Is reincarnation Canon in Demon Slayer? The ending confusion, explained

Modified Jul 18, 2024 12:30 GMT

Understanding whether or not reincarnation exists in the Demon Slayer series (Image via Ufotable)

Much like many shonen anime titles, Demon Slayer often borrows themes from existing schools of philosophy and religion. Among these concepts, one is often employed in said titles, and that is reincarnation.

Reincarnation is a concept that can be seen in various religious texts and is quite relevant to Buddhism. This is one of the country's most commonly practiced religions; therefore, anime and manga creators often explore various themes from the texts.

One question that most fans have been asking is this - is reincarnation canon in Demon Slayer? Yes, there is evidence that can substantiate reincarnation's presence in the manga series.

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

Does reincarnation as a concept exist in the realm of Demon Slayer?

The descendants of the demon hunters as seen in the final chapter of the manga series (Image via Shueisha/Koyoharu Gotouge)

Is reincarnation canon in Demon Slayer? This is a question that has plagued the minds of fans for quite some time. The chapter showcased the descendants' lives, which seemed to have triggered a series of discussions surrounding the concept of reincarnation.

With that said, the reader could understand whether or not this concept exists in this realm by analyzing two crucial subject matters - the meaning of reincarnation and the very last chapter of the manga series.

Reincarnation is a concept that is prevalent in philosophy and various religions. It is the process of a soul exiting the physical boundaries of a body and taking a different shape and form at a later point in time. To simplify things, it can be considered the process of the transmigration of souls. This means that the core element of a being is transferred to another body at a different time frame.

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The final chapter of the manga series shows us the descendants of the main characters. Aside from the descendants, we can also see characters that look exactly like Gyomei Himejima, Mitsuri Kanroji, Obanai Iguro, Shinobu Kocho, Kanao Kocho, and Muichiro Tokito.

They cannot be descendants of the aforementioned characters simply because they all died fighting Muzan and his legion of Upper Moon demons. None of the characters that died fighting the demons had any spouses or children at the time of death. Therefore, the possibility of descendants is ruled out.

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The only logical explanation for the identical physical appearance is the author's attempt to employ the concept of reincarnation. Touko Agatsuma, a Nezuko descendant, further strengthens this claim. She said those who valiantly fought against the demons reincarnated and found happiness in their lives.

This goes on to show that reincarnation does exist in the series. The existence of characters that look exactly like the demon hunters that died is a clear indication. Furthermore, a character also explicitly mentioned the concept of reincarnation. Therefore, one can conclude that reincarnation is, indeed, canon in the Demon Slayer series.

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

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Edited by Toshali Kritika