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The following article contains spoilers for Demon Slayer.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castlewill be released in July 2025 in Japan, and it will debut in American and Canadian theaters in September. Fans can’t wait to see this new installment of theDemon Slayeranime, but Nezuko fans may be disappointed by the final arc.
Nezuko Kamado could have been one of the most crucial characters in the story, especially after she fully awakened her powers. However, she barely appears for a good portion of the final arc, leaving fans feeling that her character was underexplored in the series. Could Nezuko have played a better role in the story?
Nezuko’s Journey on Demon Slayer
Nezuko’s transformation into a demon is the major force that drives Tanjiro into his journey against Muzan. Initially, she acts like most demons shown in the series, but she changes completely after seeing her brother trying to protect her from the Demon Slayers. She also protects Tanjiro and is not afraid to use her massive demon powers. Unlike other demons, however, she refuses to attack and eat humans.
I will protect my brother no matter what; that’s my promise!
— Nezuko Kamado
While it seems that Nezuko retains a portion of her personality and memories (especially of Muzan killing the Kamado family), she acts like a child and is barely able to speak for years. And even though she has been strong from the beginning, she only awakens herfull powers in the Entertainment District arc, after beating Daki. Finally, at the end of the Swordsmith Village arc, Nezuko somehow becomes resistant to the sun. This makes Muzan particularly interested in her, since he has been searching for a way to become immune to the sun, his biggest weakness.
Why Nezuko Doesn’t Invade the Infinity Castle
Muzan is disturbed that Nezuko became sun-resistant in only a handful of years, while he has been trying to do so for centuries with no success. It seems they took different paths in “demonhood.” Nezuko focused on developing sun resistance rather than regaining her consciousness, while Muzan probably did the opposite. One could wonder if these characteristics are mutually exclusive in a demon.
Anyway, after finding out about Nezuko’s resistance,Muzan makes her his main target, believing that he will also become resistant after consuming her. For this reason, Nezuko doesn’t join the Demon Slayers when they storm the Infinity Castle — it would be too risky. Instead, she takes Tamayo’s antidote and waits to eventually turn human once again.
Nezuko Was Strong Enough to Play a More Active Role
WhileNezuko would have become an easy targetfor Muzan if she had invaded the Infinity Castle with the others,her presence would also have added tension to this arc. It is a bit frustrating that the story chose to “play it safe” by leaving her aside at such a crucial moment. She could have shown that she is not easy to beat and could have even gained new abilities.
In a final plot twist, Muzan turns Tanjiro into a demon,known as Demon King Tanjiro. Demon Tanjiro is also resistant to the sun and is clearly levels above any of the other demons in the story. Nezuko, now turned into a human, plays a supporting role in this part, urging Tanjiro not to give himself up. However, it would be more interesting if she were still partly a demon and played a more active role at this point.
Demon King Tanjiro Could Have Been Harder to Beat
The Demon Slayers don’t defeat Demon Tanjiro; they inject him with the antidote, turning him back into a human. It happens so fast that it is a bit frustrating — a villain with so much potential could have lasted longer. Also, Nezuko has probably been resisting Muzan for all of these years, soshe should have been the one showing Tanjiro how to resist Muzan, and there could have been a brief battle between them.
The final arc ofDemon Slayeris filled with great ideas that could have been developed in another way, and the story could last for a few more chapters. This doesn’t mean that the manga is bad; it’s just that it created many missed opportunities. However, the upcomingDemon Slayer: Infinity Castlemovie trilogy will probably adapt the ending to its full potential, and seeing the characters in action on the big screens may offer a different impression of the manga’s final moments.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaibaisavailable to stream on Crunchyroll, subbed and dubbed in many languages.
Demon Slayer
Based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s shonen manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an action anime set in Japan during the early 20th century. Seeking revenge for the murder of his family while also looking to save his sister, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps as they attempt to eradicate Demons led by Muzan.
