demonslayedher

[demonslayedher]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 鬼滅の刃 | Kimetsu no Yaiba (Manga) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Sabito & Tomioka Giyuu, Murata & Tomioka Giyuu, Murata & Sabito (Kimetsu no Yaiba) Characters: Murata (Kimetsu no Yaiba), Tomioka Giyuu, Sabito (Kimetsu no Yaiba) Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Flashbacks, Character Study, Bro bonding, Awkward Conversations Summary:

“Tomioka remembered my name. We were together since the Final Selection, too! I know there’s a huge difference between us, but we were in the same batch, man! When this battle’s over, let’s go get some food!”

–

Shortly after the final battle with Muzan, Murata invites Tomioka out for a nice meal. They haven’t interacted since the Final Selection, though, and Murata only saved Tomioka’s life back then because someone asked him too. So now what? Where can Murata take a conversation with a quiet retired Pillar?

Murata POV, based entirely on a few panels of the manga and one recent Taishou Secret.

[demonslayedher]

Things that went through my head while watching this episode (in 2025!)

--Tamayo sure made that decision quick to go join the Corp. I love that it is so clear how much she and Shinobu do not want to work together. I wish, wish, wish I could have seen Tamayo meeting Ubuyashiki, as well as first meeting Shinobu. --The animation in the glass pane as Tamayo looks up at the moon?? love it.

--Giyuu really do just be sitting there in an empty room. Buddy, that ain't meditating, that be ruminating.

--I am so grateful for all my years of Japanese study so that I can soak in all the meaning of Aoi using such stiff keigo (polite speech) with Tanjiro (and for that matter, any active Corp swordsman). She truly sees herself as far beneath them, and in her dealings with Tanjiro, it is like she purposefully keeps things strictly professional. It is so revealing how diplomatically she addresses that, at least if she were the one who someone were trying to cheer up, she would prefer to be left alone. That is why she has kept this professional distance all along, isn't it? Somebody telling her "it's okay you weren't as brave as all those swordsmen who wound up fighting to the death anyway" would only make her feel worse, after all. I wonder about her decision to keep wearing the Corp uniform despite the adequacy she feels in it?

--Giyuu would tell her she deserves to wear it, wouldn't he? Luck or not, she likely did more to ensure her own survival on Mt. Fujikasane than he did. (Now I crave an AU in Shinobu dealt with Aoi's post-Final Selection fear not by allowing her to freeload (as Aoi might interpret it) at the Butterfly Mansion and avoid missions, but instead by creating a situation in which Giyuu is pressured to take Aoi in and train her--Water Breath users, after all!).

--Despite that Tanjiro killed the Hand Demon, whom Sabito could not, Tanjiro does not think of that at all. He instead thinks of how Sabito "saved" him back on Mt. Sagiri, and how in the course of the Final Selection, Tanjiro could not manage to save anyone like Sabito could, for Tanjiro could barely save himself. Their outcomes happened to be different, but Tanjiro sees the gulf between their potential and inherent ability so plainly.

--Tanjiro has made the switch from "Tomioka-san" to "Giyuu-san." Get FRIENDED, loser.

--The way the scene is framed so that you can't see Giyuu's face when he declares that the Water Hashira position is vacant

--GIYUU IS SO ANNOYED WITH TANJIRO, HAHAHAHAH. He's not only annoying for barging in when Giyuu is busy ruminating, but for trying to insist on some easy simple solution to a situation he doesn't understand (even though the way better solution to all of this would have just been for Tanjiro to use that battle sense and nose to become the Water Hashira, duh). But also, he is sitting so close. As Tanjiro keeps bugging him, like at dinner, he is still sitting SO FREAKING CLOSE and poor Giyuu just wants to eat. He just wants to bathe. He can barely sleep knowing that Tanjiro is curled up on his front door step, maybe Giyuu look like the bad guy for leaving this poor injured kid out there like that. How the hell is he supposed to explain that the kid is choosing to do that, when Giyuu can't explain anything else in the first place?

--And then he knows he must. So he does. Plain and simple. And Tanjiro gets it. And it hurts.

--And then he accidentally adds to Giyuu's pain. OH SNAP. Soba time.

--In the previous arc, we saw the drama of Muichiro instantaneously regaining memories of precious things people have said and entrusted to him, and how this brought him not only back from the brink of death, but pushed him over the edge to attain a mark. What happened here on the bridge was essentially the same thing for Giyuu--but in a more peaceful way. Though he did not have his mind as clouded as Muichiro, trying to find his way back to those memories would have drowned him in sadness, but now, all at once, all these years later, he can embrace the words Sabito said to him, and embrace the promise he made to Sabito that he would carry on Tsutako's will in the world. He has attained that power again, and in a way, reattaining that memory right after he said "Sabito might have, but I won't" is his first step on his path to being able to achieve a mark.

--and then "Let's have a soba-eating contest."

--wut???

--Was this kid always this weird???? I mean, okay, I guess if he insists, I will eat soba with him and let him be satisfied in making me join the training this way, though I really did just already make up my mind to do that because I am, in fact, the Water Hashira

--As he ate soba, I wonder if Giyuu found himself wondering if Tanjiro ever did weird stuff like this around Urokodaki, thereby second-handedly embarrassing Giyuu for having spoken so highly of him

--Stepping back a bit, I love the underlying creepiness of Tanjiro cheerfully looking down the alley and declaring, "nope, no demons here!" Kiddo, there is a reason for that.

--Also little Giyuu with light in his eyes, I will always miss him

--Jumping ahead, the eye-twitch is so becoming on Shinobu. She should sport that more often.

--My gosssssshhhhhhh I wiiiiiiiiiish we could have SEEN Kanao at all these Hashira trainings. The opening implies that she was with the boys and ran laps around them at Uzui's training. But where are the girls?????? They exist!!! We know they exist! If Kanao hasn't gotten out of this, they ain't either!! But like, seriously, what was Sanemi gonna do when she showed up? Hit her??? Hell to the nah'.

--Still, for as much of a battle queen as Kanao soon becomes after this, she is still strengthening that heart-to-voice connection, and it is hard to do that after so many years of leaving the connection broken. (And unfortunately for Shinobu, it is only because of Kanao's progress that there is any way for them to defeat Douma.) Still, going back to the previous episode, I love that Shinobu judges Kanao's battle prowess so strongly that she will entrust Nezuko to her in the event of, say, Kibutsuji Muzan himself showing up at the Butterfly Mansion (not that this would have been likely to end in Kanao's favor, but Shinobu knew she could at least leave Kanao in charge in case of other high-level demons--maybe even a swarm of them--showing up)

--So yeah, she will totally entrust the defeat of Upper Moon Two to her, even Shinobu, a Hashira, knows she cannot do it herself

--HOW EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING

--This ending theme, man

--That distinctly Muichiro-like silhouette is mean. But the second one looks more like the Heian-period doctor. And the pair of silhoettes after that still have us pretty firmly back in time by several centuries.

--Fly, crow, fly! Fly for the sunlight!

--Love these subdued stills of all these important moments in Corp history that have led them to this time, and how the one of Tanjiro has motion, with his tears flowing and then him standing to face this horrific reality--and that focus on the "metsu" on his sword to tie together all of these scattered scenes of all these people throughout the last thousand years who have been so whole-heartedly dedicated to defeating Muzan once and for all

--All these symbolic spots of red being dramatically destroyed as Muzan passes by, this the most chuunibyou ending song ever and it is great

--Daaaaaang, this means Muzan has been doing his dramatic walk since episode two

[demonslayedher]

"Pinky promise~♪"

[demonslayedher]

[demonslayedher]

Filler Arc with Character Beats: Intro

Some time ago, I posted how I would direct a Gokangumi (Five Senses Squad)-centric anime filler arc to go between the Swordsmith Village Arc and the Hashira Training Arc, specifically what foreshadowing and character beats I'd try to make it hit, and what small changes I'd make to make it slip in as seamlessly as possible (like Muichirou being curious about the Mark and doing his own investigation into it before Amane simply tells them about it). As it turns out, over a year ago, I tried writing it in fic form, but lost steam after 5577 words because I didn't have the energy for a long fic. But I just reread what I wrote, and man, I looooove thiiiiis. So I'm sharing what I had below! It's basically Episode 1 of Hashira Training all over again, just with the same content presented in different ways from more fanfic-y character perspectives and off-screen character interactions, so this is nice timing for it since episode 2 of Hashira Training isn't out yet. No plans to continue writing it, but please enjoy the setup I had!

----

Nezuko…

“Good morning…”

Tanjirou relaxed deeper into his sleep as the sunlit scene replayed in his mind. For the first time in years, his sister had smiled.

Good for you, Nezuko… I’m so glad.

It was wonderful that she could walk in the sunlight again, and that she didn’t need to wear that muzzle. Finally, she could again speak for herself. All this time hadn’t been in vain.

--

All this time hadn’t been in vain.

Creating all those demons, granting an excess of his blood to the Twelve Moons, it hadn’t been for naught—Hantengu had lasted a whole night against the demon hunters so that he could witness a transformation Muzan had waited centuries for.

Kamado Nezuko…

His chosen demon, the one who had at last mastered the sun. A pesky one for how she had slipped out of his control, but with the hoard at his disposal, catching one demon wouldn’t be a major obstacle. Or so he had hoped to think, but Nezuko had stood her ground against Daki. With three of his Upper Moons already gone, that left fewer demons who stood a chance of containing her.

It was good he had so many of them, then. Muzan could stand to sacrifice any handful of them in pursuit of the chosen demon.

Hiura had heard a single twang and wondered if it was a biwa when he found himself in a different space than the cave he usually occupied. ‘Different’ rang though his head again to try to describe it, as there was no sense to make of it other than that he must had been in a dream. In any of his waking life, he was certain he had never seen a place like this.

“What is this? How did I get here?”

“What’s going on?”

With all those confused murmurs, Hiura’s dream was not his own, and he concluded that this must have been that space he had only heard rumors of. To his knowledge, only the Twelve Moon demons had ever been there, and there were many more demons here than twelve.

“Silence.”

Hiura shook when that voice spoke, and he spotted the eyes paired with that voice immediately—six eyes. It was his first encounter with any of the Twelve Moons, and it was just his luck that it was the most powerful one. He must have been brought here to die; there was no other reason Upper Moon One would waste time on lesser demons.

“Muzan-sama is present.”

All of Hiura’s shaking went still as his eyes scanned everywhere for the owner of that name. Up, down, sideways, nothing here made sense. There he was directly in front of him, red eyes blaring as icy as they did the night Hiura first encountered and tricked him into turning him into a demon. Tricking him was something Hiura knew he’d never be lucky enough to do again, and even a private inkling of it put him in danger. Muzan’s cells within him reminded him of that at every moment.

Before he had realized it, Hiura was bowing. Everyone was.

“Why do you all cower? You’re all demons who have pleased me.”

Pleased Muzan?

“You’ve eaten humans and gotten stronger. Developed the blood I’ve given you. You should be proud. Unless you’ve done something to displease me?”

Mind games! Muzan was playing them. They couldn’t dare take any pride in his presence. He was looking for a reason to find displeasure in them.

“None of you will speak?”

“Because it’s not enough yet,” thundered Kiritsuna.

Muzan’s lips stretched to a smile that narrowed his eyes. “Precisely.”

Damn that Kiritsuna! Always so self-assured, he must not have felt a shiver of fear in his life! Sucking up as always!

“Why would you have brought us here?” asked Zessou, always at Kiritsuna’s side. Dumb as rocks but always got away looking smart with that pretty face. What was he trying to do with his demon development, improve upon what used to be a lucky human form? Probably didn’t even realize he was doing it.

“I have three openings in the Upper Moons to fill. If any among you can fulfill for me a task, I’ll consider your promotion.”

The demons all grew excited, gasping or exclaiming with some shrill noises. Idiots, all of them. Muzan didn’t like them that much and they were all fools to think so. Hiura found this his chance to distinguish himself by a more productive question. “What task do you wish fulfilled?”

“A demon that has slipped from my control and uses fire against other demons, Kamado Nezuko. I want this demon brought to me, alive.”

Kamado Nezuko? That was a different name than Hiura had thought he heard before about that broad who got away. Fire, though. That was new and unusual. Not something Hiura wanted to deal with.

Not directly, anyway. If there was one demon to lure her out, another demon to contain her, then he could be the one to subdue her. The one to earn Muzan’s true pleasure.

“Why us?” asked some demon Hiura didn’t know. “Why not from among the Lower Moons?”

At this, Muzan’s smile was gone. “They no longer served any purpose.”

Although there was no sound, there was something like a weight pressing on all the demons, like it was across their shoulders and tied around their necks. Hiura wondered if this was Muzan forcing his will upon them to scare them, but he just as soon realized it was his own cells cowering in their own instinct.

If Hiura didn’t fulfill this request, he’d be dead.

“Prove your worth to me by fulfilling this task. My patience has already been tested enough.”

“Muzan-sama!” cried out one who was dumb enough to use that name. “More of your precious blood! Just a little more, and—”

“Moon Breathing, First Form—”

“What?”

“Breath Technique?”

“Dark Moon, Evening Palace.”

The demon who had spoken out and stood up was in pieces, having been torn apart by crescent blades. The other demons around her shrieked and cowered away from the blood. They screamed louder and sloppily scattered faster as Upper Moon One walked among them to the carnage, but Kiritsuna stayed put with no reaction to the blood splashed across his face, and not a tremor as the superior demon stood next to him. Upper Moon One lifted his hand over the gasping, crying demon spilled in pieces on the tatami, who squeaked, “Muzan… sama…”

“If you fail his expectations as you are… then this task… is meaningless to entrust to you.”

Her scream was cut off as he grabbed her head and absorbed it into his flesh. The rest of the pieces of her rattled and kicked until a dead silence; limp, melting demon remnants. Muzan was long gone. Upper Moon One turned his back, leaving them with the words, “Talent will be rewarded… from whomever proves promise…”

Another twang from the biwa and he was gone. Another twang, and another demon disappeared, then another. As the tempo picked up other demons were standing and ready to disappear, and Hiura lunged his hands out to grab Kiritsuna and Zessou’s sleeves. “There’s three spots,” he said, hurrying to get a smile out at them before the twang of the biwa came for them, “spots to reward all three of us, together—”

--

Tanjirou awoke to the sensation of his Breath being cut off. "Ah!" he sat up with a start, which made Muichirou release his hold on Tanjirou's nose.

"Your response is still pretty dull," he said. He had an impish grin, a light in his eyes, and bandages here and there around his face. 

"It's not as if you meant any harm," insisted Tanjirou, but he guarded his nose with both hands anyway.

"How are your injuries?"

"My foot might take some time. How about you and Kanroji-san?"

"We'll probably be back to work by next week."

"What? Amazing! I've got to work on my recovery to match you two!"

"We can't all be geniuses."

"That's right. I heard you're descended from the original Sun Breath user. Your crow told me and Kotetsu-kun."

Muichirou sent Ginko a look through the window, and she cowered from his gaze, for they both knew she wasn't very nice about it. "It's not a big deal. It's not as if I know anything about Sun Breathing. Mist Breathing is so many steps removed from it that I've only got tiny bits and pieces from my ancestors."

"There's got to still be something, though! I even had memories inherited from my ancestor."

"...huh?"

"At least, that's what Kotetsu-kun said. Now that I think about it, he probably only said that to make me feel better. Sorry, it's weird, I know."

"Make you feel better about what?"

"I thought I knew the person Yoriichi Type Zero was based on. The original Sun Breath user, your ancestor."

"Doesn't that not make sense, though? You're the only one in this whole Corp who knows Sun Breathing, after all."

"No, no, no, no, that's just because my family's practiced Hinokami Kagura for generations! There's nothing inherited about it, my father had to teach me everything!" Tanjirou waved his hand as fast as Zenitsu swiping a plate of dumplings.

"But how did your ancestors learn that?"

Tanjirou paused as he thought back to that vivid dream, and how he had asked that samurai how he must be sad with no successors. That samurai had to have had children later if Muichirou was there now, but something felt off about that. Not that he could say what was off about a passing fantasy in a dream, though. It wasn't even real.

"You've even got the same earrings."

"Eh? You've met him too?" he asked and put his hands to his ears.

"Yoriichi Type Zero."

"Oh," he thought back. Now that Muichirou mentioned it, that doll had indeed been wearing the same ones. Tanjirou had never asked his father what made the earrings special, but the samurai in his dream was wearing them too. That samurai still had them when he left, though, while he was saying he wasn't anyone special. He had to have been special, though, for the Kamado family wasn't the only one to keep memories of him. "The original Sun Breath user was mentioned in a diary of one of Rengoku-san's ancestors too. I don’t know if it'll help me use Hinokami Kagura to fight demons better, but his younger brother Senjurou has been searching through their family records to see if there's anything helpful."

 "Maybe they'll find something there about the mark."

"Mark?"

"I heard that when I fought Upper Moon Five, there was a mark on my face. Around the same time it would have been visible, I felt my heart rate increase to about 200 beats and my body temperature rise. Based on the 39-degree temperature reading Kochou-san took, I assume it was higher than that."

"You can tell in that much detail? Wow!"

"You should have more physiological awareness while using Breath technique too, you know. Still, it did help to get the number from the thermometer. You should have seen her, I've never seen Kochou-san so shocked, even though I insisted I felt fine."

"Oh?"

"And then the little girl who was with her mentioned you could run a fever of 38 degrees for over three days and feel fine, too," he said, then smiled. "You might be in trouble."

"Oh..."

"You get it though, right? How the feverish state made your Breath technique more powerful?"

"Yeah," Tanjirou agreed, "I don’t know if my fever ever got as high as yours, but being in that state makes me feel like my Hinokami Kagura had more of the power its capable of, and like b-b-b-BOOM, BASH, and like... gggrrrraaaahhh, and... you know?"

"...huh?"

"I'm saying something weird again, sorry. There was something else that helped me fight Upper Moon Four, too. When Nezuko burned my Nichirin blade with her fire, it turned red."

"A red blade? Aren't those supposed to be rare?"

"I don’t know if it's like the red blade Haganezuka-san always wanted to see, it turned black again later. But when it was so hot that it glowed, it cut through demon flesh more powerfully than I've ever felt before. Maybe, you think, it's like the same thing? Getting really hot? That BOOM, BA-BA-BA-BA-BA-BA thing?"

"Huh? You lost me."

"Sorry..."

"It made sense until that last part. Nichirin Blades work because they've absorbed sunlight, so glowing red may be due to an increase in the power of the light. Makes it all the weirder that Nezuko can be in the sunlight now! Doesn't that make her invincible?"

Tanjirou's expression softened at the mention of his sister. "It's such a relief. I'm so glad she can walk around in daylight now. She's out of that danger."

"Still weird."

For someone who had known her for twelve years as someone who could walk around freely in daylight, there was nothing strange about it. To Tanjirou, this was a return to what was just.

In many ways, he enjoyed the return of a sister from long ago. Back in the Swordsmith Village, it was like he had his four-year-old sister back, playing with toys and enjoying being tickled, and as feisty for attention as any little kid. Maybe she'd have enjoyed putting her hair in braids back then too, though her 12-year-old self would have only mildly hummed to herself with pleasure having done up her hair as she liked without needing to bother anyone. Nezuko was always like that, even Nezuko of ten years ago was always patient and obedient and sensitive to others like Takeo and baby Hanako. Maybe if she had been stuck in a box every day she'd have had that much pent up energy back then, too. 

Now that they were back at the Butterfly Mansion, Nezuko had the best person around for helping her work off that excess energy: Inosuke, or as he had finally succeeded in teaching her, Boss Inosuke. 

"Cave Explorers! Cave Explorers! We're the Cave Explorers!"

"Caff effporor!"

"Wait! Wait up right there!" he pointed to the ground. "You see that?"

Nezuko leaned her head on Inosuke's forearm to see where he pointed. "Hmmm?" There on the ground, stumbling over roots twice its width was a fledgling, too young to have taken a purposeful dive. Inosuke ran over and skidded to his knees for a look, startling the baby bird with his snout and looming eyes, and it stumbled backwards with panicked cheeping. Nezuko knelt and cupped her hands behind it, and it nestled against them for safety.

"Ha! That makes this your mission, Underling! Take that kid and put him back up in the nest!" 

Though he was already pointing to where he felt the nest was, he looked upward past his finger, and Nezuko followed the same glance with a curious 'hmm.' The nest was easy to spot, but higher than Inosuke anticipated. He felt a smidge of regret because he didn't want to put a girl on such a risky mission right away, especially not a girl so precious to Tanpachirou. Nezuko had no such hesitation, and her claws scratched the bark as she climbed. In a couple of tricky spots she looked around left and right first, but found new spots to grip as swiftly as Inosuke would have, so he found himself more and more pleased and excited with her progress.

Trouble came when Nezuko's long hair got stuck in the branches. It caused her some distress, but the nest was close enough that she could let her hair be pulled taunt as she stretched. "Hmm... mm!!"

"Like that! Just a little further!"

"Mmnhh!" she grunted and willed her reach longer. Vines poured out her veins onto the surface of her skin and her hand extended such that she could pick up the whole nest if she pleased. Her horn had little room among the branches and pressed against one in such a way that it made her head sink down against her neck uncomfortably, but she paid that no mind as she let the fledgling tumble from her hand to the nest.

"That's it, Underling, nice work! Whoa--watch out!"

A screech zoomed toward Nezuko. When she looked up to see the parent swooping toward her with talons arched, she guarded her face with her own arched claws. She caught the bird's foot, and it reacted by flapping and tugging and cawing. When the feathers flapped in Nezuko's face she closed her eyes and leaned backwards.

"Nezuko!!" Inosuke shouted her name. He could tell exactly where she was going to fall before the branches cracked. He dove and caught her inches before she'd have hit the ground rump first, and then chunks and splinters of branches rained on them. The bird kept screeching from the tree top as it settled into its nest, and Inosuke brushed the branches off the top of Nezuko's head as he asked, "Hey! Are you alright?"

"Thank goodness!" she popped her head up and smiled. 

He looked her over for injuries, but had she gotten any, they were already healed. Blood was coming from somewhere, though, and as they both looked for where, they spotted a gash down Inosuke's forearm. "Hngh," he grunted in acknowledgement. 

Nezuko's eyes were glued to a bead of blood that pooled and gathered weight, then broke free of the injury and ran a bright red trail down his toned arm. After it came similar crimson streams, leading her attention back to the broken skin and what layers of flesh might had been revealed.

She clenched her eyes shut, grit her teeth, and pulled herself away as though caught on a fishing line. That momentum took her to her feet and a few steps away from Inosuke. Inosuke could sense the tension down her arms as she squeezed her fists, but he had no moment to ask about it before Nezuko cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted into the forest, "Halp! Halp, halp!"

"Help? No, this is nothing, I'm not injured--"

"Ha-a-a-a-lp!!"

"I'm not injured!!"

"Not injured? Then is that paint? I didn't know you were an artist, Inosuke-kun."

He and Nezuko both looked to a tree behind them and spotted a Hashira in a butterfly haori perched there. Shinobu had the same smile as ever and descended on dainty feet. Nezuko approached her with long arms out for a hug, exclaiming with relief that someone had answered her calls, but without Nezuko taking notice, the impetus to hug her faded as Shinobu took a defensive stance. Nezuko, not conscious of this, stood in front of her to insist with gibberish that Boss Inosuke needed help, and Shinobu looked Nezuko up and down and far back up, to the tip of the single horn. She had heard about this form of Nezuko's, but it was unnerving to see it up close, especially when Nezuko posed no threat and basked in sunlight. Shinobu relaxed, then said to her, "the Butterfly Mansion is that way, Nezuko-san. You were calling to the mountains for help. The mountains. I might not had heard you if I wasn't on my way home."

"Thank goodness!"

"Fighting demons?" asked Inosuke.

"Picking herbs," she said, revealing a satchel. "There's a few in here I can spare for that, but all the bandages are at home. Let's go."

"I'm not injured--"

"I don’t specialize in delusions. If you keep saying that I'm afraid I'll have to send you to a different doctor."

Inosuke didn’t know what she meant by that or why it made her aura so threatening, but he didn't want any other doctors. He followed along, keeping an eye on both the girls from behind as Nezuko walked alongside Shinobu, towering over her in scale. As they neared the hospital Shinobu suggested Nezuko go play with Mitsuri while she has a chance before Mitsuri would be cleared to return to work, and the horn and vines faded as Nezuko shrank to a portion of Shinobu's size, hopped up and down and cheered, and then scuttled off.

"It certainly is a wonder to have befriended a demon," Shinobu remarked.

Shinobu and Inosuke continued to her office, where she instructed him to sit down and cooperate as she cleaned the wound and pulled out the splinters. He didn’t like that part, but the moment Shinobu expressed sympathy that he must be scared, he growled that there was nothing scary about it and proved it by staying as still as he could while she poked and prodded around. He convinced himself he wasn't whimpering. Without commenting on how brave he was, for this was of course obvious, Shinobu rubbed on some soothing ointment and began wrapping a bandage.

"This will be prone to reinjury if you catch it on anything. You don’t need stitches, but the skin needs time to heal."

"I'm not scared of this."

"Oh? Then you're not scared of it getting infected and filled with pus? I am."

"Why? It's just pus."

"I wouldn't want anything else to hurt you, after all the care I try to take of you. Is it so bad that I don’t want to see you hurt?"

Inosuke flushed behind his mask, his head went all spacey and fluffy, but something in her words and gaze made his neck tense up and his chest feel heavy. He relented, "You can put a bandage on it if you really want to."

"You won't take it off, right?"

"Hngh..."

"Inosuke-kun. Promise me you won't take it off?"

"Fine. I promise."

She offered her finger. "Pinky promise?"

"What's that?"

"It means you'll break your pinky if you break your promise. You'll give me that proof, right?"

Inosuke felt what she really meant was that she personally would break his pinky, and he respected a threat like that, so he offered his and they shook. Shinobu's voice took a light and airy tone as she sang 'pinky promise' in tune with the movement, and Inosuke was awash with a sense of familiarity, and an odd curiosity for Shinobu. He stared as he pondered, and Shinobu could feel his stare from behind the boar mask.

"What is it?"

"Your pinkies are weak."

"That's not strange."

"Your face is pale. Are you alright?"

Her face betrayed surprise, and then she smiled deeper. "You can tell? That's amazing! It's just low blood pressure. There you go, you're all set. Be careful."

She hurried him out because she had work to do with the herbs, but Inosuke stood outside the office door a moment wondering where he'd heard that song before.

--

It was another day before Kanao returned from a solo mission. She had been on more of those lately than missions at Shinobu’s side. So long as Shinobu wasn’t away on her own tasks, Kanao would start and end every solo mission reporting to Shinobu. She occasionally had advice, but all Shinobu usually instructed her was simply to cut the head off the demon.

That made it feel simple. Kanao didn’t have to think any more than that, and it had worked so far.

But that was what made her afraid. What would happen if she couldn’t reach the neck, and had to decide something else to do? She was vulnerable when taken by surprise, if ever there was something she couldn’t see coming.

“Good morning!”

Kanao nearly jumped out of her boots the moment an unfamiliar girl’s voice yelled at her. There were just as soon giggling voices that she knew from Kiyo and Naho.

“It’s too late for ‘good morning’!”

“You should say, ‘welcome home,’ Nezuko-san!”

“Nezuko?” Kanao asked, and then she found herself face to face with gleaming pink eyes and a fanged smile.

“Welcome… home!”

What was—but this—she shouldn’t—but--, a swarm of broken thoughts swirled through Kanao’s mind, until at last she blurted, “Is it alright for her not to wear her muzzle?”

“Most people would ask about her being in the sunlight first,” said Aoi, coming up behind Kanao with a bemused smile. She took satisfaction in watching Kanao flush and look back and forth between her and Nezuko as it dawned on her.

“Good morning!” Nezuko added, and Kiyo and Naho started laughing.

--

When Zenitsu at last returned to the Butterfly Mansion, his sparrow was chirping away something or other at him. He could never make out what words that bird wanted to convey, but it was easy to tell when Chuntarou was angry. He had probably heard how much trouble Zenitsu was in with the Corp. Jiichan might know already, too.

The one time he tried to do something to help, and it was unnecessary. All blew up in his face. What was the point of ever having tried? Ever having tried any of this. All this time in the Corp, chasing some dream that he might be useful to someone someday, anyone, just one person, it’d all been—

“—Aa?”

A heartbeat thumped through his ears. A girl’s heartbeat.

Zenitsu looked up and was caught by the most beautiful—nay, that trite word could not capture it—the most sublime sight he’d ever encountered in his life. It was Nezuko, and she was glistening in the sunlight. She was smiling—smiling at him!!

He screamed.

The other girls surrounding Nezuko all covered their ears as Zenitsu, doing the only sensible thing there was to do at such a glorious moment, confirmed that this meant she was eligible to be his wife now. And then—heavenly sounds!—she spoke words to him for the first time.

“Welcome back, Inosuke!”

--

There weren’t many quiet places around the Butterfly Mansion when both Inosuke and Zenitsu were home, but since Tanjirou hadn’t spent any time with Zenitsu since they started their mission in the pleasure quarter, he relished in his company despite all Zenitsu’s threats about murdering Inosuke. It was hard to find an opening to get any words in, but Tanjirou found a way to make Zenitsu temporarily quiet and turn his mood around entirely when he thanked him for his words about Thunder Breath and told him how it helped save the day. As Zenitsu skipped off, Genya lied still with a pillow over his head, aghast with how Tanjirou always had such a way of defusing the people around him. He always had the weirdest thing to say.

He wasn’t so bad, though.

--

Over the course of Tanjirou’s recovery, Inosuke and Zenitsu kept coming and going on their own missions, as did Kanao, though she went on more without her master nowadays. Genya joined them as soon as the little girls got him healed up and fed and back to full strength. From what Tanjirou heard, the demons had been very active lately. Going out of their way to cause trouble instead of keeping to the shadows like they had for centuries.

The one who knew this best was Ubuyashiki Kagaya, confined to his bed and helpless to aid his children. It made meetings with his Hashira harder to find chances for, though any one of them would drop anything but slaying demons in order to answer his call.

“Oyakata-sama, please, don’t trouble yourself to sit up. You don’t seem well.”

“Thank you, Gyoumei,” he replied. Always one to have keen senses, Himejima had stopped him just before he gathered his strength to sit up and be polite with his visitor. He relaxed against his pillow and smiled in the direction of the Stone Hashira’s voice. “I know you’ve had your hands so full, taking over extra territories.”

“You say that like I’m the only one. Shinazugawa, Iguro, and Tomioka have stepped up just as much during Tokitou and Kanroji’s recovery.”

“I’m glad to have you all supporting each other. With Shinobu being busy, I know you’re all spread thin.”

“Could Uzui be convinced to lend a hand?”

“I’ve sent summons, but it doesn’t seem they are reaching him,” Ubuyashiki replied, smiling at the reason why. As the crow told him, one of Uzui’s wives had swatted him with a room and yelled that her husband was retired. He had thought of sending summons to the former Flame Hashira, but he was satisfied that he had only recently begun to take care of himself again, and he preferred to let him rest until the time was right. “Muichirou and Mitsuri will be back to help soon, but with how active the demons are now, I wish for you all to have more help.”

“We’re Hashira, Oyakata-sama. You can entrust us with anything.”

“You say that like you’re unconvinced of anyone else being useful.”

Himejima frowned, for Ubuyashiki was right. “With all due respect, the caliber of swordsmen is not what it used to be.”

“It’s unfair to compare them to the unusually competent Hashira I’m blessed with in this day and age. Their will is the same as yours, Gyoumei. What they need is a chance to rise to your level.”

“You wish to raise new Hashira, you mean?”

“They have a way to go, but they’ve shown amazing resilience in the face of challenges. Even Genya gained experience fighting an Upper Moon, didn’t he? I hope you’ll have more faith in him, and the rest of his batch. If possible, I’d like to see what they all can accomplish against more and more powerful demons.”

“Left on their own?”

“Maybe not right away,” he smiled. “But a mission altogether, that could be good for them.”

--

Tanjirou was eager to go help his friends and progressed smoothly in his functional recovery training. He made it a point to try to keep his body temperature down to normal levels so that Shinobu wouldn’t hold him back, though. She had asked him about it and smelled angry. For now, under Muichirou’s advice, he kept that phenomenon to himself and waited to hear what Muichirou might find out about it as he investigated what archives the Ubuyashiki family might have. Still, Muichirou was a Hashira, and he wasn’t likely to have much time for that, so Tanjirou would have to try to keep refining that skill on his own (as soon as he was out of Shinobu’s watchful eye).

Haganezuka came and visited him, delivering a sword like Tanjirou never laid eyes on. Although, having commented so, Tanjirou was rudely reminded that he had not only seen it, but he had laid hands on it and nearly ruined it forever. As Haganezuka seemed to be in pain from his injuries and exhausted by the sword polishing process, Tanjirou decided to ask him more about red blades another time.

While the others were busy, Nezuko was there to train with him, and she never tired when running alongside him and cheering him on. She misunderstood and thought she was helping when she lifted up the rock on a rope that Tanjirou was training with. It tasted so good to laugh with her again, like it came out of him in a way that resounded with hers. Nezuko’s laugh was irreplaceable, and it was back. If it weren’t for all the demons out there, he’d happily stay put and bask in it forever.

Chachamaru, one day, delivered a letter. Tamayo and Tanjirou were in ongoing correspondence, and they had already exchanged a few letters since Nezuko mastered the sun. Like always, Tanjirou showed it to Nezuko when she peered over his shoulder at the paper.

“It’s from Tamayo-san,” he explained to her. “She says there’s no need to worry anymore about the sun! Your cells aren’t going to go back to the way they were, you get to stay like this now.”

“Hmm!” she replied with a wide, bright smile.

“Let’s see what else she says. ‘…Like how her blood allowed another demon to break free of Muzan’s control, it might also be used to grant mastery of the sun to other demons.’ Isn’t that great, Nezuko? You could help Tamayo-san and Yushirou-san too!”

“Thank goodness!”

“Thank goodness, for sure! Let’s see. ‘Kibutsuji Muzan is sure to be looking for her…’” he trailed off, his mouth dry at the name that just rolled off his tongue. Nezuko did not seem to recognize the name as well as she’d recognize the cells, and she tilted her head as Tanjirou read on, more quietly. “’With all the increased activity, it will be very dangerous if any other demons know about her abilities. For Nezuko-san’s sake, would you reconsider leaving her in our care?’”

He looked up to Nezuko as soon as he said it, aghast at such a proposition after all this time. Nezuko stared back at him, questioning what such words implied. Did she realize it would leave them separated? When she had heard it from Tamayo directly that one time she had understood, maybe it was harder to understand from a letter.

Even without words, Nezuko had made herself well-understood back then. She had a will of her own, and Tanjirou had every intention to respect it.

He smiled and patted her head. “Don’t worry. We’ll never be separated again. You’re going to be fine. Niisan won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Thank goodness,” she beamed and hugged him.

Tanjirou hugged her back, grateful all over again for how far they’d come.

[demonslayedher]

Could you draw Shinobu and Inosuke? You've convinced me of their dynamic haha, they're very platonically wholesome

[demonslayedher]

Had a mad need to do some sketches

[demonslayedher]

Changing Terms of Address: The battle with Douma, and how it changes Kanao and Inosuke

One thing that may or may not come across in translation from Japanese source material is the use of not only honorifics, but various titles and terms of address which either have no equivalent in a target language (for the purpose of this post, English), or come across clunky when literally translated. Since a lot of otaku love to stick as close as they can to the original languages to better appreciate the characterization, and because I know there are other canon sticklers out there in the fanfic community, I'm committing a fool's errand by trying to compile the terms of address used in KnY. It's lead me to the heart-wrenching realization that not only do we never see Inosuke get Shinobu's name wrong, but he used her name correctly seven times in the battle against Douma.

Ow.

Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ooooooowwwwwww. Ahhhh. AHHHH! Gah, the pain, the paaaain. If you've seen this post of mine, you can guess how deeply this stabbed me with want for more soft interactions between Shinobu and Inosuke. It's worth nothing that Inosuke has gotten names right before by this time, or he's used some made-up names with consistency, but this is the first we've seen him used any name but his own with so much consistency and accuracy. Another term he uses very consistently in this battle is "ore no hahaoya," which translates to, "my mother." Haha-oya (haha=mother oya=parent) doesn't particularly lack warmth, you might say, but it is rather objective. It's at the very end of the battle when Inosuke sinks to tears that he calls her by a more subjective title, "Kaachan." That isn't the title Kotoha used when referring to herself in third person, "Kaasan," so instead of Inosuke simply pulling from his memories, this is Inosuke making the choice to refer to her in a more endearing, close way. (Kaasan and Kaachan are not far off from one another, Tanjiro uses both for his mother, but Kaasan is a smidge might respectful.)

As for Kanao, she enters this battle still calling Shinobu her master, "Shihan." This both in her speech and her thoughts, they've very clearly established a seriously Hashira-Tsuguko relationship. On Shinobu's part, she refers to Kanao plainly in 'yobi-sute' (that is, addressing someone without any honorific). Yobi-sute can mean a lot of things, from showing closeness (hence the manga trope of 'already yobi-sute!?') to showing a lack of respect for someone. You see it a lot in KnY, for example, everyone in Tanjiro's Final Selection batch always refers to each other in yobi-sute, like a sign of being each other's equals, but everyone who hates Muzan addresses and refers to him in yobi-sute too. Shinobu also addresses Aoi in yobi-sute (and Aoi calls her Shinobu-sama, clearly showing a deference on Aoi's part), and we know that both Aoi and Kanao have been in her care a long time. Kanae likewise addressed Kanao in yobi-sute as soon as they took her home, as opposed to calling her Kanao-chan. Shinobu addressed Kanae as "Neesan," but it's unclear what Kanao addressed Shinobu and Kanae as before she joined the Corp and started calling Shinobu "Shihan." (For the record, Kanao and Aoi are yobi-sute with each other.) When trash-talking with Douma, Kanao one time refers to Kanae as "Kanae-san." An oddly respectfully distanced term of address for one she calls her sister (though she did use "Kanae-neesan" in the light novels in what chronologically would had been right around the start of Pillar Training). The change in Kanao's distanced language happens when Shinobu's poison starts to show an effect, and Kanao knows it's time to go all in. Despite having referred to Shinobu as "Shihan" for the entirety of this battle, it's when Kanao is taking that moment she's been waiting for to make a strike at Douma's neck that she first thinks, "Shinobu-neesan." For the remainder of this battle, and its aftermath when she's looking for the broken butterfly hairpieces, and when remembering them and finally able to cry, she consistently uses openly sisterly terms for them, "Kanae-neesan" and "Shinobu-neesan." Besides the inability to cry, it may be that Kanao also never quite felt able to address them as her sisters, despite how much she may have wanted to? While I'm here and having a case of the Inosuke and Kanao feels, here, have another piece of my fanart that shows how much I crave soft interactions. I'll just continue hacking away at this list of titles as I continue getting stabbed in the heart on this reread.

[demonslayedher]

I am so soft to inosuke shinobu fluff. Can i ask for more?

Me too. This is one of my favorites, so I decided to try the reverse, and...

...whoops

[demonslayedher]

Why yes, I will take all the Inosuke & Kanao battle-buddy interactions, yes please

[demonslayedher]

Gotouge, you can't just hint something soft between two characters when it's too late to enjoy it, if I have to make this myself I will get far too carried away and indulgent.

[demonslayedher]

Things that went through my head while watching this episode (in 2025!)

--The Wind & Snake Hashira are such meanies, even they do it out of concern for their fellow Corp members who nonetheless have worked very hard to become very capable swordsmen. They’ve seen too many other hardworking swordsmen be just barely not capable enough.

--But these boys did their best and deserve some credit! Look at those moments when they save each other!

--I still wonder why the demon bothered tying up his victim. Also, I hope her rescuers did not forget to get her down from the roof later.

--THIS WHOLE CHANBARA SCENE MY GOSH. And like, putting it in a castle. THEY SO FREAKING KNOW THEIR AUDIENCE. The way Sanemi just cha-chas real smooth as he follows the demon and tells him off, and then that head grab before the slice, and the totally unnecessary rain of blood later. The dramatic zoom up from below into Iguro’s eyes. The way we get a brief Snake Breath effect right as Iguro jumps up and catches the victim.

--And then when Sanemi is befuddled by the whole Infinity Fortress things his reaction is just: sit.

--Love and am puzzled by the stone sign leading the way to the Butterfly Mansion. Is that sign, followed by all those Jizo statues to pray for the safety of children and travelers, intended only for Corp members? Or, like, do they normal people stop by? Milkman just passing by the Butterfly Mansion on his normal rounds or something, nothin’ special to see here.

--At last Ufotable has made it good and clear: Shinobu has three goldfish. Are they all named Fugu? Maybe one is Saba? Maybe one is… Buri???

--Still love the added touch of Nezuko enjoying the sun but being distressed when SHINOBU SAYS THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN

--To be so thoroughly entrusted with the safety of that which Muzan wants most, KANAO IS SO FREAKING STRONG and Shinobu good and well knows it.

--The swordsmith village was carting out naginatas and I love this fact. They might just be for the villagers to use, but… maaaaaybe there are Corp swordsmen using them? Give the short people naginata!!

--I have always loved the awkward squeaky fiddle BGM.

--Gotou has the best delivery of all the short lines.

--Tanjiro is really so chill with his place in the Corp that he totally almost assumed his connection with Tamayo is No Big Deal

--No, Tanjiro, she is still scared stiff at the thought of being brought before the Corp who has always held every intention of killing her for what she is and what she deserves

--The Hashira are all so sad not to see Daddy Kagaya

--I love how the birds are so obvious about who gave Amane a report about The Mark

--Everything about Mitsuri in this scene is lovable, but three things to mention here” the way her hands move when he tries to think of how to describe the Mark, her little triangle mouth when listening to Mui-kun, and her “GRYRARAA” when startled by Himejima clapping his hand. That sound lives in my head rent-free.

--Okay but speaking of Himejima, when Amane is telling everybody about the mark and they are shocked that such a thing could exist, she very, very quickly makes a slight mention of "some may already know of it through hearsay" right before Sanemi is like, "I haven't heard of it, why haven't we been told about this?" and Amane explaining why, there was a bright cut to Himejima on "some already know of it." Himejima-san, have you heard something of the mark, even if not all the details???? I wonder even if Kagaya (or one of his very small children) made reference at some point of, "wow, Himejima, you are so strong, you might even attain this feat that has not been actualized since the Sengoku period? Oh wait, nevermind, you didn't hear that, I didn't say anything."

--I love love love that Amane and the children could look so dumbfounded

--Also love and find it curious that at least Mui-kun (and probably Mitsuri too) got treated at the Butterfly Mansion instead of, say, anywhere remotely a little more convenient.

--I snorted laughing at Giyuu backhandedly call Sanemi “simple”

--“We must warn you before you start trying to attain the Mark that you will die early if you attain it.” “Hey, let’s train EVERYONE.” I mean, not that Himejima expects anyone besides the Hashira to get it, but a lower-ranked member like Tanjiro did get it first.

--Love the movement of the beads when Himejima jari-jaris them and that they fly off his hands when he claps

--Zenitsu has come so far in his confidence as a Corp member as well as how accepted he is by other people. He does believe they about him, which is something he always wanted, even if he inflates it a bit to suit his own wishes. But really, good for him!! He is secure feeling loved and appreciated now! I see the beginnings of “Legend of Zenitsu” already forming in his head, but good for him, really and truly!!

--Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho are so diplomatic. Also, eyecatch of the chapter cover with Sumi force-feeding Genya, yaaaaay!

--Sure, Aoi wouldn’t exactly say she’s lonely when Zenitsu isn’t there, BUT WHAT ABOUT INOSUKE?????

--This is still the funniest first thing Nezuko ever could have said to Zenitsu

--I sometimes say “Imofuke” because it’s so fun

--HAGANEZUKA-SAAAAAAN you’ve worked so, so, so, so, so, so hard COMPLETELY REDOING a sword polishing process that puts your life on the line even when you AREN’T horrifically injured and TANJIRO DOES NOT SEEM TO APPRECIATE THIS since he even thought it’d be just fine to go interrupt

--TANJIRO DOES NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW DANGEROUS IT WAS TO THE SWORD TO USE IT IN THAT EARLY STATE OF POLISHINGGGGGG

--I still love the whole “Metsu” thing

--BUT I’M JUST AS ANGRY AS HAGANEZUKA IS

--Yay broken window dance! Yay “no idea” pose! Inosuke, you are such a king. And I still melt because we got Shinobu scolding him in the Taisho Secrets. She’s basically saying the same things Tanjiro said to him from day one; you can’t just let yourself get injured like it’s nothing, you have to think of the future and take care of yourself. And it gets through to him now. <3 HOWA HOWAAAAAA

--How are Zenitsu’s teeth not broken? How is Matsuemon’s beak not broken?

--I hope Himejima saved those face-down Corp members. Or he just cried. Somebody saved them, right??

--Would love to deep dive into Amane more. The fact that she cries when Kagaya thanks her in this scene, is it because it shows the end is near? Or has she gone all these years never having been thanked? Possibly, both.

--Still love the baritone crow

--Still love “Mugen” even if I do find the beginning of it kind of cheesy and unintentionally funny with everybody smashing behind the logo. I have that screenshot (as well as the others like it) on a mat with a compilation of Hashira art, and this image got cropped a bit, so it really is just Giyuu's head sticking in there. Trying so hard to be included. That's what you get for waiting until the last second to include yourself, Giyuu-san.

--But also, all the swords falling behind Muzan? A GREAT TOUCHHHH

--And then in the extended ending theme for this episode, first all of all, SWORDS

--SWORDS SWORDS SWORDS SWORDS SWORDS

--But also, hey, that’s Shinobu’s theme! And Uzui’s! And Giyuu’s! And a nod to the Swordsmith Village theme! Love the whole mashup.

[demonslayedher]

Since Inosuke asked "Remains?" in katakana it implies that he does not recognize the meaning of the word, but despite all Zenitsu's skilled hearing, he can't hear what text is used in a manga word bubble.

But also, now that he's been asked, Inosuke perhaps can't remember.

[demonslayedher]

Alright. So. This game.

You can find some previous versions (with more photos) here and here. This is just the write-up of the newest version of the chaos.

Years later, the Pizza-la Sugoroku legend continues with a new game board from a new campaign, and two new players to join in: Mitsuri and Himejima. Characters who have been on these boards before are back with a new look: Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Giyuu, Shinobu, and Rengoku.

The rules are simple: role the die (which I, once again, constructed poorly), then move forward that number of spaces. If you land on an event space, depending on the content, you will either move forward, move backward, or lose a turn (or worse). I am keeping this game simple tonight but only playing with these nine characters on a single game board, but the time will come to combine the boards. It will be glorious chaos. Uzui will also join in as one of the game pieces then, but not tonight.

We will go in this order: Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Giyuu, Shinobu, Rengoku, Mitsuri, Himejima. Himejima, who was the only Hashira not included in the Pizza-la tie-in campaign, is pretty sure he was only invited here because people felt bad for him. (Genya might have been invited too, but clearly, he declined.)

First round!

Tanjiro: A 1. Historically, he has been bad at these games.

Nezuko: Also 1. Historically, my die making has been bad.

Zenitsu: A 3, and he lands on our first event: “You feel comforted by Mitsuri’s smile—more forward two spaces!” Zenitsu thinks I’m pretty good at making die.

Inosuke: 4. The highest role so far, but he is frustratingly behind Monitsu anyway.

Giyuu: 6. Speed to be expected from a Hashira, but he is now on an event space: “Sanemi gives you very strict training. Lose three turns.” Three turns!! Oh, that’s one of the worst results I’ve seen in these games. But if anyone can stoically stand up to this training, it is Giyuu.

Shinobu: Also a 6. I think she is just here to watch and provide annoying “encouragement.” Shinobu, please don’t forget that the mission is to win the game.

Rengoku: Also a 6. Not you too! This was not intended to be a group sparring session!

Mitsuri: 1. She probably sprinted out intending to join the Hashira training but tripped on Nezuko’s box.

Himejima: 1. He has stopped to help her up.

Tanjiro: 4. Hello, Zenitsu!

Nezuko: 6, and she is in the lead.

Zenitsu: 1—he intended to go catch up to Nezuko but now he is stuck at this Hashira brawl.

Inosuke: 6—PIG ASSAULT! He is far in the lead and at the next event: “Gotou lectures you. Lose 1 turn.” Inosuke will stay put, but he ain’t gonna listen.

Giyuu: Busy with serious training.

Shinobu: Busy, sure.

Rengoku: Having a very good training session!

Mitsuri: 4. Hello again, Tanjiro!

Himejima: 3. He is in last place right now. Don’t cry, Himejima-san.

Tanjiro: 2. Bypasses the Hashira brawl to join Nezuko, but it’s her turn already, so he gives her encouragement.

Nezuko: 6! His encouragement worked!

Zenitsu: Has so many regrets.

Inosuke: Not listening.

Giyuu: Strengthened by this training.

Shinobu: Having a good time.

Rengoku: Having a great time.

Mitsuri: 2. Hanging out with Tanjiro-kun again!! This game is fun!!

Himejima: 4. Not that anyone cares.

Tanjiro: 4.

Nezuko: 4.

Zenitsu: Crying so hard.

Inosuke: 6. PIG ASSAULT!!

Giyuu: Starting to hit his limits… or at least those of his wooden sword.

Shinobu: Getting bored now.

Rengoku: What a good training this is!! But it is worth nothing if it does not come to an end!

Mitsuri: 3—she was totally gonna catch up with Tanjiro again but she dragged mud through the Butterfly Mansion or something and Gotou has started yelling at her. Eep!!

Himejima: 1.

Tanjiro: 6. Checking in with Nezuko again!

Nezuko: 6! An event space: “You encounter Gyoumei. More forward 1 space.” Aw, Himejima was so touched that somebody noticed him here!

Zenitsu: Finally making his lizardy escape along the walls.

Inosuke: 6.

Giyuu: 6. Giyuu, while doubted my die-making skills, nonetheless heads out hot after such grueling training, and he lands on an event space! “Kyojuro praises you!! More forward three spaces.” Aww! Giyuu hardly expected that result of this training, but he… he does indeed feel so uplifted!

Shinobu: 6. She lands on the same event space, knowing that Kyojuro’s praise for her “evasion” techniques are only as good as my die-making.

Kyojuro: 3. Kyojuro has restored faith in my die-making skills! He’s even praising me for my die-making skills in his comments to Himejima, whom he is of course happy to see here.

Mitsuri: She was profusely apologizing to Gotou, but Gotou realized with horror that he has lectured a Hashira. If there is a hole, he wants to go into it.

Himejima: 4.

Tanjiro: 4, and a new event space: “Inosuke and Genya are fighting. Go back two spaces.” Aw, come on, guys…

Nezuko: 4

Zenitsu: 4. He was grumbling about my die-making skills as he ran right into Gotou, who flipped out on him because he’s a little stressed out at the moment. Zenitsu now loses a turn. Again.

Inosuke: 5. See!! I knew this die could do it, though that number had come up yet (though it got stuck in a keyboard to do that). Unfortunately, this has landed him on an event space: “Tengen is angry! Lose one turn.” Again, not that Inosuke cares much, but since the image depicts Aoi and Naho in peril, he can stand to stay busy playing tug-of-war (Inosuke, please, stop.)

Giyuu: 2.

Shinobu: 1.

Rengoku: 1. Oh dear. It seems he also dragged mud into the Butterfly Mansion and now he’s gotta a Kakushi upset. This Kakushi seems really stressed out…

Mitsuri: 3. Well, it seems she’s off the hook now, so she runs along to say hello to Himejima. He is happy, but he must move on.

Himejima: 2.

Tanjiro: 5.

Nezuko: 2.

Zenitsu: Maybe Rengoku-aniki will save him from this Kakushi chewing him out?

Inosuke: Aoi got even more angry than Tengen was, so Inosuke figures it is time to give up on tug-of-war.

Giyuu: 4. He wound up on an event space with a couple of younger Corp members fighting over stupid stuff, so he simply backs up two spaces.

Shinobu: 3. Now on the same square as Giyuu, she is surely finding something or another to tease him about.

Rengoku: Has spoken up to ask this Kakushi to call down, and that seems to have worked. The Kakushi now appears to be frozen solid!

Mitsuri: 3.

Himejima: 5. On the square behind him, Giyuu and Shinobu seem to be having fun conversing. This has so far been a pretty pleasant game after all.

Tanjiro: 6. Nezuko again!! Good job being in the lead so much in this game, Nezuko!!

Nezuko: 2. She doesn’t want to be that far from Oniichan, after all.

Zenitsu: Now is his chance to escape! 5!!

Inosuke: 2. He has walked into an event space: “You ate soba with Giyuu. Move forward one space.” Ohhhhh!! Such an honor! And there was food involved!! (Giyuu, meanwhile back on a different space with Shinobu bugging him, he thought, has no idea this happened for Inosuke. Giyuu was just trying to eat. And roll, now that it is his turn.)

Giyuu: 6!! Giyuu is now blessedly alone!

Shinobu: 4. She lands on the “meet Gyoumei” space, and sure enough, he did politely say hello as she passed him.

Rengoku: 2. Well, that Kakushi seems to have disappeared into a hole somewhere, but Rengoku gives himself praise for a job well handed and moves forward another three spaces.

Mitsuri: 2, and that means she was landed on an event space with Iguro-san! Hello Iguro-sa—what? What does this say? “Obanai is digging into you about some fault…” WHAT!?!? Oh!! Oh dear!!! Mitsuri is so distraught she faints and will miss a turn. (It seems what had been happening is that Gotou did not, in fact, disappear into a hole. Iguro found him and was very upset with him for having yelled at Mitsuri. But Mitsuri appeared at just the wrong moment and did not notice Gotou there, and thought the “you must be blind to have not seen who you were so casually speaking to” was directly at her. Oh no. Oh dear. Obanai may be having a heart attack. Gotou, save him!!)

Himejima: 6. This is a fun game.

Tanjiro: 6, which surprisingly has him way in the lead----OH NOOOOOO!!!! “You’ve encountered Kibutsuji Muzan! Return to start!”

This is on every one of these Pizza-la Sugoroku boards, and often we play under the assumption that somebody who encountered Muzan does not go back to start unscathed. However, since Tanjiro has canonically survived an encounter with Muzan unscathed, and because he was otherwise doing so well in this game, I’m going to reward him with just having to be distracted with finding medical care for a fresh new demon in Asakusa. So off he goes, back to start, where Muichiro is questioning him about why he helped that guy instead of attacking Muzan while he had the chance. Well, you see, Muichiro-kun, when you help someone…

Nezuko: 6 and very simply and easily wins the game. Sanemi is here in the Winner’s Circle, and they are just sitting there being silent and awkward together.

Zenitsu: 5. He’s got to try to hurry and get to the Winner’s Circle now before Sanemi makes a move on her. Grrrr!

Inosuke: 2.

Giyuu: 6.

Shinobu: 4.

Rengoku: 6, and he has encountered some boys fighting. Presumably over food? They both seem they could be hungry young men! Rengoku goes back 2 spaces to buy some bentou for them.

Mitsuri: Groggily wakes up. Iguro is nowhere to be scene, but Gotou assures her that he’ll be okay. Also, he apologizes for yelling at her earlier, and explains that the stuff with Iguro yelling at her was all a misunderstanding. That’s a relief, but where is Iguro? What does Gotou mean, ‘he’ll be okay?’

Himejima: 1. What is Tengen doing here, so upset? And why is carrying those two girls who do not wish to go with him? Himejima thus loses a turn remedying this situation, for if anyone can, it is him.

Tanjiro: 3. A slow start for Tanjiro, but he remembers that when he started the game here, he and Mitsuri were often on the same spaces. He is comforted by the memory of her smile and goes forward two more spaces!

Nezuko: Just. Sitting there. Staring blankly at Sanemi. He’s not really sure what to make of this. Is she angry about that time at the mansion?

Zenitsu: 6. He must hurry and rescue Nezuko-chan from the Wind Hashira. Thunderbolt and Flash!!

Inosuke: 1. Inosuke was moving slow because he sensed danger in the upcoming event space: “You encounter Akaza!! Go back three spaces.” Defeated, he shamefully passes by Giyuu as he does so.

Giyuu: 3. He gives Inosuke a disappointed look and then very easily moves past Akaza.

Shinobu: 4.

Rengoku: 4—and oh, it is Himejima-san! Hello, Himejima! Rengoku then goes forward another space (for it seems Himejima is busy lecturing Tengen about something).

Mitsuri: 6—now that she has heard about Iguro-san heart attack, she must go find him and make sure he’s okay (despite Gotou begging her not to because seeing her might make him worse). She does not find Iguro, but she does find Rengoku!!

Himejima: He’s so disappointed in Tengen. Shinobu’s girls seemed terrified but they are polite and thank him.

Tanjiro: 2, so he narrowly avoids a lengthy training session with Sanemi.

Nezuko: She’s making Sanemi very nervous anyway.

Zenitsu: 1—because he ran straight into Tengen, who is in a very fowl mood. And now Zenitsu’s stuck listening to him. This. Game. Sucks.

Inosuke: 2. He cautiously moves forward and warns Shinobu that there’s an Upper Moon on the next space.

Giyuu: 2. Giyuu thinks Inosuke is overreacting, and then---NOOOOO GIYUU YOU JUST WALKED INTO MUZAN, YOU LOST AN ARM, GO BACK TO START

Shinobu: 1. Shinobu saw what happened and tried to go to Giyuu’s rescue but she encountered Akaza. He won’t fight women, but he will pick up the small ones and through them far away, so now she is back three squares. Inosuke tried to warn her.

Rengoku: 3. He has heard about Iguro’s condition and runs ahead so he can look for him too, only to run into Tengen chewing out one of their junior Corp members. Zenitsu clings to Rengoku-aniki to ask him to save him again.

Mitsuri: 6. She is powered by Love Breath!! Doki-doki!!

Himejima: 4.

Tanjiro: 1. Was that Giyuu he smelled back there behind him? And… blood?

Nezuko: Mmmmmmn, she says. Sanemi has no idea what this means.

Zenitsu: Whining and crying about how Tengen abuses younger Corp members.

Inosuke: 5. PIG ASSUALT!! Inosuke charges forth, past both Akaza and Muzan for a smooth finish into the Winner’s Circle! Sanemi is so relieved to have someone else here. Momentarily, anyway. What is with this boar head?

Giyuu: 2. After hearing Muichiro be disappointed him for letting his guard down around Muzan despite the change Giyuu finally had to kill him, Giyuu drags his feet and heads out.

Shinobu: 2.

Rengoku: He sternly reminds Tengen that their master would be disappointed in his behavior, and they have more important things to worry about. After all, one of the Hashira is injured! “Oh, you mean Tomioka?” Tengen and Zenitsu reply in unison, for they both heard it when he lost an arm.

Mitsuri: 1. She’s a little tired.

Himejima: 4. He stops just short of the worst evil he has ever sensed.

Tanjiro: 6. He must hurry, but he winds up on an event space! “Murata is striving in waterfall training! Move forward one space.” Good for you, Murata! Keep up the good work!

Nezuko: Mmmmmm?

Zenitsu: 3. Now that the Hashira are distracted, he runs.

Inosuke: HAHAHAHAHA, I’M THE BEST, he says, until Sanemi reminds him that he is in second place behind a demon.

Giyuu: 6. He is a Hashira, arm or no arm. He’s got his legs.

Shinobu: 5. She also has just barely made it safely to the Winner’s Circle! Sanemi is so relieved. So very, very relieved.

Rengoku: 5. There is no time to waste here with the Sound Hashira while two other Hashira need help!

Mitsuri: 3.

Himejima: 3. He braced himself to encounter the evil, but blindly walked into the Winner’s Circle instead. Sanemi has truly, finally, at last breath easy.

Tanjiro: 6, but he has once again spotted Inosuke and Genya fighting. (Was Genya hanging out in the Winner’s Circle all along? With his brother? Oh, Tanjiro is so happy for him—but then, like Genya throws something at him and Tanjiro goes back two spaces.)

Nezuko: So pleased to see Shinobu and Himejima now too! And Genya, apparently.

Zenitsu: 1. This game is the pits.

Inosuke: Has apparently being reminding Genya that he is King of the Mountain or something.

Giyuu: 6. See, what a Hashira! And he encounters Murata working hard in that waterfall. Good old Murata. They are both encouraged at the sight of each other and then Giyuu moves on another space.

Shinobu: What a lively space this is.

Rengoku: 3. Careful there, Rengoku…

Mitsuri: 2---NOOOOOOOOOO NOT MITSURIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-----oh, Muzan, you are in so much trouble now. Iguro will find you and hurt you for sending her back to start. (But let’s say Chachamaru rescued her or something so she’s not terribly hurt.)

Himejima: Regrets that he is peacefully in the Winner’s Circle, for clearly the other Hashira need his help out there with Muzan.

Tanjiro: 6!

Zenitsu: 3.

Giyuu: 6! What a Has—what, those boys are STILL fighting?

Rengoku: 1----no!!! No, no, no, no, no, Rengoku-saaaaaaan, anything but that!!! Sigh, I guess he’s lost an eye…

Mitsuri: 5. She’s doing well on whatever antidote Chachamaru gave her.

Tanjiro: 6. Not being injured by Muzan this time has been working out really well for him!

Zenitsu: 4. He at last charges into the Winner’s Circle. NEEEEEEEEEEEZUKO-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!

Giyuu: 4. Himejima shouts encouragement to him to more forward one more space.

Rengoku: 4. An okay restart for a freshly injured Hashira.

Mitsuri: 3.

Tanjiro: 2—scratch what I said about this going well for him, he just ran into Akaza. Ouch. That one’s gonna hurt. Akaza just knocked him back three spaces.

Giyuu: 4.

Rengoku: 4.

Mitsuri: 2—oh, no, she dragged mud into the Butterfly Mansion and there’s that poor Kakushi again who just wants to finish mopping. (Good for him Iguro is occupied trying to track down Muzan. You know, as usual, just more angrily now.)

Tanjiro: 2. Ow.

Giyuu: 3. Hi, Tanjiro. What, did you have problems with that Upper Moon too?

Rengoku: 3.

Mitsuri: Gotou has realized his mistake again and Mitsuri is making sure to forgive and reassure him before he has his own heart attack.

Tanjiro: 4. DANG IT TANJIRO THAT WAS KIBUTSUJI MUZAN AGAIN. You’re losing an eye this time so you can Rengoku can match. Next time you’re gonna match Giyuu, so watch it.

Giyuu: 6. Showing Tanjiro how it’s done by just moseying into the Winner Circle. Shinobu, please, quick, help him with that bloody stump of an arm before he passes out.

Rengoku: 4.

Mitsuri: 3.

Tanjiro: 2. He’s a little woozy.

Rengoku: 4.

Mitsuri: 2.

Tanjiro: 4. Aaaaaand now he’s stuck for three turns of training with Sanemi. Sanemi probably has pent-up frustration from all that time stuck around with Nezuko staring at him.

Rengoku: 4. Himejima encourages him to keep moving forward another space. This is how he continues helping his fellow Hashira from within the Winner’s Circle space.

Mitsuri: 1.

Tanjiro: Please don’t hurt him that bad, Sanemi, he’s already freshly injured by both Akaza and Muzan…

Rengoku: 4.

Mitsuri: 1. I think she’s hungry.

Tanjiro: Tanjiro is looking lumpy. Not from Muzan’s blood, but from Sanemi’s training.

Rengoku: 3.

Mitsuri: 3.

Tanjiro: He’s doing his best…

Rengoku: 4. He’s one stop away from Muzan again…

Mitsuri: 3. And again! Himejima provides encouragement!!

Tanjiro: 5. Despite all his bruises, has been strengthened by the training!

Rengoku: FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, RENGOKU-SAN, YOU ROLLED A 1 AGAIN. What do I take from you this time?? Senjuro??? No, let’s… just take away your bentou. NO MORE BENTOU FOR YOU IF YOU KEEP ROLLING LIKE THIS.

Mitsuri: 2.

Tanjiro: 3. Hello again, Murata! Still working hard under that waterfall!

Rengoku: 1. Uh-huh. Right.

Mitsuri: 4.

Tanjiro: 6—and Genya and Inosuke are STILL fighting???

Rengoku: 1. Rengoku-san, I’m begging you. I want to sleep tonight.

Mitsuri: 2.

Tanjiro: 6.

Rengoku: 6!!!!!!!

Mitsuri: 1. And you know what you get for that, Mitsuri? You get picked up by Akaza and thrown back 3 spaces. Deal with it.

Tanjiro: 5. Because somebody knows how to roll.

Rengoku: 4. And then he gives himself encouragement! 3 more spaces! (Or maybe he snuck himself a bentou while I wasn’t looking.)

Mitsuri: 5. Careful, Mitsuri!! DO NOT ROLL A 1 NEXT TIME, OK BABE???

Tanjiro: 4. You too, Tanjiro!! You smell him close, don’t you? Don’t roll a 2!!

Rengoku: 6. He totally snuck a bentou. But at least now he has it to give to those arguing boys (how he has to go back two spaces to retrieve it from where he hid it.)

Mitsuri: 6. WHOO HOO!!! Way to not roll a 1!!!! Now somebody tell Iguro she’s safe.

Tanjiro: 3. Oh my gosh. Tanjiro. You did it. And you only lost an eye in the process. Not to mention, you are terribly bruised. NOW Nezuko looks angrily at Sanemi.

Rengoku: 6. Good.

Rengoku: 1. Hey.

Rengoku: 2. Hey, man.

Rengoku: 1—oh, but this means Giyuu ate soba with him, so that’s nice.

Rengoku: 5. Okay, my man, my Rengoku, my Flame Hashira. Here you are again. On this space for what, the third time in this game? You know what not to do. Don’t roll a 1.

Rengoku: IT’S A 2 oh my gosh hurray he is safe and I can go to bed

So I ordered Pizza-la today. I suppose the pizza flavors were somehow tied to the characters. I did not pay attention to that. The pizza was forgettable (but nicer than previous versions they have had).

Oh but speaking of tie-in campaigns, they are doing one with Suntory beverages right now too! So far I've seen an energy drink with either Enmu or Inosuke versions, Pepsi with Tanjiro or Muzan versions, melon soda with Muichiro or Gyokko versions, apple "juice" with Rui or Nezuko (and Kakushi!!!), and CC lemon with Rengoku or Akaza (with punch marks all over it).

So anyway, the pizza comes with a random character clear stand. I've gotten Nezuko and Kanao from previous versions of this campaign, so I was really hoping it would be Mitsuri this time to fit in most nicely with them. But, I also supposed Tanjiro would an acceptable addition who Nezuko and Kanao would both like to work with. But then right before I opened it I thought, "Actually, I kind of hope it's Iguro, that would be so awkward."

Hmm. Well, I suppose Sanemi is an acceptably awkward addition. And from what I've noticed, he seems to be the most popular character in this lineup. I don't think he should be allowed to work in food service looking like that, though.

Anyway. I did not purchase this for pizza. I purchased it for the chaos.

This game.

Is chaos.

And it can take so, so long.

(Write-up coming tomorrow, probably. It is late now. I blame a couple certain characters for their bad rolls.)

[demonslayedher]

Inosuke eating pizza? (with tempura topping ofc)

[demonslayedher]

Mui and Kokushibo perhaps? Just some wholesome family bonding ! ♥️🥹

[demonslayedher]

Akaza and Koyuki being real cute! (the anime onlys are not ready)