This post contains SPOILERS for the Demon Slayer anime and manga.
Summary
- Kokushibo is the strongest living demon after Muzan in Demon Slayer, feared even by the rest of the Upper Moons.
- The Upper Moon One's backstory in Infinity Castle will reveal his jealousy of his brother Yoriichi, the strongest Demon Slayer.
- Kokushibo became a demon to escape death from the Demon Slayer mark, but still couldn't surpass Yoriichi.
The first movie of the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle arc is inching close to its theatrical release, and fans are getting eager to see the final battle between Demon Slayers and Upper Moons unfold. Infinity Castle, which will be covered in three movies, will feature several much-awaited battles. This includes the fight between Tanjiro and Akaza and, of course, Shinobu and Doma; that's only the beginning, though, as humanity's warriors will also go against Muzan.
That being said, Infinity Castle won't only be driven through action, as the story arc will also dive deeper into the story. The three-part movie series will shed light on the backstories of some powerful Upper Moons, including Akaza. However, fans are most eager to learn about the origin story of the strongest Upper Moon, Kokushibo.
Demon Slayer Infinity Castle Will Feature Tanjiro's Much-Awaited Fight With The Upper Rank Three
The first part of Demon Slayer Infinity Castle will feature the much-awaited battle between Tanjiro and Akaza. Here's all you need to know about it.
Kokushibo's Significance In The Story Of Demon Slayer
He Is The Strongest Living Demon After Muzan
Kokushibo may not have appeared in the Demon Slayer anime much, but he holds great significance in the story. The warriors of humanity have been fighting the demon race for centuries, and well, Kokushibo is the strongest demon to ever live, after Muzan, of course. He is the strongest Upper Moon, which means only the strongest Demon Slayer alive, Gyomei Himejima, can defeat this monster. So far, the anime series has showcased only a couple of fights with the Upper Moons; however, these fights were more than enough to give us a taste of the Upper Moons' strength. In a way, these battles with the Upper Moons have set up the ultimate fight against Kukushibo, because he's the one sitting on top.
Kukushibo, or the Upper Rank One, became a demon after being turned by the Demon King Muzan himself. As a human, Kokushibo was a skilled swordsman, and he had already developed the Demon Slayer mark. So, you could say that he instantly became a fearsome demon after getting turned. Additionally, Kokushibo developed Moon Breathing, which, although derived from Sun Breathing like all other breathing styles, was still an incredibly powerful breathing technique. Of course, Muzan was strong, but it was Kokushibo who killed the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps at the time.
That's not it, though; since Muzan got terrified of Sun Breathing after encountering Yoriichi, it was Kokushibo who helped Muzan kill every Demon Slayer who was using the breathing style. So, it's safe to say that it was Kokushibo who helped Muzan exert his dominance over humans and demon slayers during the Sengoku era.
Kokushibo's Position As Upper Moon One Remains Unchallenged
The Upper Moon Rankings in Demon Slayer aren't permanent, as a demon can take a higher ranking after growing in strength. For instance, Doma was an Upper Rank Six a century ago, but after becoming more powerful, he ascended to the position of Upper Rank Two. However, there was absolutely no one who could challenge the might of Kokushibo. He became a demon approximately four centuries ago, and all this time, he held the title Upper Moon One. Forget Demon Slayers; even the rest of the Upper Moons fear the strength of Kokushibo.
Upper Moon One's Connection With The Strongest Demon Slayer To Ever Live
Kokushibo Was The Elder Brother Of Yoriichi
Ever since Tanjiro joined the Demon Slayer Corps, he has heard Yoriichi's name multiple times. Yoriichi was the strongest Demon Slayer to ever live; in fact, he's the only human that Muzan feared the most. Well, Yoriichi's past is closely tied to Kokushibo, as they are brothers. Kokushibo was the older brother of Yoriichi, and, in fact, it was Kokushibo who sort of inspired Yoriichi to pick up a sword for the first time.
Yoriichi had no desire to become a swordsman; it was always Kokushibo's dream. Yoriichi liked seeing his older brother training with a sword, so he unlocked his true potential after getting inspired by Kokushibo. However, little did Kokushibo know that his younger brother possessed some natural talents and would eventually become an even better swordsman. Yoriichi started developing Sun Breathing before he was ten, so Kokushibo's jealousy continued to grow.
I will stop your bleeding. Humans are so fragile. However... If you bleed to death... Or if his lordship doesn't approve of you... And you die... Then death was always your fate. In that case... You were no greater a man than that. Don't you... Agree? - Kokushibo
However, the boys separated after their mother's death, and while Kokushibo became a family man, Yoriicho became a Demon Slayer. They may have walked on different paths, but their fates were aligned. So, the brothers unite after some years, and instead of feeling joy at meeting his younger brother, Kokushibo grows more jealous because of the fact that Yoriichi has become the strongest Demon Slayer. That's when Kokushibo decided to leave his family behind and train with his brother as a fellow Demon Slayer. But guess what? Despite all the hard work, Kokushibo couldn't surpass Yoriichi's natural talents. Even developing Moon Breathing couldn't change anything for Kokushibo.
The Fear Of Death Compelled Kokushibo To Become A Demon
Like Yoriichi, Kokushibo also developed a Demon Slayer Mark, which some might think would have been a good thing to boost Kokushibo's confidence. But that's not how Kokushibo perceived this; in fact, it was the very thing that made him accept Muzan's offer to become a demon. Apparently, everyone who developed a Demon Slayer mark would die at the age of twenty-five— that's the curse of the mark. And well, Kokushibo just couldn't accept this fate, as he wanted to grow even stronger. So, he decided to become a demon after all.
Kokushibo didn't become a Demon Slayer because of his love for humanity; he had no interest in saving humans. Instead, he joined the demon slayer corps so he could surpass Yoriichi. From Kokushibo's perspective, becoming a demon would not only save him from the curse but also help him become stronger than his younger brother. But years later, when Kokushibo encountered Yoriichi, he learned that his younger brother was still stronger than he was as a demon. Not only that, but Yoriichi also survived past the age of twenty-five despite developing the demon slayer mark. You could say that Kokushibo became a monster for nothing, and he realizes the same thing during his final moments in the Infinity Castle arc.
Kokushibo Will Possibly Get The Spotlight In The Second Infinity Castle Movie
It Will Be A Battle Like No Other
The first Demon Slayer Infinity Castle movie will possibly feature the fights against Akaza, Doma, and Kaigaku. So, we can expect the Hashiras gathering against Kokushibo in the second movie before we get to Muzan in the third and final film. Kokushibo's fight will surely be one of the best fights we see in the Demon Slayer anime.
It will take more than Stone Hashira's efforts to take down this beast. Apart from the battle sequence, the origin story of the Upper Moon One will be one of the most impressive parts of the movie. He spent all these years as a demon and let go of his real identity, but in the end, he will realize that it was for nothing. And fans will surely shed a tear the moment Kokushibo realizes this in the movie.
The first Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie is scheduled to release in the United States on September 12.
- Release Date
- April 6, 2019
- Network
- Adult Swim
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 try to eradicate Demons led by Muzan.
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 4
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Koyoharu Gotoge
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix
