The fifth episode of Demon Slayer’s Mugen Train arc finally brings the action, and outside of the first episode, it’s easily the strongest yet.
Tanjiro and the others are finally facing down the demon Enmu, and this fifth episode is pretty much nothing but fight scenes. That’s not a bad thing, however, as it presents a brisk pace that makes up for how the last couple of episodes felt a little meandering.
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Again, if you’ve seen the Mugen Train film there’s nothing incredibly new here that’s going to be mind-blowing, but the action sequences are as stellar as ever. Part of what I enjoyed about the film, and this episode, in particular, is that we get to see everyone in action. It’s not just Tanjiro doing his thing, but Inosuke, Zenitsu, and Rengoku all get their time to shine.
I feel the need to point out one aspect that I really love here, something that’s not present in the original manga, and that’s just how disgusting the demon-infected train looks. Ufotable decided to use CG to animate the tentacles and fleshiness when Enmu takes over the train, and boy does it work. The CG looks separate from the characters, but it’s a choice that gives them an almost otherworldly quality, and I love it. There are also some nice little moments that help reinforce the core ideals of Tanjiro, like him still trying to save the train conductor that just stabbed him.
“Move Forward!” Is an action-packed episode, and the animation quality shines more than ever. I won’t spoil anything, but there’s also a hilarious new post-credits scene that absolutely needs to be seen. The pace of Mugen Train is picking up, and it’ll be interesting to see how the bombastic finale runs into the start of the second season.
SCORE: 9/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: The critic watched the episode on Funimation for ComingSoon’s Demon Slayer Mugen Train Arc Episode 5 – Move Forward review.
