The symbolism of Shinobu Kocho
Well, long time no see, it's already the last day of our "Loving Shinobu" week. I don't think there would be anything after this post, but I just felt guilty, after the last post. So, I wanted to end this at the collection of ideas that Shinobu holds as the character. Thank you, for paying attention and being here ❤️
Sword
Let me start from the basics. Look at how thin it is. And most of the demons always underrate Shinobu thinking it would be an easy kill. But, little do they know, the agony they'll have to go through.
I like how similar it is to a insect sting. How poisonous it is. How at the edge there is only a one part of the actual katana. Did I say, how beatifull her inability to cut off heads played off? Her unhuman speed. Her unhuman thrust strength. Her incredible intelligence. All of the factors for us to see an actual Hashira. And it f-ing works.
But let's actually talk about the sword. Words written on it
"evil demon" (悪鬼, akki) on the right side of the blade, and "destroy/kill" (滅殺, messatsu) on the left side of the blade.
Showing every slayers thoughts of the demons. There is nothing so individual. All of the hashiras has exact the same words. But, tsuba...
The same as Kanae's. I feel like it would be Kanae's idea to have matching little things. And, as the last think Shinobu dropped in the battle, wasn't her anger, nor renevge. It was her katana. With the same tsuba, as Kanae had at her last moments. Isn't it poetic?
Revenge
Among all of the characters, she is the only to have such a determined goal of killing an exact demon. She is the only one to give their whole life to this. As said in is frame, there is no difference, was she able or not. She had to do it. She had to bring a meaning to her more than a year preparing for this. She had to stop her suffering. She had to avenge her..
At the end, I feel like she was forcing herself to do it. Even if we take Wisteria from our wolrd.. Do you know what is the danger of consuming it?
Dizziness, nausea and severe headaches occur, as well as vomiting
Severe poisoning can even lead to death.
We couldn't see how much Wisteria damaged Shinobu, but by Giyu's observations we can find that she became paler.. and that's one the first symptoms of poisoning.
And after that, we still have information that for getting in her state needs more than a year (or at least so). All of that effort for taking a one, single demon. You may argue that she was thinking about the main battle too. Yes, her poison with Tamayo, but it's different. Completely.
Shinobu's will to take Douma straight down to Hell is making this battle crucial for Shinobu. She knows she will not survive. She knows she will die. She knows this is the end. But. She is doing it for her.
Kanae's impact on Shinobu's life is everything. My favorite parallels that I ever made is her with Pearl (Steven Universe)
If you know, you know. Both of the character had to go through the Hell (war and death). Both of them lost the dearest person of their whole life (Rose, Kanae). Both of them suffering from this the longest, if you compare it to the others. And in SU, there is a line
"Everything I ever did, I did for her"
Pearl
And I'm dead of how good it lays right now here.
All of that was for avenging one, single person. But, that doesn't mean that it was unworth it. Yes, if you ever measure meaning of revenge or someone's life. Life is more worthy, but not in this case. For Shinobu it was more worth it to avenge Kanae. She refused to live a normal life. She choosed it. And, I guess, at the end she was happy.. or I want to belive so
Promise
It comes from her past. I guess, the second clearest memory of that day (first- mama, papa=no). It felt so painful, that she still remembers this promise clear as day. It felt so painful, that she recalled it in fight with Douma. It felt so pity, with her shortness. It felt so horrible, when Kanae's hallucination mentioned it. It still hurts, that this promise hunted Shinobu till her very end.
This promise leds us to another one topic. Shinobu's sacrifice. No, not in the fight. I'm still curious can we count this
As a some kind of similarity between them. But, if Obanai felt it because of "dirty blood". Shinobu felt it because of inability to keep promise.
I love how Shinobu was trying to keep it. No ability to cut demon's head? Make poison that guides them through agony and 9 rings of Hell! Sword too big? Yeet the whole sword, we need only edge! Poison not enough? Make demons choke on it! It's not enough for UPM2? *sniff* *sniff* Is that wisteria? Ooh, gimme gimme.
Even if now I'm trying to write kinda comedy. The next point would be around a 50% made of it.
Last words
I guess you can already see it. Yes, I adore how Shinobu's anger changes everything, and makes her so eye-catching. I mean, can you remember any other last words in Kny? Like
"I promise, I'll marry you in the next life. Would you be my wife?" "YES, yes, I will"
"Set your heart ablaze"
"Let's go home"
Or..?
"I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. PLEASE, FORGIVE ME" "Hakuji, I already forgave you"
"Brother, why was I even born?"
"Onii-chan, I'll always be with you"
And the Shinobu just snaps at the world, at Douma, at Gotouge. Saying loud enough for Douma to hear
Go to Hell!
Like, It's soo funny and in-character. It's showing just a little drop in the ocen of hatred. But it's still strong enough to knock me off. I could never see Shinobu say something as poetic or long as other ones, but neither did I even thought of her saying thiiiis
I know it's fan-translation. But it feels as canon
Overall
Shinobu Kochou is well-written character in Demon Slayer. We get to see how much Revenge can change people. How strong may actually be one you called "weakest". Through her love towards Kanae we see a long and slow death.
I was happy to entertain you, at least a little bit. Love you, hope to meet again.
Loving Shinobu. Day 7. Last one
