Gyokko appearing so weak in Demon Slayer is a prime example of how Shounen sometimes fumbles the bag when it comes to power levels. Don’t get me wrong, Kimetsu No Yaiba is still one of the most well balanced Shounen manga out there, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suffer from overhyping its own content. And when the battle isn’t as bombastic as fans expected, it leads to disappointment. But that isn’t the story’s fault, and here’s why.
The reason Gyokko feels so weak as a Demon is because the Hashira, aka the pillars of the Demon Slayer society, had painted Upper Rank Demons to be these monstrous beings that everyone should fear. For so long, we kept hearing about those Demons in the personal armada of the ‘King Of Demons’ and how ruthless they could be. And yet, Gyokko barely delivers on that front. I mean, sure he’s a strong Demon, obviously. But his death at the hands of the Mist Hashira felt like a joke, ending almost immediately.
And when you’re used to epic battle scenes in a series that is lauded over them, especially in its anime adaptation, you’re left a little confused. Like, this was one of the characters Tanjiro Kamado and Co. had to fear? This little Fish Demon that got overwhelmed because of his own arrogance, and then beheaded before he could do anything more? But what’s more surprising is how this wasn’t a fluke. Gyokko being so weak actually set the stage for how brute power isn’t all you need to win in Demon Slayer.
Because, let’s face it, this is one of the few Shounen series that doesn’t have a tone problem. There are plenty of logical reasons why Gyokko’s fight went the way it did, and it was all done to further the plot itself. Because even a non-hype battle settles something for the viewers, that while this enemy was easy, underestimating future foes is a bad idea. Today, let’s discuss why Gyokko is so weak in another segment of Character Analysis.
Gyokko: Flights Of Fancy, Weak Of Ego
Gyokko is a victim of his own hubris, in a way. Even when he was just a human named Managi, living in a fishing village, there were strange tendencies in him that only intensified after having to witness his parent’s drowned corpses. He had a strange fascination with art involving corpses, turning carcasses into his personal showcases.
And this morbid fascination made him kill a child, leading to his own death. As he lay, Muzan Kibitsuji came and raised him as a Demon. He worshiped the ground Muzan walked on, and quickly rose in rank to become his Upper Five Demon. And since then, he has been obsessed with turning his victims into grotesque art pieces, and takes great pride in them too. A part of the Twelve Kizuki, his devotion to Muzan was unmatched, being grateful even when he decapitated him over his lack of effort.
Because of this, Gyokko was pretty overconfident in his abilities. Which made sense, considering his rank in the Twelve Kizuki. So, when he was assigned to a mission in the Swordsmith Village, he was very sure of his own abilities against the Demon Slayer Corps. But what he didn’t anticipate was the Mist Hashira himself coming in to intervene. And Muichiro Tokito does not take things as casually. In the end, he underestimated his opponent and got beheaded for it.
An Easy Kill To Disarm The Demon Slayers:
In a way, Gyokko’s easy death was a red herring for the Demon Slayers. You’d think that someone so high up in the hierarchy wouldn’t have been such an easy foe. But that’s the thing, it’s a sort of ‘calm before the storm’. If the Demon Slayers think that the Demons are easy to kill, they will think the same of everyone.
And that’s when vulnerabilities show. Letting your guard down in the world of Demon Slayer is the biggest mistake you can make. Even if Gyokko VS Muichiro wasn’t a very dynamic battle, it doesn’t mean that Gyokko was so much weaker. It just means that having an ego about your powers will get you killed someday. And that means there is a genuine risk of losing your companions, or yourself.
So,, while the fight with Gyokko might’ve made it seem like Gyokko was so much less powerful than the Demon Slayers he faced, maybe it’s all so that people think the Twelve Kizuki are just a myth. And then, when they least expect it, they get taken down. I mean, it’s not like things are going to get any easier from here on out. And manga readers know exactly what I’m talking about.
One thing is for sure though: Demon Slayer fans need to brace themselves for the fights with the rest of the Twelve Kizuki. Because the worst is yet to come.
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