Demon Slayer: How Kanao Overcame Her Hardships

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WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the Demon Slayer Manga

Summary

  • Kanao’s abusive past led her to cut off all emotions, but with support, she gradually opens up.
  • Kanao’s healing journey stagnated after Kanae’s death but was reignited by Doma’s defeat.
  • By fulfilling her sister’s wishes and defeating Doma, Kanao finally starts to heal and show emotion.

Kanao, named Tsuyuri, embarked on a lengthy path toward mending her internal self, scarred by an abusive childhood that left her psychologically shattered and hesitant to display emotions, no matter the kindness of others. However, her development was gradual but persistent.

Despite making progress on her healing journey, Kanao’s life took a turn following Kocho Kanae’s demise, as everyone deeply missed her presence and kindness. This setback caused Kanao to halt her progress again. However, the influence of Kanae, Shinobu, and Tanjiro helped Kanao reopen her heart. It was ultimately Doma’s death that enabled Kanao to conquer her obstacles and resume her journey towards healing in Demon Slayer.

Kanao’s Inability to Express Her Emotions

Without Any Orders, Kanao Flips a Coin to Decide Her Next Decision

In the dark world of Demon Slayer, Tsuyuri Kanao carries an incredibly sorrowful past. As a young girl, she endured physical abuse at the hands of both her parents, and this torment ultimately claimed the life of her sibling. Her home environment was so harsh that any display of emotion, even as small as tears, would set off her parents into a fury, potentially leading to deadly consequences. Consequently, Kanao learned to suppress all feelings in order to survive.

Due to their struggling financial situation, Kanao’s parents were forced to sell her into slavery. However, Kanao, being attentive and observant, realized that adults often disfavored unruly children. Fortunately, the Kocho siblings intervened swiftly, with Kanae, the Flower Hashira, taking charge in rescuing her.

In that moment, it became evident that Kanao’s mind was trapped within a shell of fear, causing her to detach from her emotions as self-protection against potential harm. At first glance, Shinobu thought Kanao was merely compliant, but upon closer observation, I realized she would only perform tasks when instructed. This behavior, I suspect, was a clever strategy to avoid any form of physical punishment.

Despite being reserved, Kanao resists opening up, but Kanae’s faith that she could change with the right encouragement is starting to wear away at Kanao’s defenses. The suggestion that Kanao should use the coin for decision-making was a small step towards this change. Although Kanao kept her distance and rarely spoke unless necessary, Kanae’s kindness and affection played a significant role in helping Kanao open up.

Everyone was kind to me. That’s why I made so many excuses to fill my heart.

It wasn’t until Kanao joined the Demon Slayer Corps that her innate assertiveness began to emerge. Originally, plans called for Kanao to work alongside other girls at the Butterfly Mansion, but these plans were soon abandoned due to her inability to perform tasks without specific instructions. Instead, Kanao displayed a knack for mastering the Breath of Flower, although the Kocho siblings initially disapproved. They eventually allowed her to continue learning, as it was the first thing that had captured her interest. Kanao’s determination to join the Corps showcased an underlying emotional capacity within her, even though she couldn’t express it at the time; this marked the beginning of Kanao’s healing process.

How Doma’s Death Freed Her From Her Hardships

As the Youngest Adoptive Sibling, Kanao Fulfills Her Sister’s Wishes

Arc Infinity Castle
Chapters 140 – 183

Although these changes show significant steps forward in Kanao’s character development, the tragic death of Kanae seems to have halted this progress once more. After Kanae was killed by Doma, she couldn’t cry; this could be because her past taught her to cope this way. Throughout the series, we’ve seen Kanao make great strides in showing her feelings and becoming more sensitive towards others, largely due to Tanjiro’s impact on her.

Thanks to Kanae’s kindness and Tanjiro’s determination, Kanao manages to operate without relying heavily on the coin. Yet, it’s during her battle against Doma in the Infinite Castle that her strong-willed nature and genuine character really shine. Prior to engaging Doma, Kanao was fully conscious of Shinobu’s intention to risk herself to weaken Doma considerably. Although she wasn’t pleased with this plan, as Shinobu’s guardian, she respected Shinobu’s decision.

During the fight, Shinobu would have been carrying a lethal dose of Wisteria Flower venom within her system, due to which the encounter with the chauvinistic predator Doma turned out to be a fatal trap for him. Ever since her sister met her demise at Doma’s hands, Shinobu had been relentlessly seeking revenge. At the tender age of fourteen, she assumed control over the Butterfly Estate following her sister’s passing. Since then, Shinobu nurtured a profound hatred for Doma and could only recognize him based on the description she had.

Prior to the fight inside Infinity Castle, Shinobu shared her strategy to defeat Doma. This plan, unfortunately, demanded her own life. When Shinobu and Doma were engaged in combat, Shinobu made a signal to Kanao, probably initiating her scheme for Doma to consume or devour Shinobu. Since Kanao was privy to this strategy, her role was simply to delay the conflict.

Despite being relatively silent, Kanao possesses an extraordinary ability to perceive situations, largely due to her sharp eyesight. She’s not one to chatter, particularly in the heat of a fight. This trait is evident during the Mount Natagumo arc where she strictly adheres to her orders aimed at slaying demons. However, during the battle with Doma, instead of following the usual routine, Kanao intentionally provokes him, extending the conflict and mocking his psychotic character traits.

Kanao maintained a cautious stance throughout the fight, injuring Doma and provoking him at every chance. It seemed this tactic stemmed from the anger she’d been harboring since witnessing Shinobu’s death at Doma’s hands. This pent-up emotion allowed her to lead Doma astray with her moves, keeping him unaware that the poison was about to work on him.

I wanted to protect her. I wanted to risk my life for her. I wanted to go home together.

After the Wisteria venom had fully kicked in, it was the moment I’d been waiting for – the cue to unleash the Flower Breathing Final Form: Equinoctial Vermilion Eye Technique, with Inosuke by my side. Together, we struck a fatal blow, severing Doma’s head. The death of Doma carried profound meanings for me.

  • Doma killed the Kocho siblings.
  • Shinobu sacrificed herself to ensure Doma would be weakened by her poison.
  • As the youngest and adoptive sibling, Kanao was able to put her sister’s souls to rest with Doma’s death.

As Muzan’s fight was yet unfinished, Kanao’s suffering and emotional wounds came to an end when she accomplished Shinobu’s last wish. Before Doma’s downfall, Kanao had kept her heart barricaded from others. However, with Doma being defeated, for the first time, Kanao could shed tears – a sign of her progress towards mending her heart, as she no longer felt compelled to justify it with excuses.

Demon Slayer is now available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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2025-02-17 17:13