Koyoharu Gotouge's Demon Slayer is a series where audiences often find themselves sympathizing with most of the series' antagonists, with Akaza and Gyutaro being the most prominent examples.
However, there is one particular antagonist that fans cannot help but hate with all their heart—the Upper Rank Two Demon, Doma. Not only does he lack a heartbreaking backstory that would help fans sympathize with his character, but his heinous crimes render him irredeemable in the eyes of many. Despite that, fans have always been confused about one aspect of his character: Why is Doma so friendly?
The answer is simple—his outwardly friendly, cheerful, and approachable personality helps him attract and kill followers of his cult. In other words, it serves as the perfect disguise for his sadistic and twisted nature. However, his friendliness isn't always a facade, as he genuinely believes he is doing his victims a favor by eating them.
How Doma blends into human society, explained
Doma's ability to seamlessly blend into human society lies in his extraordinary charm, charisma, and an outwardly friendly nature, which makes him approachable to many.
It's also worth mentioning that aside from holding the second highest rank in the Twelve Kizuki, Doma is a revered leader of the Eternal Paradise Faith. It is a cult dedicated to worshipping him and a place where Doma listens to his followers' problems and gives them advice.
That said, this cult also serves as the place where Doma gathers and eats his followers, believing that he is doing them a favor by ending their miserable lives and letting them live inside his body.
This is because Doma genuinely views humans as inferior beings, believing that they are pathetic and pitiful by nature. Moreover, he makes no effort in hiding this belief, as he openly looks down on people, even mocking the life of Inosuke's deceased mother right in front of him.
Regardless of that, Doma uses his silver tongue and majestic personality to draw people towards him, so that he could end their suffering. Tragically, his followers genuinely believed that he was a divine being sent to guide them to salvation—which ended up being his stomach.
For Doma, his friendly persona isn't just a tool for blending in; it's a weapon. His polite and cheerful nature disarms his victims, making them feel at ease in his presence. He even engages in light-hearted conversation and appears to be interested in the well-being of those around him. In reality, this is a calculated move to lure them into a false sense of security and comfort, allowing him to exploit their trust and eat them afterwards.
However, Doma's friendly nature isn't entirely forced. As mentioned earlier, he considers humans to be inherently inferior to Demons. Moreover, he is detached enough emotionally to feign kindness without feeling even a hint of guilt or remorse for his actions. In essence, his apathetic nature allows him to treat his victims with kindness and politeness without having to put on a facade.
Doma's true nature in Demon Slayer
Underneath his cheerful and friendly personality, Doma is a sadistic and emotionless predator. He is a cold and calculating Demon who sees humans as little more than a food source. By using his approachable personality, Doma attracts and gives his followers a false sense of security before killing and eating them.
Doma's twisted sense of morality and apathetic nature are perhaps the most unsettling aspects of his character. He genuinely believes that killing and eating humans is an act of mercy. His character is a shining example of the notion that villains don't need complex and sad backstories to be effective and that they can be a villain just for the sake of being evil.
Final Thoughts
Doma is a character that fans love to hate on, and for good reason. By being a villain just for the sake of being evil, he served the purpose of his character so well that he became universally disliked, even by his fellow Upper Rank Demons, and Muzan in particular.
Related Links:
- Why does Muzan hates Doma in Demon Slayer?
- Who killed Doma in Demon Slayer: An in-depth explanation
- Why Muzan's hatred for Doma in Demon Slayer goes against his ideals, explored