7 Characters who could have awakened the Demon Slayer Mark

The Demon Slayer Mark is one of the most important elements in the animanga series. This element was introduced only in the 'Entertainment District' arc of the series when Tanjiro Kamado managed to activate it during his fight against Daki and Gyutaro. During the series, only a handful of characters managed to activate the Demon Slayer Mark.

To activate the Mark, one would have to survive a life-threatening situation while increasing their heart rate to over 200 beats per minute and raising the temperature to over 32 degrees Celsius. Another important pre-requisite is coming in contact with someone who activated the Mark since it has a resonant effect.

With these conditions in mind, there are a few characters who could have activated the Demon Slayer Mark if some circumstances were different.

Disclaimer: This article contains massive spoilers from the manga chapters.

Kyojuro Rengoku and 6 other characters who could have unlocked the Demon Slayer Mark

1) Kyojuro Rengoku

Kyojuro Rengoku as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

Kyojuro Rengoku was a former Flame Hashira who died during the fight against Akaza. He was an incredibly talented swordsman who was on par with the likes of Giyu Tomioka and Obanai Iguro. Unfortunately, he was forced to take on Akaza all by himself after taking on a Lower Moon demon.

He sacrificed his life to ensure that no lives were lost. If he was alive at this juncture of the story, he would have activated the Demon Slayer Mark. Given that he is stronger than Mitsuri, he could achieve the necessary prerequisites to activate the Mark.

2) Shinobu Kocho

Shinobu Kocho as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

Shinobu Kocho was the Insect Hashira and her specialty was the ability to craft poison that can kill demons with ease. She might not have the strength to behead a demon, but her knowledge of demon anatomy was unmatched. Where she lacked in strength, she made up for it with speed and agility.

She sacrificed her life while fighting Doma, the Upper Moon 2 demon. She was forced to let Doma ingest her and she had plenty of poison to weaken him. If she was alive and wasn’t forced to sacrifice her life, there is a very high chance that she could have unlocked the Demon Slayer Mark. Hashira are extremely adept in combat, and therefore, she could potentially unlock the Mark.

3) Kanae Kocho

Kanae Kocho as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

There’s not much that we know about Kanae Kocho, except that she was the Flower Hashira. This is a title given to a select few, which means her abilities on the battlefield were top-notch.

Kanae was killed far too early in her life and Doma was responsible for her death. There’s not a single Hashira who can take on an Upper Moon 2 demon all by themselves. Suppose Kanae came in contact with someone who bore the Demon Slayer Mark, she could have potentially unlocked the Mark.

4) Sabito

Sabito as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

Sabito was one of Sakonji Urokodaki’s students who was poised to become the Water Hashira. He and Giyu Tomioka trained together and Sabito was leagues above Giyu regarding swordsmanship. At a young age, he managed to take on and almost behead most demons in the Final Selection.

However, he was killed by the Hand Demon during the selection process. His life was taken far too early. If he remained alive, he could have been the Water Hashira and developed the Demon Slayer Mark. Sabito was an underrated character with incredible potential that can be compared to the likes of Muichiro Tokito.

5) Tengen Uzui

Tengen Uzui as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

The former Sound Hashira was forced to retire from the Demon Slayer Corps after his fight against Daki and Gyutaro. He lost a limb during the fight against the Upper Moon demon. He could have activated his Mark if he wasn’t forced to reduce his heart rate.

The reason for this action was due to the poison that was being circulated in his body. Gyutaro’s Blood Demon Art allowed him to poison his opponents with his blood. Tengen was in the presence of someone who bore the Mark; had he kept up the condition, he could have unlocked the Demon Slayer Mark at some point in the series if he was pitted against another Upper Moon demon.

6) Shinjuro Rengoku

Shinjuro Rengoku as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

Shinjuro Rengoku was a former Flame Hashira whose life turned around when his wife died. He became an alcoholic and was rather abusive towards his kin. Given that he was the Flame Hashira, he would have been a swordsman with plenty of explosive power and speed.

There is no doubt that he could have met the physical prerequisites to attain the Mark. The only thing that was missing was that he needed to come in contact with someone who already bore the Demon Slayer Mark. If he had come in touch with someone like Tanjiro who activated the Mark, Shinjuro could have unlocked it.

7) Sakonji Urokodaki

Sakonji Urokodaki as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

Sakonji Urokodaki was the former Water Hashira and a well-respected and incredibly technical swordsman. This can be seen in the knowledge that was imparted to his students as well. Sakonji, a former Hashira, would have stood out when discussing physical attributes.

The Water Breathing Technique requires strength and flexibility to execute attacks that replicate water’s ability to flow and strike. Much like Shinjuro, he too could have unlocked the Mark if he had come in contact with someone who bore the Mark.

These are some of the characters who could have activated the Mark during the series. Few changes to the circumstances could have changed the fate of some of the characters, allowing them to unlock the Demon Slayer Mark and its powers.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2024 progresses.

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