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Kokushibo (黒死牟, Kokushibō) is the secondary antagonist of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba franchise. He is a member of the Twelve Kizuki, holding the position of Upper Rank One.

As a human, Kokushibo lived during the Sengoku Era nearly five centuries ago and was a samurai by the name of Michikatsu Tsugikuni (継国 巌勝, Tsugikuni Michikatsu), as well as the older twin brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the progenitor of all Breathing Styles and the strongest Demon Slayer to have ever lived. He is also later revealed to be the ancestor of the Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito and his older twin brother Yuichiro.

Despite being an incredibly talented swordsman himself, Michikatsu grew envious towards Yoriichi for his unparalleled strength and ultimately chose to become a demon when he realized that his ambition of becoming as strong as his brother would not be possible to achieve if he remained as a human and to avoid the curse of the Demon Slayer Mark. He would then go on to spend nearly 500 years obsessively pursuing his dream and serving Muzan Kibutsuji as his right-hand man.

Eventually, he was finally slain during the Infinity Castle Arc by the combined efforts of Muichiro, the Shinazugawa brothers Sanemi and Genya, and the Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima, albeit at the cost of both Muichiro and Genya's lives. His demise would ultimately spell the end of the Twelve Kizuki and leave Muzan as the last remaining opponent for the Demon Slayer Corps.

Quick Answers

Who is Kokushibo's twin brother in Demon Slayer?

In the series Demon Slayer, Kokushibo, previously known as Michikatsu Tsugikuni in his human life, is the elder twin of Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Yoriichi is renowned as the originator of all Breathing Styles and the most formidable Demon Slayer in history. Kokushibo, as a demon, is part of the Twelve Kizuki and holds the position of Upper Rank One.

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What was Kokushibo's human name before he became a demon?

As a human, the demon known as Kokushibo was called Michikatsu Tsugikuni. He was the elder sibling of Yoriichi and harbored jealousy towards him. His transformation into a demon led him to the Twelve Kizuki, where he held the title of Upper Rank One.

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What position does Kokushibo hold in the Twelve Kizuki?

Kokushibo, previously known as Michikatsu Tsugikuni in his human life, is the Upper Rank One in the Twelve Kizuki. He is a dedicated enforcer of the Upper Ranks, recognized for his stern and composed personality. As a demon, Kokushibo's fighting style leans more towards his swordsmanship and Moon Breathing techniques.

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During which historical era did Kokushibo live as a human?

Kokushibo, previously known as Michikatsu Tsugikuni, was a human during the Sengoku Era, a tumultuous period in Japan nearly five centuries ago. He was a samurai before his transformation into a demon, where he held the position of Upper Rank One in the Twelve Kizuki.

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Who is the strongest Demon Slayer that Kokushibo is related to?

The strongest Demon Slayer related to Kokushibo, also known as Michikatsu Tsugikuni, is his twin brother, Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Yoriichi is the originator of all Breathing Styles and holds the title of the most powerful Demon Slayer ever. Additionally, Kokushibo is an ancestor of the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito.

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Portrayals[]

In the Japanese dub, he is voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu (who also voiced Sima Yi in the Dynasty Warriors franchise, Orochi in the Warriors Orochi franchise, Isaac Ray Peram Westcott in Date a Live, both Kizaru and Kaku in the One Piece franchise, Dracula in the Castlevania franchise, Heath Grice in Black Clover, Hades in Record of Ragnarok, Lucifer in the Devil Children sub-series of Shin Megami Tensei, Lancelot in the Fate series, and Hideyoshi Toyomi in Sengoku Basara)

In the English dub, he is voiced by Jonah Scott (who also voiced Charlotte Katakuri in the One Piece franchise, Willy Tybur in Attack on Titan, Formaggio in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, and Sōsei Akabane/Red Keeper in Go! Go! Loser Ranger!).

Appearance[]

Kokushibo's physical appearance shares a striking similarity with Yoriichi, his own brother. He has spiky, long black hair with maroon tips which he kept in a ponytail. Before his turning point, he shows no difference from a normal human being. However, after becoming a demon, his appearance significantly changed, with his face covered in three sets of yellow eyes with red sclerae, with six eyes in all. He has the kanji of 'Upper' engraved unto his left eye, and the kanji for 'One' on his right eye.

Kokushibo also has a distinct yet noticeable Demon Slayer Mark shaped like a flame on the left side of his forehead and right side of his lower cheek.

Kokushibo wears a purple and black kimono with the hexagonal patterns, and black hakama pants with a white obi. He carries his fleshy katana. The tsuba and blade are all shown to have eyes and veins.

Upon being decapitated by Sanemi Shinazugawa and Gyomei Himejima, Kokushibo morphs into a much more monstrous and terrifying figure, with protruding fangs and mandibles, white horns (with one horn being larger than the other), claws and fleshy outgrowths on his face and neck. He too had arachnid-like appendages sprouting all over his Upper body, fleshy outgrowths on his face and neck, as well as pupils looking in different directions.

Personality[]

Mysterious, composed, grim, serious and yet somewhat honorable, Kokushibo is a serious person who loves to fight, and never plays around. He is also the most loyal enforcer of the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki, willing to punish Akaza for breaking the rule and attacking Doma, though he does suggest Akaza to fight Doma and earn his place if the latter really disgusts him.

Despite being a demon, Kokushibo relies more on his swordsmanship and Moon Breathing style techniques rather than using the supernatural Demon Blood Arts. His past also revealed himself to be a distraught and broken man who was sad over his shortened lifespan and with a great fear of death, as well as a grudge born out of jealousy towards his younger brother to the point of making a notion to kill him.

In spite of his cruelty, Kokushibo is also an honorable person who gives respect to opponents he considered worthy. He is more prone to making humans into demons if he considered them to be worthy of use or being respectful warriors with a sad past, and unlike Muzan and Doma, it was suggested that he genuinely valued their strength and sees them as birds of a feather to himself.

Even so, deep down, he was a broken man who feared his own demise and was deeply jealous of his brothers' survival even with his mark, and he will hunt him down and kill him because of such jealousy.

However, it is shown that Kokushibo could never truly hate his brother, and loves him immensely deep down, to the point of breaking down to tears mid-battle with the Demon Slayers as he recounted a flashback. Despite all his actions, misdeeds, and crimes he had committed, Kokushibo was a shattered man who couldn't handle the weight of such unfathomable burdens. At the time of his death, the latter lamented and regretted his choices in life. Kokushibo prevented his natural demon regeneration, and let the Demon Slayers cut him down, saying that he didn't want to live anymore, and that he was cruel to not be human. Kokushibo died wondering why he even was born, full of sorrow and melancholy for not accomplishing anything that he wanted.

Powers and Abilities[]

As the Upper Rank One Demon of the Twelve Kizuki, Kokushibou is the second strongest demon in the entire series, only surpassed by his master. He has an incredible amount of strength and power, due to having the highest concentration of Muzan's blood and his Mark enhancing his physical capabilities, as well as being an highly experienced and tactical swordsman, due to his countless years of fighting Demon Slayers and training to perfect his swordsmanship. Because of his overwhelming strength and power, he is without a doubt one of the toughest and challenging opponents in the series.

Demon Slayer Mark (鬼殺痣, Kisatsu Aza): A special Mark worn by certain "awakened" Demon Slayers that resembles demon crests. Its specific abilities are unknown, but what is known is that it drastically improves the abilities of the Demon Slayer, making them much stronger, faster and able to react quicker than what they can achieve normally, though at the cost of being cursed to die at the age of 25. As a demon, not only was Kokushibo no longer bound by the curse but the Mark's abilities were enhanced even further than when he was a human.

• Transparent World (透き通る世界, Sukitōru Sekai): Similar to Tanjiro, Kokushibo has obtained the ability to constantly see the "Transparent World" through the use of his three pairs of eyes. This allows him to see the muscles, blood flow, and joint movement of his opponents. He can accurately predict and anticipate the movements and attacks of his opponents with this ability. He was also able to identify that Muichiro was his descendant, immediately discern the skill level of Muichiro, Sanemi, and Gyomei with one look, and see that Genya Shinazugawa consumed Demons to gain strength by looking into his cellular structures.

Moon Breathing (月の呼吸, Tsuki no kokyū): Like Kaigaku, Kokushibo was a Demon that utilized Breathing Styles. His combat style, in particular, is one of the most dangerous and powerful combat styles displayed thus far. The Moon Breathing combat style mimics crescent-shaped moons with every sword slash conforming to the shape of a crescent moon. Enhanced with his Blood Demon Art, he can create many chaotic crescent moon blades when slashing that vary in length and size in crescent-shaped sword attacks. Kokushibo himself had continued to develop this breathing style and had created over a dozen techniques over the centuries he had lived.

• First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace (壱ノ型　闇月・宵の宮, Ichi no kata: Yamidzuki - Yoi no Miya) - Kokushibo quickly draws his sword and slashes swiftly in a singular horizontal motion in a crescent shape, creating numerous chaotic crescent blades. This technique is extremely reminiscent of Iaijutsu.

• Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing (弐ノ型　珠華の弄月, Ni no kata: Shuka no Rōgetsu) - Kokushibo performs several crescent-shaped slashes that defend him from incoming attacks, sending a barrage of crescent blades.

• Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains (参ノ型　厭忌月・銷り, San no kata: Enkidzuki - Tsugari) - Kokushibo swings his sword rapidly in two gigantic crescent slashes, from which a storm of smaller crescents spread, causing huge destruction in a small area.

• Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy (伍ノ型　月魄災渦, Go no kata: Geppaku Saika) - Kokushibo makes multiple curved slashes layered over one another, resembling a rising vortex. Sanemi noted that Kokushibo performed this attack without swinging his blade.

• Sixth Form: Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon - Incessant (陸ノ型　常夜孤月・無間, Roku no kata: Tokoyo Kogetsu - Muken) - Kokushibo releases a wild barrage of crescent-shaped slashes in front of him. This technique was powerful enough to not only slice up multiple Hashira around him but also overwhelm the Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa.

• Seventh Form: Mirror of Misfortune, Moonlit (漆ノ型　厄鏡・月映え, Shichi no kata: Yakkyo - Dzukibae) - Kokushibo swings his sword in a powerful frontal slash that then creates a multi directional frontal assault, powerful enough to create several deep gouges in the ground and push back two Hashira.

• Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Ringtail (捌ノ型　月龍輪尾, Hachi no kata: Getsuryū Rinbi) - Kokushibo triples the range of his normal attack radius and creates a singular gigantic slash that slowly decreases in size.

• Ninth Form: Waning Moonswaths (玖ノ型　降月・連面, Ku no kata: Kudaridzuki - Renmen) - Kokushibo creates a stream of long-ranged crescent-shaped vertical and horizontal slashes along with numerous crescent moon blades with the gigantic version of his sword.

• Tenth Form: Drilling Slashes, Moon Through Bamboo Leaves (拾ノ型　穿面斬・蘿月, Jū no kata: Senmenzan - Rogetsu) - Kokushibo creates a long-ranged triple-layered slash twister full of crescent moon blades with the gigantic version of his sword.

• Fourteenth Form: Catastrophe, Tenman Crescent Moon (拾肆ノ型　兇変・天満繊月, Jū Shi no kata: Kyōhen - Tenmen Sengetsu) - Kokushibo uses the gigantic version of his sword and creates a chaotic vortex of powerful extremely long-ranged omni-directional slashes that destroys whatever is caught up within its attack radius.

• Sixteenth Form: Moonbow, Half Moon (拾陸ノ型　月虹・片割月, Jū Roku no kata: Gekkō - Katawaredzuki) - Kokushibo creates a barrage of downward crescent slashes from an extremely long and wide range, resulting in a powerful six-fold slash crashing down on his opponents; the attack itself is powerful enough to create several miniature craters where the slashes have landed.

Quotes[]

Etymology[]

• The name Kokushibo means "black" (黒) (koku), "death, decease" (死) (shi) and "pupil (eye), moo (cow sound)" (牟) (bo).
  • Part of his name, Kokushi, means "Black Death".

Human Name[]

• The name Michikatsu means "rock, crag, boulder" (巌) (michi) and "victory" (勝) (katsu).
• Michikatsu's surname Tsugikuni means "succession country" (継国).
  • It can also mean "inherit/inheritance, succeed/succession, patch, graft (tree)" (継) (tsugi) and "country" (国) (kuni) separately.

Trivia[]

• The Moon Breathing Style used by Kokushibo was likely a corrupted version of its original forms due to his status as a demon and his ability to use Blood Demon Art.
• Kokushibo and Kaigaku are the only known Demon Slayers to have become demons themselves.
• Muzan treated Kokushibo like a business partner due to the latter's fanatic loyalty towards him as well as his strength and power, and the two of them were jointly responsible for nearly annihilating Sun Breathing altogether.
• Kokushibo represents two of the seven deadly sins: envy and greed. Kokushibo was heavily consumed by his jealousy towards Yoriichi due to his superior strength and skills, and so he left behind his own family to join the corps in hopes of surpassing him. He would later join Muzan and become a demon in hopes of gaining more power to surpass his brother.
• Ironically, while Kokushibo desperately sought more power to surpass his twin brother, he had something Yoriichi truly wanted in life: A normal and peaceful life with a family of his own.
• Unlike many demons, Kokushibo usually does not have his own claws protracted, looking like human fingernails with the only difference being a distinguishable purple hue to his fingernails. However, midway during the battle between Sanemi Shinazugawa and Gyomei Himejima, Kokushibo somehow sprouted purple-ish claws from his fingertips. It is unconfirmed whether his claws are only able to erupt from his fingertips when he is in Critical shape or that he is actually able to protract and retract his claws at will.

External Links[]

• Kokushibo on the Demon Slayer Wiki

Navigation[]

Villains

Demons Demon King Muzan Kibutsuji Twelve Kizuki Original Upper Moons One: Kokushibo | Two: Doma | Three: Akaza | Four: Hantengu | Five: Gyokko | Six: Daki & Gyutaro Replacement Upper Moons Four: Nakime | Six: Kaigaku Lower Moons One: Enmu | Two: Rokuro | Three: Wakuraba | Four: Mukago | Five: Rui | Six: Kamanue Former Lower Moons One: Ubume | Two: Hairo | Six: Kyogai Lesser Demons Shizu Shinazugawa | Temple Demon | Kyogai’s Mansion Demons | Snake Demon | Susamaru and Yahaba | Hand Demon | Swamp Demon | Spider Family (Father Spider | Mother Spider | Brother Spider | Sister Spider) Humans Tengen Uzui’s Father | Gyutaro and Daki's Mother | Kyogo Shinazugawa | Iguro Family | Doma's Parents | Kanao Tsuyuri's Parents