Man, I’m really happy we got an episode like this. Even though this was basically filler and doesn’t really have anything to do with the main plot of the Mugen Train arc, it was nice to see Rengoku go on a mission and briefly meet and work with people we haven’t seen. And this also kind of alleviates a complaint I had with the Mugen Train movie when I saw it, but I won’t say what the complaint was until the very end of the arc.
Yes, I did see the Mugen Train movie in theaters earlier this year and I really enjoyed it. I have my complaints about it and I am curious to see whether I will have the same complaints by the end of it, but they did promise some new footage so I’m looking forward to revisiting things again.
So this first episode, which was not in the movie, follows Rengoku as he goes on his mission to find the demon on the loose responsible for the 40 missing people and for the Mugen train. And my god the amount of delicious detail for the food in the beginning was amazing. Ufotable really made that soup look amazing and now I’m craving it. Delicious! Rengoku hears of a demon called Slasher who has been causing fear and panic in the town, who seems to be the demon he’s looking for as it uses trains to get around. This leads to Rengoku going around finding clues, and then meets with our bento grandma/granddaughter duo. And even if their time is short with us, I did like the relationship Rengoku ended up forming with them. And the fact that his family has a connection with them, what a coincidence. So it makes me wonder if we’ll see these two again in the future.
Rengoku is such a positive spirit. Even when Fuku threw the bread at his face he just kept that smile on his face. And I knew he would because that’s just who he is as a person. He’s charming, friendly, and his positivity is infectious. And I had to laugh when he took the bread and took a bite out of it. I would have thought he would have given the bread back to Fuku, but oh well. Delicious! After promising to get rid of the Slasher and buying all of their bento, Rengoku is off to find the Mugen train. To which he does, and finds out that it will go back into service the following morning. But things come to a halt when the Slasher makes his appearance. And phew, I have to say with all the death in this show, I was relieved that the little boy and the girl from the previous night weren’t killed. I was also REALLY afraid that Fuku’s grandmother for sure was going to get herself killed and I was just bracing myself for it. A sigh of relief for sure when I saw her alive and well. Can’t say the same about the train conductor from the first minute of the episode, poor guy. Thankfully Rengoku was able to keep his promise to this sweet little bento family. I especially loved the back and forth comparison of Rengoku and his father with their similar movements when sheathing their sword. That’s a great detail and also something that ties into later, which I really appreciate.
The Slasher himself didn’t stick around for too long, and the fight was fairly short but it was still fun to watch. This episode was pretty standard as well, just as a quick set up for the actual arc, but it was a nice little extra. Even if the episode was standard, the characters are great and their interactions are as well. Rengoku again is just a flaming ball of positivity and he always brings a smile to my face with his straightforwardness and his aggressive appetite. No wonder the other Hashira love him so much. And as always Ufotable absolutely delivers on the amazing animation. They always create a spectacle that’s a feast for eyes.
Not much else to say about this episode other than I enjoyed it. There were some things here and there I appreciated the addition of, and so I’m hoping that they’ll continue to do that for the rest of this arc. If they do, it’ll definitely change my thoughts about some things for the better so I’m excited to revisit this arc!
Possibility of watching: Guaranteed
Possibility of blogging: Guaranteed
DELICIOUS!
