WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Season 2, Episode 17, "Never Give Up," now streaming on Funimation, Hulu and Crunchyroll.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has remained pretty focused on the Hinokami Kagura, aka Sun-Breathing, as of late. However, the penultimate episode of the "Entertainment District" arc, "Never Give Up," served as a reminder that Thunder-Breathing is nothing to be scoffed at. Zenitsu Agatsuma is the series' sole Thunder-Breather, although Tengen Uzui's Sound-Breathing is derived from Thunder-Breathing. These two powerful Demon Slayers leaped back into action to help Tanjiro in his final stand against Gyutaro, showing off their tremendously powerful Breathing Styles to help defeat Gyutaro and Daki.
Thunder-Breathing is one of the five main Breathing Styles used by Demon Slayers, and it's a technique that's all about power born from speed. While Tanjiro almost managed to decapitate Gyutaro by tricking him, his efforts would have been for naught if his comrades had not rallied to his side. Gyutaro's and Daki's speed has been troubling the gang for the entire fight, yet Zenitsu and Tengen proved that they're each in a class of their own when it comes to quick, powerful strikes.
Zenitsu Debuted Thunderclap and Flash
Demon Slayer fans might owe Zenitsu an apology after his heroics during the final battle of the "Entertainment District" arc. The sometimes-irritating Demon Slayer can grate on fans' nerves with his constant screaming and whining, but "Never Give Up," proved that beneath his anxiety and anger is a master swordsman. Even asleep, Zenitsu simply refused to give up as he writhed beneath the rubble of Yoshiwara and Tanjiro fought Gyutaro alone. Breaking free using Thunderclap and Flash: Godlike Speed, Zenitsu used his ultimate strike again to intercept Daki before she could interfere with Tanjiro's struggle with Gyutaro.
Zenitsu, regrettably, has only ever been able to perform Thunder-Breathing's First Form, Thunderclap and Flash, but to say that he has perfected it would be an understatement. Nearly decapitating Daki himself, Godlike Speed almost tore completely through Daki's stretchy belt-neck just from the force of impact. With blinding speed that even an Upper-Rank couldn't react to, Zenitsu's new technique is a game-changer, even if it cripples him similarly to Tanjiro's blowback from the Hinokami Kagura.
Tengen Perfects His Musical Score Technique
Tengen's Musical Score Technique allows him to turn his opponent's moves into a song whose rhythm he can predict, allowing Tengen to fend off his opponent's every move. In doing so, Tengen fought Gyutaro more evenly with one hand than he previously had with two. The clash between the Hashira and Upper-Rank was a spectacular battle of speed as the two crashed all over Yoshiwara. Although Tengen took a Blood Sickle to the gut and lost an eye during this final fight, his Sound-Breathing Techniques still overwhelmed Gyutaro to the point that it gave Tanjiro an opening to decapitate the Upper-Rank.
