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Delve into the life of Akaza in Demon Slayer, from his tragic past to his evolution as a formidable demon in the Twelve Kizuki.
Akaza in Demon Slayer was initially introduced as a ruthless killer and a member of the Twelve Kizuki. Akaza held the position of Upper Moon 3 with an unwavering love for combat. However, beneath his relentless desire for strength lies a deeply tragic past filled with loss, betrayal, and sorrow.
This article explores Akaza’s life before he became a demon, the people who shaped him, the tragedy that broke him, and his relentless pursuit of strength, which ultimately led to his downfall.
Early Hardships and a Life of Struggle
Akaza’s human name was Hakuji. He was born and raised in the slums of Edo, and since he was young, he took care of his sick father. Hakuji was young, so no one would give him a job so he could collect money for his father’s medicine. As a result, he became a petty thief and saved money by pickpocketing. Unfortunately, authorities caught him three times, and the magistrate beat him and marked him with tattoos. People called him a demon child and warned him that they would cut off his arms if they caught him a fourth time.
When he returned home, he was shocked to find his father had taken his own life. His sick father could not live with the fact that his son had to go through such hardships to keep him alive and decided to take his own life. Hakuji’s father wrote him a letter, urging him to live an honest life and expressing his refusal to take any medicine obtained through dishonest means. Soon after this, the authorities banished Akaza from Edo. Enraged at everyone around him, Hakuji nearly beat seven adult men before he met Keizo.
Keizo and Koyuki’s Influence
Keizo was the owner of a local dojo. He promised to take Hakuji in to nurse his sick daughter, Koyuki. Her mother had killed herself as she could not bear to see her daughter always sick. Keizo was also unable to take care of her and had accepted that there would be no cure. Hakuji, on the other hand, had experience in taking care of a sick person but was hesitant to open up to them.
Eventually, Hakuji trained in martial arts under Keizo and returned the favor by being the primary caretaker of Koyuki. Despite her condition, Koyuki was kind and optimistic. She and Hakuji developed a deep bond, and for the first time in his life, Hakuji felt true happiness.
Over time, Hakuji developed romantic feelings for Koyuki, and Keizo gave his blessing for them to get married. Finally, Hakuji felt that his dark past was behind him. He went to his father’s grave to share the good news, but when he returned, he discovered that someone had poisoned and murdered Keizo and Koyuki.
Betrayal, Loss, and the Turning Point
When Hakuji returned home to find the people he cared about dead and saw their lifeless bodies, everything shattered around him. All the years he had put into finding happiness were stolen from him in an instant. He was not able to manage these feelings of rage and grief and decided that he would get revenge.
Hakuji slaughtered 67 members of the rival dojo as they were responsible for this tragedy. Fueled by grief, he turned into something inhuman. This massacre was so brutal that people described this event as something a demon would have done. This caught the attention of Muzan Kibutsuji, the main antagonist of Demon Slayer. He had not sent any demons to the area, so he had to check who had caused this rampage. When he saw Hakuji’s strength and potential, Muzan took this chance and offered him the opportunity to become even stronger by becoming a demon.
The Transformation into a Demon
With nothing left to live for, Hakuji accepted this offer and was reborn as a demon named Akaza. The pain of losing Keizo and Koyuki was buried beneath his new identity, and his memories of them faded over time. He lost his humanity, and only one thing stayed: the desire to become stronger. It was his only purpose, and Akaza picked fights with ever-stronger fighters he could face. His human past, though buried, continued to shape him in ways he couldn’t understand.
Even as a demon, there was one thing that showed he still remembered his love for Koyuki. Akaza never ate women, which shows that despite his brutal nature, there was hope for redemption.
The Endless Pursuit of Strength and Redemption
For centuries, Akaza lived only for battle. His strength was his pride, and it was his mission to seek out worthy opponents. His philosophy in Demon Slayer was based on social Darwinism—the idea that the strong deserve to live while the weak should die. Akaza soon became Muzan’s favorite and was one of the Twelve Kizuki. During his time as a demon, whenever he encountered Hashira and Demon Slayers, he offered them all the chance to turn into demons so he could fight with them eternally and become stronger.
Yet, even as a demon, there were moments when glimpses of humanity surfaced. When he fought Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, he felt admiration toward his opponent that he did not fully understand. He kept urging Rengoku to become a demon, as it was a way to immortalize him forever. But Rengoku’s strong willpower and sacrifice to save everyone shook something deep within Akaza, though he couldn’t recognize it at the time.
The Final Battle Against Tanjiro and Giyu
During the Infinity Castle arc, Akaza faced Tanjiro Kamado and Giyu Tomioka in a brutal fight. Despite his strength and experience, Tanjiro’s determination and willpower pushed him to his limits. In the middle of the battle, Tanjiro erased his fighting spirit, which confused Akaza as he was not able to track him. Tanjiro took advantage of this and managed to land an attack, cutting his head off.
Akaza was still not ready to give up; despite being beheaded, he did not disintegrate. But somehow, his memories as a human resurfaced. He saw visions of his past—his father, Keizo, and Koyuki. For the first time in centuries, he remembered who he truly was. We see a glimpse of Koyuki asking him to come with her. This is when Akaza realized the monster he had become and chose to end his life. Koyuki welcomed him, and he finally felt the peace he had constantly sought during his life but never found.
Conclusion
Akaza in Demon Slayer lost everything and everyone he ever cared for and became a demon, seeking power to avoid more pain. But it never worked, as his rage never subsided. During his final fight, Akaza finally faced his past, saw his mistakes, and chose to end it. He was a villain, for sure, but not evil—just a deeply sad one.
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