Anime-only fans fresh off the Mugen Train movie can look forward to these surprising developments in future episodes of Demon Slayer.
The final chapter of Demon Slayer was published in Shonen Jump in May of 2020, and while dedicated fans can access the entirety of the adventure in Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga, the anime still has a long way to go to before it finishes telling the story of Tanjiro and Nezuko.
The future of Muzan Kibutsuji and Tanjiro Kamado has already been laid out by Koyoharu Gotouge, but anime-only fans are still just dipping their metaphorical toes into the ocean that is the Demon Slayer mythos. As the anime moves forward by faithfully adapting the source material, fans will uncover some incredible developments from the pages of the manga.
Iguro & Kanroji Are An Overpowered Hashira Couple
Season 1 of Demon Slayer introduces the Hashira in episode 22. Two of these Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps who stuck out during their introduction were the Snake Hashira, Iguro, and the Love Hashira, Kanroji.
During their introduction, Kanroji never stops expressing her love while Iguro lurks in the distance, coiled up around a tree branch. Anime-only viewers weren’t given enough information on the Hashira to connect Kanroji and Iguro, but manga readers know that the pair form a powerful coupling crucial to the battle with Muzan Kibutsuji.
Tanjiro Develops His Fire Breathing Techniques & Red Blade
After Tanjiro witnesses the death of the former Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, he takes it upon himself to master the Hinokami Kagura Breathing Style. This technique was passed down to Tanjiro through his father and leads the young Demon Slayer toward the art of fire breathing. Tanjiro’s fire breathing techniques are beautiful, and the way his fiery sword will cut through animated action sequences is something all fans still have to look forward to.
Tanjiro Inherits Rengoku’s Fiery Sword Hilt
Not even anime fans who made it to a theater to watch the Demon Slayer movie know why Tanjiro’s sword hilt changes to match the shift in his breathing techniques. The Mugen Train arc was recently animated into Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train, but the manga wraps this arc up by showing Rengoku’s father gift Tanjiro his son’s flame hilt.
The new sword hilt is meant to foreshadow the development of Tanjiro’s fire breathing techniques, but it also adds a nice visual flair to everyone’s favorite Demon Slayer. Hopefully the anime includes Tanjiro’s interactions with Shinjuro so fans can see his black-and-red sword at the peak of visual art.
Giyu & Sabito Trained Under Sakonji Urokodaki Together
Anime fans were introduced to Giyu and Sabito before Tanjiro ever entered the Demon Slayer Corps. The two warriors trained under the former Water Hashira Sakonji Urokodaki at the same time, but only one went on to become a full-fledged Demon Slayer. Anime fans know that Giyu inherited the title of Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps from Urokodaki, but less is known about Sabito.
Giyu and Sabito share a bond that only manga readers know about. The pair trained together under Urokodaki, and if Giyu is honest in his assessment of Sabito, the fox-masked boy was even more powerful than Giyu. Though Sabito wasn’t powerful enough to defeat the thick-necked demon during Final Selection, he did manage to save Giyu and allow the future Water Hashira to find a path that would prove his strength.
The Fate Of Tanjiro’s Sword Leads Him To A Village Of Beautifully Talented Swordsmiths Hidden Behind Silly Masks
The members of the Demon Slayer Corps live and die by their swords. The strongest members are able to keep their swords intact regardless of the strength of their enemy, but others are forced to bond with a swordsmith until they master a breathing technique. Tanjiro struggled to communicate with his own swordsmith, Hotaru Haganezuka, while fluctuating between Water and Fire Breathing Styles, but by the end of the series, Hotaru is as much a part of defeating Muzan as Tanjiro is.
Not only is Hotaru responsible for forging Tanjiro’s final blade, he does so under the stress of battle and a threat to his own life. When the Demon Slayer Corps comes to Hotaru’s rescue, the smith commits to his masterpiece and forges the sword that will end the life of Muzan Kibutsuji.
Genya Eats Demons To Grow Stronger
Anime-only fans of Demon Slayer witnessed the return of Genya in the final episode of Season 1. Before Tanjiro leaves to join up with Rengoku, he runs into Genya again at the Butterfly Mansion.
The angry young Demon Slayer returned for the first time after appearing next to Tanjiro, Kanao, and Zenitsu during the Final Selection in a much bigger body than before. The manga explains that Genya beefed up by eating the flesh of demons. His inability to master a breathing technique pushed Genya down an ironic path toward strength that few viewers could have predicted.
Tanjiro’s Scar Ties His Fate To Muzan Kibutsuji
Even anime fans already realize that the scar on Tanjiro’s forehead must be meaningful in some way or another. After all, the mark is clearly visible and sitting right on top of the main character’s head. Only manga readers know exactly how this mark ties Tanjiro to the Hashira and the way it guides his fate toward Muzan Kibutsuji.
The mark on Tanjiro’s forehead introduces readers to the Demon Slayer Mark, an ancient marking that talented Demon Slayers can acquire through rigorous training and a certain degree of combat strain. The master of the Demon Slayer Corps describes the mark as a necessity for any Hashira or Demon Slayer hoping to stand against Muzan Kibutsuji in combat.
The Butterfly House Is Inspired By The Late Flower Hashira, Kanae Kocho
Almost every fan of Demon Slayer would recognize the name Shinobu Kocho, but only dedicated fans will remember meeting her elder sister Kanae Kocho during Shinobu’s tragic flashback in episode 24.
Anime-only fans have explored the Butterfly Mansion, but the full story of Shinobu and Kanao are still relegated almost exclusively to the manga. Fans should learn more about Kanae’s generous personality once season 2 wraps production and makes it to Crunchyroll.
Muzan Kibutsuji’s Plans To Overcome His Weakness To Sunlight
Muzan Kibutsuji may be the most powerful character in the entire Demon Slayer franchise, considering the young age of both members of the Kamado family. With this in mind, those that call themselves Demon Slayers must come to understand the weaknesses of the most powerful demon in the world, once of which is sunlight.
Of course, Muzan is wise enough to understand his weakness and attempt to eradicate it before the Demons Slayers can take advantage of it. By defeating the power of the sun, Muzan Kibutsuji could have decimated the entirety of the Demon Slayer Corps in less than 24 hours.
Nezuko Overcomes The Sun Before Muzan
The Demon Slayer manga has reached its conclusion, so readers have already witnessed Muzan Kibutsuji’s plot to defeat the sun and Nezuko Kamado’s unnatural ability to do so.
The Demon Slayer anime makes it clear that Tanjiro is determined to save his sister, but Nezuko is by no means a damsel in distress. The young demon is extremely powerful despite having never consumed a human like Muzan’s Twelve Kizuki. By the end of the manga, Nezuko uses Lady Tamayo’s cure and manages to return to her human form and face the sun.
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