Kanao Who Leaves Decisions to a Coin and Shinobu Who Keeps Smiling! The Influence of Kanae Kocho in "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba"

When talking about Shinobu Kocho (voiced by Saori Hayami) and Kanao Tsuyuri (voiced by Reina Ueda), who appear in the anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," the presence of Kanae Kocho (voiced by Ai Kayano), the Flower Hashira, is indispensable. Although Kanae has already passed away in the story, episode 25 of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc" shows that she had a strong influence on her younger sisters.

In episode 25 of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc," the past of the usually quiet Demon Slayer, Kanao, is revealed. As a child, Kanao was sold by her parents and was being led away by human traffickers until she was rescued by Kanae and Shinobu. Because of her harsh upbringing, Kanao had lost her own will, so Kanae kindly smiled at her and said, "When you're alone, just flip this coin and make your decision that way." The reason Kanao still decides things with a coin toss today can be traced back to this event.

Of course, young Kanao is adorable in this series of flashbacks, but many fans were likely more surprised by Shinobu, whose demeanor is quite different from her current self. While Shinobu is now always calm and smiling, she once acted very assertive. There was even a scene where, with two anger marks appearing on her head, she retorted to one of Kanae’s classic airheaded comments by saying, "That doesn't make any sense!" It seems that Shinobu’s gentle demeanor today is an intentional effort to honor her beloved older sister, Kanae.

Although Kanae is already deceased in the main storyline, she continues to appear in flashbacks and other scenes. Despite her limited screen time, there is no doubt that she is an important character when talking about Shinobu, Kanao, and the overarching story of "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba."