The movie version of the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Yaiba, based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge Gotouge, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Mugen Train, will be shown at 423 cinemas nationwide from May Getsuku. Released in October 2020, it was a huge hit, grossing 40.4 billion yen, the highest grossing movie of all time in Japan. At the time of its release, many people were moved by the heroic figure of the main character, Rengoku, also known as Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar. Ahead of the revival screening, we will explain the appeal of the movie, starting with Rengoku's actions before boarding the Mugen Train.
◇20 years old, younger than Giyuu, Iguro, and Sanemi. Mastered the Flame Breathing technique on his own.
According to the official fan book "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Kimetsu no Yaiba Official Fan Book Demon Slaying Corps Travelogue" (Shueisha), Rengoku is 20 years old, 177 cm tall, and weighs 72 kg. Among the pillars, he is younger than the 27-year-old Rock Pillar Gyomei Himejima, the 21-year-old Water Pillar Giyu Tomioka, the Snake Pillar Obanai Iguro, and the Wind Pillar Sanemi Shinazugawa. His father is the former Flame Pillar Rengoku Shinjuro, who taught him swordsmanship as a child. He is also an older brother who is loved by his younger brother Senjuro.
As a swordsman, he seems to have grown up in a privileged environment, but his father, Shinjuro, became an alcoholic after losing his wife and gave up teaching his sons the sword. From there, Rengoku read the Flame Breathing manual, which only has three volumes, and trained hard, mastering the Flame Breathing technique on his own to become the Flame Pillar. Perhaps it is because he is a hard worker that he is so kind and caring towards his junior corps members, such as Tanjiro Kamado.
◇The reason why he ate beef hotpot bento on the Mugen Train
The first episode of the TV anime "Mugen Train", "Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar", depicts Rengoku's activities the day before boarding the Mugen Train. Rengoku visits a certain station to carry out a new command to investigate the Mugen Train, where more than 40 people have gone missing. At the station, a conductor was killed by a slasher (demon), and nearby soba and ekiben shops have lost customers.
Rengoku rescues an old lady who runs a bento shop and her granddaughter when they are attacked by a slasher demon, and receives a beef hotpot bento as a thank you. This leads to the scene at the beginning of the "Mugen Train" where Rengoku is eating the bento and saying, "It's delicious! It's delicious!" However, out of the large number of bentos, he only accepted one as a thank you, and the rest were purchased by Rengoku himself. His great generosity can be seen even from such actions. Incidentally, the old lady who runs the bento shop was rescued by Rengoku's father, Shinjuro, 20 years ago when he was still active. The old lady realizes this from the way her son, Rengoku, fights.
Episode 1, "The Flame Pillar, Kyojuro Rengoku," is an original episode for the anime, but it gives us a glimpse of Rengoku's various charms, from interacting with the other members of the corps as a reliable pillar, to eating soba noodles, to interacting with citizens who are not part of the Demon Slaying Corps.
◇ Rengoku is recognized as a "good guy" even by the strongest pillar
In the Taisho Whispers from the first episode of the "Mugen Train", "Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku", the other pillars talk about their impressions of Rengoku. The Insect Pillar Shinobu Kocho says, "He's a nice guy. Although we sometimes don't quite get along," the Sound Pillar Tengen Uzui says, "He's flashy! He stands out more than me, but he's a really nice guy," the Mist Pillar Muichiro Tokito says, "He's like an owl. He has a cheerful and pleasant voice," and the Love Pillar Mitsuri Kanroji says, "He's a cool big brother! It was fun training with him."
The Snake Pillar, Obanai Iguro, who seems to have some difficulty with socializing, also seems to trust him, saying, "He talks a lot. He has a good personality," the Wind Pillar, Sanemi Shinazugawa Giyu Tomioka, also says, "He talks to me a lot." The oldest pillar, the Rock Pillar, Gyomei Himejima, says, "He's positive, he doesn't complain, and he's honest," and he seems to be a person of character who is generally evaluated as a "good guy" by the other pillars, who all have their own quirks.
In the movie "Mugen Train," Rengoku burned his heart and risked his life to save many people. I hope that the revival screening will allow us to feel his way of life once again.
