Mitsuri Kanroji is one of Demon Slayer's best-written characters, and it's obvious why

Modified Oct 04, 2024 00:30 GMT

Understanding why Mitsuri is one of the best-written characters in the series (Image via Ufotable)

Mitsuri Kanroji from the Demon Slayer series is quite popular among fans for various reasons. Many find her personality quite cheerful, making her one of the most loveable characters in the series. She is someone who doesn’t shy away from a battle and would put her life on the line to save people from demons.

When her backstory was explored, a small section of the fanbase believed her motivations were rather shallow. However, it’s hard to ignore other aspects of her backstory that make her one of the best-written characters in the series. A lot of it has to do with her values and what they stand for.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article solely reflect the writer's opinions.

Demon Slayer: Understanding why Mitsuri Kanroji is one of the best-written characters in the series

Mitsuri is the embodiment of love in Demon Slayer (Image via Ufotable)

Whether or not she is the best-written character in Demon Slayer is up for debate. But, the character writing for Mitsuri is great, and a quick analysis of her character will allow us to understand why.

Given that she is the Love Hashira, the character can empathize with people. Not only does she show empathy to her comrades, but she can show empathy towards the general public, allowing her to push her limits as a demon hunter.

Often in media, female characters aren’t shown to be strong, and this pattern can be seen in other shonen titles. Mitsuri, however, is exceptionally strong both physically and mentally. In many cases, strength comes at the expense of certain feminine traits. To show strength, certain writers feel the need to incorporate brute-like behavior.

Mitsuri's superhuman strength was observed from a young age (Image via Ufotable)

That is not the case with Mitsuri Kanroji. Not only does she have feminine behavioral traits, but she also displays physical strength that exceeds some of the strongest male demon hunters. Mitsuri Kanroji is also a person who is always true to herself. There are moments when she is clumsy, but she never finds the need to put on a mask in other people’s presence.

This was once again explored in her backstory. Before she joined the Demon Slayer Corps, she starved herself, changed her hair color, and altered her behavior to please people. While the message might be simple, it’s hard to always be our true selves. Mitsuri doesn’t preach it but instead leads by example.

Mitsuri is known for her mental fortitude (Image via Ufotable)

She certainly didn’t experience the grief that people like Sanemi or Gyomei have faced during their formative years. But strength, courage, and motivation don’t necessarily have to stem from tragic events.

Being the embodiment of love, she shows how far one can go when their efforts are fuelled by adoration and love. While her character was beautifully written, she was criminally underutilized in the anime and manga series. Some might perceive the character’s mistreatment as poor writing, but that's not the case since there are layers to her character.

Demon Slayer manga could have handled the character better by incorporating more fights owing to her superhuman strength and unique Breathing Technique. Furthermore, the Hashira Training arc could have allotted the Hashira an entire episode wherein she could have flaunted her combat abilities while encouraging her students at the same time.

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

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Edited by Shreya Das