The following contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga and anime.
Demon Slayers live a tough life filled with personal loss and sacrifices. Their character is shaped by tragedies, which is why most of them are ruthless when it comes to demons. Despite being extraordinary even before they joinedthe Demon Slayer Corps, the Hashira have also suffered immensely in their lives.
As the battle between good and evil reaches its climax, the pain that some of these brave warriors have been carrying will finally be revealed. One of the Hashira will finally open up about his emotions after keeping his heartbreaks and disappointment to himself for years. But will that finally bring him peace?
Shinazugawa Brothers and the Wound That Never Healed
Sanemi Will Come to His Brother’s Rescue in Infinity Castle
In the Final Battle arc, the Demon Slayer Corps' plans are setto fall apart as Muzan Kibutsujitraps them in his lair with Nakime’s help, determined to end the battle that has been fought for over a millennium. Tanjiro, Shinobu, and Zenitsu will confront Akaza, Doma, and Kaigaku, respectively. Meanwhile,Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokitowill have the misfortune of running into Upper Moon One all alone.
Why do you think I went so far as to kill our mother? To protect you. You should have had a house somewhere and raised a family and grow old. To make up for what I couldn’t do for mother and our little brothers and little sisters, you should have had a wife and children and made them happy. And I would’ve never let a demon get near you. ~ Sanemi Shinazugawa
Kokushibo will ruthlessly incapacitate Tokito within seconds before realizing that someone else is also close by. Genya, who can’t use any breathing styles, won’t even stand a chance as the Upper Moon moves at blinding speeds and appears suddenly behind him. By just observing him for a few seconds,the demon will be able to tell that Genyahas been eating demons.
Kokushibo will then proceed to cut Genya’s body in two, leaving him completely helpless. But little does he realize that he has a savior who will go to any lengths to protect him. Moments after Genya is savagely attacked, Sanemi will confront the Upper Moon for hurting his brother. While heartwarming, this moment will also perplex fans who would immediately recall how Wind Hashira tried to blind Genya last time the two had met.
Sanemi’s paradoxical behavior highlights the complex relationship he shares with his brother. The siblings haven’t been in touch for years, and on a few occasions when Genya has tried, his older brother has pushed him away. But what are the roots of the conflict that has created so much animosity between the siblings?
The Heartbreaking Story of Shinazugawa Brothers
Sanemi and Genya were born into an impoverished family and had a troubled life. His father was an alcoholic and used to physically abuse the entire family. When he died prematurely, Shizu Shinazugawa became the only breadwinner for the family. Although they struggled, Sanemi and his siblings learned to find happiness in small things. But life took a dark turn when a demon attacked their home.
Sanemi was quick to respond and went after the demon while Genya stayed back, desperately trying to save his siblings, who were either gravely injured or almost dead. Eventually,when Genya went looking for Sanemi, he found him next to his mother’s dead body. In the chaos, he blamed Sanemi for his mother’s death, not realizing that she had been turned into a demon by someone and had attacked her own family.
Sanemi struggled to overcome the harsh reality that his brother did not show faith in him, even though he had to kill his own mother for the sake of his family. Ever since then, he cut off all ties with Genya and focused primarily on avenging his dead motherand siblings by killing demons.
Sanemi Will Face His Tragic Past in the Infinity Castle
Once Sanemi gets involved in the fight against Kokushibo, he will finally be pushed to open up to his brother, whom he had ignored and physically attacked over the years. It turns out that Sanemi had pushed away his brother all this time to make sure that he did not join the Demon Slayer Corps.Wind Hashira demotivated Genyaas he feared that he would end up dying fighting a demon.
That’s right! And that wind… is going to wrench off your head! ~ Sanemi Shinazugawa to Kokushibo
Since he had no one else left in the world, his concerns were legitimate, especially because his brother was unable to use breathing styles. All Sanemi ever wanted was for his brother to live a peaceful life away from the violence that took everything from him. But that never happened. Sanemi’s emotional confessions will be one of the highlights of the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle trilogy. It will change how fans view Sanemi forever.
The first installment of the Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle trilogy is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 26, 2025.
