Demon-Slayer-Upper-Rank-Kizuki
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Casandra Ronning
Published Feb 22, 2026, 10:30 PM EST
Casandra Ronning is a staff writer for Screen Rant's anime section. Since mid-2024, she has dedicated herself to expanding her knowledge and experience in the entertainment industry. She is most proud of conducting an exclusive interview with popular voice actor Stephanie Nadolny.
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Demon Slayer is one of the most popular modern anime series to have broken worldwide records, particularly with its film Infinity Castle, which ranks among the highest-grossing films of 2025.
The series is best known for its stunning animation, intense action, and emotional storytelling, making Demon Slayer a story that is both thrilling and meaningful. With heroes and villains shaped by tragedy and loss, the anime encourages reflection and empathy in ways that many other series don’t.
However, with the portrayal of one antagonist standing out from the rest, the series risked weakening other major villains. Eight years later, the result is still incredibly noticeable.
Many Demons in Demon Slayer Have Tragic Human Pasts
Akaza from Demon Slayer Infinity Castle
Demon Slayer is renowned for its ability to weave in tragedy among its cast, no matter if they are the heroes or villains. Many of the characters are shaped by loss, trauma, or circumstances that were beyond their control, creating emotional backstories that audiences can resonate and empathize with.
The protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado, is driven to become a Demon Slayer after the loss of his family and his sister’s transformation, while the members of the Hashira also carry heavy burdens tied directly to the demons. Many have witnessed the death of their loved ones or shouldered suffering in ways that shaped their paths.
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Posts By Casandra RonningRather than stopping there, Koyoharu Gotouge, the creator of Demon Slayer, extended this to the demons throughout the story. Since early in the series, demons have had their backstories reveal very human traits and burdens, making them sympathetic and sometimes even relatable. This is especially true with Demon Slayer’s most tragic villain.
Akaza once experienced true happiness after a life of hardship, only to have it all stripped away in one night. Rather than seeking out Muzan or power, Akaza was transformed into a demon against his will after Muzan took advantage of his emotional suffering and intense pain. It’s exactly these stories that make Demon Slayer what it is.
Demon Slayer Thrives by Making Its Villains Sympathetic
Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba using Water Breathing to behead the spider demon mother
By making its villains sympathetic, Demon Slayer completely distinguishes itself from other shōnen series. Rather than offering villains who are purely evil, the show pushes viewers to understand the circumstances that shaped them and come to their own conclusions about whether they can truly be called evil.
For many demons, their lives as humans were marked by pain and suffering, with their transformations into monsters stemming from despair or betrayal. In cases like Akaza or Daki and Gyutaro, their transformations into demons had little to do with inherent malice or villainy and everything to do with the circumstances they faced in life.
By exploring these origins, Demon Slayer turns many of its antagonists into tragic figures whose transformation into a demon is yet another misstep or unfortunate circumstance in their long histories. By making these characters sympathetic, it heightens the emotional stakes and pushes for a reevaluation of broader struggles, which strengthens the overall storyline.
However, there is one antagonist that doesn’t fit in with many of the others. Rather than being shaped by hardship or forces beyond his control, like many others, one demon’s origins stand out for the lack of redeeming qualities.
Doma Stands Out as a Truly Demonic Character
Demon-Slayer-Infinity-Castle-Doma
Unlike other demons in the series, Doma wasn’t forged by loss or desperation, but by an inherent detachment throughout his entire life. From the moment he was born, Doma was groomed as a cult leader, a role he embraced despite not having any genuine belief in religion or feeling any empathy.
While he presents himself as cheery and charismatic, it's nothing more than a facade to hide his cold, unfeeling nature.
Even when he was a child, witnessing his parents' death was met with annoyance and disdain rather than grief or shock. This emotionlessness followed him into adulthood as he continued to operate with nihilistic indifference, seeing humanity as meaningless, pathetic, and unworthy of any consideration whatsoever.
Doma is a psychopath who lacks the ability to feel genuine emotion. By the time he became a demon, he continued his role as leader of the Eternal Paradise Cult solely to consume his followers under the guise of salvation. While he presents himself as cheery and charismatic, it's nothing more than a facade to hide his cold, unfeeling nature.
Doma Makes Other Villains Less Thrilling
As Upper Moon Two, Doma stands as one of the most powerful demons in the series, and due to his backstory, he’s arguably the only one who truly embodies demonism. Devoid of feeling, psychopathic, and fearing no one, even Muzan himself, Doma stands out as a truly terrifying character.
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Explore Demon Slayer more deeply by subscribing to the newsletter: thoughtful, character-focused analysis, contextual breakdowns, and nuanced takes that build on your reading and deepen appreciation for the series' themes and tensions. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Yet, because of Doma’s lack of fear, inherent apathy, and indifference, he undermines the villains that come after him. As a character who can’t be intimidated and lacks human emotion and ambition, both Kokushibo, Upper Moon One, and Muzan, the progenitor of all demons, feel weaker in comparison.
Kokushibo stands out as a complex, powerful villain; however, compared to Doma’s nihilism and apathy, his struggles come across as far less distinctive. As for Muzan, Doma lacks fear, and his flippant attitude undermines the Demon King’s authority. Kokushibo and Muzan have done many unforgivable things; however, in the end, both are defined by their humanity.
Doma is arguably the only character in Demon Slayer who has no humanity to speak of, even in a negative sense, like Muzan and his fear of death, or Kokushibo and his jealousy toward his brother. With no tragic backstory and little emotion, Doma stands out as a true demon who undermines perceptions of more powerful villains.
Demon Slayer
Created by
Koyoharu Gotouge
First Film
Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train
Latest Film
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To the Hashira Training
First TV Show
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Latest TV Show
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
First Episode Air Date
April 6, 2019
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Demon Slayer - Franchise
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Explore Demon Slayer more deeply by subscribing to the newsletter: thoughtful, character-focused analysis, contextual breakdowns, and nuanced takes that build on your reading and deepen appreciation for the series' themes and tensions. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. Trending Now
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