Why was Rengoku killed off in Demon Slayer? Explained

Kyojuro Rengoku from Demon Slayer became one of the most beloved characters in the series. Despite being in the anime for just one season, he managed to garner a massive fanbase, as the character writing for the Flame Hashira was incredible. Part of the reason for such adoration is his unwavering sense of justice and his personality.

He is a great mentor, helps people in need, and never backs down from a fight. However, the Upper Moon 3 demon managed to kill him in the second season of the anime, leading to an interesting question—why was Rengoku killed off?

Rengoku was killed off in the series since it would serve as an important plot point, and his death would play a crucial role in Tanjiro's character progression.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer series.

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Why Demon Slayer killed off Rengoku for the plot

In anime and other forms of media, important characters are often killed quite early in the series for numerous reasons - one of the main ones being that it makes for an important plot point, raising the stakes in the story to a whole new level.

Up until the point of Rengoku's death in the series, viewers only came across Lower Moon demons who nearly killed the protagonist. In order to show just how tough the Upper Moon demons were, the storyline killed one of the most prominent Hashira.

This gave fans some perspective on the strength that Upper Moon demons wield and raised the stakes to another level, showing viewers why demon hunters feared the Upper Moon demons in the series.

Another reason for Rengoku’s death could be to create shock value. The unexpected death shocked the fanbase, which is one technique that many series employ to retain viewership.

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Gotouge’s motivations for killing off Rengoku, explored

Many reasons could justify Gotouge killing off Rengoku, but it hasn’t been confirmed by the manga author yet. With that said, one can take an educated guess as to why the mangaka would have wanted to kill the character in the series.

Kyojuro Rengoku was a mentor to Tanjiro Kamado in the second season of the anime. It was quite clear that Tanjiro looked up to him, and unlike other Hashira, Rengoku’s values and principles aligned with the protagonist the most.

Since this was the case, Tanjiro was quite attached to the Flame Hashira. Gotouge could have killed the character in order to help with Tanjiro’s character progression. Tanjiro’s kind-hearted nature could at times get in his way, and one of the best lessons he could learn was to experience the death of his favorite mentor.

Not only did he toughen up after the Hashira's death but also resolved to destroy and kill every demon. While one might argue that he had this resolve ever since he experienced the death of his family, there were tangible results in his training following Rengoku’s death.

Gotouge could have also killed Rengoku to show why he was a revered Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps—showing fans that he not only managed to fight an Upper Moon by himself but also ensured that none of his comrades got hurt in the process.

Another reason for the mangaka to kill Rengoku early in the series could be to amplify his impact as a character, which can be seen for almost two seasons following his death.

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Related Links:

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• Demon Slayer may have foreshadowed Tanjiro's three Breathing Styles with his black nichirin blade