4 most popular characters in Demon Slayer (& 4 who are extremely disliked)

One of the many reasons Demon Slayer’s popularity skyrocketed since its debut was its extremely likeable cast. Both the main cast and side characters are incredibly endearing, with each having some quality drawing fans to them.

Conversely, there are some Demon Slayer characters that are written so well that fans hate them with a passion. This is a credit to mangaka Koyoharu Gotouge’s character writing skills.

Here are the four most popular characters in Demon Slayer, and four that are extremely disliked.

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Four most popular Demon Slayer characters

1) Zenitsu Agatsuma

Zenitsu as seen in the anime. (Image via Ufotable Studios)

Beloved just as much for his flaws as for his strengths, Zenitsu is one of the most popular characters. His somewhat normal and honest reactions to finding himself in life-or-death situations are something fans can relate to.

Furthermore, as a comic relief character, he always serves as a happier side of the coin to the series’ overall darker tone.

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2) Giyu Tomioka

Giyu as seen in the anime. (Image via Ufotable Studios)

The serving Water Hashira for the full series, Giyu is another extremely popular character in Demon Slayer. His introduction in the first episode/chapter of the series was extremely memorable and engaging, as was his subsequent sparing of the living Kamados.

Giyu’s return in one of the last arcs of the first season, and the debut of a unique Water Breathing Form he created himself, were both extremely memorable and exciting.

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3) Tanjiro Kamado

Tanjiro as seen in the series' anime. (Image via Ufotable Studios)

Tanjiro serves as the central protagonist for Demon Slayer and is understandably one of the most popular characters in the series. Tanjiro’s kindness and empathy are always on display and serve to further endear the fan base to him.

Furthermore, his fixed spotlight role throughout the series gives him plenty of room for development relative to the entire cast.

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4) Nezuko Kamado

Nezuko as seen in the anime. (Image via Ufotable Studios)

Tanjiro’s younger sister and arguably the overarching plot point of the series, Nezuko is undoubtedly one of the series' most popular characters. Despite having essentially no spoken lines for the majority of the series, her overall aesthetics and mannerisms have enraptured the fanbase.

Her “baby” form became something of a meme for general pop culture, and shots of Nezuko with her muzzle on are often found on various esthetic and profile picture pages.

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Four Demon Slayer characters who are extremely disliked

1) Kokushibo

A stylization of Kokushibo as he's seen in the manga. (Image via Wallpaper For You)

While the Upper-Rank One Kizuki is certainly respected and feared, Kokushibo is far from liked. His cowardice as a human during his backstory paints him in a very negative light, and he’s spared the full redemption treatment most other demons receive throughout the series.

Furthermore, he’s responsible for the deaths of some other extremely popular Demon Slayer characters, which serves to alienate his fanbase even more.

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2) Muzan

Muzan as seen in the anime. (Image via Ufotable Studios)

The progenitor of demon kind is a somewhat polarizing character in terms of popularity. While the majority harbours negative feelings towards Muzan, some fans praise the character for his ruthless malice and continuous motives.

Most fans, however, dislike Muzan for his role in the deaths of so many beloved characters throughout the series. Even with his exceptional flashback and origin story, series fans refuse to move the needle on Muzan.

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3) Hand Demon

The Hand Demon as seen in the anime. (Image via Ufotable Studios)

The Hand Demon is one of the most universally disliked characters in all of Demon Slayer. Being downright creepy in everything from character design to mannerisms and speech, the Hand Demon made fans everywhere squeamish.

The demon's strange obsession with killing Ukurodaki’s children was certainly no small deterrent for fans.

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4) Akaza

Akaza as seen in the Demon Slayer anime. (Image via Ufotable Studios)

One of the most sadistic demons, Akaza is a truly hated character in the series. Being responsible for the death of Rengoku, Akaza is an extremely interesting yet off-putting character.

While his fights are certainly interesting and engaging, his overall demeanour is extremely strange and off-putting.

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In summation

There are many characters in the Demon Slayer universe, each with their own distinct personality. Some are liked and some are despised, but it is important to remember that these characters are crucial to the story of the series whether we like them or not.

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This article was modified on Saturday, July 08, at 12:50 pm.