The ugliness of refusing defeat, even though my head has been taken, my body dismembered and crushed. Living in disgrace. Have I lived for centuries to come to this? Was I so afraid of defeat that I became a monster? Did I want to be so strong that I had to devour human beings? Did I become this miserable creature simply because I didn’t want to die? No. Yoriichi… I just wanted to be you.
Kokushibo’s last moments in Samurai.
Kokushibo (黒こく死し牟ぼう Kokushibō?) plays a major antagonist role in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. He is a demon affiliated with the Twelve Kizuki, occupying the highest position, rank one superior (上じょう弦げんの壱いち Jōgen no Ichi?).
Nearly five centuries ago, during the Sengoku era (the golden age of demon slayers), Kokushibo was a human being named Michikatsu Tsugikuni (継つぎ国くに 巌みち勝かつ Tsugikuni Michikatsu? ), a former demon slayer and the older twin brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the most powerful demon slayer ever.
Kokushibo is also the ancestor of Muichiro Tokito and Yuichiro Tokito, and is responsible for the transformation of Zenitsu Agatsuma’s eldest son Kaigaku into a demon and his membership of the Twelve Kizuki. 🔥PRODUCTS OF THE MOMENT🔥
Appearance
As a demon, Kokushibo takes the form of a pale-skinned, tall, muscular man with long black hair spiked with red tips, which he ties into a ponytail. His most striking feature is the presence of three pairs of eyes on his face, with yellow irises and red sclerae, and straight black lines diverging from each iris. The middle pair of eyes bears the kanji for “Top Rank” (上じょう弦げん Jōgen) and “One” (壱いち Ichi). Kokushibo also has red flame-like markings on the upper left side of his forehead and the lower right of his chin. His presence has been described as extremely dignified and majestic by the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito.
Kokushibo wears a purple and black nagagi kimono with beehive motifs, as well as black umanori-style hakama pants fastened with a white uwa-obi belt. He also wears a fleshy katana at the waist, with eyes drawn in the space between the tsuka ito (hilt ribbon) of the sword. It was later revealed that the tsuba (guard) and blade also featured eyes and veins.
As a human, Kokushibo’s appearance was almost identical to his demonic form, except for the number of eyes, prominent eyebrows and significantly less pale skin. His eyes had dark purple irises and white sclerae, normal for a human being. As a child, he was usually seen wearing a white kimono, in contrast to the black and purple patterned kimono he wore as an adult.
After being decapitated by Sanemi Shinazugawa and Gyomei Himejima, Kokushibo evolved into a more grotesque and monstrous form, with prominent fangs and mandibles, large white horns on the front and back of his head, sharp nails, red growths on his face, pupils looking in different directions, shorter, messier hair, several thin tubes protruding from his body, and numerous black and red scorpion-tail appendages growing haphazardly all over his body.
Personality
Kokushibo was often very reserved as a demon, and little was known about him at first due to the lack of information about the High Ranks. He was scrupulously respectful of the rules, punctual and had great respect for the hierarchy of the Twelve Kizuki, as evidenced by his attendance at the High Rank meeting. Kokushibo was also described as humble, not hesitating to admit his failures or express his difficulties. He showed great loyalty to Muzan Kibutsuji, with most of his actions motivated by the sole aim of achieving Muzan’s goals. Although he appeared reserved and humble on the surface, he could be cold; his words could be extremely harsh, especially when reprimanding individuals. His threats were simply cruel and extremely serious, and he demanded absolute obedience.
Kokushibo also showed genuine excitement when the opponents he faced presented a challenge. For example, he helped bandage Muichiro Tokito’s amputated hand with his swordsmanship, praised Gyomei Himejima’s unrivalled human abilities, and spared Akaza because he enjoyed the challenge he presented. However, because of this, he also felt irritation when he realized his own imminent death, and he felt compassion for Gyomei because of Gyomei’s imminent death following the unlocking of his demon-slaying marks.
He had a complex relationship with his human past. He showed a certain warmth towards his descendant, Muichiro, praising his skills and determination, and arranging to convert him into a demon to spare him death. At the same time, he referred to Muichiro and his abilities as the natural result of the transmission of his “cells”.
During his duel with Gyomei, the demon’s jokes suggested a fear of death. When Gyomei’s marks appeared, Kokushibo expressed his anticipated sadness at the loss of a talented fighter, encouraging him to become a demon to continue honing his skills. He seemed surprised when Gyomei vehemently rejected his offer and described his mentality as pathetic.
It was revealed that, as a human being, Kokushibo felt immense envy towards his younger twin brother, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, for his natural talent and incredible abilities. These feelings of jealousy and contempt were reinforced when he realized that Yoriichi had become an old man despite the fact that he had awakened his demon-slaying mark, which should have condemned him to die at the age of 25. However, despite the enormous jealousy, resentment and hatred he felt towards Yoriichi, he loved his brother deeply, as evidenced by his emotion when Yoriichi treasured the flute he had made for him when they were children. Kokushibo shed real tears when his brother died, and even kept the flute itself for centuries in memory of his beloved and hated little brother.
Probably due to his inferiority complex and immense desire for strength, Kokushibo dreaded the prospect of suffering defeat. This fear made him increasingly aggressive and agitated when cornered, prompting him to be desperate in his attacks and to use his demonic power more intensely. During his battle with the Hashira, he realized the high price he had paid for the strength he so craved. He had become a hideous monster, far from his idealized dream of becoming the strongest samurai in his brother’s image. It symbolized the extent to which his deep-seated ambitions and resentment had distorted him for the worse. What’s more, his inordinate desire to surpass his brother even manifested itself through his six eyes, testifying to his desperation to reach the Transparent World and surpass his brother. Later, when he died, he lamented and regretted the choices he had made in his life. He began to question whether the path he had taken was really the right one. Kokushibo died without knowing why he had been born, filled with regret and sorrow at not having been able to achieve what he had wished.
Abilities
General abilities : As the highest member of the Twelve Kizuki, Kokushibo is an exceptionally powerful demon, just below the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji himself. As one of the oldest demons in the series, he has fought many demon slayers and gained vast experience and knowledge in his 500 years of combat. His physique is among the most refined and massive, as he not only masters the Breath of Total Concentration, but is also a bearer of the Mark and a demon possessing the highest concentration of Muzan blood in the organization. His overwhelming power was first demonstrated when he severed Akaza’s arm before the latter could even react. Doma even declared later that Akaza would never be able to surpass them both, despite his improvements over 113 years. During the Infinity Castle Arc, Kokushibo easily defeated the Hashira of Mist, Muichiro Tokito, a prodigy who had already managed to defeat Gyokko, Rank Five Superior, even when injured. The power gap between them was so wide that Kokushibo created illusions of the Hashira. After activating his Mark of the Demon Slayer, Kokushibo easily sliced through Muichiro’s arm before the latter could even react. He then grabbed his sword in mid-movement and stabbed him.
Genya Shinazugawa, who had played a major role in the defeat of fourth-ranked Hantengu, was no match for Kokushibo either. The latter quickly outclassed him, cutting him off without any resistance and moving so fast that Genya was completely helpless. Even the wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, fared better than the previous two, but was also quickly dominated when Kokushibo increased his effort. He inflicted deep cuts all over the Hashira’s body, which would have killed an average Hashira according to Kokushibo. To prove his overwhelming power, Kokushibo managed to simultaneously defeat Sanemi and Gyomei Himejima, the most powerful demon slayers of the current generation, even when both had awakened their demon slayer marks, increasing their physical capabilities and performance.
In the end, it took the combined efforts and abilities of Gyomei, Sanemi, Muichiro and Genya, the first three being marked, to inflict a significant wound. In addition, Gyomei and Muichiro had also awakened the Transparent World, enabling them to better analyze the High Rank’s movements and see the world in slow motion. Despite this, the only way for the Demon Slayers to win was to immobilize him, which cost Muichiro and Genya their lives. The latter had to use a Blood Demon Art that required him to consume a piece of Kokushibo’s sword as well as his hair to achieve this. The Demon Slayers finally managed to decapitate Kokushibo thanks to the immobilization of Genya’s Blood Demon Art, allowing Gyomei and Sanemi to reach his neck. However, even so, they barely managed to inflict any damage, having to turn their blades red to decapitate him completely. Despite all this, Kokushibo managed to regrow his head thanks to his unshakeable will, making him virtually invincible except for sunlight, as he himself declared. Eventually, Kokushibo died when Muichiro’s Nichirin Bright Red sword impeded his regeneration, causing his body to collapse. He also realized how ugly he had become in his quest for power, losing the will to fight and ultimately losing his life.
Biological absorption: Kokushibo has the ability to absorb human and demonic bodies through physical contact. Although never shown, Kokushibo is said to absorb demons who challenge him and are defeated. Presumably, he uses this method as a quicker alternative to consuming humans or Demon Slayers.
Mark of the Demon Slayer: Kokushibo awakened his mark while training with Yoriichi. The Mark of the Demon Slayer greatly enhances a person’s abilities, making them much stronger and faster than they could normally achieve. However, it comes with a curse that condemns the wearer to die at the age of 25. However, by transforming into a demon and becoming immortal, Kokushibo is no longer affected by this curse.
- The Transparent World: Like Yoriichi, Kokushibo not only has access to the Transparent World, he can also use it permanently. This allows him to see his opponents’ muscles, blood flow and joint movements, enabling him to accurately predict and anticipate their movements and attacks. He is also able to identify that Muichiro is his descendant, immediately recognize that Genya has consumed demons to gain strength, and perceive the strength of Muichiro, Sanemi and Gyomei with a simple glance. He can even determine that the latter two’s physical bodies and techniques are at their peak.
Extrasensory perception: Kokushibo can detect the presence of others outside his field of vision, as evidenced by his ability to dodge Genya’s shots and appear directly behind him without even looking at him. Thanks to the Transparent World, he can perceive body structures and see through the bodies of his opponents, using this information to predict their attacks and movements. He also seems highly skilled in the use of the Transparent World, able to trace a young child’s heritage back to his own lineage at a glance. He can also immediately determine the strength of his opponents by examining their muscles and body structure. Apart from his vision, Kokushibo also seems able to track the location of his peers in Infinity Castle, as evidenced by the fact that he stopped sensing Akaza’s presence after his death.
Flesh manipulation: Like all demons, Kokushibo has the ability to manipulate his own flesh to a certain extent. He has used this ability to transform his face by possessing two extra pairs of eyes, while lengthening his forehead. He also used this ability to create an extremely durable and sharp katana, complete with guard and scabbard. Thanks to this, his katana can never be destroyed, as he can regenerate it as he would normal wounds. After undergoing a transformation following his decapitation, Kokushibo has considerably altered his body to adopt a more bestial and grotesque appearance, with appendages, thin tubes, sharp mandibles and horns.
- Sword manipulation: Using his flesh-manipulation ability, Kokushibo can control a detached part of his body in the form of his katana. This allows him to easily regenerate damaged or destroyed parts, just as he would with his own body. This can be seen when the blade regains its original shape after being damaged by Gyomei or Sanemi’s attacks. Moreover, he can freely alter the shape of the blade, as evidenced by the growth of three additional blades from the original, increasing its reach and size, transforming it into a weapon similar to the Shichishito (seven-armed sword). Later, Kokushibo demonstrated his ability to grow and project numerous blades from his own body, enabling him to execute a multitude of blows without having to move. When activated, Kokushibo was able not only to fend off Sanemi and Gyomei, but also easily slice through Muichiro, Genya, the trees surrounding him, as well as many pillars present in his environment.
Immense durability: Kokushibo demonstrated incredible strength. His neck is so strong that even when Sanemi struck violently with all his might, it was barely nicked. What’s more, despite Gyomei’s best efforts and the heat of the sun, the spiky iron ball failed to damage his neck. Only when the Demon Slayers’ weapons turned bright red could Kokushibo finally be decapitated, hindering his regeneration and burning his flesh.
Immense regeneration capacity: Kokushibo has one of the most powerful regeneration capacities ever, second only to the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji. His regeneration speed even exceeds that of Akaza and Doma, enabling him to regrow his ear and right shoulder effortlessly. After being decapitated by two marked Demon Slayers, Kokushibo managed to regenerate his head completely, defying death by decapitation. This achievement is considered impossible for demons and has only been accomplished by two other demons: Akaza and the Demon King himself. However, Kokushibo’s regeneration after decapitation became unstable, giving him a monstrous appearance.
Immense speed and reflexes: Kokushibo possesses extraordinary speed, far surpassing that of his higher-ranking comrades. He was able to slice through Akaza’s arm before Akaza or any other higher-ranking demon could react. He has also repeatedly demonstrated phenomenal speed in battle. For example, he could easily outstrip Muichiro’s mist-breathing techniques, moving so fast that he seemed to teleport. Kokushibo’s speed was another dimension away from Muichiro’s, even though the Mark of the Demon Slayer amplified the latter’s speed. When Genya shot the Higher Rank from a distance with his rifle, Kokushibo managed to “teleport” behind him before the bullets could reach him, despite losing his arm on arrival. He then sliced through his other arm and torso so quickly that his movements seemed imperceptible.
During his fight against Sanemi, Kokushibo was able to follow the latter’s techniques and movements with ease, even if Sanemi had to outdo himself to stay alive. When Sanemi used his brother’s shotgun to fire point-blank at the High Rank, Kokushibo was quick enough to block the bullets. After feeling the need to redouble his efforts, Kokushibo overpowered the Wind Hashira with a single technique of such speed that the latter was unable to react in time, resulting in numerous cuts all over his body. Faced with Gyomei, the most powerful Hashira of the current generation, Kokushibo was able to keep up with his unorthodox attacks. Even after the two Hashira had been marked, Kokushibo could unleash sword attacks to which they could not fully react, and continually outmaneuvered them with his techniques. His speed was such that Muichiro had to sacrifice a leg to completely immobilize the High Rank, allowing Genya to immobilize him with his Blood Demon Art. After his transformation, Kokushibo was so fast that he appeared like a blur to Gyomei and Sanemi.
Immense strength: Kokushibo possesses immense physical power. He could split the ground by stomping on Sanemi’s sword, and later lift a gigantic sword much heavier than an ordinary katana and wield it relentlessly, at impressive speed and without too much effort. After his transformation, Kokushibo was powerful enough to slice Muichiro’s arm with his bare hands, as if it were a blade.
Indomitable willpower: Driven by his desire to surpass his younger twin brother, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, Kokushibo possesses superhuman willpower and an indomitable spirit. Even when he was about to be killed, he forced his regeneration to evolve and succeeded in pushing back his own head as well as making numerous other improvements, all because he wasn’t prepared to die before achieving his goal.
Intimidating aura: Kokushibo’s imposing presence is so overwhelming that it caused Muichiro, a Hashira who has fought and defeated countless demons, including a Superior Rank, to lose his will to fight and caused his body to tremble uncontrollably.
Monstrous transformation: Later, during his fight against Gyomei and Sanemi, Kokushibo underwent a transformation that made him even more monstrous and grotesque. He had prominent fangs and mandibles, large white horns on the front and back of his head, sharp nails, red growths on his face, his pupils looking in different directions, and his hair was shorter and messier. What’s more, he developed several additional sharp blades from his own body, enabling him to execute multiple attacks without having to move. This transformation made him a true abomination.
Master swordsman: Thanks to over 400 years of training and perfecting his sword techniques, Kokushibo has become the most powerful and skilled swordsman of the modern era, ranking just behind his younger twin brother, Yoriichi Tsugikuni. As a Golden Age demon slayer, his sword techniques were already exceptional, having learned them directly from Yoriichi himself. He declared that their techniques were so refined and legendary that they had no hope of passing them on to future generations.
Kokushibo’s skill with a blade enabled him to defeat Akaza, a martial arts prodigy, as well as Doma, who had defeated Akaza earlier. Thanks to his exceptional mastery of the sword, he was able to fight Sanemi, Muichiro and Gyomei alone when they were marked, as well as Genya when he assimilated her blood and gained a fraction of her power, giving him access to the Blood Demon Arts. Kokushibo’s swordsmanship was strengthened by the development of his own Blood Demon Art, which greatly increased the lethality and power of his techniques, making each of his sword attacks incredibly deadly.
Lunar Breathing Style: Kokushibo was the first demon to use Breathing Styles. His breathing style, in particular, is one of the most dangerous and powerful ever seen. Thanks to his Blood Demon Art, he can create numerous sharp, crescent-shaped blades in his sword attacks, varying in size and shape. Over the centuries, Kokushibo has continued to develop this breathing style, creating more than a dozen techniques.
Blood Demon Art – Crescent Moon Blades: Complementing his Lunar Breathing fighting style, his Blood Demon Art enables him to create and manipulate dozens of sharp, crescent moon-shaped blades from his flesh katana. These blades, created from his blood, can be bright yellow or bright blue in color. They are extremely chaotic, constantly changing in size, length and speed, making Kokushibo’s attacks unpredictable and difficult to anticipate, as they follow no fixed pattern. This blood demon art greatly enhances the power of his techniques, making each of his sword attacks extremely deadly and dangerous. Kokushibo also seems able to use his blood demon art as long as his katana is drawn, enabling him to create crescent-moon-shaped blades without the need to wield his sword or use a specific technique. The volatile nature of his blood demon art makes it extremely difficult for demon slayers to anticipate. Sanemi declared that he would not have been able to defend himself against Kokushibo’s attacks without his years of demon-hunting experience.
Kokushibo’s blood demon art appears to have a secondary ability that allows him to manipulate the shape and range of his sword strikes when using his moon-breathing techniques. His sword strokes are usually surrounded by a red/orange crescent bearing the blades in the shape of a crescent moon. Kokushibo seems to be able to control his sword blows to some extent, increasing their range and shape to attack his target in ways impossible under normal circumstances. When he deforms his katana to give it the appearance of a branch, his blades take on a light purple color. Kokushibo has demonstrated his ability to greatly increase the range of his sword blows with his “Moon-Dragon Ringtail” technique and to give them a circular drill shape with his “Drilling Slashes, Moon Through Bamboo Leaves” technique.
Techniques
- First form: Black moon, evening palace – Kokushibo quickly draws his sword and makes a horizontal crescent-shaped slash, creating numerous chaotic crescent blades. This technique is reminiscent of Iaijutsu.
- Second form: Lunar Pearl Flower – Kokushibo executes several crescent-shaped sword strikes to defend against attacks, sending up a barrage of crescent-shaped blades.
- Third form: Hateful Moon, Chains – Kokushibo performs two powerful crescent strikes with his sword, creating a storm of small crescents that cause enormous destruction in a small area.
- Fifth form: Calamitous breath of the lunar spirit – Kokushibo delivers multiple superimposed curved sword strikes, creating an ascending vortex of sword strikes and crescent moons.
- Sixth form: Perpetual Night, Lone Moon – Unceasing – Kokushibo unleashes a wild barrage of crescent-shaped slashes in front of him. This technique is powerful enough to overwhelm Sanemi Shinazugawa and has such a long reach that it cuts through the surrounding pillars.
- Seventh form: Mirror of Doom, Moonlight – Kokushibo performs a powerful crescent-shaped front cutting stroke with his sword, creating powerful multidirectional gashes in the ground over a long range.
- Eighth form: Lunar Dragon Ponytail – Kokushibo uses his giant sword to create a single, gigantic crescent-shaped slash, which then transforms into several crescent-moon-shaped blades.
- Ninth Form: Waning Lunar Crowns – Kokushibo creates a stream of long-range crescent-shaped slashes, as well as numerous crescent-moon-shaped blades with his giant sword.
- Tenth Form: Drilling shears, Moon through bamboo leaves – Kokushibo creates a long-range whirlwind attack, filled with crescent moon blades, with his giant sword.
- Fourteenth form: Catastrophe, Crescent Moon Tenman – Kokushibo uses his giant sword to create a chaotic whirlwind of powerful slashing blows in all directions, at very long range, destroying everything in its path.
- Sixteenth form: Moonbow, half-moon – Kokushibo creates a downward crescent barrage of splinters from an extremely long and wide range, sending six powerful splinters at his opponents. The attack is powerful enough to create several miniature craters on impact.
Equipment
Flesh katana: Kokushibo uses a fleshy, demonically modified version of the Nichirin katana he used as a demon slayer. His katana is created from his own flesh and blood, and thanks to the durability and hardness of its body, it is as sharp, if not sharper, than a normal Nichirin sword. The katana has a fleshy, blood-red appearance, with veins and eyes all along the blade and handle. It is not known whether these eyes can be used to extend vision. The circular hilt has four slight indentations, a center with three eyes, several black veins and a golden border. Kokushibo also wears a sword scabbard at his waist that has the same fleshy appearance as his katana. According to the second data book, Kokushibo named his flesh katana “Kyokokukamusari” (虛きょ哭こく神かむ去さり Kyokokukamusari?), meaning “Hollow cry of the godless”.
Battle
Castle of infinity
- Muichiro Tokito, Genya Shinazugawa, Sanemi Shinazugawa and Gyomei Himejima take on Kokushibo.
Triviality
- Kokushibo’s pseudonym contains the kanji On’yomi for “black” (黒こく koku) and Kun’yomi for “death” (死し shi) and “eye” (牟ぼう bō).
- Kokushibo’s human surname contains the Kun’yomi kanji for “inherit, succeed” (継つぎ tsugi) and “country” (国くに kuni), while his first name also contains the Kun’yomi kanji for “severity, severity” (巌みち michi) and “prevail, victory” (勝かつ katsu). His father gave him this name, thinking Michikatsu would be strong and successful.
- Kokushibo was challenged three times for his position. One of these battles involved Akaza. Although he used to absorb the demons he defeated, he left Akaza alive because he enjoyed the challenge.
- Kokushibo is believed to be the first demon slayer to become a demon.
- He became a demon in his early twenties and lived as one for over 460 years.
- Kokushibo killed a leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, prompting the corps to go to great lengths to hide the residence of future leaders. This event was also behind the creation of the Kakushi.
- Kokushibo ranked 14th in the second popularity poll with 2938 votes.
- The relationship between Yoriichi and Michikatsu parallels the Shintō mythology of the kami Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, respectively. Amaterasu is the sun goddess, the most sacred of Shintō deities. Tsukuyomi, the moon god, is her former husband and brother. After Tsukuyomi killed Uke Mochi, another Shintō deity, Amaterasu refused to look at him again, moving to another part of the sky and thus initiating the day-night cycle. Like the deities, the brotherhood between Yoriichi and Michikatsu is marked by disputes and different paths (that of the demon slayer and that of the demon), developing their respective breaths of sun and moon.
- Kokushibo is considered a “business partner” of Muzan.
Quotes
- (About Akaza) “Akaza’s presence is gone. He has fallen. Akaza… Weren’t you going to defeat me? A path had opened for him to reach new heights… but he himself gave up. What extreme weakness.”
- (To himself) “The old, ugly creature who was once my little brother took pity on me. But… I wasn’t angry. Even though, 60 years ago, he was such a horror. The voice that called me ‘brother’ was terribly hoarse. My brother had never shown the slightest emotion… so seeing him cry awakened something in me for the first time since I was born. I was confused… by my own unexpected agitation. But I must kill… that part of me that comes from when I was human… This frail-fleshed old man no longer in his prime… I was a demon-slayer, and I must slice anyone who raises a sword against me. But his strange sentimentality… disappeared the next moment.”
- (In response to Yoriichi Tsugikuni’s statement about future generations) “Yoriichi… when you smiled, I couldn’t help myself… but I still found it disturbing. And when we were talking about the fact that there were no successors for the various breathing techniques, you suddenly adopted a strange optimism and smiled. In my vanity, I thought only our generation was special. I felt sick with disgust and irritation. What were you so amused about? […] What was so funny about imagining such a future? Just the idea of losing makes me boil with anger.”
- (To himself) “The ugliness of not admitting defeat even though I’ve had my head cut off, hacked to pieces and crushed. Living in disgrace. Have I lived hundreds of years for this? Have I been so afraid of defeat that I’ve become a monster? Did I want to be strong even if it meant eating people? Did I become this miserable creature because I didn’t want to die? No. Yoriichi… I just wanted to be you.”
- (To himself) “I could never hold on to anything. Nothing at all. I abandoned my home. I abandoned my wife and children. I abandoned my humanity. I reduced my offspring and gave up being a samurai. But even all that wasn’t enough? You said that those who master their path all end up in the same place. But I never did. I couldn’t see the same world as you. Why couldn’t I leave anything behind? Why couldn’t I become someone famous? Why are we so different? Why the hell was I born? Tell me… Yoriichi.”
🔥PRODUCTS OF THE MOMENT🔥
