When creating a dramatic storyline for a character, a backstory is used to develop their identity. The backstory forces the audience to craft an opinion about the character, resulting in being either likable or hated by the audience.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba gives a sad and tragic backstory to every character. These backstories serve a purpose, but backstories have fans divided due to their excessive use. As a result, fans wonder if every Demon Slayer character’s backstory is worth revealing, especially since the characters’ backstories of the third season were lackluster compared to the previous seasons.
The Intentions Behind the Backstory Concept in Demon Slayer
The backstories in Demon Slayer craft an overarching identity for each character. Whether witnessing their childhood, past traumas, or previous life, these stories provide context to why characters react or act in a certain way.
For example, in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, fans are introduced to the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. Rengoku is charismatic and self-righteous, which are values instilled in him by his late mother and featured in his fighting style. In the movie, the audience learns about Rengoku’s family and his estranged relationship with his father, Shinjuro Rengoku. Learning about his past makes Kyojuro’s death more honorable, and it creates an emotional impact on the audience.
Similarly, backstories also provide information about the origins of specific demons. Most of these demons were originally humans who lived troubled lives. For example, in Season 2 of Demon Slayer: The Entertainment District Arc, the main antagonists are two siblings: Daki and Gyutaro. When they were humans, these two lived in poverty while growing up near Yoshiwara, which is known as the red-light district. Although these two constantly bickered, their sibling interactions reveal that they care deeply about each other, as evidenced when Daki does not want to separate from her brother in hell.
Regardless if the character is “good” or “bad,” these backstories invite the audience to feel compassion toward the characters, especially the demons. Usually, fans cheer for the “good guys,” characters like Kyojuro Rengoku or Tanjiro Kamado, because they are protecting innocent people from demons and would instantly outcast demons because of their evil deeds. However, knowing the backstory of these demons showcases that audiences can’t easily classify demons as “bad” because their ill-fortunate past lives led them to their demise. Thus, fans feel pity and empathy for demons. Feeling empathetic to each character, regardless of whether being human or demon, drives the overall message that every individual is suffering from trauma that impacts their decision-making and actions; therefore, fans can’t judge a character as bad for just wanting a better life for themselves.
The Flaws of the Backstory Literary Device in Season 3
The execution of the backstory device was praised in Demon Slayer’s previous seasons, as it effectively enhanced the storylines and plot developments and provided more dynamic identities for the characters. However, in Season 3, this core technique was missing.
Season 3 introduced two new Hashiras: the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroiji, and the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito. Muichiro had a tough childhood: his older twin brother was killed by a demon, and he harbored guilt for being the lucky one alive. As for Mitsuri, she joined the Demon Slayer Corps because she wanted to find a man who would love her for being so strong, a trait that was unladylike during those times.
Fans criticized the pacing of this story arc. The pacing impacted the amount of backstory provided for these Hashiras. Muichiro’s childhood was explored more than Mitsuri’s story. One possible reason is that Muichiro’s story is more tragic and can grab a more dramatic and emotional reaction within the audience instead of a superficial reason for finding love in Mitsuri’s backstory. Thus, to create a captivating story, it would make sense to provide a more developed backstory for Muichiro due to its substance involving family drama and death. However, at the same time, given the previous seasons where each Hashira had their own stories explored, it is unfair that Mitsuri’s story was short.
Furthermore, the demons of Season 3 didn’t evoke sympathy from the audience. The first demon, Hantengu, a frail and cowardly demon, was a human that committed several crimes. Hantengu believed in his innocence and blamed others for his wrongdoings. As a human, Hantengu never took accountability for his actions, even though all the evidence of the crimes pointed directly at him. As for the other demon, Gyokko, a serpent-like demon in a vase, he accompanied Hantengu to the Swordsmith Village. Unlike Hantengu, Gyokko did not have a backstory aside from his obsession with art.
When Muichiro and Tanjiro fought against these demons, fans did not have much sympathy for these demon characters because their personal stories showcased a sense of entitlement and selfishness. Arguably, whether human or demon, when it comes to backstories, it seems that if the backstory does not involve caring for others, then it won’t gain sympathy among fans. Taking care of a loved one showcases a sense of humanity that can make a character likable among fans. However, in the case of these demons, their selfish motives make their deaths well-deserved.
Backstories as a mode of storytelling are only necessary when developing a character or helping progress the main plot lines. Demon Slayer is known to give dramatic and compelling backstories to its characters, except this time, the third season fell short of its predecessors. While the manga is already finished, the anime still has a few more seasons. Production may want to consider cutting back on some backstories so that the main storylines are executed more thoroughly.
