The new Demon Slayer movie, officially titled Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns, is getting all the hype right now, and that’s certainly not stopping anytime soon! As the 98% RT anime dominates the box office, many have become quite familiar with Tanjiro Kamado’s touching story. But while Tanjiro is the heart of the franchise and the Hashira are the backbone, there’s one character that’s also as important but is widely overlooked: Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Despite being one of the main characters, Zenitsu, with his yellow haori and matching Nichirin sword, is mostly seen as annoying and often dismissed as comic relief or a coward. Still, not only does his character develop one of the most powerful abilities in Demon Slayer— his very own Thunder Breathing Form — but he also delivers some of the franchise’s most memorable battles, especially in Infinity Castle. So, fans who may have written Zenitsu off early on cannot ignore him as he finally steps into a defining role in the new movie, which reshapes his entire journey, highlighting his utmost importance in the anime’s foundation.
Zenitsu Is the Most Relatable Hero in Demon Slayer
Where Tanjiro is selfless and courageous with a heart full of gold, Zenitsu is… well, terrified! Fans are introduced to this character in the “Final Selection” episode of Demon Slayer, but it’s not until the end of “Together Forever” that we see his trademark traits. In the episode’s final moments, leading into “Tsuzumi Mansion,” Zenitsu clings desperately to a young girl’s hand, begging her to marry him because he believes he won’t live long as a demon slayer. That immediately made him a walking joke among many viewers, who failed to see beyond his fearful exterior, without actually considering that Zenitsu’s response to threatening situations is pretty much how a normal human would react.
Looking at Zenitsu’s backstory, it doesn’t start off as a grand tragedy like some Demon Slayer characters. Before joining the Corps, he was insecure, directionless, and even got caught in too much debt. But fortunately, his life didn’t end up a complete disaster thanks to Jigoro Kuwajima. Jigoro was the former Thunder Hashira who took Zenitsu in as a student, seeing potential in him even when he didn’t believe in himself and failed to master anything beyond the First Form of Thunder Breathing. At least, the “scaredy-cat” was able to perfect this technique exceptionally, proving he was not a lost cause after all.
All these led up to Zenitsu becoming a demon slayer, which, as viewers already know, wasn’t by choice. He didn’t volunteer to become a hero out of bravery; in fact, he never truly wanted to risk his life fighting demons, but he stuck to it out of a sense of duty to honor Jigoro. So you see, Zenitsu may not be the fearless warrior archetype, but his journey symbolizes what it feels like to live with anxiety and constant doubt about life and death. Beneath all that, he has a deep desire to protect the people he cares about, especially his friends — an instinct that slowly evolves into his true motivation for fighting.
Zenitsu Might Be Demon Slayer’s Most Underrated Fighter
When it comes to the battleground, of course, Zenitsu’s tantrums surprise no one, making him easily disregarded as dead weight. However, that’s precisely why his transformation causes us to do a double take every single time. The moment he falls unconscious or reaches a breaking point when fighting, his body takes over and the petrified Zenitsu is no longer in control.
What makes him an even more admirable demon slayer is being able to hone his First Form of Thunder Breathing. The technique may seem simple compared to other Breathing Styles, but Zenitsu’s ability to wield it with such extreme speed and accuracy makes it deadly and comparable to a lightning strike. Where other demon slayers might drag out a fight, Zenitsu ends it in a flash, which, for a character everyone underestimates, is very much badass.
His ability is highlighted throughout Demon Slayer, showcasing just how lethal a single move can be. The very first time we see Zenitsu unleash the First Form, Thunderclap and Flash is in the “The Boar Bares Its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps” episode, in which he instinctively defeats the Tongue Demon inside the Tsuzumi Mansion while fast asleep. Fast-forward to the “You Must Master a Single Thing” episode in which he finishes off the Spider Demon with a sixfold Thunderclap, performing the technique for the first time. Later in the Entertainment District, he pushes the technique even further against Daki and Gyutaro.
‘Infinity Castle’ Finally Proves Zenitsu’s Worth in the Demon Slayer Franchise
For those who have yet to check out the masterpiece called Infinity Castle, just know that you’ll be totally floored by Zenitsu’s performance. The movie finally gives the young hero the stage he deserves, throwing him into one of the arc’s most emotional and high-stakes battles: coming toe-to-toe with Kaigaku. Similar to Zenitsu, Kaigaku trained under Jigoro before betraying them and allowing Kokushibo, the Upper Rank One demon, to transform him into the new Upper Rank Six demon following Daki and Gyutaro’s deaths. This led Jigoro to commit seppuku in atonement, which Kaigaku naturally didn’t lose sleep over. Zenitsu, on the other hand, saw the betrayal as a stain on their master’s honor and wanted to avenge him.
The epic battle isn’t just another demon versus slayer fight; it’s personal, as Zenitsu fights for not just his master’s honor and vengeance but also to prove his own worth to himself. During the fight, Zenitsu develops and uses the Seventh Form of Thunder Breathing, Flaming Thunder God, a technique entirely of his own making that ultimately kills Kaigaku. That was a defining moment for the slayer, who not only won but also proved his superiority as he surpassed someone who had mastered multiple Thunder Breathing forms through sheer will and dedication.
Zenitsu may have entered Demon Slayer as the terrified tag-along, but the Infinity Castle movie establishes him as so much more. Through his journey, we see that true courage isn’t a result of being fearless; it comes from being scared to bits and fighting anyway. And that makes him the kind of hero who’s much more human than others and one of the franchise’s most worthy heroes, deserving far more credit than he gets.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle is playing in theaters now.
- Release Date
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April 3, 2019
- Network
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Fuji TV, Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV, Kansai TV, Tokai Television Broadcasting, Fukui TV, Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting, Iwate Menkoi Television, Sendai Television, SAGA TV, TNC, OHK, Ishikawa TV, Kochi Sun Sun Broadcasting, TV Shizuoka, UMK TV Miyazaki, Television Shin Hiroshima System, NST, NBS, Sakuranbo TV, TSK, Ehime Broadcasting, KTS, NIB, Fukushima TV, TOS, AKT, Toyama Television, TV Kumamoto, Okinawa Television Broadcasting
- Directors
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Hideki Hosokawa, Shinya Shimomura, Akihiko Uda, Takuro Takahashi, Shuji Miyahara, Masaru Takeuchi, Toshiyuki Shirai, Takuya Nonaka, Yuki Ito, Ken Takahashi, Takahiro Majima, Yusuke Shibata
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Natsuki Hanae
Tanjiro Kamado (voice)
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Akari Kito
Nezuko Kamado (voice)
