Why does Tengen have Mice in Demon Slayer?

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has become one of the greatest Shonen anime in little to no time. Demon Slayer is mostly loved for its fascinating characters and among them are the Hashira, who took an oath to eradicate all demons.

So far, only a few of the Hashira have been explored, including Giyu Tomioka and Kyojuro Rengoku, and the most recent one is the Sound Hashira: Tengen Uzui. As seen in the Entertainment District Arc, unlike other Hashira, Tengen tends to do things his own way.

Moreover, one of the most intriguing things about him is that he has overly buffed mice at his disposal. To find out how he got them in the first place and for what, let’s dive right into the article.

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Demon Slayer: What makes Tengen’s mice special than the ordinary?

Tengen Uzui’s mice are called Ninju, and they are also referred to as Shino Buff Mice. These measly herculean creatures are responsible for assisting their master, Tengen, in several ways. For instance, they delivered the Nichirin blades to Inosuke in the Ogimoto House, on the order of their master, where he was discreetly stationed to investigate the whereabouts of Makio.

Although the Ninju did not receive much spotlight in the arc, they played a pivotal role in helping Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu, and their master Tengen Uzui to sneak their weapons into the Entertainment District. Ninju are no ordinary mice, as they are muscular and highly intelligent creatures. They are strong enough to carry one sword individually, ten times their size.

As noted in Demon Slayer, they wear a bandana embedded with crystals, similar to their master, Tengen, as he likes to keep things flamboyant. However, in the Taisho Era secret of Demon Slayer: Entertainment District arc’s Episode 4, Tengen reveals that he only chooses the dedicated mice to train as Muscular Mice.

Like Tengen’s obsession with flamboyance, he wants his mice to inherit narcissistic traits like flexing their muscles and making them self-obsessed. Their history has never been revealed, even after the original manga came to an end. But it is believed that Ninju has been an important member of the Uzui family.

Ninju can navigate small spaces that humans cannot normally enter. Moreover, they can understand the language of humans easily, as they do not require any complex interpretations. As seen in Demon Slayer, apart from Tengen, there are others too, who require the assistance of animals for all sorts of jobs.

Even the Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro, has a pet snake named Kaburamaru as his acquaintance, which is always seen wrapped around its master’s neck. Unlike others, Obanai perceives Kaburamaru as a friend rather than his assistant.

Moreover, Kaburamaru possesses a peculiar ability that allows him to read and predict a target's attacks and then relay that information to his master. As Obanai is partially blind in his right eye, Kaburamaru has become a part of his master’s body by helping him overcome his disability.

Tamayo also has a cat named Chachamaru, that helps her collect Demon Blood with the help of Tanjiro Kamado. Once Chachamaru collects the blood, it becomes invisible with the help of a special paper talisman that Yushiro made with his Blood Demon Art.

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