The third season of the anime series "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" is fast approaching. This work features many attractive characters and is well-known for its popular characters, but who is your favorite character in this work? I'm sure many fans would name the pillars, who are the strongest characters in the work. The pillars are overwhelmingly popular with many fans because they have a wide variety of personalities and appearances and cover a wide range of fan preferences. Although they tend to be overshadowed by the popularity of the pillars, we must not forget that there is another strongest character in this work, the Upper Rank demons. Since they are villain characters, they don't get much attention, but if you look closely, they actually have more attractive aspects than the pillars. In this article, I would like to introduce the appeal of the Upper Rank demons, who tend to be overshadowed by the pillars, from the perspective of why they should be given more attention than the pillars.
Why are villains attractive?
First, I would like to explain why the villains in this work are so appealing. In purely Japanese works, there is a tendency to be "biased towards the underdog," making it easy to empathize with the enemies who are defeated by the allies, but in this work, not only is there bias towards the underdog, but various elements are intertwined to make the villains appealing.
Many episodes that really hit home
The first is that there are many episodes that really hit home with the demons. No matter how wicked and cruel a demon may be, they often have had some misfortune in the past that has made them a demon. When you dig deeper into these backgrounds, you start to sympathize with the demons.
Easily made into a joke
Moreover, demons have sensibilities that ordinary people cannot understand, and their actions can be somewhat amusing when viewed from a distance. For this reason, on the Internet, there is a tendency to make jokes about the demons' slightly off-topic remarks and actions that ordinary people cannot understand, and they also have an aspect of being active as familiar internet memes.
Differences between Pillars and Demons
Just like the pillars, the demons have attractive aspects, but what is the difference between their charms or natures? From here, I would like to delve deeper into the differences between pillars and demons, who are both such attractive beings.
(Pillars) Endlessly strong and respectable beings
When it comes to pillars, they are always there to guide Tanjiro, fighting on the front lines and protecting the safety of many people, so they are characters you can root for and enjoy with peace of mind.
(Pillars) The image of reliable seniors
They are not just comrades who fight alongside each other, but are also seen as reliable seniors, so we can always learn important messages and the importance of hard work from them. They are wonderful beings who give us a lot to learn and discover, both for the main character Tanjiro and for us fans who enjoy the work.
(Demons) Beings with insanity that deviate from the norm
On the other hand, demons are depicted as beings with insanity that deviate from the norm and that we humans cannot understand. At first glance, they are just scary beings, and the reality is that there are many scenes where you want the pillars to defeat them quickly.
(Demons) The image of weak-hearted, useless people
Especially the demons, each one of them has some weakness in their hearts. And it is precisely because of this weakness that these characters resort to the escape route of becoming demons. Another point is that, even from the perspective of us fans, there is nothing we can learn from them.
Easily empathetic villains
As such, compared to the pillars, the demons are characters that we cannot learn anything significant from or admire, but instead, they are portrayed as characters that are very easy to empathize with. From here, I would like to explain one of the charms of these demons, which is their ease of empathy.
Everyone has a weakness in their hearts
The weakness in the hearts of each demon is something that we fans also have. Rather, aren't there fewer people who have overcome their weakness in their hearts like the Hashira and become perfect beings and stand up to the enemy? For us, who are just ordinary people and have not trained in any way, the weakness in the hearts of these demons is one of the things we can most empathize with.
The protagonist overcomes his own weakness
The protagonist Tanjiro, while also struggling and stumping in the same way as we do with our own weaknesses, is able to overcome them through repeated training, which moves us. His actions are a perfect mirror of the protagonists in Jump manga, but conversely, they also serve as a burden to fans, making them feel that they need to work hard like him.
Demons that accept weakness of heart
On the other hand, demons have the same weaknesses as us, but on the contrary, they can be said to be beings that continue to accept their weaknesses. Unlike the main character Tanjiro, they can become demons because they have weaknesses, so from our perspective, they can be perceived as beings that best understand the weakness of the heart.
Readers find it easier to empathize with demons
When you think about it this way, the demons who continue to affirm their weaknesses are easier to empathize with than the protagonists who always train to be in the right. It's easy to think, "That's the temptation of evil!", but is it really wrong to affirm our weaknesses in the same way as them?
Is it hard to empathize with Tanjiro? ?
Above all, the main character Tanjiro is an encouraging presence, as he reexamines and overcomes the weaknesses in our hearts, but on the other hand, he is a character that is very difficult to empathize with.
Not everyone can become strong
Not everyone can continue to train and become stronger like Tanjiro and the other pillars. Sometimes we give up trying, get jealous of people who are different from us and can work hard, and often continue to have negative thoughts.
We admire them precisely because we can't become them
In other words, it's precisely because we can't keep working hard like them that we admire them and want to support them, but that's like continuing to support an idol, and it's no different from worshiping a presence that you can never get close to and using it as emotional support.
A slightly more adult way to enjoy Demon Slayer
If you think about it this way, you'll see a more adult way to enjoy it than just continuing to cheer on the pillars and Tanjiro. Let's enjoy Demon Slayer from a different angle than kids who only cheer on the friendly side.
Pay attention to the villains!!
A slightly more adult way to enjoy the show is to pay attention to the demons, who are the villains. Unlike the allies, the demons use underhanded tactics and escape reality, and at first glance they seem like characters that are hard to root for. However, behind their actions lies a weakness in their hearts, just like us, and they are characters who are constantly moving forward while carrying the conflict that comes from that weakness.
Looking at the Pillars Negatively
On the other hand, looking at the actions of the Pillars, who always continue to walk the right path, in a negative light is also a high-level way to enjoy the work. By looking at them in a negative light, who continue to embody moral values that can now be considered common sense, such as never running away from difficulties and always doing something for others, you can enjoy this work from another perspective that you cannot enjoy with a normal view.
Would you like to become a demon too?
Through this article, I want to tell you just one thing: "Why don't you become a demon too?" If you become a demon, they will always affirm your weakness and the frustration you feel in your daily life. It is not always the right answer to just keep standing up against your own weak heart. Sometimes, acknowledging that weakness and continuing to walk together with them may be a good way of living that we should learn from demons.
Living the life of evil is cool too! !
As such, there are many other works in which the villains are more attractive than the protagonists. Please enjoy the work from two perspectives, paying attention to the villains in this work as well.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we introduced the charm of the demons that appear in this work, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba". Of course, the pillars are also very attractive characters, so if you want to continue supporting them, please enjoy them while paying attention to them! On the other hand, if you found the demons even a little attractive after reading this article, please pay attention to them and enjoy the work in the next anime season 3 that will be broadcast.
