| “ | Tomioka remembered my name! We've been together since Final Selection, but he pulled ahead of me! Be useful, everyone fought hard to the end... |
” |
— Murata to himself while carrying Tanjiro to safety in A World Without Smell
|
Murata (
Appearance[]
Murata is a young man of average height and athletic build. He has straight jet-black hair parted down the middle, fair skin tone, and black eyes.
Murata wears the standard predominantly black Demon Slayer uniform, consisting of a gakuran jacket and tattsuke-hakama pants.
.png "Final Selection Murata (Anime).png (1.15 MB)")
Personality[]
Despite his lesser skill, Murata shows bravery in battle.
Murata is a particularly hapless and anxious Demon Slayer with bouts of pessimism. He is easily frightened and exasperated by his surroundings, and when meeting with Tanjiro and Inosuke, he complains about the two being Mizunotos, the lowest rank in the Corps. However, he does have his moments of bravery, as shown by his continuing to fight atop Mount Natagumo even when his squad was being wiped out. Murata has a fragile ego and does not like it when a Demon Slayer of lower rank chastises or insults him, as shown by his squabbles with Inosuke Hashibira and later with Yushiro. In addition, he has a large amount of respect and fear for the Hashira as well, as although he is extremely intimidated by them, he commends their strength.
He is aware of his low rank and relative weakness, as shown when he recognizes the large power gap between him and Giyu Tomioka despite being in the same Final Selection batch. Moreover, several voice lines in the game hint at his insecurity and acknowledgment of his ineptitude. During his PVP victories, he remarks happiness and disbelief at his growing strength, and his Ultimate Art has him remind his opponent not to forget that he is also a Demon Slayer.
Outside of combat, Murata is shown to be decently friendly and sociable, getting along with his comrades in Hashira Training and eventually striking up a close kinship with them and Tanjiro, whom he helped out when he and Zenitsu Agatsuma joined the final stage of training.
History[]
Murata's family was killed by demons. Because he had no living relatives left, he joined the Demon Slayer Corps.[1]
Murata was in the same Final Selection as Giyu Tomioka and Sabito, being one of the many applicants who was able to survive due to Sabito managing to kill nearly all of the demons in the mountain, though he would end up dying to a particular large and vengeful demon. Sabito personally entrusted Giyu into the care of Murata, and the boy watched with concern after Giyu woke up from being knocked unconscious.
Synopsis[]
Mount Natagumo Arc[]
Murata surprised by Tanjiro.
Having been given orders by a Kasugai Crow to head to Mt. Natagumo, Murata and nine other Demon Slayers head to the mountain to investigate. As they enter the forest, the Demon Slayers begin to suddenly kill each other without warning, with Murata forced to flee the massacre. He is soon joined by fellow Demon Slayers Tanjiro Kamado and Inosuke Hashibira, with the former introducing himself as a Mizunoto Demon Slayer. Murata is not comforted and believes that a Hashira should have been sent instead, only to be punched by Inosuke for his cowardice.[2]
After explaining the situation at hand, they suddenly hear a rattling noise, which Murata notes happened before the massacre occurred. They then see the dead Demon Slayers walking towards them but see that they are being controlled by something. Inosuke and Tanjiro realize they are being strung on threads by tiny spiders. The three then watch as a demon above them threatens to have them killed by his "mother". [3]Knowing they need to kill the demon responsible, Murata volunteers to hold off the Demon Slayers as Tanjiro and Inosuke locate the demon. Though Tanjiro is surprised by this, Murata declares that despite his earlier fright, he is still a Demon Slayer and will do his duty as one.[4]
Murata saved by Shinobu Kocho.
After Tanjiro and Inosuke kill the demon, Murata wanders about the forests and eventually encounters a pale child-like demon. He attempts to kill her but is ensnared in a silk cocoon that oozes acid. Unable to break free and cut the silk, Murata is seemingly left to his fate but is saved by the timely arrival of the Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho.[5] After she kills the demon, she frees him from the cocoon. He asks if she intends to finish the demon but is told she is dead from her wisteria poison. Shinobu then notes that whilst his clothes have melted away, his body is intact, causing an embarrassed Murata to cover himself and slink away.[6]
Rehabilitation Training Arc[]
Following his battle in Mt. Natagumo, Murata, being one of the few survivors, was ordered to inform the Hashira about the incident. As he explained himself, the Hashira became disappointed and angered by the needless deaths of the Demon Slayers, while Murata sat there afraid of their wrath.
Murata after meeting the Hashira.
He reunites with Tanjiro in the Butterfly Mansion's hospital ward and is introduced to his companion Zenitsu Agatsuma. As Zenitsu complained of the medicine he is taking, Murata, with a despondent and gloomy expression, jokingly noted that he seems to be better off than he is, recalling when he met the Hashira and how he was frightened to hear them complain about the numerous deaths on Mt. Natagumo. As he spoke about how they scare him, he is joined by the Insect Hashira herself. Murata quickly bows to Shinobu and leaves the room.
Hashira Training Arc[]
Murata reunites with Tanjiro and Zenitsu during his training with Gyomei Himejima, joining Inosuke. Having been at the stage for ten days at the time they arrived, his experience gives them the help they needed to begin; he told the cold and shivering Zenitsu to keep warm by hugging the boulders and informed Tanjiro the key to passing waterfall training is by chanting to remain concentrated. During a break, Murata and the other trainees discussed the difference between them and the Hashira, claiming the gap between their levels of strength is why they don't have many Tsugukos.
Murata falls into the Infinity Castle with his peers.
After Hashira Training, Murata was on night patrol with several of his peers when sliding doors suddenly manifested beneath them and opened. Murata helplessly fell down into the Infinity Castle, where he was pulled by the unusual gravity to a platform. After pulling himself upright, he looked on in fear at the sudden change in environment he and his fellow Demon Slayers were about to face.[7]
Infinity Castle Arc[]
Murata rescues Zenitsu and meets up with Yushiro and Takeuchi during the battles in the Infinity Castle. Howver, he is separated from the latter two whilst carrying Zenitsu and falls further into the castle. They eventually run into Inosuke and Kanao Tsuyuri who had just finished defeating Upper Rank Two Doma. Inosuke accidentally kicks Murata's face and gives an insincere apology, leading Kanao to spank Inosuke as discipline, much to Murata's delight.
Sunrise Countdown Arc[]
Later on, after the fortress collapses, Giyu Tomioka asks him to bring a fallen Tanjiro to safety and to treat his wounds. He and Takeuchi are also seen crying tears of joy after the battle had finally ended.[8] He and the other surving Corps members pose for a photo, and Murata is later seen hanging out with Takeuchi and Goto in a photo. It can be assumed that Murata married and had children, as evidenced by his current-day descendant Principal Murata.
Abilities[]
Overall Abilities: Murata was not a particularly remarkable Demon Slayer. He was not cripplingly weak or incompetent but he was still overshadowed by his much more impressive comrades; from fellow Final Selection passee Giyu who rose to Hashira rank, to plucky upstarts like Tanjiro and Inosuke who slew the demon that wiped out his squad. However, although not on par with the likes of Tanjiro or Inosuke, Murata's prowess is superior to that of his squad, as evidenced by being its only survivor. His assistance in dealing with his manipulated comrades was vital in buying time for Tanjiro and Inosuke to defeat Mother. Since the puppets had their powers augmented because of the demon's Blood Demon Art, his ability to hold them back was a testament of his above average performance. He was also able to reach the last stage in the Hashira Training program, which only very few members were capable of doing.
Fighting Style[]
Breathing Style[]
Water Breathing (
Techniques[]
- First Form: Water Surface Slash (
壱 ノ型 水 面 斬 り Ichi no kata: Minamo Giri?)[10] - The user generates enough momentum to create a powerful single concentrated slash.
- Second Form: Water Wheel (
弐 ノ型 水 車 Ni no kata: Mizu Guruma?)[10] - The user leaps and vertically spins forward in the air while releasing a flowing attack in a circular motion.
Game Exclusive Techniques[]
- Cheer (
應 援 Ōen?)[10] - The user motivates their partner up four times. This has the in-game effect of replenishing the support gauge in an accelerated rate.
- Pride of a Demon Slayer (
鬼 殺 隊 士 の意 地 Kisatsushi no Iji?)[10] - The user slashes their foe multiple times before charging towards them with all of their might and their grip tightened, only to embarrassingly fail by tripping on the ground and roughly sliding towards the opponent at high speeds, hitting them sky high and back to the ground.
- Max Potential (
全 力 一 刀 Zenryoku Ittō?)[10] - The user charges forward at high speeds and slashes through them with every ounce of their strength.
Trivia[]
- Murata's name contains the kanji for "village" (
村 mura?) and "rice field" (田 ta?). - After his run-in with the Daughter Spider Demon and his subsequent rescue by Shinobu Kocho, Murata acts highly awkward around her, most likely because of his lingering embarrassment from the event.[11]
- Murata was in the same Final Selection as Giyu and Sabito.[12]
- After his first love complimented his hair, Murata has devoted himself to grooming and regularly applying camellia oil to it, resulting in its silky look.[13]
- When Tanjiro and Inosuke first met him on Mount Natagumo, his rank was Kanoe.[13]
- Murata's English voice actor, Khoi Dao, also voices the Ninju mice.
- In Kimetsu Academy, Murata is a second-year and class vice-president of the Sansho class, as well as a member of the soccer club. He is not popular.[14]
Quotes[]
- (About Giyu Tomioka) "Tomioka remembered my name... We were together since the Final Selection too...!! I know there's a huge difference between us but we were in the same batch, man...!!"[12]
References[]
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Volume 17, (Extra Pages).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 28 (Pages 12-14).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 29.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 30 (Page 1).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 41 (Pages 4-7).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 42 (Pages 1-2).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episode 63.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 200 (Pages 4-5).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Volume 17.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Kimetsu no Yaiba Game: The Hinokami Chronicles.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Anime: Episode 24.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 185 (Page 18).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Kimetsu no Yaiba First Fanbook.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Volume 5, (Extra Pages).