Demon Slayer Season 3 Cliffhanger Teases Kanroji’s Battle Debut

Demon Slayer Season 3’s Swordsmith Village Arc is heating up, as the Demon Slayer and their swordsmiths continue battling against complicated demon foes in Episode 4. Upper Rank Four Hantengu and Upper Rank Five Gyokko snuck into the Demon Slayers’ Swordsmith Village and launched a deadly ambush. In Episode 4, we finally see just how deadly these Upper Rank demons are – leading to a cliffhanger that brings fan-favorite character Kanroji into the fight! 

(WARNING DEMON SLAYER ANIME SPOILERS!) 

In Episode 4 “Thank You, Tokito” Muichiro is dealing with a fish demon that nearly kills Kotetsu, realizing that the key to defeating them is destroying the vases on their backs. That doesn’t mean that the village is safe from Gyokko, as the rest of the top demon slayers on site are still tied up dealing with Hantengu’s wild power, which has him split into four clone bodies. 

Tanjiro realizes that the key to Hantengu’s clones are actually manifestations of the demon’s emotions: joy (Urogi), pleasure (Karaku), anger (Sekido), and sorrow (Aizetsu). The trio of Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya, hold their own in a furious battle against the four Upper Rank demon clones – but needless to say, they can’t finish the job. As the episode ends, Hantengu’s clones have gained the upper hand on the Demon Slayers, while Gyokko’s fish demons are beginning to overrun the village. It’s a dark moment for the Demon Slayer – the perfect time for the Love Hashira to debut on the scene! 

Who Is Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji? 

Mitsuri Kanroji is one of the current Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, who specializes in the technique of Love Breathing. Obviously, the concept of “Love Breathing” is very different than the elemental or nature-based breathing techniques that the other Hashira are mastered in, making Mitsuri truly a unique character in the story – as evidenced by the fact that Mitsuri’s Love Breathing is her own original creation. 

There’s also the obvious fact that Mitsuri has Best Girl energy stamped all over her. Fans of the Demon Slayer anime certainly had questions about Mitsuri when she appeared amongst the other Hashira during the show’s opening credits, or the Season 1 episodes where Tanjiro first met the Hashira. 

Now, Demon Slayer fans will get to finally see Mitsuri enter the spotlight, and (hopefully) understand why she is such an iconic part of the series. 

Demon Slayer Season 3 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.