15 Most Important Demon Slayer Deaths (Ranked by Importance)
Death is always a sad thing; it is not necessarily tragic, but it is always sad. It is present in fiction as much as it is in real life and the fictional deaths from our favorite series can hit us as hard as real-life deaths do. And while Demon Slayer did feature a large number of deaths, even among the main characters, fans never really reconciled with the deaths of some of their most important characters. In this article, we are going to bring you a list of the 15 most important deaths in Demon Slayer as they happened, both among the protagonists and the antagonists.
15. Nakime
At one point in the story, Nakime is the final remaining Kizuki, after Kokushibo is killed by Muichiro Tokido and the other Demon Slayers. She was Muzan’s loyal servant and since she controlled the Infinity Castle, she was pretty much indispensable to Muzan… until she wasn’t anymore. Namely, during the Demon Slayer Corps’ final assault on the Infinity Castle, Nakime was taken over by an unlikely hero.
Namely, Yushiro, who was thought to be dead, appears and completely takes over Nakime’s vision. This gives him complete control over the Infinity Castle, which causes serious problems for Muzan, who has to fight the Demon Slayers at the same time. At one point, Muzan realizes that he cannot protect Nakime and fight the Corps at the same time, as Yushiro would use the Castle against him, so he locates Nakime and kills her in order to save himself, thus eliminating the 12 Kizuki and giving the Corps a chance to defeat him.
14. Sabito and Makomo
Sabito and Makomo are two orphans taken in by Sakonji, who assisted Tanjiro during his training to pass the Final Preparation on Mt. Fujikasane. Although they seem quite real, it turns out that they are actually spirits, as the actual Sabito and Makomo died. Sakonji took them in and trained them to become Demon Slayers, just as he did with Tanjiro, but the two of them, sadly, did not make it and they died.
Namely, during the events on Mr. Fujikasane, Sabito and Makomo were quite successful until they met a large, morphed Demon. The Demon boasted that he had eaten a lot of Sakonji’s pupils and that the two of them would be the next ones. Sabito tried to kill it, but his blade broke on the Demon’s neck, and the Demon killed him. Makomo was later torn apart by that same demon, which is why the two wanted to help Tanjiro and why their deaths are so important for the story.
13. Kaigaku
As you might know, Zenitsu and Kaigaku have a common history because Kaigaku was Jigoro’s former student who opted to become a Demon so he could gain more power, which is why Jigoro was so hard on Zenitsu. This is why Kaigaku was, on the one hand, a nemesis of Zenitsu. Inside the Infinity Castle, he and Zenitsu finally meet.
Zenitsu expresses disappointment upon learning that his former partner became a Demon and rage upon recalling how he discovered his teacher’s suicide. The two then get into a heated fight, during which Kaigaku was ultimately beheaded by the Honoikazuchi no Kami move. Until Zenitsu acknowledged that this move was his own invention, allowing him to fight alongside Kaigaku as an equal without having to become a Demon, Kaigaku made fun of his teacher for teaching him that style.
12. Akaza
Akaza, the former Upper Moon Three, had the most emotional death among the Upper Moons, as he practically committed suicide because he realized what a monster he’s been. Namely, Akaza had been fighting Tanjiro and Giyu Tomioka for a while before ultimately injuring them heavily. Still, during the battle, his memories of the time when he was a human suddenly started returning and he saw his ex-fiancee, who asked him to stop.
During his regeneration, he remembered his former human personality and although he did try to kill Giyu with his Destructive Death: Annihilation Type, Tanjiro managed to stop him in time. Akaza then uses the technique on himself, dying in the process and remembering how he became a Demon in the first place; he ultimately reunited with his family.
11. Tanjūrō Kamado
Tanjuro had a condition that caused his complexion to appear lifeless and pallid. Tanjuro wed Kie at some point in his life, and the couple had six kids. Tanjuro seems to have some ties to the world of demon slayers, although those were never thoroughly investigated. He was a clever guy in his final years, but ill and weak. He passed away before Muzan Kibutsuji killed his wife and two youngest children, but he was able to influence his two surviving children, especially Tanjiro.
10. Tamayo
Muzan turned Tamayo into a demon when they first met to treat her illness, concealing from her the actual effects of the transformation and ultimately resulting in the deaths of her husband and children. After she escapes his control, Muzan, like Nezuko, considers her to be a bother and intends to murder her.
In the distant past, Tamayo attempted to assassinate Muzan. However, Tamayo’s mentality was entirely destroyed when she realized she had no chance of winning, and her resolution and tenacity were replaced with subservient and servile behavior. Tamayo’s ambition to kill him was renewed, however, after seeing Yoriichi’s incredible strength and skill in her battle with Muzan. As a result, she refocused her efforts on taking down the Demon Lord and resumed his study into developing pharmaceuticals to weaken or kill him.
Tamayo collaborates with the Demon Slayer Corps to develop a medication that will aid in the defeat of Muzan Kibutsuji during the Infinity Castle and Sunrise Countdown arcs. In the end, she succeeds in exacting revenge on Muzan by betraying him in retaliation for abusing her trust and transforming her into a demon, which led her to kill both her family and several other people. However, after betraying Muzan in the final arc, he killed her.
9. Jigorō Kuwajima
Jigorō Kuwajima was the former Thunder Hashira and a very skilled Demon Slayer, as well as an accomplished mentor. He taught both Kaigaku and Zen’itsu, placing a lot of fate and hope in both of them. Although he did succeed in making Zen’itsu a noble Demon Slayer, his failure with Kaigaku hurt him enormously, as Kaigaku betrayed the Corps and became a Demon to get more power.
Kuwajima committed seppuku when his former protégé defected to gain the powers of a Demon, proving his slow and agonizing death as no one could cut off his head while he bled out. His death ultimately motivated Zenitsu to become the next Thunder Hashira to avenge his master’s death by killing Kaigaku.
8. Kanae Kochō
Kanae’s life ended tragically after a fight with Upper Moon number two Doma, who overcame her and left her with a fatal wound. Doma was compelled to flee from her as she prepared to consume her because she was dawning. In her dying moments, Kanae implores Shinobu to give up being a Demon Slayer and live a regular life; instead, her sister swears to exact revenge on her. Before she passes away, Kanae is able to describe the demon that took her life in detail.
7. Shinobu Kochō and Doma
Later, after Doma had killed her sister, she vowed to exact revenge and fought Doma, eventually dying in the process. But since Shinobu already knew she would die at Doma’s hands, she inoculated herself with a potent dose of wisteria poison in her body. This dose, which was thirty-seven kilograms (Shinobu’s weight), was seven hundred times the minimum dose needed to poison a Demon. Shinobu did this with Tamayo’s assistance.
After swallowing the poison for a year, Shinobu thought it would either kill him or render him helpless enough to be killed in the event that she was slain by the Demon. The plan was successful, and now her pupil Kanao and Inosuke Hashibira were in charge of killing Doma, who had been poisoned, in order to exact revenge for her passing.
6. Kyojuro Rengoku
The Flame Hashira has, much like his element, a confident, energetic, and determined personality. He also tends to look straight ahead and shows unfailing optimism in all circumstances. He has a kind and caring younger brother, Senjurō, who lacks swordsmanship skills. His father Shinjurō was the previous Flame Hashira but became an alcoholic and a defeatist.
Their mother, Ruka, died of an incurable disease she contracted shortly after giving birth to Senjurō. Its survival instinct is such that it is able to react and defend itself from an attack even while remaining asleep. After the Infinity Train derails, while protecting Tanjirō (already injured) he dies of his own injuries from his fight against Akaza, the Upper Third Moon.
5. Muichiro Tokito, Genya Shinazugawa and Kokushibo
In a fierce battle, Muichiro Tokito, Genya Shinazugawa, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and Gyomei Himejima faced off against the Upper-Rank One, Kokushibo, who was also Yoriichi’s ancestor. After the battle, Genya weakly pronounces the names of his brother, Gyomei and Muichiro to find out if they are well. Gyomei comes near Genya and tells him that they are all fine except Muichiro. Genya immediately tells him to help the Mist Hashira. Out of respect and at his request, Gyomei places Sanemi’s unconscious body in front of Genya to prove to him that he is fine before Genya completely disappears.
Gyomei points out to Muichiro’s quadruple mutilated body that without his and Genya’s help, they would not have had a chance to decapitate the upper-ranking man. As he sheds tears, Gyomei closes Muichiro’s eyes and vows that they will complete their mission to defeat Muzan.
4. Yoriichi Tsukiguni
Yoriichi, who nearly killed Muzan, would eventually emerge as the Demon Slayers’ best fighter. He would impart his knowledge to Tanjiro Kamado’s ancestor and friend Sumiyoshi. He engaged in battle with his elder twin brother Kokushibo, who had transformed into a demon, just before passing away at the age of at least 85.
He rapidly took the initiative in the fight despite his late age and apparent blindness, cutting the opponent’s throat in one motion before ultimately passing away unhurt while still standing. While claiming that Yoriichi’s might was still in full bloom, Kokushibo confesses that if Yoriichi had dealt a second strike before passing away, he would have killed him.
3. Gyōmei Himejima, Obanai Iguro, and Mitsuri Kanroji
Gyōmei Himejima was the Stone Hashira within the Demon Slayer Corps and its leader, whereas Obanai Iguro and Mitsuri Kanroji were the Serpent and Love Hashira, respectively. They all participated in the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, during which they were ultimately killed. The exact circumstances were not revealed, as their deaths were discovered after the battle had already ended, just like the deaths of a lot of other members of the Demon Slayer Corps who also died while fighting Muzan.
2. Tanjiro’s family
In the middle of a snowstorm, the young Tanjiro Kamado is seen carrying his seriously wounded sister to a doctor. A day earlier, Tanjirō Kamado left his home with a sack full of coal he wanted to sell in town. Since the death of his father, the eldest son has occupied an important place in his family, supporting his mother and helping his brothers and sisters.
He manages to sell all the coal but returns home late at night and a man on the road tells him to spend the night at his house because demons could attack him during the night. The next day, he sets off again but as he nears his house, Tanjirō smells blood.
Arriving at his home, he sees with horror his sister Nezuko and one of his brothers lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Panicking, Tanjirō asks his sister what happened and he then notices that the rest of his family has been savagely slaughtered inside their house. He feels a breath of life in Nezuko and carries her on his back in order to take her to a doctor. This is how the story of Demon Slayer actually began.
1. Muzan Kibutusji
Originally from the Heian era, Muzan was a sickly young man whose transformation into a demon was the consequence of experimental therapy to extend his life. Before realizing he was at work, he killed his doctor. Since then, Muzan has dedicated himself to “finishing his therapy” by utilizing demons to help him accomplish his objective of being without flaws—the sun being his one weakness.
Since he had a close call to death during his battle with Yoriichi Tsugikuni, he also voiced legitimate concern for individuals who employed the Breath of the Sun technique. He used this as an excuse to assault Tanjiro’s family, hoping to transform at least one of them into a demon. Since Nezuko was the only survivor of that tragedy, she eventually developed a resistance to the sun, and Muzan concentrated his efforts on capturing and devouring her in order to overcome her single known vulnerability. This led to a major obsession with Nezuko’s eradication.
Tanjiro, though, obstructs his attempts to apprehend Nezuko. However, the Demon Slayers Corps took advantage of Muzan’s fixation on Tanjiro and Nezuko in order to capture him and eliminate his surviving supporters. Before understanding that he was infected with a variant of the humanity-restoring serum that Tamayo and Shinobu produced with extra poisons that eliminated the majority of his skills and made him weak to be, Muzan manages to kill Tamayo and numerous Demon Slayers.
But, while he was being held by the Demon Slayers, the sunlight caused his body to be destroyed as a result. When Muzan attempted to transform Tanjiro into a demon in order to kill the Demon Slayers as his final act of vengeance, Tanjiro instead changed into a human.