The following contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga and anime.
Summary
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaibafeatures characters from diverse backgrounds, quite a few of whom havesuffered the worst trauma imaginable. Naturally, some of them tend to have strange personalities and often make questionable life decisions.
Fans appear to be divided when it comes to judging these characters. While some think that the backstories and additional context do justify the poor decisions they have made, others continue to disagree. Based on the social media buzz and online discussions, these are the most polarizing characters in the series.
6Obanai Iguro
The Serpent Hashira
Obanai Iguro’s cold and arrogant behaviormakes him a difficult character to like. From the get-go, he bullies people much weaker than him and appears to look down on others. Even when he arrives in Yoshiwara following the death of Gyutaro and Daki, he does not show any sympathy for Tengen, who has lost one of his arms and has barely managed to cheat death.
I want to die defeating Muzan, and I pray that it will purify my filthy blood. Then, if I am reborn as a human being in a peaceful world without demons, I will tell you of my feelings for you.
There are hardly any moments where Obanai appears to show any warmth to others, with Mitsuri being the only exception. It shouldn’t be surprising that most anime fans tend to dislike him. However, manga readers do not necessarily hate him and generally have a more nuanced understanding of his personality.
5Tengen Uzui
The Sound Hashira
Tengen Uzuiis a flamboyant hero who is loved by a lot of fans. His flashy fighting style and never-give-up attitude are honorable. Uzui plays a crucial role inbringing down Gyutaro and Daki, the brother-sister duo who had killed about 22 Hashira.
On the surface, it would seem thatUzui is a respectable character, even someone to look up to. However, quite a few fans justifiably don’t want to overlook the fact that he tried to forcefully enlist the girls at Butterfly Mansion for a dangerous mission. What makes things even uglier is the fact that he behaved inappropriately with Aoi despite being married to three women.
4Shinjuro Rengoku
Former Flame Hashira
Shinjuroused to be a respected Hashirawho was driven by the desire to serve the greater good. At some point in his life, he married a woman named Ruka. The couple had two children, and initially, everything appeared to be going perfectly for the Rengokus. But things took a dark turn when Ruka was diagnosed with an incurable disease and died soon afterward.
Shinjuro turned to alcohol to cope with the loss of his wife.Learning that Sun Breathing was the original swordsmanshipstyle and all other breathing styles are its derivatives also had a huge influence on him. He was overcome by an inferiority complex, which he struggled to deal with. Shinjuro ended up neglecting his own children and remained bitter for many years. While he eventually did reveal that he cared for Kyojuro, it was already too late. For a lot of fans, Shinjuro’s changed behavior was not enough to justify the damage he had already caused.
3Akaza
The Upper-Rank Three
Akazais an interesting villainsince he is not universally hated by all theDemon Slayerfans. In fact, some even praise him for having an honor code and not killing women for nutrition. But since he is a demon at the end of the day, he can also be extremely cruel.
You misunderstand, Tanjiro. I only despise the weak. I only spit on weaklings. Yes. Weaklings make me sick. It is the law of nature that they be weeded out.
Akaza genuinely feels that the weak can justifiably be exterminated, and only the strong have the right to live on. While some fans overlook his cruelty after learning his backstory, others find it hard to forgive him for killing Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku.
2Sanemi Shinazugawa
The Wind Hashira
Sanemi Shinazugawais a hot-blooded and rude personwho is driven by a deep-seated hatred for the demons. While his hatred for demons is understandable, looking at his past, Shinazugawa’s personality appears to have been influenced to the point that he frequently makes inhuman decisions that are hard to justify.
When it comes to Sanemi, it is interesting thatDemon Slayerfans are divided over him based on whether they have read the manga or just watched the anime alone. Typically, those who fall in the former category tend to have a more favorable opinion, while those in the latter find him insufferable.
There are quite a few incidents that tend to make fans turn against Sanemi, but perhaps the most noteworthy one isduring the Hashira trainingwhen he tries to blind Genya simply for approaching to talk to him and overcoming their differences. Even a few manga readers dislike Shinazugawa for this specific incident and do not feel it is justified, irrespective of the suffering the two brothers have been through.
Fans who do take Sanemi’s side often bring up the sacrifices he has made to protect Genya and to ensure that he lives a long, healthy life.
1Zenitsu Agatsuma
Jigoro Kuwajima’s Disciple
Zenitsu Agatsumais inarguably the most polarizingcharacter from the series. While there are a lot of fans who undoubtedly love and adore him, there are also many who are just turned off by his constant nagging and inappropriate behavior toward women.
I hate myself more than anyone. I always think I have to get my act together, but I end up cowering, running away, sniveling. I want to change. I want to be a competent person.
It is noteworthy that Agatsuma has been ranked as one of the best characters by fans in different polls. But, he also gets criticized constantly by many viewers who just don’t like his over-the-top antics and drama.
