How to defeat the Sanjuro Demon in Trek to Yomi

Demons are weak to pocket sand.

Screenshot by DoubleXP

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Trek to Yomi is developers Leonard Menchiari and Flying Wild Hogs’ intense and intimate tribute to classic Samurai films. The journey into Yomi is freight with peril, and one lousy sword swing is all it takes for the trip to end. Trek to Yomi features some supernatural elements, coming in the form of boss fights. One such battle, the Sanjuro Demon, is tough, and this guide will make this fight a breeze.

Defeating the Sanjuro Demon

Screenshot by DoubleXP

The Sanjuro Demon is one of several supernatural boss fights you will start to encounter later in the game. This particular fight will await you at the end of chapter five. This fight is similar to others, and the closed-off arena will be just as much a threat as his powered attacks during the encounter.

This fight has two phases, and the first phase is pretty simple as long as you remember to dodge and avoid blocking at all costs. With the size of this boss, even successful blocks will leave a sizable amount of damage and stun lock. Sanjuro also has a large variety of attacks, so trying to risk it all for a parry will usually end in a quick death.

His size is his detriment, as the overhead swings will leave you room to roll through and end up on the opposite side of his attacks. Please stay away from his horizontal slashes, proceed to attack his back, and brace yourself for phase two.

image via Devolver Digital

Phase two of the Sanjuro boss fight will begin once you have taken down half of his health bar. The environment won’t change, but he will add various new attacks that can be tough to deal with if you have bad habits from earlier chapters.

The biggest threat during this fight is a Juggernaut-styled shoulder charge that can instantly end the conflict regardless of health. This move is telegraphed as it always follows up his diving overhead slash. Avoid the downward smash when he jumps, then closes the distance and roll as he begins to lower his shoulder and safely avoid this attack.

The best opportunity to damage Sanjuro is after a dodge, but don’t get greedy. One sword swing or two is all you need to chip away. Due to his size and unblockable attacks, fighting him head-on is possible but risky.

Ranged attacks should be avoided, as they will have no impact on him. Remain at a distance, avoid blocking his frontal attacks, and careful dodges will be the keys to victory when fighting the Sanjuro Demon.