Summary
Demon Slayer:Kimetsu no Yaibafeatures iconic characters who inspire awe and captivate the hearts of viewers with theirunique personalities and fighting styles. Despite coming from different backgrounds and having evolved individualistic combat styles, almost all the demon slayers rely heavily on weapons made out of Nichirin blades. Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji is no different.
Before Mitsuri became a Hashira,she used to be Kyojuro Rengoku’s Tsugukoand even developed Love Breathing by modifying his Flame Breathing. The unique breathing style utilizes Kanroji’s superhuman flexibility and with the help of her special Nichirin Whip Sword gives her access to a range of combat abilities. Love Breathing is extremely effective especially in long-range combat, primarily due to the special nature of Mitsuri’s weapon.
Mitsuri Kanroji’s Nichirin Whip Katana is Rare
The Love Hashira’s Demon-Slaying Weapon is in a Class of its Own
Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji was born with superhuman abilities. She could lift huge weights from a young age and was so strong that even grown men could barely compete with her in a raw display of strength. Naturally, Kanroji grew up to become a powerful warrior who also relied on her flexible movements to outmaneuver her adversaries.The nature of her combat skillsnecessitated a unique weapon that was compatible with her fighting style. It’s no surprise then that when Tecchin Tecchikawahara was entrusted with the responsibility, he skillfully crafted the Nichirin Whip-Katana.
Unlike standard Nichirin weapons, the Love Hashira’s Nichirin Whip-Katana is unusually long and flexible. This certainly helps her in long-range combat as she can attack her adversaries without getting in harm’s way. Kanroji’s Tsuba is also designed in accordance with the features of her unique blade. It hasDestroyer of Demons engraved on itand looks like a four-leaf clover. But interestingly, Mitsuri’s sword sheath is not unique in any way. Its shape and size are quite ordinary, which paradoxically makes her Nichirin Whip-Katana even more special and rare.
When the Love Hashira has to put her sword back into the sheath, she has to fold it several times. Naturally, this tests the flexibility and durability of the weapon to the extreme. Somehow the Nichirin Whip Katana withstands consistent folding and barely shows any signs of wear and tear. The credit for this naturally goes toTecchin Tecchikawahara’s brilliant swordsmithing.
Unsurprisingly, whoever witnesses the Love Hashira in action, the first thing they notice is her unique weapon. In the Swordsmith Village arc when Mitsuri confronts Zohakuten, Tanjiro can barely believe his eyes. He stands in amazement at the weapon Kanroji is carrying and even notes that he has never seen anything like it before. Tanjiro is also impressed by Nichirin Whip Katana’s flexibility and smooth movements.
Mitsuri Kanroji’s Sword is Extremely Efficient in Combat
Nichirin Whip Katana Overwhelms Mitsuri’s Adversaries
Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji’s sword is extremely soft and thin. The flexibility and the length of the blade give her a significant field of attack which in turn allows her to gain an upper hand in a fight a lot easily. The mobility of her joints helps her build up speed and her offensive moves are even quicker thanSound Hashira Tengen Uzui. Moving rapidly by taking into account the strong suppleness of the Nichirin Whip Katana is itself a challenge. However, Kanroji’s true dexterity lies in the fact that she is able to avoid getting injured despite running extremely fast.
Mitsuri’s talented swordsmanship is truly at display when she rushes to help theinhabitants of the Swordsmith villagein the aftermath of the ambush organized by Gyokko and Hantengu. While her comrades are busy fighting the Upper-rank demons, Gyokko’s giant fish demons are attacking the innocent villagers. Kanroji exhibits extreme precision and efficiency while using her Nichirin Whip Katana and kills most of these demons within a few seconds and saves many lives. Mitsuri is only able to do it thanks to her flexible and lengthy sword that moves at strange angles. Eventually, she finds Tecchin Tecchikawahara cornered by a giant fish demon and cuts it into pieces.
However, the Love Hashira knows her friends desperately need her help and immediately heads towards them. She finds Tanjiro, Genya, and Nezuko struggling against Hantengu’s manifestation of anger, Zohakuten. The demon has troubled the trio so far butKanroji manages to free Tanjirosoon after arriving. However, Zohakuten then unleashes the Countless Striking Trees technique, which sends multiple wooden dragons toward the enemy as soon as the demon strikes his drums repeatedly.
Interestingly, these wooden dragons are fast and move very swiftly giving the opponent a very small window to react. Zohakuten had used the same technique against Tanjiro, Genya, and Nezuko and successfully managed to restrain the trio. While the movements of the dragons are not easy to dodge for others, Mitsuri is surprisingly fast and manages to get out of harm’s way almost every single time. While her quick reflexes certainly help, it is eventually theLove Hashira’s Nichirin Whip Katanathat makes the difference. Kanroji utilizes it to slice the dragons strategically pushing Zohakuten on backfoot.
Zohakuten had underestimated Kanroji but witnessing her dexterous swordsmanship, he appears to grasp that she is a dangerous threat. However, Mitsuri has already decided to go for the kill at that point and rushes toward the demon while slicing his wooden dragons with her perfectly sharpened sword. Eventually, the Love Hashira relies on the flexibility of his sword to make several loops around Zohakuten’s neck in an attempt to decapitate him. Interestingly, this would have been impossible to do had she been using a regular katana like her peers. But this move backfires as Tanjiro informs her that he won’t die even after getting beheaded.
Unfortunately, it’s already too late for Mitsuri asZohakuten knocks her out using the Compressed Sound Waves techniquein which he releases loud sound waves from his mouth. When Mitsuri returns to her senses, she fights the demon singlehandedly utilizing the extraordinary innate abilities of her blade.
The Love Hashira goes on to fight Muzan directly in the Final Battle Arc in which her Nichirin Whip Katana’s special characteristics play a vital role in putting constant pressure on the Demon King. Interestingly, her sword resembles Urumi, a flexible whip-like sword that was used around the Sangam period in the Southern parts of the Indian subcontinent. There are chances that Urumi could have inspired Mitsuri’s katana. While it is uncertain whether Koyoharu Gotouge knows about the resemblance between the two, one could confidently conclude that the Love Hashira’s demon-slaying weapon is unlike any other sword used by the members ofthe Demon Slayer Corps.
