The Funny Rengoku Moment In Demon Slayer: Mugen Train That's Sadder Than You Think
Fans of the smash-hit anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” know the series is just as heartbreaking as it is endearing and action-packed. Viewers may have thought that they were tuning in for a heartfelt story about a village boy and his family living in the mountains of Japan. But the show takes a tragic turn in the first episode when Tanjiro Kamado, the main character, returns home to find almost his entire family slaughtered by demons and his younger sister, Nezuko Kamado, turned into a demon herself. Thus begins Tanjiro's journey to become a demon slayer, avenge his family, and return his sister to her human state.
Besides its stunning animation, the series — originally created by Koyoharu Gotouge — is known for having its viewers laughing one moment, then on the verge of tears the next. Between moments of comic relief from Tanjiro's friends and fellow demon-slayers-in-training (Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira) as well as grim backstories, "Demon Slayer" will have your emotions in a whirlwind. And the sequel film "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" is no different.
"Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" was released after the massive success of the manga and anime adaptation. The film was a success both in Japan and across the globe and surpassed Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" as the country's highest-grossing film of all time. Indeed, it is now the world's highest-grossing anime movie (via TIME). "Mugen Train" picks up right where the events of Season 1 left off and sees Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke off on a mission to hunt a demon who has been killing many demon slayers. The film, like the series, features a ton of comical quips between fight scenes, but one seemingly funny moment is a bit sadder than you may have realized.
**Warning: Spoilers for "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" below.**
Kyōjurō Rengoku was eating like it would be his last meal
In "Mugen Train," Tanjiro and his friends team up with one of the Hashiras — the Demon Slayer Corps' best fighters — named Kyōjurō Rengoku. With his sword-wielding abilities and flame breathing technique, Rengoku is undoubtedly one of the strongest out of the Hashiras and serves as an inspiration to Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. He also has an incredibly cheerful personality and believes that it is his life's duty to use his strength to protect the weak. Right from the get-go, you can't help but love Rengoku and his upbeat personality, which makes his death at the end of the film even more heartbreaking.
One particularly funny moment in "Mugen Train" could be seen as a foreshadowing Rengoku's death. In a brief moment of calmness on the train, Rengoku starts to eat rice, and after every bite, he exclaims "umai," or in English, "delicious!" Although this strange eating behavior could just be linked to Rengoku's utmost enthusiasm for everything, it could be his way of enjoying his last meal, according to Twitter user ThreepioToaru. They tweeted: "In old Japan, warriors were taught to savor every bite of food, for it may be their last." Given Rengoku's tragic fate, this seemingly funny bit takes on a whole different meaning. Luckily for fans of Rengoku, his story and cheerfulness are brought back to the screen in Season 2 of "Demon Slayer," which serves as a recap of the events from "Mugen Train."