Most beloved and most hated.
Demon Slayer spoilers ahead!
Summary:
- Despite all the complaints, Rengoku had story potential.
- In the Mugen Train arc, Rengoku is revealed quite well.
- Rengoku is the first important character to die in this story and so soon.
There are a lot of complaints about Demon Slayer's characters. This is even true for the main characters. But perhaps one of the most controversial heroes is Kyojuro Rengoku. There are two opposing camps: fans who hate him and think he's overrated, and those who enjoyed every second spent with Hashira. After such a quick finale, they started complaining, and apparently with reason... Looks like Rengoku had some story potential.
Amazing Flame Hashira
Despite being considered a minor character in the Mugen Train Arc, Rengoku has a lot of screen time. Of course, it's not a full season, and compared to Tengen Uzui, Rengoku is inferior considering the number of appearances, but his character is revealed well enough in the movie.
Mugen Train is an arc about one of the first serious missions of the main character trio. Tanjiro and his friends have to solve murders and disappearances that are connected to a certain place. They are assisted by an experienced fighter – Flame Hashira. The heroes quickly find a common language and even recognize Rengoku as their mentor. The point is that Hashira has a wonderful character that is inspiring. He remains friendly with demon slayers who have a lower rank, despite all his seriousness and outstanding abilities. Such a character can't be unattractive!
That wasn't enough
In addition to his personality, however, Rengoku has an interesting story and extraordinary abilities. His fight with the powerful demon Akaza shows his skill and potential. Unfortunately, never revealed! Although the fight was dynamic and equal (sometimes it even looked like Rengoku would win), Hashira lost and that was the end of his relatively short arc.
Probably many other anime fans wouldn't have paid so much attention to this, because nowadays many authors don't care about their characters. However, this is still not typical for Demon Slayer. Perhaps Rengoku is the first important character (with the exception of Tanjiro's family) who dies in this story and so soon. There is now no other Hashira in the anime who has left us.
Of course, this decision can be explained by plot necessity. The creators needed to show how harsh the world of Demon Slayer is, that even strong fighters die here. Another reason was the desire to show the power of top rank demons, so that the audience would understand the stakes well.
However, fans can't stop thinking about the missed opportunities. First of all his powers are very similar to Tanjiro's and their tandem as teacher and student could have turned out very good. Also Hashira's tragic story is impressive, and his relationship with brother and father could have brought more emotionality to the anime. And of course the powers of Rengoku! His Ninth Form made a big impact and who knows what else this character could have shown if he had more time.