Not for weaklings!
Summary:
- It looks like Demon Slayer characters are being put to the most difficult challenges.
- The test that characters undergo at the beginning of the journey takes the lives of many willing participants.
- Candidates need to realize what they are getting into and what their future life will be like.
The world of Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) is filled with danger. Heroes face difficulties that can cost them their lives. The life of a demon slayer is even more difficult. Performing dangerous tasks, they protect the peaceful lives of ordinary people. Recently, Reddit users noted that the trials faced by the heroes of Demon Slayer from the very beginning are much more dangerous than similar ones from other anime in the shounen genre.
What is the selection process?
The demon hunter’s path is challenging from the start. Each candidate trains for at least a year before being allowed to take the test. To join the organization, one must pass the final examination, during which most candidates are killed. It takes place on Mount Fujikasane, where all the demons caught by the slayers are imprisoned. Participants must survive seven nights, and only if they succeed will they be able to join the organization.
When Tanjirou underwent this challenge, only 4 out of over 20 participants were able to complete the task. Moreover, despite the hard training and visible progress, the protagonist came out of this battle very traumatized that he could barely walk. And it's worth noting that this is only testing for the lowest rank. Next, even greater danger awaits the heroes.
Why are heroes willing to do that?
It looks like Demon Slayer offers the hardest way to develop. If you compare the possibilities of heroes from other popular franchises, you can find several workarounds that will not cost them their lives in the beginning.
In Chainsaw Man, characters are free to decide whether to join an organization that fights demons or not. They are offered to make a contract with a devil, so at the start their chances are not so small. Moreover, they can leave the organization at any time.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, there is almost nothing to do to become an apprentice, you only need to have the ability to fight cursed spirits. Even in Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin), cadets can choose to join the Survey Corps and risk their lives, or become police officers within the walls. But even here, they go through the first stage of training in comparative safety, where the weakest may realize they're not ready to go any further. Demon Slayer characters don't get a chance to try and change their minds.
Most likely, the Demon slayer's entry test serves several practical purposes. First, candidates need to understand what they are joining and what their future life will be like. Simply wishing to become a demon hunter is not enough. No one hides the fact that the test is very difficult and dangerous. But it serves to unlock potential.
Also in this job, you have to be ready to die and you have to weigh the risks. The organization does not want to send hunters who cannot at least protect themselves. Moreover, we should not forget the fact that people who want to join have often already faced demons, many have even lost their families. Of course, this selection is very hard and raises questions, but perhaps without it characters would have no chance against insidious demons.