FIRST REACT to Demon Slayer's MUGEN TRAIN ARC as a Literature PhD | 2x1

Added: 2026-06-04

[00:00:00]Hi, my darlings. I'm Sophie darling and welcome back to the channel. If you're new here, hello. My name is Sophie. I have a doctorate in literature, which means I get way too emotionally invested in the shows that we're watching. So, if that sounds like something you would enjoy, please don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a video. Today, we're reacting to episode one of season 2 of the Mugan Train arc.

[00:00:22]We are watching Mugan Train as the episode. I know controversial. Some people will prefer me to watch this as a movie. I'm not watching this as a movie because it just suits my filming schedule a lot more. I don't think it really works well for me in terms of how I engage with the shows. I like things to be broken down because I find myself getting tired with movies. Whereas when it's broken up into more like bite-sized pieces, at least for me as somebody that likes to engage and discuss in detail the shows that I'm watching, as well as theorizing, I prefer it to be smaller because then there's more for me to go back and look over and discuss because it's a shorter time frame. So that's just what works for me preference-wise. I know everyone is different. If I was just filming a react with no discussion, I would do the movie, but that is just not who I am. I like to talk and I'm very passionate about the shows that I'm watching. So, there's always something for me to get my teeth into, especially when it comes to the character development and looking at the symbolism and the themes. So, if you're looking for a reactor that just doesn't say anything for the whole reaction and just makes little noises here and there, there's so many channels you can go and watch, but I don't think you will enjoy it. I'm going to be real honest. Without further ado, though, we're going to get into episode one of season 2 and hopefully learn more about Ren Goku and the Muggan Train.

[00:01:57]Oh, well, that's not terrifying.

[00:02:04]Whoa.

[00:02:08]Weird blue light that's happening on the outside. It's almost like it's in another dimension.

[00:02:30]cute.

[00:02:35]>> I'm pretty sure he does everything with Gustar.

[00:02:49]Are we going to get a Rang Goku backstory like we did with Shinobu and Canoa?

[00:02:59]Is it going to be hot and spicy?

[00:03:08]Oh, less people are coming.

[00:03:27]secretly transported.

[00:03:36]Of course he is.

[00:03:45]They're all suffering because of the bloody train.

[00:03:49]>> Well, not because of the train, because of the demon. But we're seeing the contrast between the generations. A generation that doesn't believe in them and a generation that does.

[00:04:11]A bit like Tro. When Tangero first heard about demons, he was like, "Nah, it's just a story made up to make kids scared of going out at nighttime.

[00:04:42]She recognizes what he is.

[00:04:52]>> Is he going to eat it and be like delicious?

[00:04:56]You don't want it. I'll have it.

[00:05:01]>> He loves his food.

[00:05:05]Oh, she knows exactly what he is. There was that look of admiration on her face, but also horror at what her granddaughter did.

[00:05:20]He's such a good guy.

[00:05:24]He was so blunt before, but he's like, I'm not going to tell you who I really am.

[00:05:43]Oh, he's so good.

[00:05:46]He's like, people shouldn't have to suffer because of demons. So, I'm going to help them as best I can.

[00:05:58]Listen to her. Go home.

[00:06:07]Oh, the music is so good.

[00:06:21]>> I think if you have to say, "I am in no way suspicious," they might think you're suspicious.

[00:06:40]Where is this facility?

[00:06:46]Coincidentally, they're going past it right as they speak.

[00:06:59]I love that his crow is always by his side because Tandros disappears for a while whereas this one is constantly with Rang Goku.

[00:07:14]I really like Ren Goku. I hope nothing happens to Ren Goku because like he's such a chill guy.

[00:07:30]How convenient the bento solves everything when no sinetsu and tandro were at the train station. The front of the train said Mugan, right? So is it not the same train that they got onto that Rangoku was on?

[00:07:53]Oh, okay.

[00:07:55]>> Right. They're going to put it back in service tomorrow night.

[00:08:08]>> It's not the same one.

[00:08:17]Like, don't stand on my bento.

[00:08:22]Not disgusting. It's delicious.

[00:08:31]You're revoling.

[00:08:43]>> Oh, okay. No, it is the same one cuz there was that weird beam of light.

[00:08:54]until now.

[00:09:14]The [ __ ] is wrong with you?

[00:09:45]Don't you dare.

[00:09:49]He's not going to let that happen.

[00:10:03]Whoa.

[00:10:10]>> Oh, you don't even realize who you're messing with, buddy.

[00:10:18][ __ ] he's fast.

[00:10:32]I love how confident he is with the demon slayer core in that he's like, "My friends are coming." He knows that they have his back.

[00:10:42]>> They're never far behind him. I just I love that.

[00:10:47]Oh my god, he's getting fast. He's picking up speed.

[00:10:59]>> Oh, I hope he gets there in time.

[00:11:11]Yes.

[00:11:18]No.

[00:11:25]>> If she didn't believe in demons before, she'll believe in them now.

[00:11:32]She said she'd lay her life down for her granddaughter.

[00:11:39]I'd lay my life down for him. Don't. No.

[00:11:47]>> Oh, thank God.

[00:12:08]>> No, you're going to wish you hadn't.

[00:12:21]He did warn you. You didn't listen.

[00:12:31]Sweating and dark.

[00:12:49]She's seen it before.

[00:13:01]Maybe his dad This is so beautiful.

[00:13:19]Like the same movements.

[00:13:38]I was going to say it definitely couldn't have been him.

[00:13:44]Oh.

[00:13:54]Oh. Following in his dad's footsteps.

[00:14:05]Oh, what a beautiful full circle moment though.

[00:14:12]No.

[00:14:19]He's not a hashira for nothing.

[00:14:24]Yeah.

[00:14:35]It was to keep him from getting closer to the demon on the Mugan train. Okay, that makes sense. So, what we saw at the end of episode 26 was them boarding the Mugan train. So, this was before Goku boarded the Mugan train.

[00:14:56]Well, famous last words. I just hope nothing odd happens. Yeah, something odd's going to [ __ ] happen. Of course it is.

[00:15:23]But he'll buy the rest.

[00:15:28]Oh, I love him. So generous and kind.

[00:15:45]Why am I scared that he's not going to get to tell his father about this? That worries me that he gets that moment of knowing that he's following his father's legacy, living up to his father's name, but might not ever get to share that moment with his father.

[00:16:24]Okay. I'm just suspicious of everyone and I'm like, are those like lower level demons?

[00:16:41]Delicious.

[00:16:47]>> Oh, wow. He's such a good guy. I have a lot of love for Rang Goku. I really do.

[00:17:04]We're not here to fight him. We're here to work with him and a noble person.

[00:17:27]All of them at one time. Jeez.

[00:17:41]He is slumbling.

[00:17:49]Oh, okay.

[00:18:00]Oh, he actually like loves him.

[00:18:04]Love him.

[00:18:11]Honorable. Admirable.

[00:18:15]Did he not give his opinion?

[00:18:19]Oh, he did.

[00:18:30]It's hard not to. He's such a good guy.

[00:18:51]It says deep sleep and people were looking a little ill and a little drowsy. So I'm wondering if that's what it's kind of referring to. At first I was like, are they demons? like lower level demons that are here to like protect the powerful one sort of to divide and conquer, split their attention. Cuz if you can keep them separated, it's harder for them to band together to take down the more powerful one maybe.

[00:19:22]Or it could be to do with deep sleep, which is maybe like an ability like a blood demon art that puts people to sleep. I'm not sure. But Rang Goku, I'm kind of really worried because the full circle moment, the knowing that you're following your father's legacy, that you're able to help the same people that he helped. That pride in knowing that you are following a noble cause and are carrying his legacy on with you right down to the very same movements. The fact that she's seeing double, she's like, "You saved me twice. It wasn't him. It was his father." Because he is a reflection of his father, showing how much pride he takes in being like his father, in following his footsteps, because it likely means everything to him, that people think he's like his dad. And the fact that he then turns to her and he says, "I will be sure to tell him." And I'm now really worried that he's not going to be able to tell him. Especially when they're going through all the Hishira and all the Hashira talking about how much they love him, how positive he is, that he never whines, he never complains, he's so upbeat, he's this radiant light amongst the Hashira. And that worries me that with his death, it's going to have an adverse impact on the Hashira, on their unit as a whole.

[00:20:53]Because we've had the mention of how this group has been around for a while, that it's like a semianual Hashira meetup, and the master was really happy to see that there was no change in faces. So that means they've been a solid core group for a subsequent amount of time. So then to lose someone would have so much more of an impact if you're so used to losing someone every other month. And especially someone that's had such an impact on them all. So it's going to have an impact in that they're going to carry the weight of Rangoku's memory forward with them. But also it could cause conflict and tension especially because Tangro is present with Rangoku at the time. So, I don't know if maybe if Rangoku dies that some of the Hishir might look unfavorably at Tandro that Tandro didn't do enough to help or I'm not sure. But there's just some elements of foreshadowing in the dialogue and this flashback between Rang Goku's movements and his father's.

[00:22:08]the way that it flickers between the two that his father saved the grandmother when she was younger and her daughter and then now Rangoku has saved the same woman but her granddaughter showing that because of Rangoku's father's actions this lineage this generation has continued but not just that his own lineage and generation has continued in that his son has gone on to also save people from demons to secure that next generation continues to thrive and survive and do what they love and are passionate about. And it's just beautiful cuz it's a full circle in two ways. It's this generation having continued because of what the Demon Slayers do, but also the way that the Demon Slayer legacy passes on to Ren Goku and he's able to save that generation once more. It's so beautiful and again just makes me very worried that he's not going to get to share that with his dad. I love seeing how noble he is that he's willing to go all out to help those in need at any cost. But I love how noble he is that he was not going to allow the slasher to hurt these Bento people because they were passionate about what they did and they deserve to live a life unimpacted by demons. And that's what he was saying to the little girl when she was apologizing that she didn't take the message of demons seriously. He's like, "No, this is a good thing. It's a good thing that you don't know about demons because you've never had to encounter them.

[00:23:50]You've never had to suffer the devastation that demons cause. This is what we want. We want a world in which no one has to be impacted by demons. We want people to not have to be afraid of walking alone at night. We want people to be able to not be scared that their whole family is going to be wiped out because of a demon. The fact that you've never encountered one is a blessing.

[00:24:18]It's what should be the case for everyone and it means that you have lived a good life and he sees it as a shame that she has had that idea of demons not existing seed because of this interaction. But we're also having another full circle moment with season 1 episode 1 where we have Hello.

[00:24:46]Hello.

[00:24:49]You settling or you want to go out? Are you settling?

[00:24:54]Where we have Tango going home and it's dark and the elderly man told him to stay the night because of demons and Tandro was kind of skeptical being like, "Yeah, okay, whatever." Didn't really believe that they were a thing. and then unfortunately learned the consequences of demons being true when he goes home and sees that his family's been killed and Desco has been turned into one.

[00:25:23]Whereas in season 2, episode 1, we have the same scenario play out, but there's a positive ending. No one's harmed, no one's killed. And yes, she's aware that demons exist, but she's not setting out to become a demon slayer now because she doesn't have the trauma that most demon slayers have in order to pursue such a life. And it shows the generational gap as well that the older generation are aware of demons that they continue to hold that philosophy.

[00:25:57]But the younger generation because they don't have as much interaction with demons or it's chockked up as being like a serial killer, they don't believe that demons exist to the same capacity. But this was honestly stunning. the animation, the music, the way that Ren Goku is such a foodie that he thinks everything is delicious. The fact that he's so passionate about saving those in need at any cost. He's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure there's a positive outcome. He doesn't want to give the demon the satisfaction. So, he basically says that she's unharmed and that she'll recover from these mental wounds. basically telling the demon what you did doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things because it's going to have no impact on her life because she will recover. She will forget you and you are insignificant. Once you are wiped out, you are gone. There is no remnants of you left in this world.

[00:26:54]Beautiful, beautiful episode. Still very worried about Ren Goku though. Thank you so much for watching. If you enjoyed this react, please consider liking, subscribing, and leaving a comment below to help boo this video into the algorithm. And until next episode, bye.