Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga! Shinobu Kocho is one of the most beloved Demon Slayer characters who broke fans’ hearts in the first installment of the Infinity Castle trilogy. As the Insect Hashira, she was already talented enough, but taking on the Upper Rank Two, especially without awakening a Demon Slayer Mark, was too much for even someone as skilled as her. While she may be unable to cut off a demon’s head, the poisons she created using Wisteria could easily kill one. Ideally, the only way to defeat a demon is to expose it to sunlight or decapitate it using a Nichirin blade. That’s how the Demon Slayer Corps has defeated these monsters for centuries, but Shinobu took advantage of one more weakness, and that’s the Wisteria flower.
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For some reason, demons are weak only to that particular flower, and they avoid going anywhere near it at all costs. Shinobu’s poisons are only lethal to demons, and she incorporated the use of such poisons with her Insect Breathing Technique. Such ability made her climb all the way to the rank of a Hashira, but unfortunately, no matter what poison she used against Doma, the demon countered it way too easily. Shinobu is one of the rarest talents in the world of Demon Slayer, but there was one more character with expertise in poisons and medicines, and she turned out to be a valuable ally of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Shinobu Worked With Tamayo During the Demon Slayer’s Hashira Training Arc
Although it was off-screen, Shinobu was asked to work on a drug to defeat Muzan, but the catch was that she had to work with Tamayo and Yushiro. Knowing that the final battle was near, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the head of the Demon Slayer Corps, already knew about Tamayo and invited her to work with them. While Shinobu had experience creating all kinds of poisons to kill demons, Tamayo had centuries of knowledge in demonology.
In order to take revenge on the demon progenitor, she spent about 500 years trying to find a way to kill him, and she finally completed the Anti-Muzan Drug thanks to Shinobu’s help. The drug played the most crucial role in Muzan’s defeat, and without it, the entire Demon Slayer Corps would’ve been wiped out while the demon progenitor would’ve continued his reign of terror. Although Shinobu knew why working with Tamayo was crucial, she could barely control her anger when she was expected to work with a demon.
In the Hashira Training Arc, she was barely able to control her anger, but she calmed down after meeting Kanao Tsuyuri, who was now able to express her emotions more clearly. However, while Shinobu was clearly unhappy about working with Tamayo, the alliance actually helped accomplish her sister’s biggest dream, which Shinobu eventually tried to carry on after Kanae’s death.
Shinobu’s Dream Was Influenced By Her Sister’s Kindness
Kanae Kocho, the Flower Hashira, was an empathetic person just like Tanjiro, who also felt sorry for demons. She hoped to one day create a world where demons and humans could coexist and work together without killing each other. Kanae held on to her ideals even in her final breath when she was slashed by Doma. Shinobu, who was with Kanae in her final moments, swore to avenge her sister despite knowing she wasn’t powerful enough to kill a demon. She spent years working to avenge Kanae while forcing herself to wear the beautiful smile her sister loved.
Even during her introduction in the story, she expressed her desire to become friends with demons. While hiding the disgust she felt for those flesh-eating creatures, she tried to carry on her sister’s dream, but eventually decided to entrust that dream to Tanjiro. Like most Demon Slayers, Shinobu was drowning in despair after losing everything she loved because of those monsters. That’s why, even though her dream of working with a demon came true, it didn’t make her happy at all.
If anything, she hated the idea of ever having a connection with a demon. Although she eventually warmed up to Nezuko, Shinobu’s feelings toward the rest of the demons remained unchanged until her dying breath. The anger she felt toward them burst out and pushed her to do anything in her power to ensure Doma’s defeat. Shinobu didn’t live to see the battle unfold, but part of her must’ve known that the drug would work somehow and that her allies would finish what she and Tamayo started.
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