The second episode of Demon Slayer’s Mugen Train Arc kicks things right into the events of the film, as Tanjiro and the others meet the Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira. With that in mind, almost the entire episode is a retread of the film but its overall quality still holds up, and the way the episode is cut makes total sense. The added context of the first episode also helps put a better perspective on the events that start unfolding on the train.
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One thing that absolutely jumped out during this episode, however, is that it seems like Ufotable has touched up the fantastic animation of the film even more. It always looked phenomenal, but now the color seems a little more vibrant. At the same time, there’s a flashy new opening and ending for fans to enjoy, with music done by LiSA, the same artist behind the first season’s opening. After the credits there’s also a new “Taisho Era Secrets,” segment, returning from the first season. I imagine we can expect these after every episode, which could serve as a small, but fun little addition to Mugen Train.
For anyone that hasn’t watched the Mugen Train film, this second episode does a good job of introducing you to the new villain and setting the stage for the struggle the main cast is about to encounter. If you’ve seen the film it’s nothing but a retread, which is mostly unavoidable in such an adaptation. If you haven’t, however, this is a fine second episode that does a lot of setup work with some emotional payoff that’ll come later down the road.
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It remains to be seen how many new scenes are added to the arc as a whole, but this second episode is pretty much a direct translation of the film. Still, I’m starting to wonder if an episodic format is going to be the best way to experience the Mugen Train film, as it almost feels like the movie was designed around the idea. With five episodes left, we’ll soon find out if that’s the case.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” It’s a successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Disclosure: The critic watched the episode on Funimation for ComingSoon’s Demon Slayer Mugen Train Arc Episode 2 – Deep Sleep review.
