I wrote a script for a video essay but I'm too scared to actually record it, so I'm gonna just post the script here as a kind of.. visual essay? i dunno :P
also quick warning for blood/severed limbs, if that makes you uncomfy- maybe skip this one
so let's get started- our topic is all about
more specifically, the eyes in demon slayer. Not just the eyes themselves, but what they represent; and how they're used in storytelling.
I’m pretty sure almost every anime fan is familiar with what I call: Eye shots. Eyes in anime and manga are famous for being absolutely stunning; take Gojo’s ice-blue eyes from the extremely popular series Jujutsu Kaisen.
In animated shows in general, eyes are more than just eyes.
A character’s eyes can be one of their most iconic and recognizable features (Gojo is also a prime example of this), have a driving impact in the story (Gojo again), or be a form of symbolism in their appearance or how they’re used in a shot.
For example, we’ve all seen the iconic reflection shots. We get a close-up of the character’s eye, while something important, either in the moment or to them as a character, is reflected in the iris.
As for Demon Slayer.. eyes definitely have an importance in the series, at least from my perspective.
Ufotable has blessed us with several gorgeous eye shots over the seasons- and in this series, we’re going to be talking about certain characters’ eyes and analyzing them, their appearance, the changes in their appearance, how they play into the characters and their stories, etc.
part 1: muichiro
The first character we’re gonna be covering is Muichiro. Mui had his time to shine in the last-animated arc, Swordsmith Villiage.
For a brief summary, after breaking his sword for the thousandth time, Tanjiro travels to the Swordsmith Villiage to talk to his assigned swordsmith in person. While there, he meets and fights alongside two Hashira: The Love Hashira, Mitsuri, and the Mist Hashira, Muichiro.
During Muichiro’s flashback, we see that his personality was much more optimistic and compassionate when he was younger. Meanwhile, his twin brother Yuichiro had the indifferent and cold personality Muichiro displays in season 3.
yuichiro (black) muichiro (light blue)
The reason for this drastic personality change is also revealed in this flashback, when the brothers were attacked by a Demon.
I don’t know about you guys, but my brother’s severed arm flying past my head and hitting the wall in a splatter of blood would definitely change something in me.
After witnessing Yuichiro’s death, Muichiro lost his memories through what I see as a classic case of a person subconsciously blocking traumatic memories to protect themselves.
After this memory loss, Muichiro also started displaying his late brother’s cold and skeptical attitude.
Yuichiro’s behavior stemmed from the pain of losing both his parents so quickly. While Muichiro didn’t remember these events clearly, the effects were still there.
Now, what does all of this have to do with Muichiro’s eyes?
When we first see Muichiro, his eyes are dull.
They have no highlight, and they look empty and glassed over.
At first, the emptiness of his eyes just seems like a way of representing his faraway personality, but as we continue to get to know him, and see his backstory, we start to see how his eyes, and his aloof personality, represent more than that.
As the arc progresses, and the Hashira begins to regain his memories, the highlights in his eyes return. He also starts acting more maturely and seriously in later episodes- and as we've seen in the latest season, he's started expressing more emotions common for someone his age (14).
In animation, eyes with no highlights or pupils is a way to represent emptiness, or maybe suppressed feelings. In Muichiro’s case, the light in his eyes vanished when he lost his memories, and returned when he regained them.
The life returned to his eyes, and as an extension- returned to him as a whole. I personally see his arc as trauma causing someone to shut down and lose themselves in the pain, and slowly regaining that life and sense of self overtime, with help from others (in this case Tanjiro being the supportive and sweet boy he is).
Aaaaanddddd that's the end of this first part! Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
next time on 'tsunnalyzing' - part 2 of the "analyzing eyes" series: shinobu
