| “ | We want to become stronger, to use our own power to protect the happiness that has not yet been destroyed by demons. My sister and I made a pinky promise to slay more demons and never let this pain fall upon anyone else again. |
” |
(Shinobu Kocho)
Insect Hashira, Shinobu-nee / Big Sister Shinobu, Shinobu-chan
Gui Niang(Mainland China)
Chik Yuen-man[1]→Wong Yan-yu[2](Hong Kong, China)
Feng Jiade(Taiwan, China)
Jin Helou(Korean)
Shinobu Kocho（Japanese:
Introduction
Shinobu Kocho is the Insect Hashira, one of the nine Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. She hasfair skinand violet eyes[4], and has a slender build. She wears a blue-purple butterfly hair clip year-round, and when her yakaimaki bun is undoneher hair reaches approximately to her collarbone. Over her Demon Slayer uniform, she wears a haori with a butterfly wing pattern, which is her late sisterKanae Kocho's memento. Her appearance is cute and dignified; according to Zenitsu, she is a beauty who could live off her looks until old age[5]. She is also specifically mentioned in the official guidebook as a woman with exceptionally outstanding looks.
She is, aside from the Mist HashiraMuichiro Tokito, the youngest among the Hashira, yet many readers call her Big Sister Shinobu. Among the current nine Hashira, she is the shortest and lightest[6]。
Always smiling and cheerfulForcing a smile，Only when fightingUpper Rank TwowhenHad her composure break，Her personality is gentle and reserved. Before Kanae's death, Shinobu was more outspoken, competitive, and easily angered than she is now; after her sister's passing, she strove to become as gentle as her sister was. But even though she often has a smile on her face, she has always suppressed her anger toward demons. When she finds it difficult to suppress her anger, Shinobu demands of herself that "being unable to control one's emotions is a sign of immaturity" and tries to calm down as much as possible.
Her attacks are characterized by speed and thrusts, and she is the only swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps who cannot decapitate a demon with her own strength. She felt inferior because her strength was insufficient to cut off a demon's neck, and even after attaining the strength of a Hashira, she could never rid herself of that thought. Her Nichirin Sword has a slender blade with a barb at the tip, forged by Tecchin Tecchikawahara, the chief of the Swordsmith Village; the sword is designed to store toxins and can dispense them as needed[7]. The toxin composition can be changed when the sword is sheathed. Shinobu also has a small knife hidden in the sole of her shoe to defend against enemies in case her hands are pinned,in the manga, onlyGiyu Tomiokaalmost got stabbed。
Born into a family of pharmacists, Shinobu is proficient in pharmacology and toxicology. She is not only skilled at using Wisteria poison to kill demons but also manages the Demon Slayer Corps' medical facility, the "Butterfly Mansion." In terms of pharmacy, she can prescribe medicine to further heal toxins caused by Blood Demon Arts, such as treating the muscle-degenerating poison of the Elder Brother Spider Demon andGyutarothe poison of the Blood Sickles, etc.
History
Official Novel: One-Winged Butterfly
Their parents were killed by a demon, and the young Kocho sisters were on the verge of being victimized when they were saved by the Stone Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps,Gyomei Himejima. Gyomei had the Demon Slayer Corps' cleanup unit, the "Kakushi," take the two to a relative's house. After handling their parents' funeral, the two promised to slay demons together to protect the happiness of others that had not yet been destroyed by demons.
Half a month later, the Kocho sisters found Gyomei Himejima through the "Kakushi" and asked him for guidance on how to hunt demons. Initially, Gyomei refused, believing that he should not deprive these children of their future based on momentary emotions, and urged them to live as ordinary people. However, he was eventually moved by their perseverance and introduced them to Cultivators. On the morning after receiving Gyomei's promise, the sisters set out for their respective Cultivators, underwent training, and survived the "Final Selection" on "Mt. Fujikasane," tearfully fulfilling the reunion they had promised years ago.
One day, the Kocho sisters rescued from a slave trader agirl, and brought her back to the Butterfly Mansion to raise. Noticing that she was completely unable to make decisions, Kanae taught her the method of flipping a coin to decide, which Shinobu criticized for being too arbitrary.
When Shinobu was 14 years old, Kanae, as the Flower Hashira, encountered Upper Rank Two,DomaDoma. When Shinobu arrived at the scene as reinforcements after sunrise, Kanae's injuries were too severe to be treated. Although she pleaded with Shinobu on her deathbed to leave the Demon Slayer Corps and find happiness like an ordinary girl, Shinobu did not agree. Kanae helplessly described the killer's characteristics and passed away with words left unspoken.
At Kanae's funeral, Shinobu noticed that Kanao wanted to cry but couldn't due to psychological trauma; understanding her true feelings, Shinobu comforted her. After the funeral, Shinobu Kocho took her late sister's place as the master of the Butterfly Mansion.
Later, after undergoing rigorous training, Shinobu became the Demon Slayer Corps'Insect Hashira.。
Giyu Tomioka Gaiden
When Shinobu was 16, she traveled to a northern post town to purchase raw medicine. There, she heard rumors of a man-eating bear from an old woman at a pharmacy and witnessed a dispute between Yae, a hunter's daughter and survivor of a "bear" attack, and other hunters.
Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira who had arrived to carry out a mission, had been spotted near the scene where a charcoal burner's family was brutally murdered in the neighboring mountains. Due to his poor communication skills, he was nearly tied up and taken to the police station as a suspect. Unable to just watch, Shinobu stepped in to explain. Although she wanted to point out that Giyu was misunderstood by his peers because of his lack of words, she gave up upon seeing he had no self-awareness of the matter.
The two then took the feverish and unconscious Yae to the pharmacy to be cared for. During a conversation with Yae after she woke up, Shinobu sensed that she was intentionally hiding facts related to demons. After Yae left, Shinobu changed into her uniform and headed into the mountains in the dark with Giyu to track Yae and the demon, timely saving Yae from an attack by Matazo.
Initially, Giyu wanted Shinobu to poison the demon directly, but they were stopped by the indecisive Yae. Ultimately, Giyu used Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide to slay Matazo, ending the suffering of this father who had desperately resisted his demonic instincts to avoid attacking his daughter. Seeing this, Yae's will collapsed, and she resolved to shoot herself, but the gun's parts froze after being stained with her father's blood, and Shinobu eventually stopped her suicide. Afterward, Giyu conveyed Matazo's final request to his daughter before he vanished—to live on. Shinobu comforted Yae, saying that both she and Giyu had similar pasts and could understand Yae's sorrow, encouraging her to pull herself together.
Final Selection Arc
Although Shinobu did not want Kanao Tsuyuri to join the Demon Slayer Corps, wishing for her to live as an ordinary girl (the mortality rate of the Demon Slayer Corps is high, and the three Tsuguko Shinobu previously had all died in battle during missions). However, Kanao learned Flower Breathing through observation and, of her own will, secretly participated in the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection without Shinobu's knowledge. After the selection ended, Shinobu took Kanao, who had become an official member, as her Tsuguko.
Natagumo Mountain Arc
At the request ofOyakata-sama, Shinobu and Giyu headed to Natagumo Mountain to slay demons. FollowingZenitsu Agatsuma's sparrowChutaroshe found Zenitsu and the members who had been turned into spiders, saved Zenitsu and the others using medicine, and directed the Kakushi of the Demon Slayer Corps for follow-up processing. Later, while searching for demons in the mountains, she encountered the fleeing Spider Demon (Elder Sister). After seeing through her lies, she poisoned her using Butterfly Dance: Caprice and rescued the one trapped in the cocoon,Murata。
After Lower Rank Five,Ruiwas defeated, she intended to kill Nezuko Kamado, who was a demon, but was stopped by Giyu. Because Giyu Tomioka prevented her from killing the demon and even almost
Rehabilitation Training Arc
During the trial, Shinobu empathized with Tanjiro after learning the reason why he traveled with a demon, showing care for the restrained Tanjiro. After the Hashira meeting ended, Shinobu took the initiative to suggest sending the Kamado siblings to the Butterfly Mansion. Once Tanjiro's group had recovered, Shinobu instructed her subordinates at the Butterfly Mansion to conduct rehabilitation training for them.
One night near the end of the training, Shinobu Kocho went to the roof to visit Tanjiro during his training. After Tanjiro saw through the anger hidden deep in her heart, she entrusted her unfulfilled dream of living in harmony with demons to Tanjiro,(This likely carries the meaning of a dying wish)。
Receiving a visit from Tanjiro, she learned about his past and his inquiryHinokami Kaguraregarding its origins, she suggested that Tanjiro seekthe Flame Hashirafor answers.
The anime added original scenes of the Hashira Meeting, Shinobu seeing them off,the Flame Hashiraand her recommending Tanjiro to the Master for the Mugen Train mission.
Mugen Train Arc
With her TsugukoKanao TsuyuriLearned from the Kasugai Crowthe Flame Hashiraafter hearing the news of the death in battle, her heart was very heavy.
Infinity Castle Arc
Before her sister died, Shinobu learned from herthat the demon who defeated herliked to eat young women, so she planned to use herself as bait and consumed Wisteria poison for a yearBased on the timeline, she began ingesting the poison as early as the Mount Natagumo Arc。
Later, withTamayo'shelp, she further completed her body modification. During this period, Shinobu assisted Tamayo in developing a medicine to turn demons back into humans.When asked by Oyakata-sama to collaborate with a demon to create medicine, Shinobu's inner anger could not be quelled for a time, but after interacting with Tamayo, she came to respect her sincerely.
As the final battle approached, Shinobu informedKanaoof her plan: if she encountered Doma, she would use herself as bait. The 37kg of poison in her body would be enough to weaken Doma, and she told Kanao to take his head once the poison took effect. Besides the doses of the demon-to-human medicine used on Muzan and Nezuko, there were leftovers. To be safe, Shinobu also entrusted the remaining medicine to Kanao.
Shortly after falling into the Infinity Castle, she encountered Doma at the Lotus Pondwho was devouring a female member,Douma. She immediately realized that he was the culprit who killed her sister. At first, she tried to fight him head-on; although her speed amazed him, her lethality was limited and far from fatal. The various poisons she used were quickly decomposed by Douma, who then mocked her, saying, "If you were a bit bigger and cut my neck directly, you probably would have won!" At that moment, she felt immense hatred for her short stature and weak strength; if she were only taller and stronger, her blade could have reached the demon's neck to behead him. After a fierce struggle, she was severely injured. On the verge of death, the spirit of her sister Kanae appeared, giving her the resolve to die together with the enemy. After a failed suicidal attack aimed at his neck,sorrowfully,Just as plannedshe was devoured by Douma, becoming the first Hashira to fall in the Battle of the Infinity Castle. Before her death, she left a hand gesture for Kanao, who had arrived to support her, hinting not to inhale the Blood Demon Art within the ice crystals. Later, Kanao and the new reinforcement,Inosuke,successfully held out until the poison took effect. The toxin caused Douma's body to dissolve and crumble, and his Blood Demon Art was dispelled as a result. Douma struggled for a moment, but was still no match forthe powered-upKanao and Inosuke, and his head was sliced off. Her own hair ornament was inherited by Kanao.
After death, Shinobu Kocho's soul met Douma's soul again. After being confessed to by Douma, she mocked him with a smile, saying, "You should just go to Hell by yourself, you scum," and then her soul was reunited with her parents and Kanae's soul as she wished.
In the final battle, Tanjiro was turned into the Demon King by Muzan, and everyone was overwhelmed. Kanao remembered the medicine Shinobu had left behind and stabbed it into Tanjiro's body. As a result, Tanjiro successfully regained consciousness.
She appeared in the vision of Tanjiro, who had become the Demon King. In the ocean of the vision, she, along with other deceased people, used her hands to lift Tanjiro up, helping him break free from Muzan.
Final Chapter
Many years after Muzan's death, the timeline shifts to modern-day Tokyo, where Shinobu and Kanaewas reincarnatedare high school students at the modern-day Sekirei Women's Academy, and on the road with the great-grandson of Kanao Tsuyuri.Kamado Kanatapassed by him and his classmate.
Abilities
The Insect Breathing used is derived from Water Breathing (Water → Flower → Insect).
- Insect Breathing (蟲の呼吸）
- Dance of the Butterflies: Caprice (蝶ノ舞 戯れ）
- Performs five consecutive thrusts with light force in an instant, injecting toxin into the demon's body.
- Dance of the Bee Sting: True Flutter (蜂牙ノ舞 真靡き）
- Performs a powerful forward thrust with a toxin-coated rapier, with enough force to pierce a demon's head.
- Dance of the Dragonfly: Compound Eye Hexagon (蜻蛉ノ舞 複眼六角）
- Performs six consecutive thrusts in an instant, injecting a large amount of toxin into the demon's body.
- Dance of the Centipede: Hundred-Legged Zigzag (蜈蚣ノ舞 百足蛇腹）
- By stomping the ground violently, reaches an extremely high speed that makes the body difficult to track, with footwork as unpredictable as bending and rolling in all directions. After approaching the target at high speed, thrusts through the demon's throat, injecting poison directly into the neck.
- Total Concentration: Constant (全集中·常中）
- An advanced technique that involves maintaining Total Concentration Breathing for twenty-four hours, including during sleep, to activate the body.
-
Caprice -
Mere Fluttering -
Compound Eye Hexagon -
Hundred-Legged Zigzag
- Mentioned in the Volume 16 appendix: Shinobu's strength in swinging a sword is weak, but her downward pressure and thrusting power are very strong, powerful enough to pierce through rocks, and her thrusting speed is faster than Water Breathing's Drop Ripple Thrust.
Popularity
- In the results of the first official popularity poll, she ranked 6th with 1,813 votes.
- In the results of the second official popularity poll, she ranked 5th with 8,787 votes.
- Ranked 8th in the Newtype popular female character poll.
Interpersonal Relationships
With otherHashiraRelationships
- Harmoniousness with all nine Hashira: 85, see the second official fanbook for detailed evaluations
- With fellow femaleLove HashiraShe has the best relationship with her among the nine Hashira; Shinobu sometimes asks Mitsuri for advice on trendy cooking recipes, and the two have very close interactions in the official novels.
- Shinobu sincerely respects the one who saved the two sisters and guided them into the Demon Slayer Corps, theStone Hashira. Himejima felt sad and regretful about the change in Shinobu after her sister's death, but he knew her personality well and was powerless to change anything. The novel mentions that after a Hashira Meeting, Gyomei originally wanted to tell Shinobu not to choose death, but in the end, he only managed to say: "No... it's nothing." "Mr. Himejima is so strange." Shinobu smiled somewhat confusedly and then said goodbye.That might have been the last conversation between the two.
- Because Shinobu is Kanae's younger sister, she receivesWind Hashira's extra attention and is often spoken to by him.
- toSound HashiraThere is some friction in their relationship; Uzui evaluates female Hashira entirely from the perspective of childbearing, and there were some disputes due to his previous attempted "abduction" of Aoi and the others.
- tothe Flame HashiraTheir relationship is okay, but sometimes they don't see eye to eye.
- As a doctor, she often providesMist Hashirawith medical treatment and examinations for memory impairment. Shinobu believes that although Muichiro is not good with words, he is a good child at heart, while the latter feels she is as gentle as a swallow.
- toSerpent HashiraOccasionally discuss topics of physical management (sword techniques). The two were once the last and second to last in an arm-wrestling competition...Her own view on this is "In actual combat, you don't necessarily have to rely on arm strength anyway." The Serpent Hashira deeply agrees.
- Shinobu often goes to findthe Water Hashirato strike up a conversation, sincerely hoping that he, who is not good with words, can be understood by his colleagues. In the official short story "To You Who Does Not Smile," Shinobu was also the only one who understood the Master's intention for the other Hashira to make Giyu laugh. According to the Stone Hashira's observations, both of them are in a good mood when chatting with each other.
Relationship with Juniors
- It is mentioned in the manga that Shinobu is skilled at teaching and nurturing juniors, and is a goddess in the eyes of many members.
- After her sister's death, the 14-year-old Shinobu Kocho became the master of the Butterfly Mansion, the Demon Slayer Corps' medical facility. The Butterfly Mansion took in many children whose relatives were taken by demons; Kiyo Terauchi, Sumi Nakahara, and Naho Takada are not only Shinobu's subordinates but are also cared for by her like younger sisters.
- She entrusted her unfulfilled dream of "getting along with demons" to Tanjiro, and hoped that Tanjiro would continue to work hard and protect Nezuko.
- Inosuke,He has always been afraid of an angry Shinobu (Shinobu is very fierce when scolding people). She once treated Inosuke's wounds and made a pinky promise to tell him not to move his wounds, so he feels an indescribable sense of closeness to Shinobuchildhood impressions of his mother, and the two get along like siblings.There is a short manga about the two on Pixiv titled "The Story of Two Who Don't Know the Answer" (答えを知らない二人のお话). Guided by some kind of fate, the two with similar sad pasts meet. Shinobu's final inner monologue and their pinky promise are tear-jerking; the future she foresaw then—"Can I entrust one thing to you? Please lend Kanao a hand."
Trivia
- The first official fanbook was published after Shinobu's death, so fans didn't even have time to celebrate her birthday while she was alive.
- In "Kimetsu Academy," she belongs to Class 3-Yomogi of the Senior High School division and is a member of the Pharmaceutical Research Club and the Fencing Club. She once wonfor fencingthe championship of a tournament and has a good relationship with the Flower Arrangement Club, whose clubroom is nearby.
- According to the Taisho Secret at the end of anime episode 21, Shinobu seems to dislike creatures covered in fur, such as cats and dogs.
- Voice ActorTomokazu SugitaStone HashiraDuring the "Gintama Movie Special Live Broadcast" on December 21, 2019, it was stated, "I have liked Shinobu Kocho since 120 million years ago."
- Taisho Secret: Since she seems to view Giyu as a dim-witted and clumsy person. At Mt. Natagumo, she saw a demon in front of him while Giyu was still dazing off; she got angry because she tried to save him but was stopped by him.
- In an official 4-koma spin-off, during a Hashira Meeting, Shinobu met Mitsuri Kanroji, who was wearing an open-chest uniform; the latter was surprised that she wore a normal-style uniform. Shinobu stated that she had also initially received an open-chest uniform, but she poured lamp oil on it and burned it right in front of the perverted tailor, Masao Maeda.[8]
- The author of this workGotouge-senseiWhen calculating the lethal dose of poison Shinobu injected into Doma's body, the lethal dose was mistakenly calculated as 70 times instead of 700 times. Gotouge later specifically apologized for this.And was [something] by the one who liked Kanae,Sanemi-senseiPursuit
- Although she doesn't admit it herself, she actually has a natural...Airheaded...attribute. The candidate names young Shinobu gave to Kanao were all overly unique plants and animals, and she even named her pet goldfish "Pufferfish" (the original intention seemed to be a prayer for it to grow up healthy and smoothly). Additionally, with...Mitsuri Kanroji...an equally matched "love idiot," Shinobu's letters of advice covered brain reactions, heart rate, blood pressure, etc... becoming like a research paper.
Notes and External Links
- ↑ Season 1 Viu version, Movie 1
- ↑ Season 1 TVB version, from Season 2 onwards
- ↑ The fanbook mentions that when Shinobu lets her hair down, the length reaches about her collarbone.
- ↑ In the manga, Shinobu's eyes have distinct patterns resembling an insect's compound eyes, a setting that was toned down in the anime.
- ↑ Anime dialogue; in the manga, it was "just looking at (her) face is enough to go with a meal."
- ↑ Koyoharu Gotouge, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Official Fanbook.
- ↑ Volume 16 Appendix.
- ↑ Koyoharu Gotouge, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Official Fanbook, p.63.