Shinobu Kocho is one of Demon Slayer’s best-written characters, and what she represents is why

Many characters in Demon Slayer are guided by vengeance. This is especially true for members of the Demon Slayer Corps, as many of them have been directly affected by demons. Among the members of the corps, there aren’t many characters with a backstory as compelling as Shinobu Kocho’s.

The Insect Hashira is a character who is too familiar with pain and has had everything ripped away from her by demons. Though she has an air of apathy around her, this is a mask she wears to disguise the turmoil boiling inside of her. Shinobu Kocho is a sadist and masochist at the same time. Demon Slayer has shown that she is willing to do whatever it takes to destroy a demon.

What Koyoharu Gotouge gets right with Shinobu's character is the Insect Hashira’s duality and how she battles the change sweeping through the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps. The viewers watch the Insect Hashira eventually acquiesce to change.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinion and not Sportskeeda as a whole. It may contain spoilers.

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Why Shinobu Kocho is one of Demon Slayer’s best characters

Shinobu's sister is the reason she holds so much animosity towards demons (Image via Ufotable)

For a Shonen series, Shinobu Kocho is a character that seems out of place. Most Shonen characters with her demeanor would either be a Mary Sue or would lack agency and be reliant on the male characters to do the heavy lifting.

Anime has a not-so-good history when it comes to its portrayal of female characters. It is either that the female characters are written to behave like men (Mikasa in Attack on Titan) or are written to be helpless side characters (Ino in Naruto). However, Koyoharu Gotouge flips the script and gives viewers a character that embodies femininity and is still very powerful.

Shinobu Kocho's actions in the series aren't random, they reflect her character’s history. For example, Shinobu’s weapon was born out of her lack of physical strength. Another factor that heavily influences Shinobu Kocho is her sister.

Shinobu Kocho also struggles to define who she is, and that’s because she wrestles with her late sister’s ideals and her hate for demons. To Shinobu Kocho, demons have always caused her pain, and because of that, they deserve to die in the worst way possible.

In contrast, Kanae Kocho was a bit like Tanjiro but way more idealistic. Kanae Kocho hoped for a world where demons and humans coexisted.

Shinobu letting the mask of calm slip from her face in Demon Slayer (Image via Shueisha)

When Shinobu sees Tanjiro and Nezuko for the first time, their dynamic infuriates her. Her entire family was taken down by demons; even her sister, who was open to coexisting with demons, wasn’t spared from their onslaught, and that’s why she can’t trust demons.

She later heals from this trauma in the final arc of Demon Slayer, as she is instructed by Kagaya Ubuyashiki to work with Lady Tamayo. At first, the tension can be felt through the screen, and then, in a surprising move, she lets go of all her anger and resentment. The two eventually work on an anti-kibutsuji drug, which helps the Demon Slayer Corps defeat Muzan.

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Final thoughts

Another reason why Shinobu Kochu’s character is captivating is due to the conflict she passes through. Apart from demons, which she faces as a Hashira with others, she fights an internal battle. She is yet to heal from her parents and sister’s deaths, and that leads her to harm demons in the most gruesome of ways.

Eventually, she lets go of some of the anger that is nestled in her and chooses to trust a demon—Lady Tamayo. However, she makes a resolution to kill the demon responsible for her sister’s death.

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