Episode 24

Rehabilitation Training (機能回復訓練) is the 24th episode of the Kimetsu no Yaiba TV anime series.

Synopsis
The injured Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke are sent to the Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho’s mansion for treatment. When Tanjiro and Inosuke start their rehabilitation training two weeks later, the drills are so brutal that they find themselves broken in spirit. Meanwhile, Zenitsu, unaware of the grueling regimen, becomes very enthusiastic to finally join the training when he sees all the girls, but...

Plot
As Kyojuro Rengoku prepares for a mission, he is met by Shinobu. He tells her information about a demon, with several Demon Slayers sent to kill it defeated. With the Corps losing personnel, they cannot stand by and do nothing. Shinobu wonders if it could be a Twelve Kizuki and Kyojuro says it is likely, adding that it could possibly even be an Upper Rank. She comments on the mission possibly being difficult but brushes aside her concern, confident in Kyojuro's abilities.

He then asks her on what she will do about Tanjiro, mentioning that she had wanted more Tsugukos. Shinobu jokingly tells him not to worry as “it’s not as if I’ll gobble him up”. Kyojuro agrees and laughs heartily as he departs the headquarters. As she watches him leave, she bids him to be careful.

In the Butterfly Mansion, Zenitsu complains again about his medication. The head caretaker, Aoi Kanzaki, reminds him again that he is the most injured and demands that he take it now. Finding his antics unbelievable, Aoi turns to Tanjiro and provides him with his medication, handed to him by an helper. Tanjiro thanks her and drinks it, surprised by the pleasant taste. Zenitsu hears this and accuses Aoi of favouritism by giving him medicine that is easy to take. Tanjiro asks him to be quiet being in a hospital ward but hears a voice commenting that he looks well. Murata appears, to Tanjiro’s relief, and they begin chatting. When asked if he is feeling alright, Murata comments that he was close to melting but is otherwise okay, though he adds that the same cannot be said for them. He tries to talk to Inosuke about his injured throat but Tanjiro tells him to let him be, having been through much. Zenitsu interrupts the conversation and asks who Murata is, to which Tanjiro states he fought with them on Mount Natagumo. Murata asks about his arm and Zenitsu responds with how he nearly transformed into a spider, causing Aoi to jump in and remind him to take his medication, to his plight. Zenitsu tries to reason with her and claims, “there is only so much gross a person can take”, leading Aoi to respond not to come crying to her when his arms don’t return to normal. He responds that she is being too cold but she states that he has it easy; by taking the medication and getting plentiful sunlight, he won’t have to endure lasting effects. Zenitsu runs to Tanjiro, unwilling to take more of Aoi’s verbal lashing, only for Murata to sarcastically say they seem to be having fun, shocking the two with his despondent and frightful expression. He mentions how he was summoned to report the Mount Natagumo incident at the Hashira meeting, claiming that they are too terrifying.

He speaks about how they were angered about the weaker new Demon Slayers because some of them didn’t follow orders on the mountain, and how he was unfairly asked so much for someone of his rank. As he speaks about how the Hashiras terrify him, someone appears behind Murata; the Insect Hashira herself. Frightened by Shinobu's sudden “hello”, he quickly greets her and leaves the room in a hurry.

Shinobu, amused by his scared reaction, asks Tanjiro about his recovery, and he responds he is feeling a lot better. Hearing this, she states he can now begin his Rehabilitation Training, involving him and Inosuke. Two weeks later, a recovered Zenitsu sits alone in his room, waiting for the two to finish. He comments on Shinobu’s unique voice and how it seems both irregular and slightly scary. Despite this, he remembers when she came to Mount Natagumo and how she seemed like a goddess to the transformed people, who came to her teary-eyed. Zenitsu also comments on her pretty appearance. But as he begins to wonder about the “cute lady” taking his friends to help them regain stamina, he suddenly sees them enter the room, both extremely exhausted and despondent. The two slide into bed without saying anything, scaring Zenitsu as he knows he will be joining them tomorrow.

The next day, he joins his friends in their Rehabilitation Training. With the two appearing to dread the next session, Zenitsu is nervous to commence. In a large room, Aoi explains to Zenitsu the three tests to help them rehabilitate. First, he will be stretched out to help his body from being in bed for so long; the process done by three helpers and demonstrated on Inosuke, who promptly tears up from the intense procedure. The next station involves reflex training and Kanao Tsuyuri; on a table with cups of medicated water, the goal is to throw them onto their opponent before they can, but the opponent can block the cup to stop their throw. Tanjiro attempts this but promptly fails, with Kanao proving far too quick to defeat. In the third and last station, the goal is full-body training; simply a game of tag involving Aoi and Kanao

Now informed, Zenitsu asks Aoi a question, before calling Tanjiro and Inosuke over. When they don’t move initially, Zenitsu angrily grabs the two and drags them outside the mansion. In the yard, he demands they listen to what he has to say and suddenly punches Inosuke into the wall. When Tanjiro checks over his friend and asks he apologize, Zenitsu instead tells them they need to apologize to him, for acting “like you’d come back from Hell when you were in Heaven!”. He asks why after “frolicking” with girls do they look so haggard, demanding them bow down, apologize and commit seppuku. When Tanjiro incredulously asks why he is saying something so absurd, Zenitsu yells at him to listen and grabs his hair, then proceeds to list the various things he enjoys about girls.

Zenitsu goes insane with happiness and Inosuke criticizes him for not making sense, adding his own thoughts by claiming that losing to someone smaller than you destroys your soul. Zenitsu sarcastically pities him for not being with a girl because he lived on a mountain, angering the boar-headed Demon Slayer. Inosuke states he has been with girls, by stepping on them, with Zenitsu furiously telling him that’s how you don’t get girls. Inside the room, the entire argument is heard by the girls inside, much to their bewilderment. Back inside, Zenitsu enthusiastically asks to be trained, enjoying being stretched out as Tanjiro and Inosuke look at him dumbfounded. In the reflex test with Aoi, Zenitsu grabs his cup first but decides not to splash her to be "courteous", much to her chagrin. In the full-body training and facing Aoi again, Zenitsu uses his superior speed and grabs her, leading Aoi to punch him in the face; despite this, Zenitsu is satisfied holding her. Watching his success, Inosuke becomes re-motivated; he quickly beats Aoi in the reflexes test and grabs her by the legs in the full-body training, albeit hurting her. With his friends able to best Aoi, Tanjiro begins to lag behind them and continually loses. Despite this, none of them are able to defeat Kanao. For the next five days of training, she continues to beat them without the trio able to challenge Kanao at all, leading Zenitsu and Inosuke to stop attending the sessions. After one session, Tanjiro tries to think about how she is so fast, surmising that even going all-out wouldn’t mean success. He notes that she possesses a scent similar to the Hashira; as he thinks about Kanao, one of the attendants calls to him.

He asks what they wanted to call him over for; at first, they seem hesitant, giving him a towel to dry himself with instead. He happily takes it; as he dries his wet hair, she asks if he maintains Total Concentration Breathing all day. Confusing him, she tells him to do so all day and night, even while asleep. Tanjiro states he does not, wondering whether it is even possible. one of them says it is and can make a big difference. He says even using the technique for a short time takes its toll on him; the girls respond by saying the Hashira and Kanao have already mastered it. They all tell him to work hard at it and he thanks them for the information.

The next day, Inosuke and Zenitsu still refuse to join Tanjiro in training, with the former sulking over losing and the latter asking him to tell them he got re-injured. Outside on his own, Tanjiro makes the first attempt to use Total Concentration Breathing longer, before promptly collapsing in physical exhaustion. As he feels the agony of using it for extended time, he becomes startled by a loud sound in his eardrums. He thinks back to the basics and continues, with the three girls watching his progress.

Later, as he is eating, the girls show him a set of gourds Shinobu had Kanao blow into to help her. Initially believing they are a strange instrument, Tanjiro becomes shocked to know Kanao actually makes them explode, tapping one and noting its very hard structure. He is aghast to learn a petite girl is able to do something so difficult and becomes more so upon seeing the gourds she currently able to destroy, which are nearly as big as him. The next day, a dismayed Tanjiro tells Aoi that his friends won't be training again; though apologetic, she brushes aside his sincerity and tells him not to concern himself. Throughout the entire day, while re-doing the drills Sakonji Urokodaki had given him, Tanjiro works to maintain Total Concentration without stopping. He uses the mansion's obstacles as a training ground similar to Mount Fujikasane. Fifteen days later, Tanjiro's stamina has improved; he is able to run farther than ever before and can feel his lungs getting stronger. On the rooftop of the mansion, he focuses on slow breathing in the night, to counteract his rapid breathing during the day. He meditates to help concentration, as Urokodaki had advised. He thinks of him and his smith Haganezuka, only to imagine the anger of the latter about his broken sword, something he isn't willing to go through. He loses concentration and tries again, only to hear a voice call to him.

Shinobu suddenly appears beside him, commending him for working hard while his friends are elsewhere, Tanjiro blushing at the sight of the young woman. She asks if he feels lonely, and he responds he doesn't mind it, wanting to teach his friends after mastering the technique, earning her praise. He asks why she had brought them in; she states it is because of Nezuko's official recognition and due to the three being severely injured. Shinobu tells him she has wanted to entrust her dream to him, for demons to be friends with humans, and believing him capable of accomplishing it. Tanjiro suddenly senses something and turns to Shinobu. He asks if she is angry, shocking her; he says he senses an angry scent off of her despite her smiling. She confirms he is right and says she is perhaps always in a constant state of anger. Since the death of her sister by a demon and seeing the pain of others going through the same thing, her anger has only continued to build. She mentions that she and the other Hashiras all have a deep disgust for demons that they cannot fight.

When they saw Nezuko and found she truly doesn't eat humans, they memorized her presence. It is only out of respect for Kagaya that they will not harm her. She talks about her older sister, who like Tanjiro was a kind-hearted person who was sympathetic to demons. Even till her death, she had pity for them; whereas she herself was unable to feel the same, asking how someone can pity for something that kills people. But since it was how her sister felt, Shinobu continues to carry the same feeling today.

For her sister's memory, she has always tried to find a way not to kill demons but is exhausted by her efforts, believing demons are completely irredeemable. Shinobu asks Tanjiro to give his all and always protect Nezuko, adding that his unrelenting sympathy for demons in her place greatly reassures her and claiming she can now rest.

Shinobu comments his Total Concentration breathing has stopped, surprising him, and she disappears. Shocked by her story, Tanjiro reasserts himself to continue working hard and regains focus on his Total Concentration Breathing. He remembers the murder of his family and uses his pain to push himself, remembering his promise to turn Nezuko back into a human.

Anime Notes

 * The episode depicts a scene where Shinobu has a brief interaction with Kyojuro before he leaves on his mission. This event does not occur in the manga.

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