Over the years, Demon Slayer‘s anime has released multiple films and seasons while fans await the story to reach its conclusion. It’s been around six years since the manga, written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge, reached its conclusion, but the anime will take a bit longer to fully adapt the story. It’s already entered its final phase with the first installment of the Infinity Castle trilogy, as fans await updates on the upcoming two films. Following the Infinity Castle trilogy, the anime will also adapt the Sunrise Countdown Arc, which has yet to reveal what format it will be released in. The story has come a long way since the first season, beginning from Tanjiro’s brutal journey to introducing the Demon Slayer Corps.
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Each arc offers new challenges for the characters while also exploring the true extent of their power. The story took a complete major turn in the Mugen Train Arc when an Upper Rank demon showed up at the scene. Fans got the first glimpse at what exactly the Corps is against, and it may be more than they can handle. After Rengoku’s tragic death, the story keeps introducing more Upper Ranks. This also includes the Swordsmith Village Arc, which was released in April 2023 as part of the Spring anime lineup. It reached its conclusion on June 18th, 2023, before delving into the Corps’ history that changed the story forever.
Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc Introduced The Demon Slayer Mark
The fight against Akaza was no coincidence since the demon willingly targeted a Hashira and managed to win despite how powerful Rengoku was. It also explained why the Demon Slayer Corps has been unable to defeat the demons in over a thousand years. There’s only a certain level of power that humans can achieve, regardless of how powerful they may be. Unfortunately, this also includes the Hashira, the strongest in the Corps. While they are capable of easily destroying Lower Moons, the Upper Ranks are far too powerful.
Gyutaro’s defeat in the Entertainment District Arc was only made possible because he shared his power with his sister Daki, making him more vulnerable than the rest of the Upper Ranks. Despite fighting against the lowest-ranked Upper Moon, Tengen Uzui, Tanjiro, and everyone else almost lost their lives. However, things took a completely different turn in the Swordsmith Village Arc, which introduced the Demon Slayer Mark, a key to unlocking the hidden potential of any Demon Slayer.
When Muichiro Tokito and Mitsuri Kanroji were pushed past their limits fighting against the Upper Ranks that attacked the village, they awakened their Demon Slayer Marks, which temporarily boosted their powers. The mark only appears when a Slayer’s body reaches these extreme physical limits during a life-or-death battle. It’s a major gamble, and it doesn’t awaken consciously. However, without these marks, the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn’t have stood a chance against the Upper Moons.
Demon Slayer Mark Comes At a Steep Price
Without the Demon Slayer Mark, the Corps would’ve never stood a chance against the Upper Moons. Muichiro was initially struggling against Upper Rank Five, but he effortlessly defeated the demon after tapping into his true potential. However, the Demon Slayers who have awakened their marks have historically been unable to survive after reaching the age of 25. The truth behind the Demon Slayer Marks was lost in the annals of history because of that very reason. Whenever a Demon Slayer with a mark appears in the Corps, everyone around that person also starts awakening them as if it’s some kind of chain reaction.
During the Sengoku era, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the creator of the Breathing Techniques, was born with a mark, and everyone around him began awakening as well. Yoriichi even developed the Sun Breathing Technique, and the others came up with their own derivations, which finally gave humans a chance to fight against powerful demons. However, in this era, it was Tanjiro who turned the wheel of fate. He appeared with a mark just like Yoriichi, and the Corps finally began to see hope for a better future.
Following the Swordsmith Village Arc, the Corps decided to hold an intense Hashira Training so everyone could reach the true limits of their power. The Mark awakened under conditions that were severely life-threatening, which is why it reduced the life spans of the users. However, with the country’s future at stake, the Demon Slayers were ready to lay down their lives at any given point. The training proved to be fruitful since even if the Slayers couldn’t awaken their marks, they still managed to improve by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, the rest of the Hashira only awakened their marks in the Infinity Castle when they were forced into a near-death situation.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
