Demon Slayer: Why Is Zenitsu so Scared of Everything?

Zenitsu Agatsuma is one of the most intriguing characters in the whole Demon Slayer series. Seemingly a coward, Zenitsu has actually proven himself to be a very capable and powerful Demon Slayer, but also a troubled one, as he feels constant guilt for not being able to stop his master from committing suicide. The events from his past had a very clear influence on his personality, and in this article, we are going to explain why Zenitsu is so afraid of everything in the Demon Slayer series.

Zenitsu generally has a very cowardly nature and low self-esteem, which accounts for his behavior and the fact that he is constantly afraid of everything that happens around him. This is due to his traumatic childhood and the events that made him feel weak and useless, but it is also a fact that Zenitsu does have a serious and very courageous side; he’s just low on self-esteem and thinks himself unworthy.

The rest of this article will provide you with more information about Zenitsu, his personality, and his story within the Demon Slayer series. We will explain how his story evolved and how his personality became more layered as time passed. We must warn you, though, that this article might contain some spoilers, so be careful how you approach it.

What is Zenitsu like?

Zenitsu is a huge coward who constantly complains that his time in this world is running short because he is a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, which he considers to be such a dangerous job. Zenitsu, despite his incredible strength, has a very low sense of self and finds it hard to believe he killed a devil. Instead, he thought it was Shoichi, who was too young and unable to kill a devil. Zenitsu constantly cries and tries to flee when she sees danger since he is so terrified. He asserts that he prefers to lead a quiet, regular life to that of a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Zenitsu strives to uphold all of the standards and expectations that the other characters have set, despite his flaws. He always gives his all when it counts. He respects and even admires his fellow soldiers. He also thinks highly of Jigoro Kuwajima, his late teacher. If he finds himself in a tight spot, his desire for vengeance always helps him put his timidity behind him.

As a result of not wanting to be alone if he were to die, Zenitsu is also shown to believe that he is a womanizer. He frequently irritates the females by pushing his cuteness onto them and asking them to marry him. His amusing disposition disappears when he believes his friends are “flirting” with a cute girl. He then cries out inconsolably and grips about it. In his rage, he even goes so far as to strike her.

As you can see, Zenitsu is quite a layered character. Initially, he was introduced as a failed “womanizer” and a major coward. Still, as the series progresses, while he did remain a failed “womanizer” and a major coward, layers are added to these traits. Zenitsu becomes a much more intriguing character than just the two-dimensional chicken we’ve seen when we first met him. With the revelation of his background and history, a lot has been added to his personality, and he became a three-dimensional character with space for improvement. And that aspect was executed brilliantly because, as the series progressed, Zenitsu changed for the better, and by the time the story ended, although he did not change completely, he was a much better and nobler character than he was at the very beginning.

Why is Zenitsu such a coward?

Let’s first briefly examine Zenitsu’s past to explain further what we discussed above. Because Zenitsu’s parents did not raise him, he did not have access to care or guidance as a young child. When Zenitsu was younger, he had a crush on a girl and decided to buy her a gift to win her over. However, the girl left with another boy, leaving Zenitsu with mounting debt.

Jigoro Kuwajima found him and decided to pay Zenitsu’s debt after noticing that he was having issues with debt collectors and made the decision to teach him how to use a sword, effectively “adopting” him and taking him on as his trainee; Kuwajima was the Thunder Hashira at the time.

Zenitsu started calling Jigoro “Grandfather” and joined Kaigaku, the other disciple of Jigoro, in training. Zenitsu once climbed a tree during a training session out of dread of being pulled to death. A lightning strike struck him, and he lost control, turning his hair yellow. Kaigaku and Zenitsu were hostile to one another. Zenitsu still admired him for his strong ambition and for being his senior. Zenitsu created his own Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami (Seventh Form: Flaming Thunder God) to one day compete against Kaigaku on an equal footing.

And he was able to do so. Zenitsu joined the Demon Slayer Corps and followed Tanjiro on his adventures because he fell in love with Nezuko. The trio would later be joined by the brash Inosuke Hashibara and would form the core protagonist quartet of the series. Initially, Zenitsu was a hindrance for the group, as was seen when Tanjiro went to help Shoichi and Kiyoshi. Still, he was able to show off his skills when he fell asleep, becoming an exceptionally powerful fighter in that state, which surprised anyone. Sadly, after waking up reverted back to his useless, cowardly self.

But, as we have said, Zenitsu really progressed as a character as the story moved forward, becoming more courageous and resolved with every new assignment. Okay, sure, he remained a coward and was constantly afraid of everything, and he tried to talk his way out of anything that smelled of danger, even remotely, but he would toughen up and do his task nevertheless. Most of the time, he was still the best when he was in his sleeping state, but that also changed with time.

With the experience he gathered during the Infinity Train and Entertainment District Arcs, Zenitsu continued to develop as a character, realizing his importance in the society he was living in and his strengths. This is why he was able to face the Upper Moons in fights, including his rival, Kaigaku, whom he managed to defeat when the two of them clashed directly. By the time of the final battle, he was quite serious and resolved to help his friends and ally in bringing down Muzan.

So, yes, Zenitsu is partially a coward because he had spent most of his life in constant fear, without any protection or reassurance. Although Jigoro had much to help him, he also left him, and Zenitsu was lost most of the time. But, as time passed and his friends showed that they would be there for him, he also grew and became more courageous, so by the end of the story, we couldn’t really call him a coward anymore because he has shown us that he is above that.