Koyoharu Gotōge's manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba follows the story of Tanjiro Kamado as he becomes a demon slayer to avenge the death of his family and to find a way to turn his sister, Nezuko, back into a human. Throughout his journey, he encounters many unique people and demons that have experienced the world differently, shaping their philosophies and personalities. These are the characters that make the story rich and exciting, tethering the reader to each storyline and creating a need to find out their conclusion in the story.

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In tears and laughter, many villains and heroes find a satisfying finale that is worthy of the fandom's praise. But an enticing backstory does not make a character arc end perfectly. Like a piece of bubble gum that starts strong but loses its flavor after a few chews, Demon Slayer is not without its weak endings.

10 Ended Perfectly: Obanai Iguro

Obanai Iguro in Demon Slayer

This character was born into a family that was under the control of a demon; they would give their children as sacrifices, and in turn, receive riches. He was raised as a chattel, as the demon who controlled the family coveted his different colored eyes. In the end, Obanai escaped but left his family to suffer the demon's wrath, which also left him carrying the burden of guilt for their deaths.  His death was a tragic one, but it also brought a satisfying conclusion to his character arc.

9 Could've Ended Better: Kyojuro Rengoku

Born with great skill, he left home to take up his father's mantle. Kyojuro believed that he was given his power to help others and would always strive to do so.  He was always encouraging those around him to become stronger.  But his life was cut short after he was attacked by the Upper-Rank Three, Akaza, and unable to defeat him.

It is an exciting conclusion to his character arc, but it leaves plenty to be desired. There was so much that Kyojuro could have contributed to the story and his quick exit leaves the audience wanting more.

8 Ended Perfectly: Genya Shinazugawa

Genya strived to gain his brother, Sanemi's, acknowledgment. One night, what appeared to be a beast, killed all of his siblings except for his older brother. Running outside after the attack, he found Sanemi standing over the body of their mother. Genya accused his brother of not protecting the family, creating a rift between them.

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His lifetime of regret came to an end when Genya sacrificed himself for his brother and wished for him to live a life full of happiness. It is a bittersweet character arc, ending conclusively without fault.

7 Could've Ended Better: Inosuke Hashibira

When Inosuke was a baby his mother tossed him into a river to protect him after she had found out a cult she had been living with was controlled by the Upper-Rank 2 demon, Doma. Surviving the fall, he was then raised by boars for most of his life, before becoming a demon slayer.

Inosuke, had a very compelling backstory, but there is a very large gap of time that has been left open to interpretation.  It leaves the audience with a hunger to know who he is and where he is going

6 Ended Perfectly: Akaza

Akaza lost his father to sickness and was hired by Keizo, a master of Soryo fighting style, to watch over his daughter. A dojo nearby was jealous of the power of Keizo and poisoned him and his daughter, killing them both. This caused Akaza to destroy the nearby dojo and its inhabitants in anger. He would later be turned into a demon in his search for more power.

There was a visible struggle as Akaza was fighting Tanjiro.  He was coming to grips with his past and his own weakness.  He is defeated and reunites with the ones that he lost and loves completing his story and bringing satisfaction to the audience.

5 Could've Ended Better: Nezuko

A fan favorite, Nezuko was turned into a demon while also losing her family and memories. She and her brother Tanjiro worked tirelessly to find a way to change her back into a human. She gained the ability to resist the sun, making Muzan covet her. To keep this power from him, the Demon Slayers hid her away. Much of the final battle was fought without her.

Even though she ends up happy with all of her friends, the lack of an appearance during the end of the series leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the audience.

4 Ended Perfectly: Muichiro Tokito

Muichiro was cold and unfeeling at the beginning of the series, not really caring one way or the other about anything.  That all changes when Tanjiro points out that helping others can positively affect himself.  It seems like such a small influence, but it rattles Muichiro and makes him unearth memories that he had been lost to him.

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This character arc is filled with growth from start to finish. Watching Muichiro understand who he is and who he wants to be while coming to terms with his past creates a powerful end to his story.

3 Could've Been Better: Yoriichi Tsugikuni

Yoriichi Tsugikuni in Demon Slayer

Yoriichi is arguably the most powerful character in the series, he was the creator of the Breathing Styles, he was born with the ability to see into a person's body and follow their movements, and was able to fight Muzan and bring him to the brink of death.  All of these skills made him a fascinating character, one that had the potential to create a powerful story arc.  However, there is little consistency in his story causing more questions than answers. His character arc is full of gaps that leave the audience wanting more.

2 Ended Perfectly: Shinobu Kocho

shinobu kocho demon slayer

Shinobu was resentful of her size because she lacked the strength to protect those that she loved.  This resentment caused her to use poison and body modifications to fight her enemies, rather than the use of brute strength.  Her lack of strength caused her to adopt a self-sacrificing nature. With no regard for her own future, she was willing to sacrifice her own life so others would be able to have a happy, unbroken life.

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Her tragic and yet resilient narrative made her character arc feel complete and satisfying, making her one of the most entertaining characters.

1 Could've Been Better: Aoi Kanzaki

Aoi Kanzaki in Demon Slayer with blue eyes and a furrowed brow.

Aoi was a secondary character who had potential.  She was presented to the audience as if she was going to be the next character that would add depth to the narrative, but instead, she disappears, only to make an appearance, at the end of the story, as Inosuke's love interest.  She had a personality that could have easily enriched the story and added a strong female character, but instead, she is placed on the sidelines, leaving her character arc to be wasted.

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