Kimetsu no Yaiba is known for its tragic characters. Practically everyone has a dark and depressing backstory attached to them. Even Inosuke, a character who is so outlandish, has a sad reason why he acts that way. So when it came to character deaths, nothing short of Shakespearean Tragedy is expected. And Kimetsu no Yaiba delivered during the Infinity Castle Arc!
Among all the deaths in the last two arcs of Kimetsu no Yaiba, this one hit the hardest for me. There is no bigger glory for Muichiro. Unlike Shinobu, who had someone to carry on her will, Muichiro had no one. Not to mention, his death was super extra compared to the others! It was as if the author had it out for him or something. So, in this article, we will be talking about Muichiro’s death. Spoilers ahead!
A Quick Recap of the Muichiro’s Backstory from the Manga!
Like the other Hashira death articles, let’s review some things we know about Muichiro Tokito. Thankfully, we already know his backstory! It was revealed during the Swordsmith Village Arc, so let’s quickly go over that. Muichiro is born with his twin brother Yuichiro. The two lived an honest life as woodcutters and were gifted two kind parents. Unfortunately, their mother fell to sickness when they were ten years old. The sickness had worsened over time, and she never recovered. In the hopes of finding herbs for a cure, their father went out but never returned.
The siblings were orphaned as soon as they were ten years old. The next few months would see them struggling to survive. Yuichiro took most of the work for the twins. Muichiro aided his brother, but the two’s relationship would be strained. Unlike Muichiro, Yuichiro didn’t inherit their parents’ kindness. He disliked Muichiro’s naïve ideology that they should help other people. Yuichiro wanted to hammer the idea that they should only focus on surviving first. Helping others can wait.
Sadly, a demon attack would see to it that only Muichiro is left. Traumatized by the death of his brother, he would lose his memories and personality. After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, he displayed an indifferent persona. He cared little about anything else but demon slaying, which was reflected in his results. Within two months, he became the Mist Hashira. In time, he would come into contact with Tetsuido and Tanjiro.
Then, the rest is history! Tanjiro discovers that underneath Muichiro’s brash personality is a heart of gold. His interaction with the boy allowed him to rediscover himself. From then, Muichiro was a nicer person. Unfortunately, we never get to see more of what he could’ve become.
Did Muichiro Die?
Muichiro died during the Infinity Castle Arc. Gyomei confirmed this as he closed the boy’s eyes in Chapter 176. In my opinion, he is the contender for the most gruesome death among the Hashira.
Who Killed Muichiro?
Muichiro was killed by Upper-Rank 1 Demon Kokushibo. It was during a battle where three Hashira and Genya were trying to kill the latter. In all aspects, he was killed rather casually by the demon.
How Did Muichiro Die?
The events of Muichiro’s death started as early as Chapter 164. Muichiro and Gyomei were running around the castle to look for the other Hashira. They wished to regroup and find Muzan to kill him once and for all. Unfortunately, the Upper-Rank 4 Demon made that difficult. As all the Hashira are transported to different locations, Muichiro is unlucky. He had the unenviable task of being forced to confront Kokushibo. This would see Muichiro die through mutilation.
Shining through the Mist with Moonlight
The Mist Hashira couldn’t stop shaking. His body was in shock from the fear. Thankfully for him, Kokushibo was politer compared to his fellow demons. The man was analyzing Muichiro and made a shocking reveal. Kokushibo was Muichiro’s ancestor. From then on, the demon saw the Mist Hashira favorably. He began evaluating his descendant even when Muichiro struck him. He found the boy promising before cutting his hand off.
In a very Star Wars moment, Kokushibo offered the boy to join his side. You know, like when Darth Vader offered Luke to join him! He wished for Muichiro to become a demon to see him develop further. He began listing all the benefits Muichiro could have if he did. During this time, Muichiro was pinned to a pillar, unable to move. Genya had been there for the entire occasion but was dropped by Kokushibo.
The both of them were in a precarious situation until the Wind and Stone Hashira arrived. The latter two took the forefront to fight Kokushibo.
Muichiro and Genya’s Comeback, Let’s Go!
As Muichiro continued to watch them fight, he realized that they were outmatched. Kokushibo alone was easily handling two Hashira on his lonesome. After prying his sword out of his shoulder, he moved over to Genya. There, he saw if the boy was still alive and moved to keep him awake. The latter had been sliced in half, after all, by Kokushibo.
Using some bandages, he tied his stump and then his sword hand to his blade. He spoke to Genya a bit before devising a plan to take down Kokushibo. While Kokushibo went to pin him down, Genya was to follow up. The latter has indigested a blade made from Kokushibo’s flesh, allowing him to use a Blood Demon Art. Then, Muichiro moved to help the other two Hashira during their battle.
In the heat of it, he was able to tap into the “Transparent World.” He saw the body composition of Kokushibo and then moved. His body was finally able to react and he managed to invade the demon’s defenses. His katana was stabbed all the way through the man’s gut. Muichiro chose to sacrifice himself by pinning the demon in place. With his lone arm, he did his best to keep Kokushibo from moving.
Genya would follow up with a blast from his shotgun. Using a Blood Demon Art, he controlled the pellets to sink into Kokushibo’s body. He made them grow into trees, literally rooting Kokushibo in place.
Muichiro’s Final Gambit
Unfortunately, the plan wouldn’t work. Kokushibo being forced into a corner awakened his demonic side. As bad memories flooded his brain, he “berserked” and let out wild slashes around him. Muichiro, being the closest to him, did not escape the attack. His bottom half was cleaved in half and left his upper body clinging to the blade.
As Muichiro felt his life about to expire, he made one last move. Through his sheer will, he was able to make his blade heat up. The now Nichirin blade burned up Kokushibo’s insides. It prevented him from moving further and allowed the rest to put him down once and for all.
Except that didn’t happen. The demon was able to stay alive despite decapitation. He regrew his head and cut off Muichiro’s arm. This made the Mist Hashira fall to the floor, limbless and dead.
Although, that’s not where his contributions stopped. His final gambit, as desperate as it was, still worked. The area where Muichiro stabbed Kokushibo did not regenerate. It served as the beginning of Kokushibo’s death and helped the group win.
Muichiro and Yuichiro’s Reunion
While Muichiro never knew what happened after, he got his happy ending. In heaven, he was reunited with his brother. The two argued for a bit but soon reconciled. It was revealed Yuichiro didn’t want to see Muichiro dead. But hey, at least they’re together again! And for Muichiro, that was all that mattered to him.