sword) is apparently missing and nowhere to be found. The village elder isn’t worried, but it’s hinting at something ominous here.

Fortunately, yet again, Mitsuri is a far more welcoming individual even that night, earning her Nezuko’s affection. She even mentions some kind of “secret treasure” to Tanjiro hidden in the village, as well as accidentally reveals that Tanjiro does indeed have a libido. The morning brings a meeting with the Mist Hashira: Muichirō Tokitō. He seems to be having trouble convincing a village youth to hand over a key, but that’s not what Tanjiro is focused on. Behind the Mist Hashira, there’s a guy who looks suspiciously like someone Tanjiro has been dreaming about. Who is he? Hopefully, we’ll find out in the next episode of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” ~ The Good

'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: "Someone's Dream"' screenshot depicting Mitsuri sparkling to high heaven.
Everything about this episode is good.

It’d be easier to talk about what’s not good about Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream”. Because seriously, everything about this first episode of season 3 is good. The story and characters are top-notch, as you might expect from a direct adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga. The animation is incredibly gorgeous, as you would expect from Ufotable. The music is to die for, as you expect from Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina’s amazing composing. It’s everything Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fans have been waiting for.

In particular, though, the air of mystery around said the story is quite palpable. We know that those Upper Rank demons are planning to attack the Swordsmith Village. That and the why are both pretty obvious. Why go after the Demon Slayers when you can attack their logistics? All we’re waiting for is the how. Let’s hope that comes in the next episode.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” ~ The Bad

'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: "Someone's Dream"' screenshot depicting Upper Rank Demon Kokushibo's 6-eyed visage.
That face just screams evil, even if it looks suspiciously familiar.

As a big fan of this anime, I fully admit to being heavily biased toward the anime. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc Ep. 1: “Someone’s Dream” is no exception. There’s a reason why I’m giving it 100%, after all. My only complaint is that Ep. 2 can’t come fast enough.

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