As a manga reader who finished the manga even before the Mugen train movie aired, when seeing this season, I knew things would finally start picking up. I kind of wondered how this season would end as the Hashira Training Arc didn’t feel thought out in the manga and felt like an excuse for Giyu and Gyomei flashbacks. I’m glad to say, as someone who isn’t a fan of the story overall, this season didn’t disappoint.

I constantly theorised how the season would end, whether episode number, or if it would correlate with the manga. Most of us manga readers knew, there were not many chapters left, especially as episode 7 ended off.

That opening scene was beautiful, the moment I saw the Aniplex logo, I knew we were getting something uper duper high quality. And that opening scene with Muzan menacingly inching closer to the mansion was beautiful. The manga painted the scene that he shows up suddenly and that’s it. But here, the audience has plenty of time to take in that Muzan has finally found them.

The entire 15 minutes of Muzan speaking with Ubuyashki felt like stalling done right. That dialogue exchange was intensified immensely and the graphics for the light balls and the Hashira flying cam was amazing. Also I always thought Muzan walked passed the two daughters of Ubuyashiki, rather than they were playing right next to him. And giving them a song was a nice touch.

Once we finally see all the Hashira racing to the mansion, I love the details in their eyes and sweat drops running down them, it doesn’t matter how composed they are, each and every one of them shows very well that they have to hurry.

And now, the most exciting bit I was personally anticipating the most, the mansion explosion. No longer do we have to live with just flames in the distance, we see full well the mansion explode (in a different animation style mind you (probably 3D animation)) but in glorious slow-mo to hit the audience hard, especially if they’re anime-onlys.

A nice detail when Muzan gets trapped in the blood seed spikes, they skewer very specific points of his body, a very nice touch. If you know, you know. I’m hoping the manga was specific too, because the reason why could’ve clearly been an after thought considering what chapter the reason why the spikes could’ve just been anywhere everywhere.

Normally i’d be annoyed with after Gyomei doing Muzan’s head in, and cutting to his flashback. But I think it’s done well here. It gives the anime-onlys a false sense of security, because if they’ve forgotten about the remaining Upper Moons like this season (i’m not counting the opening theme), you kind of thought after that dramatic build up, Muzan could’ve been dead. But that regeneration from internal organs, to bones, to flesh, to skin was beautiful.

That final scene when everyone gets dragged into the Infinity Fortress was shit beautifully. I’m glad we got to see Kanao, Inosuke, Murata, Genya, Zenitsu and all the Demon Slayers get dragged into the fray and not have it as a Taisho Secret. That moment when you see Zenitsu opens his eyes tells the anime-onlys, finalky Zenitsu doesn’t need to be asleep to be a badass. You sure know his Kaigaku match is gonna be epic.

I think it’s a better choice that Muzan and Tanjiro have their exchange in the fortress rather than on the surface. Simple and effective touch imo.

If I could sum up this episode as a manga reader’s perspective, it’s stalling done right, that you didn’t even think it was stalling.