Demon Slayer: Is the Upper Moon One Related to Tanjirō? Here’s What We Know!
The family trees of Demon Slayer characters are somewhat complex and intricate, albeit very interesting, especially because – sometimes – you have to go several centuries back to determine whether two characters are related or not. And while those who’ve read the manga have it easier as they can connect all the dots, those who’ve just seen the anime series might have some trouble grasping who is related to whom in this great anime series. Now, to help you out, in this article, we are going to tell you whether Kokushibō, the Upper Rank One of Muzan’s Twelve Kizuki, and the series’ protagonist, Tanjirō Kamado, are related.
Tanjirō Kamado is not related to Kokushibō, i.e., to Michikatsu Tsugikuni, as his real name is. Michikatsu was Yoriichi’s older twin brother, and since it is known that Yoriichi and Tanjirō are not relatives, Tanjirō can’t be related to Michikatsu. The latter is related to another Demon Slayer – Muichiro Tokitō, the Mist Hashira.
The rest of this article will be dedicated to Kokushibō, i.e., Michikatsu Tsugikuni and Tanjirō Kamado, as we will explain how they are related. We will give you all the details surrounding their family histories, after which we will draw our conclusions. There will be major spoilers for those who have not read the manga, so be careful how you approach the article.
Kokushibō and Tanjirō Kamado are not relatives
The Kamado family has a long and intriguing tradition in the lore of Demon Slayer, a tradition that dates back to a character named Sumiyoshi. It is a known fact that Tanjirō looks like Sumiyoshi, but fans have also observed that he shares some traits with Yoriichi Tsugikuni as well, which is why we have to explain these relationships in more detail, as they are relevant to our main question.
Sumiyoshi is an ancestor of the Kamado family from the Sengoku era, and even if he did not know it, he actually played an important role in Tanjirō’s history. This is best observed in relation to the Hinokami Kagura, the dance that embodies the Sun Breathing Style, the only Breathing Style able to defeat Muzan and the first Breathing Style ever. Yoriichi Tsugikuni saved Sumiyoshi, presumably from a Demon, and the two became very close friends, so close, in fact, that Yoriichi considered Sumiyoshi to be his only true friend. It is not known how exactly the two of them are related, as Sumiyoshi lived centuries before Tanjirō, but it has been confirmed that they are blood relatives.
On the other hand, Yoriichi was not Tanjirō’s relative. He was simply a friend of Sumiyoshi’s. Yoriichi Tsugikuni was the inventor of the Sun Breathing Style and the most powerful Demon Slayer in history. Still, at one point in his life, he failed to kill Muzan. He spared Tamayo’s life and soon after, his brother Michikatsu accepted Muzan’s offer to become a Demon, after which he betrayed the Corps, killed their leader, and ran away.
Being blamed by the other Hashira for everything that happened, Yoriichi was initially sentenced to death for his failures, but the new Oyakata converted the death sentence to banishment. And so, Yoriichi was stripped of his Hashira rank and banished from the Corps. After his banishment, Yoriichi went to Sumiyoshi’s to enjoy their company and because he needed someone to talk to. Yoriichi got unhappy as he reflected on the misfortunes that had befallen him and expressed remorse for having left Muzan alive when they first met, as well as the countless deaths that would occur.
Suyako would have Yoriichi play the Hinokami Kagura for the Kamado family while visiting with them. He did it delicately, moving with such delicacy that he was more often compared to a Shinto than a person. Sumiyoshi carefully observed these performances and memorized them. Yoriichi handed Sumiyoshi his Hanafuda earrings on his final visit, although indicating he could visit them whenever he wanted. Sumiyoshi and Suyako immediately knew that was their final encounter.
Yoriichi spent the remainder of his life in isolation after being banished. Yoriichi lived far into his 80s despite being a bearer of the Demon Slayer Mark, which was intended to cause him to pass away at the age of 25. Although the Corps disowned him, he carried on as a freelance Demon Slayer, staying in touch with his Hashira friends while the Corps continued to look the other way. However, Muzan would gradually destroy the Corps, murdering every known user of Sun Breathing save for Yoriichi (who, of course, was ignorant about Sumiyoshi and the Hinokami Kagura), which was a serious issue. Yoriichi did not intercede, though.
As you can see, there is no direct relationship between Yoriichi and Sumiyoshi. Yoriichi met him when he saved his life, and while the two of them were close and true friends, they are not related in any way, which means that the Tsugikuni family is in no way related to the Kamado family. About our main article, this means that Kokushibō, or Michikatsu Tsugikuni, is not related to Tanjirō Kamado in any way. The two families are completely separate, and while they are connected, they are not blood relatives.
It has to be said that Michikatsu, before becoming a Demon, had a wife and two children – all of whom have remained unnamed – but his family is also unrelated to Tanjirō’s, but it is related to another Demon Slayer from the series, and a fairly important one at that. Namely, Michikatsu’s family is related to the Tokitō family, which means, in the end, that Muichiro Tokitō is a descendant of Kokushibō, a fact that played a very important role in their fact, as it influenced Muichiro’s ardor during the fight. So, to sum things up, Kokushibō, the Upper-Rank One, is not related to Tanjirō Kamado in the series, but he is related to Muichiro Tokitō, the Mist Hashira.