Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Vol. 1

These chapters flesh out several aspects of the Demon Slayer universe, including the abilities of demon slayers and how they are inspired by real samurai practice. The Demon Slayer Corps is an elite group of warriors that has “existed since the days of old” (112). They wield special swords—often katanas—with a nichirin blade, the only type that can kill a demon. Demon slayers are reminiscent of samurai, a highly trained warrior class that rose to prominence in feudal Japan as a significant cultural and political force. Samurai follow a code of conduct called bushido, which emphasizes self-control, self-sacrifice, and honor, among other expectations. Though samurai and bushido are not named in Demon Slayer, Tanjiro’s proclivity for selflessness and sacrifice, and the Demon Slayer Corps’s overall protection of people, evoke these concepts.

The final selection atop Mount Fujikasane is meant to determine which Demon Slayer Corps recruits are worthy of joining its ranks. The role of demon slayer involves both physical prowess and ideally a moral code conducive to being a protector. Tanjiro continues to exhibit the selflessness and sacrifice characteristic of bushido. Without hesitation, he saves a fellow recruit from the powerful Hand Demon; on the other hand, when the demon knocks Tanjiro out, this boy runs away. This cowardice is contrasted with Tanjiro’s courage in the face of death, especially when innocents are at risk.

These chapters show the unique powers that controlled breathing can bestow upon demon slayers. A samurai text from the 17th century, “Twelve Rules of the Sword,” details the almost-magical powers that samurai were able to access during sword fighting—one of these rules being the “eyes of the heart” (Jarus, Owen. “Samurai Text Tells Secrets of Sword-Fighters’ ‘Supernatural Powers’,” Live Science, 19 June 2019). This rule coached samurai to follow movements with their mind or spirit, rather than their eyes. Due to his training with Makomo, Tanjiro doesn’t react to his opponents’ movements, instead controlling his senses and smelling an “opening thread” that runs from his blade to an opponent’s weak spot. Then, “guided by the thread, my blade cuts into that spot” (152).

Tanjiro also fights using the samurai technique of ichi-no-tachi, a partnered fighting form where a sword makes only one cut. When he faces his first demons atop Mount Fujikasane, he uses the fourth form of his “total concentration water breathing”—“striking tide”—and beheads both demons with one cut. This “water breathing,” taught to him by Urokodaki and Makomo, is a form of breathing that mimics the flow, flexibility, and adaptability of water. Water can be calm and nurturing but also forceful and strong. This is much like Tanjiro himself, who sees Sympathy as Strength but also knows to fight without hesitation. When a demon slayer harnesses a certain type of breathing, the symbolism of their breathing is literalized in their attack: When Tanjiro uses water breathing, his attack is imbued with water drawn in a flowing style (163). Such action sequences provide some of Demon Slayer’s best illustrations.

These chapters also provide more context for demons and their powers. The Hand Demon was captured by Urokodaki and imprisoned on the mountain almost 50 years ago; in this time, it has killed 50 Demon Slayer Corps recruits. Urokodaki taught Tanjiro that demons grow stronger through consumption of people. At a certain point, “some physically change, gaining unnatural powers” (176). This is the case with the Hand Demon, who is a mass of entangled, muscled arms. Eating humans without necessity or remorse is framed as an unnatural act in the manga, and as such, the act imbues demons with unnatural powers of transformation. This provides context for Nezuko’s two-year slumber: Because she has never eaten a human, she cannot regain her power this way, instead conserving and replenishing her energy by hibernating.

The demons and demon slayers thus wield pseudo-supernatural powers against one another. Though final selection is technically a test to see if someone is suited for the Demon Slayer Corps, it is also a life-or-death microcosm of what Tanjiro will face in his future as a demon slayer—should he survive the test. The volume ends on a cliffhanger: Tanjiro moves to attack the Hand Demon’s neck, but the reader knows the demon is unusually strong for a final selection demon. This cliffhanger creates suspense and leaves Tanjiro’s fate unknown.