Talk:Yushiro/@comment-44748634-20191229142758/@comment-44396353-20200217000227

Well, this series is based heavily upon japanese mythology. Specifically the Kamado family itself probably deriving from a Shinto god of fire that sometimes goes by “Kamado-gami”, mainly Kojin. Deity of “violent forces turned towards betterment of mankind”. The demons have several parallels to the myths of Tsukuyomi, and the demon slayers have parallels to the myths of Amaterasu (especially yoriichi and the Kamado family). I don’t speak Japanese so I can’t confirm how similarly the words sound in the native language, but the Shinto deity tamayori-hime MAY be the inspiration behind Tamayo, and the name also means “Yorishiro” an object to embody gods. According to wiki (which isn’t much, I know), yorishiro can be a lot of things, from paper talismans to even the popular “beckoning cat” or “lucky cat” that’s frequently in Japanese and Chinese shops (and which is often depicted with similar colors and markings to the cat of Yushiro and Tamayo). Considering how Yushiro can create talismans and control others, I suspect that their “family” or “clan” or whatever you want to call the relationship of Tamayo, Yushiro, and cat is loosely based upon these concepts. So it makes sense of his importance to the story as outside of the demon that’s connected with obanai, Yoriichi/Kamado’s and their Kagura dance, the spider clan, the blue spider lily, specific objects and places, and Zenitsu’s final sword form, there isn’t really much more in the series that’s based upon actual mythology. When a character, object, or plot device in an arc (such as the Kagura dance, spider lily, or Zenitsu’s final sword form) it usually has a lot of emotional build up or importance to the story. Which I think is why both Tamayo and Yushiro were introduced so early to the story and hold so much significance to the story without always directly influencing it.