Demon Slayer is a hugely popular shonen action series that has taken its place in the unofficial "big three" of modern shonen, thanks to its incredible animation by studio UFOtable, its compelling characters, and exquisite combat system. However, there is still plenty to dislike about Demon Slayer's main characters, such as Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Zenitsu has wowed audiences now and then with his high-speed Thunder Breathing technique and he is often stronger than his detractors give him credit for. All the same, Zenitsu has his fair share of weaknesses, character flaws, missed opportunities, and other negative factors that hold him back.
10 Fans Can't Tell Why Zenitsu Has A Sparrow
One of the more minor, but still frustrating, issues with Zenitsu concerns his animal companion. Every demon slayer is assigned a talking crow to act as a messenger and these crows can be quite amusing and charming at times. Zenitsu, meanwhile, was assigned a little sparrow instead.
There's nothing wrong with the sparrow itself, but it's still strange that Zenitsu ended up with such a bird and Demon Slayer hasn't done much to explain this. Not much about Zenitsu makes sense and this is an example of that.
9 Zenitsu Didn't Want To Become A Demon Slayer
Anyone would be apprehensive about the risks and hardships associated with being a demon slayer, but even then, Zenitsu takes it too far. He has a terrible attitude about his career, including the fact that he didn't even want to become a demon slayer at all.
Zenitsu was practically dragged to the practical exam, as opposed to Tanjiro Kamado, who willingly signed up without any hesitation. Perhaps Tanjiro was also nervous deep down, but at least he didn't have to be forced to become a slayer.
8 Zenitsu Is Notoriously Cowardly
It's likely that most demon slayers are apprehensive about the risks involved in their career — they are only human, after all. But Zenitsu takes it to an extreme, to the point where he interferes with Tanjiro's missions; Zenitsu seems to be afraid of everything.
Anytime Tanjiro or Inosuke is ready to take the fight to the enemy or wander into demon territory, Zenitsu will be overwhelmed with fear and refuse to follow along. He has the sword and uniform of a demon slayer, but definitely not the nerve of one.
7 Zenitsu Raises His Voice Too Much
Zenitsu won't just feel fear when it's time for a mission — he will also start shouting about it. When Zenitsu is afraid of something, he will raise his voice at once and make his concerns all too clear to Tanjiro and Inosuke; he might even go into a fit of hysterics.
Zenitsu annoys the other characters and Demon Slayer fans alike with his constant yelling, which was alarming at first and now, simply irritating. It seems every anime has a character prone to obnoxious shouting, and Zenitsu is that character for Demon Slayer.
6 Zenitsu Tends To Complain About Things
Zenitsu's worst traits involve not just his cowardly streak and his habit of yelling, but also his tendency to complain; he often combines these traits during Demon Slayer. Even if there is nothing to be afraid of, Zenitsu will simply find something to complain about instead.
Zenitsu manages to find the worst in just about every situation and complain about it nonstop. The sole exception was when he actually enjoyed the tough training at the Butterly Estate.
5 Zenitsu's Outfit Is Gaudy
Zenitsu's bright yellow and orange robes match his yellow hair and his electric theme, so at least this gaudy color scheme makes sense. All the same, it's easy to criticize Zenitsu for his goofy taste in clothing and he doesn't compare well to sharply dressed characters like Kyojuro Rengoku or the flashy Tengen Uzui.
Zenitsu's robes really stand out and these colors just make him a more obvious target to demons when it's time to fight. Then there are the white triangles all over Zenitsu's robes, which look silly rather than stylish.
4 Zenitsu Lacks A Role Model To Follow
It's true that Zenitsu looked up to Kyojuro Rengoku and was inspired by him, but for the most part, Kyojuro is Tanjiro's role model rather than Zenitsu's. Zenitsu doesn't really have anyone to look up for inspiration and that is holding him back.
The best shonen heroes inspire viewers when they strive to be more like their role models, such as My Hero Academia's Izuku Midoriya looking up to the symbol of peace, All Might. Unfortunately, Zenitsu has no such role model of his own, so it feels like there's a big hole in his character arc.
3 Zenitsu Used To Annoy Girls
At one point in Demon Slayer, Tanjiro happened upon Zenitsu who was busy harassing a girl on the open road; Tanjiro stepped in to resolve the situation. It turns out Zenitsu has a new habit of pestering every unmarried girl and pressuring them to marry him before he inevitably dies in the line of duty.
It's true that demon slayers tend to die young, but that doesn't excuse Zenitsu's behavior. He's just harassing civilians for no good reason and making a fool of himself. Fortunately, he stopped doing this after forming a party with Tanjiro and Inosuke.
2 Zenitsu's Power Level Is Unreliable
When everything is on the line, Zenitsu is capable of incredible feats of strength in combat, such as when he uses his Thunder Breathing to quickly move in a straight line while taking his foe's head off. It's impressive, but it's not entirely reliable.
Zenitsu needs to fall asleep to use his true power and that's not something he can do on command. When a fight starts, Zenitsu can't do much until he finally passes out from fright and finally uses his Thunder Breathing.
1 Zenitsu Doesn't Have A Compelling Backstory Yet
The lack of a compelling backstory is another negative aspect to Zenitsu that might be fixed in future story arcs in Demon Slayer, but for now it ranks among the worst things about Zenitsu's character. Shonen heroes need a compelling backstory to explain where they came from and how they were shaped by the people around them, but Zenitsu largely lacks that.
Brief flashbacks did show Zenitsu training with his elderly mentor, but that's not much to work with. Demon Slayer fans will definitely appreciate Zenitsu more when they finally get the full story of his origins and how he became the person he is.