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Discover how the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho’s hatred of demons ended up being her downfall in the Demon Slayer series.
The Insect Hashira of Demon Slayer, Shinobu Kocho, is a fan-favorite character who caught the attention of the fans in the very first season of the anime itself. Fans were initially charmed by her serene smile and gentle voice, which seemed to radiate warmth. However, the series quickly revealed that Shinobu’s calm exterior is a mere façade that hides a storm of pain and unfaltering hatred against Demons.
As the series went on, fans eventually discovered the tragic reason behind Shinobu’s grudge against Demons, as well as her final plan to exact revenge against them, which ultimately resulted in her demise. Follow this article to learn more about Shinobu’s past, how it shaped her personality, and much more.
The Tragic Reason Behind Shinobu’s Hatred of Demons in Demon Slayer
Shinobu Kocho was initially portrayed as a bright and friendly character with a cheerful demeanor. No matter what situation she was in, Shinobu was always seen having a calming smile on her face, which radiated a sense of warmth. It was also in contrast to the behavior of the other Hashiras.
That said, Shinobu’s outgoing and cheerful personality all turned out to be a façade. Although she once claimed that she wanted to get along with Demons, her actions suggested otherwise. In fact, it was eventually revealed that she harbored a deep-seated and intense resentment towards Demons. This was because Shinobu not only lost her elder sister, Kanae Kocho, at the hands of Demons, but also her parents, the majority of her apprentices, and their families at the Butterfly Mansion.
However, her sister’s brutal murder specifically motivated her to exact her revenge against the Demons. Kanae was not only Shinobu’s sibling; she was her guiding light, embodying hope and kindness even when things seemed bleak. Although Kanae believed in the coexistence between humans and Demons, she ended up tragically losing her life at the hands of Doma, the Upper Rank Two Demon. Her death left Shinobu with an unfillable void, with her grief soon developing into a relentless and reckless drive to avenge her sister.
Shinobu’s hatred against Demons is so strong that she is almost always in a near-constant state of extreme anger, which is something that even Tanjiro Kamado picked up on. That said, she manages to hide this intense rage from others by putting a smile on her face.
How Shinobu’s Hatred Affected Her Personality
Before her sister’s death, Shinobu had a more brash and uncomplicated personality. This was evident during a flashback of the time when the two sisters rescued Kanao Tsuyuri. However, after Kanae’s death, Shinobu started acting more like her sister on the outside. She eventually adopted Kanae’s positive and cheerful attitude and displayed an easygoing smile on her face, all while holding in her intense hatred towards Demons.
Shinobu once even claimed that the practice of continuously displaying her sister’s smile on her face added to her rage. Therefore, by adopting a mask of perpetual calm and cheerfulness, Shinobu managed to hide her true feelings of anger and hatred for the Demons. She not only wanted to kill every last one of them, but she also wanted them to suffer as painfully as possible.
How Did Shinobu Avenge Her Sister’s Death?
Shinobu’s relentless desire for vengeance led her to develop a self-sacrificial plan to defeat Doma, the Upper Rank Two Demon who killed her sister. Knowing that she wouldn’t be a match for the Demon in physical combat, Shinobu spent almost an entire year preparing for their inevitable confrontation.
Shinobu heavily altered her body by absorbing highly concentrated wisteria-based poison (wisteria being a plant lethal to Demons) for a year prior to their battle. By the time she came face to face with Doma, her body was completely saturated with the undetectable poison. The poison even merged with her cell structures, including those of her blood and organs, to the tips of her fingernails. In fact, her body was equivalent to almost 37 kilograms of wisteria poison, which is about 700 times the amount necessary for killing a Demon.
Although Shinobu fought to the bitter end during her battle with Doma, her ultimate goal was not to win – but to weaken his body to the point where her allies could finish him off. Once Doma absorbed Shinobu’s body after killing her, the effects of the poison in her body kicked in. It proved to be extremely effective as well, as it completely melted down Doma’s body to his bones and even halted his regeneration abilities, allowing Kanao and Inosuke to put him down once and for all. Therefore, by sacrificing her own life, Shinobu was finally able to quench her thirst for vengeance against Doma.
Was Shinobu’s Death Necessary in Demon Slayer?
Although Shinobu’s sacrifice and subsequent demise was instrumental in Doma’s defeat, it also raises the question – Was it absolutely necessary in the broader scheme of things? Her decision to sacrifice herself was a result of her relentless pursuit of vengeance against Doma for murdering her sister. In other words, it was shaped by her overwhelming hatred and belief that her life’s purpose was to kill Doma. As such, the question of whether her death is necessary or not is a difficult one to answer.
We can also rephrase it as “Was it necessary for Shinobu to kill herself to exact her revenge on Doma?” Her actions not only reflect her unrelenting love for her sister, but they also highlight how her hatred consumed her to the point where she began to value taking revenge over her own life. In a way, her death symbolizes the cost of vengeance. It also portrays how one’s hatred, even when justified, can rob them of their future.
Conclusion
In the end, Shinobu’s hatred for Demons and Doma in particular resulted in her early demise. Her backstory not only showcased the tragic reason behind her twisted personality, but it also gave viewers a sense of her deep-seated pain and unwavering grudge against Demons.
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