Demon Slayer Season 4: Pillar Training arc explained

Demon Slayer Season 4 is set to launch in April 2024, and will cover the Hashira Training arc from the manga: but what is it really about?

The incredible epic of Demon Slayer is far from over, but it is nevertheless approaching the final battle between the Slayers and the minions of the formidable Muzan. And spectators will have the pleasure of witnessing the continuation of Tanjiro’s adventures: barely did season 3 end with a sensational finale, when the ufotable studio announced that it was preparing a fourth part.

The upcoming season will cover the Hashira arc, the Pillars of the Slayer Corps. Present in chapters 128 to 136 of the manga, one could easily estimate that it is not long enough to last an entire season. What the studio found a solution to: scenes from the light novel should also be adapted!

And as season 4 prepares for streaming, a film will be released in theaters. For spectators who have already purchased their place, or those who are still hesitant, we explain to you what the Pillar Training arc consists of in Demon Slayer.

Warning: this article contains slight Demon Slayer spoilers!

What is the Pillar Training arc in Demon Slayer about?

Season 3 ended on several crucial points, heralding big changes among the Slayers.

pillars hashiras demon slayer season 4 — koyoharu gotoge/shueisha, aniplex, ufotable

First, a Higher Moon had finally been brought down. Then, the mark of the Slayers had spread to fighters other than Tanjiro, who had also improved considerably following his training against the puppet of the Village of Blacksmiths. Finally, Nezuko managed to survive even in direct sunlight, thus becoming the absolute target of Muzan, in search of a cure.

With a fierce battle looming on the horizon, the Slayers will have to prepare. And what better way to train than to compete against the best, the Pillars? Indeed, Hashira training consists of accelerated, hard training, the aim of which is to improve the resistance and strength of all Slayers. And to overcome it, you have to face the Pillars in person, allowing them to practice too.

More precisely, you must go through several stages, in a precise order: the Pillar of Sound, Tengen Uzui, begins by imposing a rigorous test of endurance. Next comes the Pillar of Love, Mitsuri Kanroji, which works on the soldiers’ flexibility. As for the Pillar of the Mist, Muichiro Tokito, he is responsible for helping the Slayers progress with their speed.

The ordeal does not end there for the tough ones who managed to get through the first stages. Because fourth comes the Serpent Pillar, Obanai Iguro, and his sword training. A revision followed by a visit to the Pillar of Wind, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and his terrible hammering training. Finally, the Slayers will have to go through the muscle strengthening test imposed by the Pillar of Stone, Gyomei Himejima.

Why don’t all Pillars participate in training in Demon Slayer?

The most attentive will have noticed: training is not provided by all the Hashiras in the Demon Slayer Training arc. Two of them will stand apart. These are the Pillar of the Insect, Shinobu Kocho and that of Water, Giyu Tomioka.

nezuko soleil demon slayer — crunchyroll

Shinobu Kocho will indeed be busy with different preparations for the final battle, the results of which will be crucial against the Upper Moons. As for Giyu Tomioka, a serious lack of self-confidence prevented him from participating at first, before being boosted by a still positive Tanjiro.

Generally, the Pillars themselves are required to participate in their colleagues’ training. The goal being to strengthen all the troops, the Slayers must all comply with the rules. Which may explain why most feel that training Hashiras is equivalent to a descent into hell.

Aside from training, other storylines will appear in Demon Slayer season 4. We should thus witness the past of certain Pillars in order to understand what pushed them to confront the demons. The evolution of Nezuko should also be in the spotlight, Tanjiro’s sister having managed to resist the sun and recovered the use of speech.

At this point, Demon Slayer season 4 does not yet have a specific release date, but we know that it will arrive in streaming in early April 2024.