| “ | I know what eternity is. Eternity is human feeling. Only human feelings last forever and are undying. |
” |
— Kagaya Ubuyashiki to Muzan Kibutsuji in Undying
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Kagaya Ubuyashiki (
Quick Answers
What is the significance of Kagaya Ubuyashiki's illness?
Who is the leader of the Hashiras in Demon Slayer?
What is the relationship between Kagaya and the Ubuyashiki Family?
Appearance[]
Kagaya was a man of frail physicality, average stature, and very pale skin complexion. He had shoulder-length black hair that was parted in the middle. Due to his family curse, Kagaya looked as if he was rotting alive, with large portions of his skin appearing with a sickly, shriveled pink hue that began from the left side of his forehead and gradually spread across his body. Additionally, the curse caused him to go blind as it affected his eyes, turning his sclera from white to black (light purple in the anime) and his pupils from a dark purple to a light purple, matching his cursed skin. When he was first formally introduced in Tanjiro Kamado's trial, Kagaya's curse covered the upper half of his head, but during his last moments only months later, the curse has spread to his entire body, leaving him covered completely with bandages apart from his mouth to speak. During this time, Muzan described him as physically repulsive and pitiful, as well as having the scent of a corpse. Additionally, Kagaya was nearly completely bedridden, having been confined to his household since the battle in Yoshiwara: even the act of getting up caused him great pain and he coughed blood trying to do so. He was also prone to bleeding from his mouth and eyes. Throughout all his appearances, Kagaya sported a gentle and relaxed smile that never wavered, always appearing serene and calm no matter the situation.
During his time as Oyakata, he primarily wore a black yukata, with a white undershirt and tied with a weaved brown obi. Atop this, he wore a white kimono with a flame-like pattern appearing from the bottom and colored with a blend of light-purple and orange. When meeting Muzan during the last moments of his life, Kagaya wore a wavy-striped kimono with a blend of light-purple and grey.
Personality[]
Kagaya's calm and gentle demeanour.
Kagaya had a calm, dedicated, and composed demeanor, showing genuine care about the members of the Demon Slayers, whom he considered as his children. He was also able to handle criticism well and was honest about his weaknesses; one being his inability to become a Demon Slayer despite being their main leader. In order to make up for this, he remembered every single member of the Corps and visited the deceased members at their cemetery on a daily basis until he could no longer move due to his illness.
While he may seem lenient, he only gives due consideration to reason and when a situation was clear of any biases, as shown when he willingly accepted the situation of Tanjiro and Nezuko through a letter from Sakonji Urokodaki, even defending their cause when most of the Hashira respectfully disagreed with his pardoning. His manner of speaking, while generally fluid and gentle, was extremely tactful and deliberate, using words and intonations in a way that the person he talked to would listen and wanted to listen to. His insightful and charismatic speech was even able to make the likes of the initially passive Muichiro Tokito and the impulsive Sanemi Shinazugawa listen to what he had to say without conveying anything that would rile them up.
Towards his own kin, namely his children, Kagaya was rather strict. Due to the curse of their family, he had to prepare them early on to replace him in leading the Demon Slayers. It is also worth noting that Kagaya himself took the position as Oyakata following the suicide of his father at the mere age of four, and he was further plagued by the double-suicide of his siblings and their mother's accidental death in the process. Nevertheless, he shows the same gentle aura and demeanor towards them as he does to everyone.
Kagaya's bloodlust, envisioned by Muzan as a den of snakes.
Beneath his otherwise kind and gentle personality, Kagaya bore a deep, burning hatred of Muzan Kibutsuji. As the cause for his family's cursed lives, he showed uncharacteristic silent anger towards the demon and addressed him without showing any indication of fear or hesitation. He repeatedly provoked him by mocking his intentions to become an eternal being and boldly stated that he would die, and in his final moments, he bore a smile on his face to lure Muzan into a false sense of security as his trap was activated. Despite his own hatred towards him, Muzan was amazed that Kagaya had hidden his bloodlust during their conversation and was shocked Kagaya was willing to kill his own family from his own perspective, having underestimated the lengths he would go to in order to weaken him.
Abilities[]
Overall Abilities[]
In his last moments, Kagaya hid his intense bloodlust and desire to kill Muzan with a gentle smile.
Emotion Masking: Kagaya possessed the remarkable ability to conceal his emotions and present a composed and controlled outward appearance. He utilized this skill to maintain a calm and serene composure and deceive others' perception of him. When Muzan, the target of Kagaya's deep-seated hatred, confronted him at his home, Kagaya presented himself with the serene smile of a Buddha, effectively masking any trace of murderous intent. By completely erasing his fighting spirit, animosity, and hatred, Kagaya successfully concealed his true intentions, luring Muzan into a trap. It was only when Kagaya sacrificed himself by detonating an explosive to ensnare Muzan that the demon realized the magnitude of Kagaya's hidden emotions; he likened Kagaya's concealed violent intent to a coiled viper lurking within his dark, lifeless stomach, leaving him in awe of Kagaya's astonishing ability to veil his true nature.[5]
Soothing Voice: Kagaya possessed the ability to put others at ease just by the tone of his voice and rhythm of his actions, as he displayed with Tanjiro Kamado and even the angered Hashira.[6] In modern times, this attribute is called 1/F Fluctuation, and is said to be possessed by many charismatic people and have the strength of presence to move mass audiences.[6]
Supernatural Abilities[]
Extrasensory Perception: Kagaya possesses the ability to perceive the presence of both humans and demons, as well as determine their strength. This became evident during the Hashira meeting held after the events at Mount Natagumo. Despite becoming blind in both eyes due to the progression of his illness, Kagaya immediately sensed the presence of the number of individuals with Hashira-level power upon arrival and expressed his satisfaction that they all made it to the meeting without personnel changes.[7] Furthermore, when Muzan arrived at the Ubuyashiki Estate with the intention to kill him, Kagaya immediately detected Muzan's presence and greeted him, even when his eyes were completely covered by bandages and Muzan was still standing at a distance outside of the estate, showcasing his extraordinary sensory abilities.[8]
Kagaya informing Gyomei Himejima that Muzan will appear in five days.
Foresight: Kagaya, as well as the rest of the Ubuyashiki family, possess a heightened level of foresight that helps them avoid disastrous situations and amassed them a great amount of wealth and fortune. Due to this instinct, Kagaya accurately made several guesses about multiple things that were eventually proven to be true and accurate without him knowing any prior information, as seen when he accurately predicted that Muzan's only remaining weakness was the sun and that he could not be destroyed by decapitation,[9] that the deaths of Gyutaro and Daki would send waves that would eventually see that the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki begin losing members for the first time in hundreds of years, and that Muzan will find him and bring about the final war between Demon Slayer Corps and the Twelve Kizuki during his last five days of life.[10]
Trivia[]
- Kagaya shares his Japanese and English voice actors with Seijiro Kikuoka from Sword Art Online.
- As stated by Kagaya, the disease currently ailing him is the curse inflicted on his family due to them birthing the "original demon." The sickness itself is a genetic disorder passed down from generation to generation in their family, it has effectively left the Ubuyashiki family with weak bodies and a lifespan of less than 30 years.[11]
- Kagaya's first name contains the kanji for "shine" (
耀 kaga?) and the Kun'yomi for "how" (哉 ya?); the "ya" in the first character is not included and is instead replaced by the second. His surname contains the Kun'yomi for "bear, give birth to" (産 ubu?), "house, shop" (屋 ya?) and "spread" (敷 shiki?). - Kagaya's father committed suicide when he was 19, unable to bear the thought of having his Corps members die over and over again. Kagaya's siblings also died, leaving him to inherit the position of family head at the age of 4 years old.[12]
- All boys born into the Ubuyashiki Clan will die without surpassing the age of 30. Girls born from the clan must be married off and change surnames by the age of 13, otherwise they will also inevitably die from accidents or illness.[12]
- Following Muzan's death, the curse was lifted and the Ubuyashiki Clan enjoyed normal, even prolonged lifespans. His son Kiriya eventually became the oldest living person in Japan by the end.
Quotes[]
- (To Tengen Uzui) "Tengen, the path you chose is a hard one. It is hard to reject the values you learned as a child. You must always fight yourself at the same time that you're fighting on the field of battle. But in spite of your many inner conflicts and contradictions...I trust you to always fight for me and to protect innocent lives. Thank you Tengen, you are a wonderful child."[14]
- (To Muichiro Tokito) "You will definitely reclaim yourself..Muichiro. You must be confused but right now..think only about survival as long as you're alive it will work out somehow. Your lost memory will return. It is unnecessary to worry. Do not miss this opportunity. Begin with trivial matters and clear the mist inside your head." [15]
- (To Mitsuri Kanroji) "Incredible! Mitsuri, you are especially beloved by the gods. Be proud of your strength. Those who speak ill of you fear your talent and are merely envious."[16]
- (To Tanjiro Kamado about Giyu Tomioka) "Unfortunately, I'm unable to move. I want to speak with Giyu...but...I don't think I can. This is an incredibly important time. We all must come together and do our best. Would you please talk to Giyu? He always turns his back and goes it alone. Help him face forward."[17]
- (To Gyomei Himejima) "I know that you fought to protect people. You are not a murderer."[18]
- (To Sanemi Shinazugawa) "I'm sorry. I tried swinging a sword, but it made my heart pound and I couldn't even do it ten times. I would have been like you if I could have. I wanted to be a strong swordsman and protect others' lives with my own body. But... it was impossible for me. I'm sorry to have to ask you to do such difficult tasks[...] If you are pawns... then I am a sacrificial piece too. And if a single piece, even one such as myself, who moves the Demon Slayer Corps, were to die, nothing would change. This is your first time at a gathering of the Hashira, so I think you misunderstand. I do not place myself higher than you or anything like that. But everyone just treats me that way. If that bothers you, you don't have to go along with it. Instead of worrying about that, defend the lives of others as a Hashira. That is my only request."[19]
- (To Sanemi Shinazugawa about Masachika Kumeno) "Sanemi... all the children of the Demon Slayer Corps write their own wills. Strangely, the contents of those wills are mostly similar. Masachika's was the same. I have been thinking about giving it to you. Masachika thought of you like the younger brother he lost. He dreamed of a shining future. Just like my dream. A wish for loved ones to smile. To live happily until the day they die and to never have their lives cruelly threatened. Even if you can't be by their side. We want them to live. We want them to survive."[20]
- (To Kyojuro Rengoku) "Kyojuro...You are an astounding boy. Will you support the Demon Slayer Corps from now on as Hashira?"[21]
- (To Muzan Kibutsuji) "I know what eternity is. Eternity is human feeling. Only human feelings last forever and are undying."[22]
Relatives[]
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References[]
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 139 (Page 1).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 47 (Page 19).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 45 (Page 21).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 46 (Page 5).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 138 (Page 10).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 47 (Page 15).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 46 and Episode 22.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 136.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 139.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 138.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 137 (Pages 6-7).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Kimetsu no Yaiba Second Fanbook.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Gotoge Koyoharu exhibition 2021 (via Crunchyroll)
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 87 (Pages 9-10).
- ↑ chapter 108 page 5-7
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 124 (Page 1).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 130 (Page 13-14).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 139 (Page 2).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 168 (Pages 12-14).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 168 (Pages 16-17).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Extra: Kyojuro Rengoku's Story: Part 2.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 137 (Page 13).