Updated April 1, 2023 by Ernie
Readers and viewers either love or hate Zenitsu, there is no middle ground. He is quite a unique character. His personality can take a 180 degree turn in a second. From crybaby to scary unstoppable demon killer. Impossible to read or understand he can either make you laugh your heart out or annoy you so much that you might want to punch the screen the smithereens.
Table of Contents
Zenitsu Agatsuma is one of Kamado Tanjiro, the MC’s comrade and a Demon Slayer. He is one of the main supporting characters of the Demon Slayer’s series or Kimetsu no Yaiba. He embarks on life-threatening missions along with Tanjiro’s beautiful demon sister Nezuko and the wild and loud Inosuke Hashibira. Important detail, he is the most cowardly character ever written, when he is awake. But when asleep, he is an overpowered badass with no fear.
ZENITSU AGATSUMA WIKI
I don’t believe that any other protagonist of an action anime was ever written to be so much of a scardy cat. Bold move from the author.
But Zenitsu is the most inspirational character from the entire Demon Slayer series, even maybe more than Kyojuro. He is the definition of improvement. He is the one that showed us that being a coward is not entirely a bad thing, it’s how you act on it that matters. No matter how small the achievement, no matter how small the risk, it is still a step forward that proves that you take even more from now on.
He started off as a weakling no one respected. He was a lazy complaining brat with no goals nor sense of justice. Look at him now. He found someone he cared about and his courage surfaced. He found a clear, important goal that he wanted to achieve for himself and his strength manifested.
Now on the same level of Hashira’s the brat became a man of the highest standing. No one dares to look down on him. But that’s not even what mattered the most for Zenitsu. Yes, he wanted strength, he got it. Yes, he wanted to be respected, now he is. But what he desired most was to be loved. His biggest fear was to die alone. It would have been a lonely pitiful death no matter how glorious.
Zenitsu would have never made Nezuko fall for him. But through his development and his hard work, he changed. Can any one say now that he doesn’t deserve her? Absolutely not. And the day they got married was most probably the most beautiful and memorable day of his entire life. And the rest of his life with his family might have looked like a blissful dream for him.
That’s just a little reminder that power is not everything. There are some things much more important. Zenitsu would’ve been more than satisfied if he was a nobody with Nezuko by his side.
Character Information
| Alias: | Monitsu |
| Status: | Alive |
| Race: | Human |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 16 years old |
| Height: | 164.5 cm |
| Weight: | 58 kg |
| Birthday: | 3rd of September |
| Hair Color: | Blonde (Current) Black (Young) |
| Eye Color: | Golden |
Affiliations
| Affiliation: | Demon Slayer Corps |
| Occupation: | Demon Slayer |
| Combat Style: | Thunder Breathing |
| Partner(s): | Kamado Tanjiro and Hashibira Inosuke |
Appearances in ANIME/MANGA
| Manga First Appearance: | Chapter 6 |
| Anime First Appearance: | Episode 4 |
Voice Actors
| Japanese Voice Actor: | Hiro Shimono |
| English Voice Actor: | Aleks Le |
| Stage Play: | Keisuke Ueda |
Appearance
Zenitsu is a 16 year old teenager. He is approximately 164.5 centimeters tall with skin as smooth as a baby. His eyes are extremely special as they degrade from dark brown to gold. What decreases their beauty considerably is that they are always filled with fear and anxiety.
His hair is blond and the square-shaped spikes of different lengths are orange. They fall on his face like bangs entirely hiding his forehead and a part of his eyes. But he acquired his current hair color after he was hit by lighting when he was learning the Thunder breathing technique. Originally they were dark black.
For some time, after being poisoned by one of the spider demons on the Natagumo Mountain and almost turned into a spider himself, Zenitsu’s legs and arms shrunk considerably. He returned to his original size thanks to Shinobu Kocho, a Hashira, who created a special cure for him and the other Demon slayers affected (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 48 Page 9).
He always wears the standard Demon Slayer uniform with a twist of brown and his orange-colored katana is on his waist. His gradient haori is orange with small white triangles all over.
Personality
Zenitsu is a pessimistic coward that can even be startled by his own shadow. He hates the demon-slaying job because of all the risks and dangers they have to face. He is certain that he will die young.
He doesn’t have any confidence in himself and is quick to give up on his goals and battles. This is all because he is not aware of all the strength that is dormant within him. When he killed his first demon in the manga, he convinced himself that it was a normal human with no weapon nor demon-slaying training, Shoichi, who did it and not him (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 23 Page 9). Because he considers himself useless, he would rather not accept any kind of responsibility and relay the task to someone he considers more competent, most of the time Tanjiro.
He cries and screams almost all the time making him extremely annoying and difficult to talk and deal with. Always afraid and jumpy, his first instincts or reflexes are to run away as fast as humanly possible. He always said that he would have preferred to have a boring peaceful life instead of his current one.
But like anyone else, Zenitsu wants to walk on equal footing with his two other comrades. Many people, like his master, have faith in him and his abilities and he wants to be worthy of those expectations. So occasionally he is seen training and trying to break his limits to become stronger. One example is when he learns the Total Concentration Breathing – Constant with Tanjiro and Inosuke during their rehabilitation.
The people he respects and trusts the most are of course his two partners in arms as well as the lovely Nezuko and most of all Jigoro Kuwajima, his deceased teacher. He is the reason he continued struggling in the demon slayer’s world. It’s because he is seeking vengeance for him that he can still get back up when all seems lost. Also, he knows that how much of a coward he is and hates this about himself, he is working on improving himself by engaging in scary battles and facing opponents he knows are stronger than he is. In my point of view that is a sign of courage and bravery in itself.
Before meeting Nezuko, Zenitsu was terrified of her just because she was a demon. But when she emerged from her box, he was mesmerized and fell in love at first sight. Although he is a womanizer, the only woman he is decent with is Tanjiro’s adorable yet gorgeous little sister. The only person for whom he would willingly put himself in danger is her. Always rushing to her side when he thinks she might not be safe. It became something instinctive in his body like a reflex (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 49).
Since he is stuck in this line of work, he, at least, would like to die knowing he was not alone in the end. Weirdly, even though he has no self-esteem, he is not shy at all. He is seen hitting and flirting with multiple girls openly and even randomly asking them to marry him (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 19 Page 9). A question that they, of course, always refuse with disgust. But that’s not enough to demotivate Zenitsu.
Zenitsu is very docile and always listens to others. One exception is when one of his comrades has the chance to talk with girls and doesn’t think of including him or when he thinks they are flirting. During those moments, he just snaps and starts shouting hysterically, making even the prideful Inosuke take the lecture in silence. This side of his personality was first shown when he was in rehabilitation.
Both Tanjiro and Inosuke came back completely wasted after the session and terrorized Zenitsu. When he discovered that they got massages from the girls, although very painful, Zenitsu took it with a smile and completely roasted the two boys for not telling him in advance. You might not believe it but behind all the silliness, Zenitsu also has a serious side. Because he is the only one between the three of them to have grown in modern society he is kind of civilized. He has more basic knowledge on everything related to technology and modern law.
For example, when they saw the Mugen Train, Tanijro thought it was a deity while Inosuke thought it was the enemy. Zenitsu was the one to explain to them what a train was. Also, they thought that they could walk around with swords, which is illegal. It was also Zenitsu who mentioned this and suggested they hide them.
For once, instead of embarrassing others, he was the one embarrassed by the naïve behavior of his group, especially when Inosuke started banging his head against the train to challenge it.
When Zenitsu was informed that Kaigaku was the one behind his teacher’s death, not a hint of silliness remained in him (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 136 Pages 4-6). When he finally had the chance to face off against him, he was stern and infuriated, almost scary. He lashed out in anger, forgot about his cowardice and attacked his senior who betrayed his master. The mature and proud side of Zenitsu extremely surprised Kaigaru who never saw him as more than a useless crying machine (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 144).
History
Zenitsu was discarded and ignored by his parents from a very young age. He had no one to turn to for counsel or advice, so making some life errors is normal. Knowing his love for women, the second he met someone who accepted him, he would give his all to her, even all his money.
Taking advantage of his kindness, the girl in question took it all to run away with her real lover. After the incident, Zenitsu was left buried in debts (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 33 Page 6). It was Jigoro Kuwajima who extended a helping hand by paying off the debt collector in his stead and even took in Zenitsu as his apprentice.
Zenitsu looked up to his master, he was family to him and even ended up calling him ‘Gramps’. He met his master’s other disciple, Kaigaku, while training under him. Unable to handle the harsh teachings, he once tried to escape it by climbing up in a tree. As punishment from the sky, I guess, he was struck by lightning and the color of his hair turned blond (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 33 Page 8).
Zenitsu and Kaigaku never met eye to eye, they despised each other. But Kaigaku was strong, Zenitsu couldn’t deny it, so despite their differences, he still respected him as a warrior and as his senior. Zenitsu always wanted to match his strength and walk alongside him on the battlefield as brothers in arms (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145 Page 19).
Abilities
No one can say otherwise, Zenitsu is strong and definitely has his place in the Demon Slayer Corp. He possesses unique skills and abilities that differentiate him from the others. But Zenitsu would never agree with those statements as he never witnessed his own power.
His power only manifests when he is sleeping. This is because his constant state of nervousness blocks him from accessing his strength. When calm or asleep, when no distractive thoughts are in his way he becomes precise and deadly. That’s why he managed to slice the Tongue Demon’s head and destroy one of the sons of the Spider Demon on his own. He also became skilled enough to protect three carts of the Mugen train that was controlled by Lower Rank One. But he did receive some help from Nezuko.
After the events of the Mugen train, they all powered up giving Zenitsu the power to fight on equal grounds against an awakened Daki. Here as well, Inosuke assisted him but he played a minor role.
When they began their training to become Hashiras, Zenitsu struggled till the end and finished it entirely. A feat only a few can achieve. We then soon discovered that, even we, never saw Zenitsu go all out as he can only deploy all his strength not when asleep but when he is fully awake. He fought the new Upper Rank Six, Kaigaku, fully conscious.
Because of his rage and desire for revenge, not one negative thought came into his mind turning him into a warrior of the highest caliber. At lightning speed, he claimed his head and avenged his master.
And his most extraordinary feat is, even if it was just for just a second, he managed to overpower that first demon, Muzan Kibutsuji, the Demon King himself. It was now undeniable that at the very end of the series, Zenitsu was as strong if not stronger than the Hashira themselves. Zenitsu’s sense of hearing is extremely developed. He can decode sounds.
Enhanced Hearing
He can pick up and understand any sounds miles away. Thanks to that ability he can detect danger immediately. His understanding of the layer of sound is so advanced that he can replicate any tune on any instrument after hearing it once. He can master any instrument in a second even though he has no musical background whatsoever (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 72 Page 4).
That ability is what permits him to fight when he is in a deep sleep. With his eyes closed and no way to see his opponent’s, he uses his hearing to locate the enemy. He hears their movements and uses the echo of sound to analyze his surroundings.
Extrasensory Perception
Like Tanjiro who can smell a person’s emotions, Zenitsu can hear them. Not only their emotions but their thoughts as well. He can understand anyone’s personality through the sounds their bodies make.
The best perk is that he can easily know if the person is human or a demon in disguise. He is also able to somehow determine their level in terms of power as he did with Daki, an Upper Rank demon. The sounds that he made were 100 times more horrifying than any other demon that he ever encountered.
Enhanced Strength
He may not look like it, but Zenitsu possesses incredible physical strength that he acquired through hellish training. He was once shown Zenitsu holding down Inosuke and even threw him by holding his legs and swinging him (Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episode 13).
Most of his power is accumulated in his legs enabling him to leap tremendously high and at an unbelievable speed so he can use his Thunder Breathing techniques.
Immense Speed & Reflexes
You can compare Zenitsu to a lightning bolt. His speed is out of this world, the normal eye cannot catch his movements. At the very beginning of the anime, when he was still a weakling, he is seen multiple times dodging attacks from opponents clearly stronger than he is, the Tongue Demon and Spider Demon (Son).
His speed was also the key for the many decapitations that he undertook, the exact world for it is that he would blitz them. As he trained and became stronger, his speed leveled up as well. At some point, even Upper Rank demons couldn’t follow his movements like Daki.
What’s more impressive is that Kaigaru who learned the same breathing style as Zenitsu and trained under the same master wasn’t able to comprehend let alone match his supernatural speed.
Even Kaigaku’s Lightning Blood Demon Art could not catch up to Zenitsu. He decapitated the demon’s head and the technique was nowhere close to hitting him. But his most impressive achievement would be that he could out-speed and severely injure Muzan Kibutsuji, even though he was in a weakened state.
Immense Stamina & Endurance
To handle his speed, unlimited stamina and endurance are obligatory. He could still muster the strength to fight after being poisoned by Spider Demon (Son). Even though he was seriously wounded, he fought for an incredible amount of time against Daki. He was stuck under a pile of rubble and still managed to unleash his Thunderclap and Flash: God Speed technique.
During his fight against Kaigaku, the demon unleashed his ultimate technique and burned Zenitsu’s skin off. In extreme pain and on the verge of death, he gathered enough power to attack one last time. With all he had left in him, he deployed his ultimate move and slashed the demon’s head from his shoulders.
Also by continuously using his speed and getting faster and faster by the second, he outmaneuvered Muzan Kibutsuji. He even managed to break his limits and use Thunderclap and Flash: God Speed technique for a third time when he could only unleash it twice a day.
Indomitable Will
Can be compared to stubbornness, I see it as absolute courage of the spirit. When Inosuke first realized that a demon was in Tanjiro’s box, he immediately decided to kill it. The only one present at the time was Zenitsu.
He was severely beaten by Inosuke and yet he didn’t let him touch Nezuko. Moreover, he didn’t fight back, not out of fear but because of the rule of the Demon Slayers stating that they cannot fight each other or hurt each other.
During the battle against Daki, he may have been asleep but it doesn’t mean that he can’t feel pain. He was covered in slashes and blood, one of his legs was broken and yet he continued to fight (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 95 Page 5). Just with willpower, during his battle against an Upper Rank and the Demon King, he managed to stay awake and fight, forgetting about his fear and letting anger guide his fists.
Tactical Intellect
He may look and act like an idiot, but I assure you Zenitsu is not. Even during unconscious combat, he uses his brain to fight. He is quite adept at strategizing and his judgment of the situation is always on point. When awake, his intellectual abilities are even sharper and it was during his battle against Kaigaku that it was most obvious.
Inosuke falsely deduced what was its weakness, it was Zenitsu that found the solution to the problem by realizing that all they had to do was to disconnect the two heads and decapitate them when apart from each other.
Even Though he’s very smart, he is a very slow learner. Not just in physical training but also in mental training. It takes him more time than the average person to grasp the full meaning of anything and make use of it. But when mastered, in his hand and by using his brain it becomes way deadlier or way more useful than in the hands of anybody else.
Unconscious Combat
Zenitsu can only fight seriously when he is unconscious or in a deep sleep. Because he is a coward, when conscious, his emotions like fear and anxiety block his strength. He often becomes paralyzed and unable to lift a finger as a result.
Only when he is in danger of imminent death, his nerves break, overwhelmed with fear he loses consciousness. Because he feels no emotion in that state, the feelings that were blocking him disappear and his power can be let loose.
Like we said before, this is only possible because of his incredible hearing that picks up the slightest movements. This is also why Enmu’s spell didn’t really affect him as he is always fighting in a state of deep sleep.
Fighting Style
Master Swordsman
All Demon Slayers’ weapon of choice is a Katana, so they all have to be master swordsmen to wield the weapon. And Zenitsu is even better than the average ones. His speed is a key factor that lets him use, freely and easily, a variation of Iaijutsu swordplay. His slashes are so fast that the eye cannot follow the movement of his sword.
The Thunderclap and Flash technique is also impossible to use without supernatural speed. Both of those techniques were mastered and refined by Zenitsu. He even invented offshoots of them and can use them when conscious or unconscious. He is able to deal with multiple enemies at the same time. Like when he defeated more than 12 baby spiders in a flash or when he defended three carts on the train while dealing with Enmu attacks at the same time.
Of course, in the beginning, his swordplay was nothing special. But he evolved at an incredible speed to the point where he could call himself a deadly warrior on par with Upper Rank demons. He also was strong enough to deal damage to Muzan himself. Like we said before, at some point, Zenitsu became the Hashira’s equal.
Zenitsu is the only one of the trio who never broke his sword. It is said that breaking a sword is the biggest sign of inexperience for a swordsman. Considering that he fought extremely powerful enemies like Kaigaku and Muzan, it is an extraordinary feat that it stayed intact. Tanjiro and Inosuke both broke their Katana’s when fighting the Spider Demon during the Natagumo Mountain Arc.
Thunder Breathing
Zenitsu learned that breathing style technique under the care of his Sensei, Jigoro Kuwajima. Although like all other styles, it has more than one form, he couldn’t master them all. The Thunder Breathing style possesses six forms, Zenitsu can only use the first one, the Thunderclap and Flash. But it turns out that it is enough for Zenitsu to strive on the battlefield. Instead of learning the rest of the forms, he created a variation of the first form. Variations that he only can use. He didn’t stop here, he developed his own new form of thunder breathing.
That is a feat that only Hashira’s managed to do before him. Till now the only three people who ever invented new forms are, Hashira’s Giyu and Muichiro and Zenitsu. The new form that he created was the form that he used when he was fighting Kaigaru and it was the form that landed him his victory at lightning speed.
First Form
Thunderclap and Flash (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 23 Page 9): Zenitsu unsheathes his sword, rushes forward at an incredible speed, and beheads any demon before they can even lift a finger to defend themselves. This technique resembles Iaijutsu (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 125 Page 6).
Sixfold
The first variation of the Thunderclap and Flash technique: Zenitsu unleashes the Thunderclap and Flash six times in a row while increasing the quick succession while strength and rapidity after each one. (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 34 Page 9)
Eightfold
The second variation of the Thunderclap and Flash technique: Zenitsu unleashes the Thunderclap and Flash eight times in a row while increasing the quick succession while strength and rapidity after each one. (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 91 Page 15)
God Speed
The third variation of the Thunderclap and Flash technique: Zenitsu unleashes the Thunderclap and Flash but increases his power and rapidity immensely.
The first time he used it, it was in his unconscious state. He realized that that technique had limits since his legs would give out if he used it more than 2 times in a row and his stamina would completely run out.
However, he broke his limits when he was facing off against Muzan. He used it more times than he could handle and yet he was still able to fight after he unleashed them. (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 93 Page 7)
Seventh Form
The new form that Zenitsu created for the Thunder Breathing style. Zenitsu rushes forward at incredible speed and deploys one slash. It is escorted by a lighting bolt with the shape of a Japanese dragon. (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145 Page 15)
Second Form
Rice Spirit: Achieved by releasing five arched slashes at lightning quick speed in succession (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145 Page 7).
Third Form
Thunder Swarm: Achieved by surrounding the opponent with waves of arched lightning attacks coming from multiple directions (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145 Page 8).
Fourth Form
Distant Thunder: Creating an electricity ball and releasing it. It mimics lightning bolts (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 144 Page 17).
Fifth Form
Heat Lightning: An upward sword slashes combined with lightning (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145 Page 9).
Sixth Form
Rumble and Flash: Long range lighting attack (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145 Page 10).
Game Exclusive Techniques
First Form
Thunderclap and Flash, Prime: A deviation of the Thunderclap and Flash. Zenitsu uses the Thunderclap and Flash and adds an incredible amount of strength. The move can also be used in mid-air. (Kimetsu no Yaiba Game: The Hinokami Chronicles)
Air Spin
Rice Spirit: Zenitsu delivers a round rotating strike in the air. (Kimetsu no Yaiba Game: The Hinokami Chronicles)
Equipment
Standard Nichirin Katana
All Demon Slayers receive a Nichirin Katana after passing the exam. It’s the only weapon capable of hurting a demon. Zenitsu obtained an average-sized and fashioned Nichirin katana with lightning stripes along the blade. The hilt is round with 4 dents, the middle is silver with triangles and the borders are gold. The sheath of the sword is standard jet black.
Even though it was an important choice to make. Zenitsu didn’t really care about the ore that would be used to forge his sword. He just picked one randomly since he believed that there was no way he’d survive even any kind of mission, especially if demons were going to be involved.
The Nichirin Swords are made by using Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore. The two materials are located on the summit of very high mountains. Then they are taken and placed on Mt. Yoko. There it is essential that they bathe in the sunlight for at least an entire year.
Nichirin Swords change color when the new owner first touches it. Every blade is unique. Zenitsu Agatsuma’s blade is even more special than the others since it is not a single color that appeared but a lightning motif. It was the first blade who ever reacted that way.
Each color has meanings and special abilities. The black ones are supposed to be bad omens when the brighter colors are more accepted.
Relationships
Tanjiro Kamado
Zenitsu has absolute trust in Tanjiro and relies on him almost all the time. Especially during dangerous situations like when they have to face any kind of demon. That was at the beginning when he still had zero self-esteem and believed he was a useless weakling.
He deeply respects him and only shows signs of extreme jealousy when Tanjiro reveals that he had some kind of contact with a woman. He also admires his unwavering bravery but it also frustrates him that he cannot act as he does. He also often gets mad at him when he throws himself into suicidal situations without thinking about it twice.
Their friendship is one of the most important things in Zenitsu’s life. Tanjiro’s enormous compassion always touches him deep in his heart. He is the first friend he ever made. And their teamwork on the battlefield is also quite synchronized. Also you can imagine how much Tanjori values him, since the overprotective brother gave his little sister’s hand to Zenitsu. If you want to know more about Tanjiro, you may check out our blog if Tanjiro is a demon or not!
Nezuko Kamado
I cannot describe how much Zenitsu fears demons. However, Nezuko is a different story. He is deeply in love with her. From the very first moment he met her, his heart decided that she was the one. He asked her to marry him more than once, even though she always refused. His love didn’t decrease even by 1%. Every time he sees her, he gasps in admiration of her beauty and strength.
As he got more used to seeing and interacting with Nezuko, he loosened up around her. He would always tell her about the adventures they have when she was asleep so she could catch up to everything that happened. Every detail, he never misses to mention anything. He could stay hours talking to her and it would be the highlight of his day. He would also make her cute promises that he kept by the way. He even risked angering Shinobu Kocho by sneaking her in to see her goldfish without her permission.
Zenitsu’s bravery comes out only for her sake, only so he can properly protect her. When he stayed behind in the mountains, he dared to go in alone just because she went in with Tanjiro. In the end, Zenitsu’s dream became reality and they finally got married and started a beautiful family together. Their present descendants are the proof of their love.
Kaigaku
Kaigaku was Zenitsu’s senior. They both had the opportunity to train under Jigoro Kuwajima to become the heirs of the Thunder Breathing Style. But their relationship was abominable as they clearly hated each other. But Zenitsu does feel deep respect towards him.
He is strong and talented after all, nothing like him. He even attacked other demon slayers who were bad-mouthing him (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 33 Page 8). However, Kaigaku never once acknowledged him and would openly insult him. When undertaking the Hashira training, Zenitsu became more mature, more serious as he now had a clear goal ahead of him (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145 Page 19). Zenitsu never showed a hint of fear when he was facing Kaigaku, Zenitsu is stern.
He insulted him and acted all high and mighty, it was like he was a completely different person (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 144). Zenitsu finally admitted that Kaigaku was much more than a simple bully to him, he was someone who had a place in his heart just like his master. When their fight was over and Zenitsu prevailed, he told him as he was fading that one of his wishes was to fight alongside him using his special move Honoikazuchi Nokami (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 145).
Right after, Jigoro appears before him. When he saw him, tears came running down his face. He apologized because he wasn’t on the best of terms with his senior. He believed that if he was never born Kaigaku wouldn’t have fallen so low as to allow himself to turn into a demon, he believed everything that happened was his fault. Zenitsu received so much from his master, he always wanted to give back just as much but didn’t have the chance to since he left this earth way too early so he apologized about that part as well (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 146 Pages 5-6).
Jigoro Kuwajima
Zenitsu was drowning in debts. Upon meeting him, Jigoro was kind enough to pay it off for him. He also invited him to train under him to become a true warrior (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 33 Pages 6-7). He endured harsh training to learn the Thunder Breathing alongside Kaigaku, his master’s first disciple. Jigoro was severe but extremely kind. He always cheered on Zenitsu and never let him abandon everything he worked for so far.
In the end, Zenitsu discovered that Jigoro committed seppuku after learning that Kaigaku turned into the very thing they were supposed to dispose of, a demon. What’s even worse is that, it was of his own volition.
The pain that Zenitsu felt at that moment was unimaginable. And it was from the extreme shock that his personality completely changed. It was, without saying, Kaigaku’s fault. Out for revenge, he focused on his training as he had never done before. He wanted to make sure that his master’s name would always be followed by words of praise, not the stain that his own pupil turned his back on humanity.
Inosuke Hashibira
Those two cannot meet eye to eye. There is always a skirmish happening. But they are on the same side when it matters, they always have each other’s backs. The thing is that Inosuke finds Zenitsu more than irritating and his biggest problem is that he is undeniably weak. Well, that was just in the beginning.
Zenitsu however, finds Inosuke way too vicious and, we can’t say otherwise, he is an idiot who only cares about fighting. Inosuke first showed some respect towards Zenitsu when he saw him fight for the first time while he was unconscious, he also added that he would be a badass if could stay asleep all the time. (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 79 Page 12).
Shinobu Kocho
When Shinoby made her first entrance, she saved Zenitsu’s life by providing the antidote for the spider’s deadly poison. So naturally, he likes her quite a lot. Plus she is of a rare beauty. He often gets shy when around her and blushes a lot. So you can imagine his reaction when she held his hand for the first time, he was about to melt.
Relatives
Yoshiteru Agatsuma
Great Grandson of Zenitsu
Toko Agatsuma
Great Granddaughter of Zenitsu
Battles
Tsuzumi Mansion Arc
Zenitsu Agatsuma vs Tongue Demon
Natagumo Mountain Arc
Zenitsu Agatsuma vs Spider Demon (Son)
Mugen Train Arc
Demon Slayers vs Enmu
Entertainment District Arc
Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira vs Daki
Infinity Castle Arc
Zenitsu Agatsuma vs Kaigaku
Sunrise Countdown Arc
Demon Slayers vs Muzan Kibutsuji: Part 2
Tanjiro Kamado vs Demon Slayers
Synopsis
Final Selection Arc
Zenitsu was one of the four people who cleared the exam. He is terrified and mumbling to himself saying that he won’t live long. He was supposed to be assigned a Kasugai Crow but he was the only one who got a sparrow instead. In the end, he chose the rock that will be used to forge his sword (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 8 and Episode 5).
A lot of fans wondered who Zenitsu managed to survive the Final Selection Exam. Well, the answer is very simple. He hid the entire time. He specifically declared to Tanjiro that ‘“ I was lucky and survived”. For the entire week, he stayed put in the same place, avoiding all kinds of interaction with any one or anything. Even stayed perfectly still most of the time. He did not once engage in any battle during the Final Selection Exam so technically only four candidates actually passed the test and not five. It was never revealed why Zenitsu was the only one who received a sparrow. If we try to explain it logically it would be something like this:
It can be a symbol. Sparrows are birds that represent peace and happiness. They repel worries and fear. It was given to Zenitsu in an attempt to help calm his nerves and forget his constant anxiousness. If that was the plan, it miserably failed. Zenitsu calls him Chuntaro, it is later revealed that his real name is Ukogi, because he adores Ukogi rice.
Tsuzumi Mansion Arc
Zenitsu saw a woman on the road and started asking her to marry him. Tanjiro Kamado, embarrassed by his action, reprimands him and offers his apologies to the girl. To calm Tanjiro’s anger, Zenitsu explains himself saying that it is categorical that he gets married now because he will most probably die during the mission.
He even ends up asking him to protect him until he does so. Tanjiro then asks why he took on the job so Zenitsu tells him his story (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapters 19-20 and Episodes 10-11). The boys arrive at the site of the mission, the Drum house. Zenitsu starts hearing some weird, terrifying sounds coming from the house. Outside, two kids are trembling and crying in fear, Shoichi and Teruko. They tell them that there is a demon in the house and that it took their older brother.
Zenitsu informs Tanjiro that he is hearing the sound of a tsukumi from inside. Then a corps is sent flying out the house. The kids are relieved to see that it is not their brother. Tanjiro leaves Zezuko with the children outside and tries to drag Zenitsu into the house. Inside Tanjiro reveals to Zenitsu that he is injured which scares the hell out of Zenitsu who now fears even more for his life. The kids end up following the Demon Slayer in the house when the house begins to shift. Tanjiro and Teruko are now separated from Zenitsu and Shoichi who are trying to find an exit when they run into Inosuke (Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 20 and Episode 11).
A Demon appears in front of Zenitsu. He loses consciousness, cuts the demon’s tongue off and decapitates him in a flash. Zenitsu opens his eyes believing that Shoichi killed the demon (Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episode 12).
The room rotates, ejecting Zenitsu and Shoichi outside. Seconds later Inosuke comes out as well. He tries to kill Nezuko but Zenitsu stops him. He decides to protect her even though she was a demon for the sake of Tanjiro. Inosuke starts to violently beat him but he doesn’t let go of the box. Tanjiro then appears and knocks Inosuke unconscious with a head-butt. Then the three of them are sent to an Inn to recover from their injuries (Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episodes 13-14).
Natagumo Mountain Arc
The next mission assigned to the trio is located on Natagumo Mountain. They arrive at nightfall. They find a Demon Slayer who implores them to save him as he is slowly being dragged into the mountain by spider threads. Immediately freaking out, Zenitsu categorically refuses to advance further. Tanjiro and Inosuke leave him behind and head into the forest. When Zenitsu recalled that Tanjiro took his sister to this dangerous place, he rushed after her to protect her (Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episode 15).
Zenitsu finally runs into a spider with the head of a human. Scared to death, he runs away but he ends up in the layer of the demon who made them that way. Zenitsu is bitten by one of them and poison is injected into his body.
The demon informs him that in 30 minutes he will transform into another one of his spider slaves. Terrified, Zenitsu loses consciousness. We can see a flashback of his master who is cheering on him telling him that he will always be by his side. Zenitsu unleashes the first form of the Thunder Breathing Style, Six Fold and claims the demon’s head (Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episode 17). Shinobu then arrives at the scene and gives the antidote to the poison to Zenitsu, saving his life.
Rehabilitation Training Arc
Aoi is reprimanding Zenitsu while he is whining to Kiyo that the medicine is bitter and disgusting, impossible to swallow. Tanjiro arrives and reunites with his comrade. Zenitsu immediately starts complaining about the hardship he had to go through while Tanjito is happy to see that he is okay.
Tanjiro then realizes that Inosuke is on the bed next to Zenitsu. His throat was crushed during the fight in Natagumo Mountain making it difficult for him to talk. Tanjiro then apologizes to him because he broke his promise of coming back to get him. After being patched up Murata comes to see who they are doing. Then Shinobu shows up to inform them that their Rehabilitation training will be starting tomorrow.
The next day, Tanjiro and Inosuke come back from their training completely drained which terrifies him as his turn is coming up as well. The rehabilitation training consists of three parts: a massage, a reaction exercise drill with Kanao and a game of tag with Kanao as well.
Zenitsu starts by lecturing the two others for terrorizing him when they were actually in paradise being massaged by beautiful ladies. The session begins, Zenitsu goes through the painful massage with a huge smile on his face. Zenitsu wins easily at the reflex training and tag game against Aoi. But he miserably loses against the unstoppable Kanao. Zenitsu and Inosuke then abandon the training while Tanjiro perseveres alone.
Tanjiro finally manages to best Kanao and motivates the two others to learn Total Concentration Breathing. Unable to master it, it was Shinobu who gave them that little extra push by giving words of encouragement to Zenitsu and belittling Inosuke to fire up his spirit.
The trio has now fully mastered the Total Concentration breathing technique (constant). Zenitsu is now narrating to Nezuko from inside the box about everything and promised her that when the night comes he will take her to see the flowers bloom. The three of them are now departing to the site of the next mission. They are saying goodbye to the girls who took care of them during the rehabilitation. They arrive at the train station and embark on the Mugen Train (Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episode 26).
Mugen Train Arc
The trio arrives in front of the Mugen train. Inosuke, who has never seen one before, thinks it’s the enemy and attacks it. Zenitsu stops him and explains to him and Tanjiro how a train works. But Tanjiro doesn’t believe him, saying it’s a guardian deity that they should worship.
Due to Inosuke’s action, the police take notice of them and realize that they have swords. Then Zenitsu reveals that the Demon Slayer Corps is not an official branch of the government. They will have to somehow hide their katana. Zenitsu gets the tickets and the train begins to move.
Inosuke exited beyond level, stars screaming and jumping everywhere. Zenitsu and Tanjiro suddenly hear someone screaming “Tasty!” multiple times and start heading that way. They encounter Kyojuro eating a pile of bento.
A demon manifests at the other side of the train. Kyojuro immediately realizes that he cannot sense his presence. He decapitates the demon in a second leaving the trio stunned. Kyojuro then proposed to train the three of them. He also asks them to call him ‘Aniki’ from now on. When the conductor comes to punch the tickets that they bought and the four of them fall into a deep sleep.
Zenitsu starts dreaming of being in a romantic relationship with Nezuko. They are holding hands and running through a peach orchard field. Zenitsu’s subconscious is jet black, which reflects his negativity. Enmu’s slave is searching for his spiritual core to destroy it and take Zenitsu’s life. The sound of blades clashing resonates and Zenitsu is suddenly behind the slave, holding scissors.
Angered that the boy entered his private place, he attacks him saying that only one person is allowed here, and that person is, of course, Nezuko. Zenitsu, still sleeping, freed Nezuko and saved all the other passengers at the same time in a second by unleashing Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash, Six Fold. After shouting that he will protect her, he falls right back to sleep before even finishing his sentence.
Zenitsu and Nezuko are defending three cars from Enmu attacks. The train then stops moving and it’s Nezuko’s turn to fall asleep in the arms of Zenitsu who is soundly sleeping as well. When the sun starts rising Zenitsu puts Nezuko back in her box so she doesn’t burn in the sun.
Later, Zenitsu tells Tanjiro and Inosuke of Kyojuro’s exploits on the train. Tanjiro then reveals that an Upper Rank appeared and that Kyojuro perished during their battle. He declares that he was weak and unable to help in any way. And then he wishes that someday he could be as brave and strong and honorable as Kyojuro.
Inosuke shows up right after saying that now that he saved their lives, they will have to live up to their hero’s expectations. He also told them that all the minions vanished and that they should stop crying as it is not the way of a warrior. When Zenitsu states that Inosuke is also bursting into tears, he head-butts him and begins to punch Tanjiro as well. A pair of Kakushi then comes looking for them.
Back at the Butterfly Mansion, Zenitsu brings some hot buns to his comrades in an attempt to cheer them up. Kiyo, in a panic, informs him that Tanjiro is nowhere to be found. She revealed that he left because Shinobu reprimanded him for training when he hasn’t yet recovered from his severe injuries.
Entertainment District Arc
Kyojuro Rengoku has been dead for four months now and the trio is training like their lives depend on it at the Butterfly Mansion. They had some individual missions from time to time that they had to take off. After experiencing what it’s like to go on missions all alone, Zenitsu matured and stopped complaining 24/7.
Tengen Uzui is forcing Aoi Kanzaki to go on a solo mission perfectly knowing that she is not up to the task. Tanjiro suggests going in her stead. Zenitsu and Inosuke also offered their assistance to make sure that Aoi can stay safe. Want to know more about this arc, you may check out our article about the Entertainment District Arc!
Swordsmith Village Arc
Zenitsu was left in a terrible state after the Entertainment district Arc. Zenitsu regained consciousness two days before Tanjiro and had to immediately leave on a mission that he was forced to accept.
Hashira Training Arc
Tanjiro visits Himejima, the Stone Hashira, who wants to get him ready for the next bouts. A Hashira is a high-ranking member of the Demon Slayer Corps, and becoming one requires extensive training.
Infinity Castle Arc
To vanquish Muzan, the Demon Slayer Corps enters Infinity Castle. Shinobu and Doma, an Upper-Rank 2 demon, fight viciously. He is immune to poison, therefore she is forced to engage in a difficult conflict.
Zenitsu’s Legacy
After the fight against Muzan, Zenitsu Tanjiro, Nezuko and Inosuke are living together. He asked for Nezuko’s hand and got married. They started a family, they had children, then they became grandparents and now their great-grandchildren are living in the present day.
Their names are Yoshiteru Agatsuma and Toko Agatsuma. He became a writer and wrote a book about his adventures with his two brothers and even narrated the final fight against Muzan.
Facts about Zenitsu
Many Demon Slayer fans considers Zenitsu as their favorite character because of his good-natured attitude and the willingness to be good at all the things that he wanted to do especially on being a strong demon slayer and protecting what is important to him.. We listed some facts about Zenitsu in case you want to know more about him. So here it is.
- Zenitsu’s last name means « My wife » (我妻 agatsuma). His first name on the other hand means « Goodness » (善逸 zen’itsu). His first name possesses the kanji for « good » (善 zen) and « special, unique » (逸 itsu).
- In terms of popularity, those are Zenitsu’s number in the most recent popularity polls:
- Zenitsu came in second position in the first poll with 4,299 votes in total.
- Zenitsu came in first place during the second poll with 17,451 votes in total.
- Zenitsu also appeared in the popularity poll that was made in 2020 for the manga, promised Nerverland,and gained the 29th place with 44 votes in total.
- The shamisen and the koto are two musical instruments that Zenitsu is very good at playing and it is because of his good sense of hearing.
- It is still unknown if it is due to Inosuke’s stupidity or if he is just messing around with Zenitsu, but he pronounced his name wrong more than once. Some example are: Monitsu (紋もん逸いつ Mon’itsu) and Chuitsu (チュウ逸いつ Chû’itsu) in his dream.
- Zenitsu is one of the members of the group « Stylish Scruffy Democracy ». Tanjiro is the main singer, Inosuke is on the Percussions and Tengen is handling the Harmonica. Zenitsu is the author-compositor of the group and the one playing the on Shamisen. « Exploding skin and the melancolis of modernodor » is the first song the released and it was a cataclysmic disaster for the ears that can’t even be described. Zenitsu also ended up writing a solo song called « Previous Life’s Sins ».
- Zenitsu is the only demon slayer who isn’t a Hashira who managed to achieve some amazing exploits:
- He created a new form for the Thunder Breathing Style. It was previously done by Giyu Tomioka.
- He defeated an Upper Rank on his own. It was previously done by Muichiro Tokito.
- Zenitsu has an overbite (his lower teeths are overlapping the upper ones).
- The design on his haori might have been inspired by Uroko. It’s a traditional Japanese design that represents scales. Samouraïs used to wear this kind of cloth with those specific motifs to protect themselves from evil.
- Zenitsu wrote a memoir called “The Legend of Zenitsu” at the end of the series when everything is done and dusted.
- Zenitsu is very superstitious, he was overjoyed to see two of the leaves floating vertically in his cup which is a sign of good luck.
- His whole fighting style is based on his leg strength. He accumulates all his power then increases his speed and the height of his jumps to perform the Thunderclap and Flash technique and it’s variations.
- Zenitsu loves eating especially expensive and sweet types of food. One good example of this is the high-quality eel, you can also call it in it’s common term of kabayaki,
Fans Thoughts on Zenitsu
A lot of fans believe Zenitsu is a very cool character. What attracts them the most are the colors used to paint the character that perfectly matches with his changing personality. A lot of them also state that when fighting he is an absolute badass. His fighting scenes are very well though and very exciting, making up for his cringy side.
They said that he is one of the funniest characters ever written and that he is not as annoying as everybody says. When you get used to the screaming it becomes pretty entertaining.
On the other hand we have a lot of haters who can’t handle how loud he is. Even after the power up he stayed as annoying as he was. A lot of them also believe he ruined the show and that it would have been much better if he wasn’t in it.
Online those questions seems to be the hot topic of conversation:
- Does Zenitsu get any better?
- Would the series have been better if Zenitsu wasn’t in it?
- Do any fans really like Zenitsu?
In the comments, you will see that the answers are always half-half. The side that appreciates Zenitsu and the side that despises him are of equal size. The topics became a never ending debate between two sides that can’t agree on a single statement.
Like I said before, a lot of mixed feelings on Zenitsu. It’s not a character that you can just ignore since his presence is very well known on the show.
Zenitsu Quotes
There is no denying that Zenitsu is one of the characters in the Demon Slayer series that fans love even though he is a scaredy cat. But hey, don’t be mistaken because he is still a demon slayer and of course, he is darn strong too! So here, we listed down some of Zenitsu’s quotes from the series that might inspire you to be better! Apart from that, we have also compiled all the quotes from Demon Slayer, so make sure to give them a read! So no further ado, let’s get into the list.
(To himself) “I hate myself more than anyone. I always think I have to get my act together, but I end up cowering, running away, sniveling. I want to change. I want to be a competent person.”
(To himself regarding Kyojuro Rengoku’s death) “People don’t simply recover instantly. No matter how strong someone is, they can feel pain and sadness. But hiding from it doesn’t solve anything. You must rouse your aching heart and stand back up. I’m sure Rengoku was that kind of person.”
(To Daki) “Before you die, I have a task for you. Apologize to the girl whose ear you nearly tore off. It may be your money that pays for their clothing, food and housing, but those girls aren’t your toys. You won’t get away with this.”
(To Kaigaku) “Grandfather wasn’t senile. If I’m scum, then you’re trash. I feel sorry for grandpa for having such pathetic successors. I can only do the First Form and you can do everything except that!”
(To Kaigaku) “This is my form. I created it, so it’s all mine. With this technique… I wanted to fight you as an equal!”
(To Tanjiro Kamado) “Tanjiro! Focus on staying alive! Can you hear me? Don’t die! You can’t die! Nezuko’s gonna be human again! And you’re gonna get her out of here! And go back to the house where you grew up! Your family is waiting for you two to return!”
Voice Actors
Hiro Shimono
Japanese Voice Actor
Hiro Shimono is a Japanese voice actor and also a singer. He was the voice of Ayato Kamina in RahXephon, Akihisa Yoshii in Baka and Test, Haruka Kasugano in Yosuga no Sora, Keima Katsuragi in The World God Only Knows, Syo Kurusu in Uta no Prince-Sama series, Nai in Karneval, Hanzō Urushihara in The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Connie Springer in Attack on Titan, Norifumi Kawakami in Ace of Diamond, Dabi in My Hero Academia, Rex in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Zenitsu Agatsuma in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Nacht Faust in Black Clover, Kokichi Ouma in Danganronpa V3 and Rindo Haitani in Tokyo Revengers. All of them are famous anime characters.
Aleks Walter Le
English Voice Actor
Aleks Walter Le is an American voice actor. He was the Dub voice of Zenitsu Agatsuma in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Anos Voldigoad in The Misfit of Demon King Academy, Kazuya Kinoshita in Rent-A-Girlfriend, Kidow in Cagaster of an Insect Cage, Hisui in Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, Seijūrō Akashi in Kuroko’s Basketball, and Manjiro “Mikey” Sano in Tokyo Revengers. But that’s not all! Discover all the voice actors in Demon Slayer on our lists!
Keisuke Ueda
Stage Play
Keisuke Ueda is a Japanese actor and also a singer. He played Choromatsu from Osomatsu-san on Stage: Six Men’s Show Time, Yukine from the Noragami stage plays, Misaki Yata from the K stage plays, Japan from the Hetalia musicals, Pharos and Ryoji Mochizuki from Persona 3: The Weird Masquerade, Chuya Nakahara from the Bungo Stray Dogs stage plays, and Syo Kurusu from the Uta no Prince-Sama: Gekidan Shining musicals. He also incarnated Sangaku Manami in both the Yowamushi Pedal stage plays and the live-action. His most noticeable play was Heine Wittgenstein from The Royal Tutor and Hiroki from Pet.
Conclusion
Now you know more about Zenitsu! I hope you’ve come to love him even more! If you have anything on your mind, please let us know in the comments section. Before we part ways, please visit some of our blogs, especially the ones about anime like Demon Slayer!
