Demon Slayer's afterlife is much sadder than fans think

Modified Dec 07, 2024 08:30 GMT

Demon Slayer's entire story has given rise to numerous speculations, especially centered around the existence of an afterlife. It has been heavily reinforced through repeated mentions of demons and souls peacefully passing away.

While the final few chapters confirmed the actual existence of an afterlife, the respective characterizations of both heaven and hell make them appear much more somber than their contemporary depictions.

Most of the characters who have reached heaven within the series exhibit a rather satisfied demeanor. This is warranted due to the overtly personal nature of heaven, where everyone reunites with their family. However, this aspect itself sets up the eventual disappointment among the twelve pillars and other characters, as their strongest bonds have not been established with their families.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the Demon Slayer series and reflects the author's opinions.

Demon Slayer's heaven doesn't serve its purpose properly

Muzan the King of Demons as shown in the anime (Image via Studio Ufotable)

Heaven and hell, along with their numerous depictions, have been staples of series that delve into the existence and effects of demons. Although most depictions usually paint heaven as an ideal resting place for souls that have passed on, the heaven within Koyoharu Gotouge's series ended up being very flawed due to the limited amount of information available about it.

The series has already confirmed the actual existence of both heaven and hell and their respective purposes in serving as a resting place and a place of atonement, respectively. The souls that pass on to heaven reunite with their family and close ones, which was not previously possible due to the presence of demons and violence in the material world.

Kanao as shown in the anime (Image via Studio Ufotable)

The definition of "close ones" and "family" should have included numerous different bonds built throughout an individual's lifetime. The few depictions of heaven reinforce the idea that this rule is loosely followed, with the main individuals waiting in heaven being direct blood relatives or family members.

Shinobu must have met her family as well as Kanae soon after her death, but that leaves Kanao, who evidently had an abusive family.Given the current constraints, Kanao might not reconnect with her found family.

Sanemi also met his father and the rest of his family. Although Sanemi's mother was condemned to hell to atone for the sins she committed after losing control as a demon, the reunion among family still happened.

Sanemi as shown in the anime (Image via Studio Ufotable)

Sanemi's unresolved relationship with Kanae remains one of the only aspects of his character that will not be resolved due to the strictness of heaven. This is further exemplified by the possibility of Hashiras never reuniting in heaven even after serving the same cause for multiple years.

It is possible that these concerns are unwarranted as author Koyoharu Gotouge never explored the actual mechanics of heaven and hell. Due to this, the current version of heaven remains rather flawed.

Final Thoughts

Demon Slayer season 4 ended in 2024, and the following Infinity Castle arc will be adapted as a movie trilogy. Although fans' reactions to the movie adaptations have been mixed, it is already known that the films will be well-received due to the sheer number of events taking place within the arc.

The Demon Slayer manga concluded with a total of 205 chapters, which are currently available for reading on Shueisha's MANGA Plus platform.