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Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has become a worldwide phenomenon. The anime adaptation is a global smash. The first anime feature based on the franchise, Mugen Train, grossed over half a billion dollars worldwide.
The property’s success is the culmination of many factors, not the least of which is the story’s indelible, unique and unforgettable cast of characters. With that in mind, we’re going to provide a spotlight this week on one of Demon Slayer‘s most popular characters, Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Zenitsu Agatsuma can sometimes be a polarizing character among fans due to his eccentric personality. He’s often incredibly cowardly and screaming for his life. However, when he falls asleep, he’s able to become to unlock this incredible ultra-focus mode, where he’s incredibly strong competent, with ultra-fast reflexes and superlative swordsmanship.
Zenitsu became Demon Slayer‘s most popular character in the second popularity poll for Shonen Jump Magazine. While he may have a cowardly attitude most of the time, Zenitsu is truly a good person with a heart of gold on the inside. He’s forged a true friendship with his Demon Slayer Corps. Comrades in Tanjiro Kamado and Inosuke Hashira are undoubtedly the core trio of the story.
Are you looking to learn more about Zenitsu, his backstory, skills, and abilities? This blog is going to provide you with a comprehensive guide on the unlikely demon-slaying prodigy Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Bottom Line Up Front
Zenitsu Agatsuma is one of the most popular and beloved characters for Demon Slayer. He’s not the primary protagonist, but he’s one of the central allies and main characters alongside Tanjiro Kamado. Other than Nezuko, he was the first person to join Tanjiro’s group to form the central trio (or perhaps quartet) of heroes.
Zenitsu Agatsuma is incredibly cowardly and generally has a pessimistic outlook on life. He’s of the constant belief that he’s going to die in his journey as a Demon Slayer. While he may come off as an awkward, would-be womanizer when asking just about any girl he meets to marry him, it’s mainly driven by a desire not to die single or alone. Despite Zenitsu’s outward cowardly nature, when pushed hard enough, he’s a dangerous individual to his enemies.
Additionally, despite how scared Zenitsu gets, he will always come through in a pinch for his friends and do whatever he can to help or protect them. Deep down, he’s an invaluable member of his team and friend to Tanjiro, Inosuke Hashibira, and Tanjiro’s sister, Nezuko, with who he’s madly in love. Zenitsu has a pure soul at its core.
Who is Zenitsu Agatsuma?
Zenitsu Agatsuma (我あが妻つま 善ぜん逸いつ Agatsuma Zen’itsu) is a 16-year-old member of the Demon Slayer Corps. He travels and fights alongside fellow Corps. Members Tanjiro Kamado, Inosuke Hashibira, and unofficial member Nezuko Kamado; Tanjiro’s innocent, younger sister who was transformed into a demon by Muzan Kibutsuji.
At some point before the start of the main story, a young girl scammed Zenitsu out of his money and left the young boy in a seat of debt. Jigoro Kuwajima, an elderly former member of the Demon Slayer Corps. And former Thunder Hashira paid off Zenitsu’s debt and took the young lad in as a student, hoping to train Zenitsu as a student.
Zenitsu was never the best student, and he was only able to master one form of Thunder Breathing under Kuwajima’s tutelage. He was so frightened and fed up during the sword training that he ran away and climbed a tree while Kuwajima tried to talk him down. However, the poor, unlucky Zenitsu was struck by lightning, causing his hair color to change from black to yellow.
While Zenitsu is not the central protagonist of Demon Slayer, he is one of the main characters and part of the central group of characters. After he joins up with Tanjiro, he remains part of the main ongoing storyline and action throughout the rest of the story.
Zenitsu is first seen in the anime during the Final Selection Arc (Episode 4 in the anime; Chapter 6 in the manga). He is among the five people that managed to pass the Demon Slayer Corps. Final Selection exam that year, along with Tanjiro Kamado, Inosuke Hashibira, Genya Shinazugawa and Kanao Tsuyuri.
However, Inosuke was not present at the completion ceremony. While the other examinees were given a Kasugai crow, Zenitsu was partnered with a sparrow named Chuntaro. Zenitsu later has a more formal introduction with Tanjiro and becomes one of his traveling companions during the Tsuzumi Mansion Arc.
Zenitsu Agatsuma: Appearance, Personality, and More
Appearance
Zenitsu is a 16-year-old boy with an average height of 5’4″. He has fair skin, and his formerly black hair was turned yellow after he was struck by lightning. He appears to have an average, normal build.
His usual outfit is the standard black Demon Slayer uniform. He also typically wears a yellow and orange haori with a white triangle pattern on it. He also owns a pair of Kyahan with the same color and pattern he wears on his lower legs.
After the Natagumo Mountain Arc, his limbs were temporarily shrunk after he was infected by Spider Demon poison. Eventually, they returned to normal thanks to medicine from Shinobu Kocho during the Rehabilitation Training Arc.
Personality
Generally, Zenitsu Agatsuma is a cowardly person. He has a pessimistic outlook on life, and he’s in constant fear of death or dying. He constantly tries to flirt and hit on girls, usually to his punishment or detriment. He’s a womanizer in his mind and loves women, even when they generally show no interest in him. Part of his interest in women is the fear of dying alone.
Behind his cowardly nature, there is a serious side to Zenitsu. While he appears easily deceived by others, Zenitsu is still able to detect those people’s true feelings. He does this because he wants to stubbornly believe in whoever he wants. He was so struck by the kind and gentle sounds given off by Tanjiro he was willing to risk his own life to protect the box containing Nezuko when Inosuke wanted to kill her.
This moment shows that even while frightened to death, Zenitsu would put his life on the line to help others, even for people he had just met. Even while frightened, Zenitsu will still come through to help others and his friends.
Zenitsu has a short temper, especially when the subject of girls comes around. He became angry and jealous when Inosuke and Tanjiro were training with the nurses during the Rehabilitation Training Arc. The Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, also made him incredibly angry during the Entertainment District Arc, when he realized that Uzui had three wives.
Zenitsu was equally furious when Uzui sold Zenitsu off while he was in disguise as a courtesan to infiltrate the Entertainment District. The thought of how Uzui insulted him and advised the head of the brothel to have him clean the toilets and saying he’d give Zenitsu away for free infuriated Zenitsu.
Zenitsu is also madly in love with Nezuko. After first meeting her, he becomes quite smitten with Nezuko and playfully chases her around. During the Mugen Train Arc, when the sun was rising, it was Zenitsu who made sure that Nezuko was safely back in her box and protected from the sunlight, which is deadly to demons. Zenitsu wishes to someday date and marry Nezuko.
Zenitsu appears more knowledgable and less sheltered about the encroaching modern world than Tanjiro and Inosuke, who were raised in the mountains. During the Mugen Train Arc, Zenitsu realized that the locomotive train was a train and not some sort of demon beast or guardian deity.
After Zenitsu experiences a deeply personal tragedy during the story, he takes on a more serious and determined persona. When pushed hard enough, Zenitsu is also incredibly capable in battle and is among the best fighters and combatants in the series. In short, Zenitsu is someone in the Demon Slayer Corps. Will want as an ally.
Abilities
Enhanced Hearing
One of Zenitsu’s strongest abilities is his enhanced sense of hearing. Zenitsu has a superhuman-level sense of hearing that goes well beyond that of a normal human being. With his hearing alone, Zenitsu can detect people’s true thoughts and feelings. He can hear down to people’s very heartbeats, so he can tell if someone is lying or not.
With his incredibly sharp hearing, Zenitsu can detect when a demon is nearby. Demons give off a unique sound that is much different from regular humans, so Zenitsu can detect when a demon is hiding in disguise as a human.
When Zenitsu met Tanjiro again after Final Selection, he was able to detect that Tanjiro was traveling with a demon, Nezuko, in his box. However, even though Tanjiro was walking around with a demon, he trusted him anyway due to the pure, kind, and innocent sounds he was given off. From his sound alone, Zenitsu was able to detect that Tanjiro was an incredibly kind and pure-hearted person and must have had a good reason for traveling with a demon.
Zenitsu’s sound ability also gives him a talent for playing musical instruments. After only listening to music for a short period, he’s able to perfectly replicate the sound on a koto or shamisen.
Additionally, Zenitsu can decipher multiple layers of sound with his enhanced hearing. When focused, Zenitsu’s hearing is one of his best assets.
Don’t Catch Him Sleeping
Zenitsu may look scared and cowardly from an outward perspective. However, when he falls asleep, he somehow awakens his true strength. Even while sleeping, his unconscious body can detect he’s still in danger and become a far more competent and dangerous fighter in battle.
With his sleep fighting ability, he was able to defeat the Son Spider Demon on Mount Natagumo. He later fought against Enmu using this ability aboard the Mugen Train and protected the civilians aboard several train cards.
Combat Techniques
Zenitsu practices the Thunder Breathing sword technique. Initially, during his training, he was only able to master one form, Thunderclap, and Flash. Despite only mastering one form of Thunder Breathing, he’s later able to create useful variations.
Eventually, he’s able to create a brand-new form for Thunder Breathing, a technique that only Hashira level Demon Slayers were able to pull off before.
Eventually, Zenitsu unlocks his true strength and fight at a much higher level while he’s awake. And despite how frightened he gets, he shows incredible bravery and strength of will in battle. He will do anything to protect his friends, especially Nezuko.
Interesting Trivia Facts About Zenitsu
Zenitsu Agatsuma Was Voted Demon Slayer’s Most Popular Character
It seems Zenitsu’s oftentimes comedic personality is highly appealing to the Demon Slayer fanbase. In Shonen Jump Magazine’s 2nd Popularity poll for Demon Slayer, Zenitsu Agatsuma was voted No. 1 with 17,451 votes. In the first Popularity Poll for Demon Slayer, Zenitsu Agatsuma was voted No. 2 with 4,299 votes. In other words, his popularity only grew later on.
Zenitsu’s Favorite Foods & Overbite
Zenitsu’s favorite foods are high-quality eel and sweets. He also has an overbite in his mouth.
His Haori Pattern
The pattern on Zenitsu’s haori appears to resemble the Japanese pattern, Uroko, with the isosceles triangles symbolizing fish or snake scales. The pattern would be worn on the battle surcoats of samurai as a way to protect themselves while fighting.
His Fighting Level
To prove how competent Zenitsu truly is in battle, he is the only Demon Slayer at a lower level than Hashira to create his own original Breathing Style form and also defeat an Upper-Rank demon on his own. Previously, these were only feats accomplished by a Hashira rank Demon Slayer.
He Forms a Musical Band
In an “Extra Arc” story for Chapter 90 of Demon Slayer, Tengen Uzui, Tanjiro Kamado, Inosuke Hashibira, and Zenitsu all form a boy band called the Stylish Scruffy Democracy. The band features Tengen on harmonica, the tone-deaf Tanjiro on vocals, Zenitsu on the shamisen, and Inosuke on the taiko drums. Their debut single is “Exploding Skin and the Melancholy of Modern Smell.” The canonicity of this development may be arguable.
FAQs
Question: How Old Is Zenitsu?
Answer: Zenitsu is 16 years old in the main Demon Slayer storyline. His birthday is September 3rd, according to the official Demon Slayer Twitter account.
Question: Why Is Zentisu’s Hair Blond?
Answer: His hair color was the result of being struck by lightning while he was in a tree and trying to shirk his training by his master, Jigoro Kuwajima. The lightning didn’t kill Zenitsu, but it resulted in his hair turning yellow. His original hair color was naturally black.
Question: What Is Zenitsu’s Special Ability?
Answer: Much like his comrade, Tanjiro Kamado, who has a highly acute sense of smell, Zenitsu has an incredibly sharp, ultra-sensitive, heightened sense of hearing. With this ability, Zentisu can detect if people are lying to him or not. With his acute hearing, he can unravel layers upon layers of sound. He’s also able to perfectly replicate any sound he hears using musical instruments, such as the shamisen and the koto.
Question: Who Was Zenitsu’s Teacher?
Answer: Zenitsu was trained by Jigoro Kuwajima, a former Thunder Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. While Zenitsu and Jigoro were fond of each other, Zenitsu was never able to master beyond the first Form of Thunder Breathing while under Kuwajima’s training. Kuwajima’s other student, Kagaku, did manage to master all of Kuwajima’s Thunder Breathing techniques.
Zenitsu Demon Slayer Guide: Finishing Up
Zenitsu Agatsuma is truly the heart and soul of the Demon Slayer franchise in many ways. He’s a character who goes through a lot of personal growth and change throughout the story. While he’s incredibly frightened in most situations, he still usually goes into battle anyway.
Zenitsu is relatable in a way that other characters in Demon Slayer are not. He’s always very much aware of how much danger they are in, and the thought of dying alone terrifies him. Eventually, Zenitsu becomes an even more competent and developed fighter. He lives up to the potential his teacher saw in him.
What’s appealing about Zenitsu is that he’s not a cocky or arrogant fighter. His willpower is as strong as Tanjiro’s. While his scenes are often very comedic, there’s an underlying sadness to Zenitsu as well. His fear and attitude are defense mechanisms after he’s been through so many hardships and taken advantage of so much. Through all his, he still shows the capacity for improvement, and he becomes one of the most formidable fighters in the story.
Throughout the series, he becomes a reliable friend and ally in battle, and he also learns to stop constantly chasing women. Zenitsu Agatsuma is part of what makes Demon Slayer such an iconic and incredible story.