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Kibutsuji Muzan in Demon Slayer is an antagonist that lacks complexity but makes up for it in his effectiveness as a villain.
The Demon Slayer animanga series was quite a hit among members of the anime and manga community. One of the reasons for the series’ success is its characters. Koyoharu Gotouge had a flair for character writing since most of them had depth and complexity, which made up for the simplicity of the show. However, not all characters were complex. One such character is Kibutsuji Muzan, the antagonist of the Demon Slayer series.
One of the reasons why he is considered a great antagonist is how he managed to rally the entire fanbase against him. He lacks any redeeming qualities, which makes it easy for the viewers to root for the good guys in the show. The Demon King himself is rather despicable, and there aren’t many netizens who genuinely like this character.
He is one of those characters that the fanbase unanimously hates. This is quite a rare thing in anime since every minute detail is often a topic of debate among netizens. There are some netizens who don’t like Muzan as an antagonist. Some of the common arguments include the lack of complexity and his two-dimensional character writing. Let’s understand why Muzan is a good antagonist in the Demon Slayer series and how his simplicity elevates him as a villain.
Muzan’s Character in Demon Slayer
It is important to understand what Muzan’s character is like in order to make a case for the aforementioned topic. Muzan is introduced as this being with a massive superiority complex. He looks down on the human race and considers himself superior in every aspect. The objective truth is that he is far better than the human race when it comes to physical attributes. However, that’s all that matters to Muzan. What he fails to account for is the indomitable will of the human race.
He is exceptionally greedy, and every single demon that exists is nothing but a tool to realize his lofty goals. They are expendable, which can be seen when he kills all the Lower Moon demons in the series. Even when he was a human being, one could see his greed and impatience.
Ultimately, it was his impatience that made him a demon. He also made one of the most crucial mistakes towards the end of the manga—underestimating the entire human race. The demon hunters were not just skilled in swordsmanship but also carried on the legacy of all their fallen predecessors.
Greed, impatience, and his superiority complex are parts of the very core that make up Kibutsuji Muzan. There are absolutely no redeeming qualities to him. He is evil because his greed knows no bounds.
Writers’ Approach to Creating Antagonists
In anime, we see writers take two options—a villain with no redeeming qualities, and a villain who is a victim of circumstances that viewers empathize with. The latter has numerous examples from Demon Slayer and other popular shonen titles like the Naruto series. Akaza is one of the villains who happened to be a victim of circumstances. He was abandoned, later found a family, and then lost his wife, who he loved dearly. Enraged, he went on a killing rampage and eventually became a demon.
Similarly, the Naruto series had characters like Itachi, who was portrayed as an antagonist. However, the reason behind his actions was to keep his brother safe and to stop an internal war from consuming many innocent lives.
However, there is no justification for Muzan’s actions in Demon Slayer. He was ill, and he killed the only person who could potentially heal him. He did so because he was impatient and didn’t see any results. Following that, he continued to take countless lives without batting an eye. Muzan falls under the first category of villains, as per the initial remarks in this article.
Why Muzan Is a Well-Written Antagonist?
You might be wondering why Muzan is a good antagonist. Muzan is a well-written antagonist because he quite literally opposes everything that Tanjiro stands for. Tanjiro Kamado believes in fighting for the weaker and living harmoniously with each other. He believes in strong bonds that connect him and everyone he comes across. Furthermore, he strongly believes in justice and correcting any wrongdoing. Muzan, as a character, opposes every point mentioned earlier. He believes in weeding out the weak, only cares about himself, and looks down on human beings.
In a way, he is the polar opposite of what Tanjiro is in the Demon Slayer series. Furthermore, he seamlessly brings the entire fanbase together. He makes the readers/viewers root for the demon hunters and the entire human race. Every fiber of Muzan’s being is evil, and therefore, it acts as an element of amalgamation, forcing fans to put aside their differences and come together to support the demon hunters.
In these regards, Kibutsuji Muzan is an excellent antagonist. He lacks complexity, but there is no doubt that he is an effective villain in the Demon Slayer series.
Muzan as a Villain Had Room for Improvement
There is no doubt that Muzan had room for improvement in the series. He was undoubtedly effective. However, giving Muzan some complexity would have certainly elevated his character. If Gotouge spent some more time showcasing Muzan’s struggles, his impatience could have been justified. Spending years of your life in bed eats you away. This mental struggle could have been highlighted in a better manner, which would have added another dimension to the character.
Conclusion
Muzan isn’t the best antagonist that one can come across in anime and manga. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that he was exceptionally effective in the story. The writer used the character’s traits in the series to unite the fanbase. That being said, it is also important to acknowledge that Muzan, as a character, had plenty of room for improvement.
There is a reason why he isn’t the most popular antagonist among fans. A deeper dive into his struggles in his human stage would have given the fanbase an opportunity to relate to his pain. If this connection was established, it would have shaved off some of the hatred that viewers have towards him in the animanga series.
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