Okay, let's be honest. We all cried during Mugen Train. Sniffled into our popcorn, right? It was epic, heartbreaking, and cemented Rengoku as everyone's favorite flame-haired hero. But what NEXT?
After the Train Wreck (of Emotions)
The obvious answer? The Entertainment District Arc. Duh. Swords, glitter, and Sound Hashira antics galore. It was flashy, fun, and full of demon butt-kicking.
But... unpopular opinion alert! Was it *really* the perfect follow-up? Did it capture the same magic? I'm not entirely convinced.
My Hot Take: Maybe It Wasn't the *Perfect* Pick
Hear me out. Mugen Train was contained. A focused story, a single, powerful villain, and intense emotional payoff. It was a beautiful, self-contained arc. Like a perfect little cherry blossom.
The Entertainment District? Bigger, messier, more characters. More demons, more subplots. It felt... scattered, a bit.
Think about it. After grieving over Rengoku, we were thrown into a vibrant, chaotic world with a brand new Hashira. Talk about whiplash!
What *Could* Have Been? A Little Breathing Room
Maybe a smaller arc first? Something to bridge the gap. A palate cleanser, if you will. A few stand-alone episodes focusing on character development.
Imagine: An arc exploring Zenitsu's backstory! More of his grandpa? Or maybe an arc about Inosuke wrestling a bear (because, let's face it, he totally would).
Something to let the emotional wounds of Mugen Train scab over a little bit before diving headfirst into demon-infested brothels.
Don't Get Me Wrong: I Love Tengen!
Tengen Uzui is amazing. Flashy, confident, and has three wives. What's not to love? His fight scenes are epic, no doubt about that.
But his whole "god" complex? It felt jarring after the humble self-sacrifice of Rengoku. The tonal shift was significant, maybe *too* significant.
“Set your heart ablaze. Erase your weakness.” - Rengoku
Versus:
"I am a god!" - Tengen Uzui
See the difference? Big shoes to fill, especially right after Mugen Train.
So, What Demon Slayer Movie *Should* Have Followed?
Trick question! Movies are tricky! But think about it this way. Mugen Train was a movie-sized arc. And if we're sticking to theatrical releases...
Maybe, just maybe, taking a bit more time to adapt a few character backstories as theatrical shorts would have been a great idea. Give us a few mini stories centered around Zenitsu, Inosuke, or Nezuko and Tanjiro's past.
That way, when the flashy Entertainment District Arc came along, we'd be even more emotionally invested in our favorite characters. More tears, more cheers, more demon slaying goodness!
Ultimately, it's all about opinion. And my opinion? A little breather arc might have made the transition smoother. But hey, at least we got epic fights and fabulous outfits, right?
