Summary
- Demons in Demon Slayer are transformed by Muzan, and some earn sympathy despite their violent tendencies.
- Seven demons are ranked based on sympathy levels, including Akaza and Yushiro.
- Notable sympathetic demons include Nezuko, who resists violent urges, and Tamayo, who is dedicated to helping others.
In Demon Slayer, demons are bloodthirsty creatures who will devour any human they encounter. Most demons have no choice in the matter because they lost their consciousness and essentially became hungry beasts after Muzan turned them into demons. There are, however, a handful of demons who manage to rise above those violent tendencies and regain full control of their thirst for blood.
They still need to consume blood and flesh in order to live, but at least the way they live their new life is vastly different than other demons in the series. Add their terrible pasts into the equation, and it’s no stretch to say that they’ve become characters that we can feel sympathy for, even though they are demons. So with that in mind, here are the 7 most sympathetic demons in Demon Slayer, ranked based on how sympathetic they are.
Keep in mind that this is a highly subjective list, so your list might look different than this one.
7
Akaza
The Pure Fighter
- Japanese VA: Akira Ishida
- First Appearance: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Movie – Mugen Train
Considering Akaza is one of the most powerful and dangerous members of the Twelve Kizuki, and the person who killed one of the most beloved characters in the series, it might be strange to feel sympathy for him. But once viewers pay close attention to who he is and what he has done, it’s actually not as inconceivable as they might think.
Akaza is a battle maniac. There’s no question about that. He finds joy in fighting strong opponents and looks down on those weaker than him. But he never hurt others for pleasure. He also doesn’t consume humans unless he needs to. The upcoming Infinity Castle arc will dive deeper into his tragic past, so we won’t spoil it here. Just know that the reason he wants to be stronger than everybody else is to protect everything and everyone dear to him. Viewers may disagree with a lot of things that he has done, but they can at least sympathize with his reasoning.
6
Kyogai
The Depressed Demon
- Japanese VA: Junichi Suwabe
- First Appearance: Episode 11
Compared to the usual loud and vulgar demons, Kyogai is relatively quiet and reserved. He rarely raises his voice, even when he is annoyed, and he finds it rude when people come to his house without permission. However, the one thing that bothers him the most is the fact that he can’t get any stronger despite already receiving the blessing from his master, Muzan Kibutsuji.
His failure to live up to his master’s expectations, and his memory as a failed artist during his past life when he was still a human, led Kyogai to fall into despair. It’s not even an exaggeration to say that Kyogai is depressed. A depressed demon might seem like a strange notion, but that’s exactly what Kyogai is. Most people must’ve understood the terrible feeling of not being able to live up to the expectations of somebody that they respect. So, even if he is a demon, it’s not so difficult to feel sympathy for Kyogai in this regard.
5
Spider Demon (Daughter)
The Cowardly Demon
- Japanese VA: Ryoko Shiraishi
- First Appearance: Episode 16
The Spider Demon family is unique, not only because they hunt in a group, which is rare for demons, but also because they are not really a true “family.” They are a group of demons who don’t know each other but are forced to be a family by Rui, the Lower Rank Five of the Twelve Kizuki. The “Daughter” is one of those poor demons who became part of Rui’s fake family.
Within the fake spider family, the daughter is the most cowardly one. She knows how evil and terrifying Rui can be, but she has no choice but to follow his commands because Rui is way stronger than her. She sees how Rui and their fake father hurt their fake mother every day, and there’s nothing she can do to help. Surely that feeling of helplessness alone deserves some sympathy, right?
4
Spider Demon (Mother)
The Helpless Demon
- Japanese VA: Ami Koshimizu
- First Appearance: Episode 15
Just like the rest of Rui’s “family”, the “Mother” is also a demon whom he forced into the role of a mother. Ironically, the mother is actually the youngest demon in that group, which is why it is so hard for her to assume the role of a mother in their fake family.
Her being the youngest also means she is the weakest in the family. This is the reason why Rui and their father constantly abuse her. In her altered form, the mother is a ruthless demon that enjoys hurting and consuming innocent people. In her original form, however, she is a much kinder and more innocent demon, mainly because she was turned into a demon when she was still a little girl. It’s true that she has done her fair share of cruel things, but she does all that in order to survive. Even then, she is still constantly getting bullied, with nobody willing to help her. The least we can offer her is a little sympathy.
3
Yushiro
The Lovesick Demon
- Japanese VA: Daiki Yamashita
- First Appearance: Episode 8
Unlike the other names on this list, who were turned into a demon by the one and only Muzan Kibutsuji, the demon who turned Yushiro into a demon was Tamayo. When he was a human, he was suffering from a terminal illness, and Tamayo was his doctor. Rather than seeing Yushiro succumb to his disease and pass away, Tamayo offered another path: to become a demon. He accepted that offer.
Ever since then, Yushiro has been helping Tamayo as her loyal assistant. That said, being grateful is not the only reason why he followed Tamayo. The man was deeply in love with his savior. That’s why he knows everything about Tomoyo: her regrets, her struggles, her hatred, her life’s purpose, everything. From living as a demon, to helping with Tomoyo’s seemingly impossible research, to loving someone who he knows won’t be able to love him back, Yushiro has a lot going on in his immortal life. The poor young demon has earned more than a bit of sympathy.
2
Nezuko Kamado
The Stubborn Demon
- Japanese VA: Akari Kitou
- First Appearance: Episode 1
Nezuko Kamado is the only person who was transformed into a demon and still somehow manages to resist the urge to commit violence and the unquenchable thirst for blood and flesh that plagues every other demon in Demon Slayer. She doesn’t hold that desire in for merely a day or two either; Nezuko reins in those cravings for the entire series.
Interestingly enough, Nezuko is still in her feral demon state throughout the story. She can’t communicate normally like the other demons on this list, and she barely has any memories of her life as a human. Despite all that, she still pats Zenitsu’s back when he is sad and encourages Tanjiro when he is down. Even when she no longer has full command over her mind and her body, Nezuko is still as compassionate as she used to be. Forget sympathy, she deserves our full and unyielding support.
1
Tamayo
The Most Humane Demon
- Japanese VA: Maaya Sakamoto
- First Appearance: Episode 8
When talking about the most sympathetic demons, the first name that comes to mind has to be the Demon Doctor, Lady Tamayo. Tamayo dedicated her life to finding a cure that could turn demons back into humans, basically reversing what Muzan has been doing for thousands of years.
She has shed blood, sweat, and tears to help countless of Muzan’s demonification victims, while doing her best to calm the grieving families of these victims at the same time. Even more impressively, she’s been doing it for hundreds of years, well before the start of the story. Forget mere support or sympathy, Lady Tamayo deserves our full admiration, as she is undoubtedly one of the most inspiring characters in Demon Slayer.
