Facebook
Reddit
Email
Who is Kanae Kocho in Demon Slayer? Explore the story of the late Flower Hashira, her connection to Shinobu, her role in the story, and more.
Every character in Demon Slayer, no matter how major or minor their role in the story, has a profound impact on both fans and the characters themselves. Even Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a powerful Demon Slayer who died hundreds of years prior to the main timeline of the series, is an irreplaceable part of the overarching narrative.
While speaking of minor characters who had a major impact on the story in Demon Slayer, the name of the late Flower Hashira – Kanae Kocho – certainly comes to mind. Despite her limited screen time, she played a crucial role in shaping the journey of other characters – especially her sister, Shinobu Kocho. Her overall influence on the narrative is undeniable, which is fascinating, to say the least since Kanae exists more as a memory than an active participant in the narrative. With that in mind, let us further explore Kanae Kocho’s character in detail.
Who Is Kanae Kocho in Demon Slayer?
Kanae Kocho was a Demon Slayer and the former Flower Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. She was the older sister of the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, and the adoptive sister of Kanao Tsuyuri. As a Hashira, Kanae was one of the strongest fighters of the Demon Slayer Corps. However, several years before the present story of Demon Slayer, Kanae met her end at the hands of the Upper-Rank Two Demon, Doma.
Before her unexpected demise, Kanae was depicted as a kind-hearted and good-natured person. She had an easygoing personality, and almost always had a gentle smile on her face, as per Shinobu and Kanao’s flashbacks. She also had quite an unusual dream of being able to coexist and live peacefully alongside Demons, regardless of all their heinous crimes against humanity.
This particular belief of Kanae set her apart from her fellow Hashira, who saw Demons as nothing but monsters incapable of redemption. In many ways, her philosophy was similar to that of Tanjiro’s. It also made her one of the few unique characters who viewed Demons with compassion instead of hatred.
Kanae’s Connection to Shinobu
As mentioned earlier, Kanae was Shinobu’s older biological sister. Due to their shared tragic childhood, Kanae and Shinobu became each other’s emotional anchors. Following the death of their parents, the two sisters aimed to become Demon Slayers one day, in order to prevent the Demons from inflicting more pain on humans. However, after joining the Demon Slayer Corps and becoming a Hashira, Kanae developed a new perspective and wanted to live peacefully alongside Demons.
Before Kanae’s death, Shinobu used to be more open, brash, and uncomplicated, which was a stark contrast to her older sister’s personality. However, losing Kanae completely shattered whatever compassion was left inside her. Shinobu developed an unrelenting hatred towards Demons, which she masked by outwardly behaving more like Kanae.
Obviously, Kanae and Shinobu shared an extremely close bond. Kanae’s death didn’t just take away the only family Shinobu had. It took away whatever hope Shinobu had left within her, which resulted in her using her sister’s friendly personality as a façade to hide her intense hatred against Demons. This highlights just how much Kanae meant to Shinobu – she essentially molded her entire existence around avenging her sister.
However, the most tragic part of this, is that Kanae likely wouldn’t have wanted Shinobu to carry so much hatred in her heart. Her dying words weren’t meant for Shinobu to make it her life’s mission to avenge Kanae – it was a warning about Doma so that Shinobu wouldn’t suffer the same fate as her. This undying desire for revenge ultimately resulted in Shinobu’s death as well, who on the other hand, was content knowing that she had finally managed to avenge her sister.
Kanae’s Powers and Abilities
While the full extent of Kanae Kocho’s abilities wasn’t shown in Demon Slayer, we can at least infer that she was one of the Corps’ strongest fighters. Her rank as the Flower Hashira is proof that she was an extremely formidable and skilled fighter. This is because the position of Hashira is only reserved for those Demon Slayers who have either killed one of the Twelve Kizuki or slain at least 50 Demons.
Kanae might even have been on par with some of the upper-ranked Demons, as she was powerful enough to battle Doma to a standstill until sunrise. Although she did end up dying from her injuries, taking on the Upper Rank Two Demon all by their lonesome would have been a difficult task for anyone.
Kanae created and mastered the Flower Breathing Style, which was stated to have several powerful and deadly forms. As for her physical capabilities, we can assume Kanae to possess more raw strength than Shinobu, since she primarily used a standard Nichirin katana, unlike her sister.
Kanae’s Importance in Demon Slayer
In terms of her importance in the overall series, Kanae Kocho is a relatively minor character who, in the present story, exists only in Shinobu and Kanao’s memories. However, this doesn’t undermine her importance in the overarching narrative in the slightest. In fact, her death indirectly resulted in Doma’s eventual demise as well.
Kanae’s death pushed Shinobu past her breaking point. It completely broke Shinobu from the inside, pushing her to develop a hatred so intense that she didn’t even hesitate to throw her life away for the sake of revenge.
Although Kanae tried to protect her sister from Doma by warning her about him with her dying words, it ended up having the opposite effect. Moreover, there’s a twisted irony in Kanae’s death – for someone who dreamt of peace, her death ended up leading to more violence and hatred.
Conclusion
Although Kanae Kocho’s role in Demon Slayer was cut short due to her untimely demise, her presence was profound throughout the series, particularly through Shinobu’s character. All in all, her kindness, strength, and unrelenting desire for a peaceful world make her a character worth remembering.
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!
- The First Descendant Guides
- Baldur’s Gate 3 Guides
- Destiny 2 Guides
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard Guides