Favorite among Demon Slayer audience: Hashira’s sad death from Mugen Train was necessary for Tanjiro’s journey and the story in general. As the titular assassins continue their battle against Muzan’s carnivorous demons, death is inevitable in the world of Demon Slayer.
In Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, the death of Kyojuro Rengoku, the series’ first on-screen Hashira, is especially sad. Flame-Breathing Hashira’s death was all the more painful as he was the least eccentric of his group, with a more sincere and noble character. The larger story of the series, of which Mugen Train is a canon part, required it.
Can Rengoku come back to life?
Even if a character has been well received by the audience, the plot may need to meet their demise. The Hashiras were doomed by Rengoku’s bond with the story’s protagonist, Tanjiro. Tanjiro’s story revolves around Demon Slayer and Rengoku was a helpful mentor to have around. Rengoku, a Flame-Breathing master, may have helped Tanjiro master the Hinokami Kagura, an immensely strong technique that appears to be related to Flame-Breathing.
“rengoku sees muichiro as a younger brother perhaps because he’s around senjuros age” pic.twitter.com/hxiLHil4Ad
— irem🧚♀️ (@peralties) October 18, 2021
The chances of him coming back to life are really slim. It can be used in memories and flashbacks of the characters. But his death was beautiful and a reason for everyone to fight Muzan more seriously than ever. There isn’t enough time in the series for Tanjiro to learn such an advanced skill before the events of Mugen Train occur. Sadly, Rengoku was cut from the plan to avoid the usual anime cliché of an overwhelming hero.
Teaching the young Demon Slayer would have made Tanjiro’s journey too simple, and would have hurt the series far more than Rengoku’s death ever could. If Enmu had been Mugen Train’s last antagonist, the show might have found a convincing method of keeping Rengoku without making tutoring him too easy for Tanjiro. We know that Rengoku has a younger brother, and Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the head of the Demon Slayer Corps, routinely assigns the Hashira missions. Rengoku could have been knocked out of Tanjiro’s way without being killed, as long as he did it creatively.
rengoku stans try not to cry when he appears challenge *failed miserably* pic.twitter.com/qYTKZryTKi
— rengoku content when (@rengokutopia) October 21, 2021
When Akaza appeared at the end of the Mugen Train, the flame-breathing Hashira was forced to die. The first highest rank Muzan Demon, Upper-Rank Three of the 12 Kizuki, appears in the series. He had to make a statement about the outrageous strength of Devils and the danger they pose, so his entrance had to be spectacular. Rengoku’s victory or even survival would have tarnished the reputation of the surviving High Rankers, including Muzan.
When it comes to the Demon Slayer Corps Hashira, they have shown themselves superior time and time again by easily destroying the demons that Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu had spent their lives fighting. When Akaza showed up there, they were lucky to have Hashira on their side. However, this served to show that the Hashira are not invulnerable. They learned the hard way that Tanjiro and the others can’t always depend on Hashira to rescue them from a demon battle.
Lately, things had been going too well for Tanjiro and his crew. The three of them had grown in strength and friendship to the point where it was time for a wake-up call. Now tasked with carrying on Rengoku’s legacy, the loss of Rengoku has given the trios new inspiration to strengthen and grow as individuals.
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