This post contains SPOILERS for the Demon Slayer Infinity Castle arc.
Summary
- Tanjiro will face off against Upper Rank Three, Akaza, in Demon Slayer Infinity Castle, seeking vengeance for Rengoku's death.
- Tanjiro and Giyu will team up to defeat the Upper Moon Three, showcasing new powers and tactics.
- In the end, Akaza will recall his human life and sacrifice himself after remembering his love for Koyuki.
Part 1 of Demon Slayer Infinity Castle will soon arrive in theaters, and it will feature some of the most-awaited battles between Hashiras and the Upper Rank demons. Of course, each battle in Infinity Castle will be an action-packed experience, but fans are most excited to see the ultimate face-off between Akaza and Tanjiro.
Akaza is the new Upper Rank Three, and he's also the one who killed Rengoku right in front of Tanjiro's eyes. So, while it's crucial for Tanjiro and other Demon Slayers to kill the Upper Moons, the fight between Tanjiro and Akaza will be personal. Akaza will be the first opponent that Tanjiro will face in the Infinity Castle arc, so after all this time, the boy will finally get a chance to avenge the Flame Hashira.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Trilogy Will Reveal Who's Stronger Between Tanjiro and Akaza
Can Tanjiro defeat an Upper Moon alone?
Tanjiro's Fury Against The Upper Moon Three, Akaza
Giyu Tomioka Will Join Tanjiro In This Fight
As soon as the Demon Slayers enter the Infinity Castle, Tanjiro and Giyu are greeted by Akaza, who, in a sense, was both shocked and happy to see Tanjiro. The demon was shocked that Tanjiro, whom he considers a "weakling," survived for this long. At the same time, he was happy to be given the opportunity to kill Tanjiro with his own hands. But why exactly did Akaza hold a grudge against Tanjiro? Well, you might recall the insult Tanjiro threw at Akaza when he was fleeing from sunlight after killing Rengoku. Interestingly, Akaza never forgot those needle-like words, and he was furious at Tanjiro for insulting him like that, even after he had won a fight against a Hashira.
Regardless, Tanjiro and Akaza both take this fight personally, and while Akaza takes Tanjiro lightly at first, the demon quickly realizes the true potential of Tanjiro. Tanjiro easily dodges each attack from Akaza, showcasing his hashira-level capabilities. Even Giyu is astonished to see Tanjiro fending off Akaza's attacks without any help. However, Akaza isn't someone who should be underestimated, so without wasting any more time, the Water Hashira joins the fight.
You misunderstand, Tanjiro. I only despise the weak. I only spit on weaklings. Yes. Weaklings make me sick. It is the law of nature that they be weeded out - Akaza
Initially, Akaza puts all his focus on Giyu and is surprised by the incredible strength of the Water Hashira. It was clear that Akaza wanted Giyu to become a demon as well, but just like Rengoku, Giyu showed no interest in giving up on his humanity. Giyu tries every technique in his arsenal to bring down this fearsome demon on his feet, but in the end, it takes the combined effort of Tanjiro and Giyu to defeat the Upper Moon Three.
Tanjiro And Giyu Awaken New Powers While Fighting Akaza
The Transparent World Gets Featured During This Fight
Akaza, despite being outnumbered, gives tough competition to Tanjiro and Giyu, which is somewhat expected. And of course, Tanjiro has come a long way since his last encounter with Akaza, but he still isn't powerful enough to defeat Akaza. However, Tanjiro shifts the game in his favor by entering the Transparent World. During the fight, Tanjiro realizes that Akaza is able to feel his opponent's position by sensing their killing or fighting intent. This "compass" of Akaza didn't let any attack from an opponent go unnoticed. So, Tanjiro comes to the conclusion that he must hide his intent to kill or fight Akaza while undetected. And well, Tanjiro can only do this by entering the Transparent World.
Entering the Transparent World isn't an easy task, though, as the user must focus only on dodging and suppressing every other emotion to achieve this state. Well, if there's someone who can learn this technique with his feet in the battle, it's Tanjiro. So, yes, Tanjiro is able to land fatal hits on Akaza after entering the Transparent World. At the same time, Giyu also awakens his Demon Slayer mark after getting tired of being kicked and punched by Akaza. Akaza was confident that he would win this fight, but in the end, Tanjiro and Giyu are able to decapitate Akaza with their combined efforts. However, Akaza doesn't go down this easily, as he is able to fight off Tanjiro and Giyu even with his head cut off.
Akaza Remembers His Life As A Human In The Final Moments
He Starts To Hate The Monster He Has Become
One must think that Tanjiro and Giyu win the fight after cutting off Akaza's head, but that's not how it all ends. Interestingly, Akaza is able to continue fighting the Demon Slayers while his head regenerates. However, during this phase, Akaza begins to recall his human life, when he was known by the name Hakuji. Not only that, but Akaza also hears the voices of Koyuki, his fiancée, and Keizo, his sensei.
Apparently, Tanjiro's selfless actions and the will to protect Giyu make Akaza remember Keizo, who asks the Upper Moon to stop. Akaza finally remembers why he wanted to become stronger, and it was his love for Koyuki that prevented him from ever consuming a woman. At this point, only half of Akaza's head had regenerated, and Tanjiro and Giyu were gravely injured. Also, while Akaza was going through all these emotions, his demon body was still preparing to land a killing blow on Giyu. Tanjiro realizes this and tries to pull Giyu away, but much to his surprise, Akaza uses his killing technique on himself, thus killing himself.
Demon Slayer: Every Fight That Will Happen In the Infinity Castle Arc, Ranked
The Infinity Castle arc is an intense one. It features many exciting fights from Demon Slayer.
In the end, Akaza had a smile on his face, as if he were happy with the final decision he had made. Of course, Muzan tried to manipulate Akaza into embracing his demonic side, but thanks to Koyuki and Keizo, Akaza decided to wither away and reunite with the people he loved in the afterlife.
- Release Date
- April 6, 2019
- Network
- Adult Swim
Based on Koyoharu Gotouge's shonen manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an action anime set in Japan during the early 20th century. Seeking revenge for the murder of his family while also looking to save his sister, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps as they try to eradicate Demons led by Muzan.
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 4
- Studio
- ufotable
- Japanese Title
- Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Koyoharu Gotoge
- Number of Episodes
- 63
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.26 (Hashira Training Arc)
