In the Demon Slayer universe, a Nichirin blade is the only sword that can slay a demon. Indeed, this sword is one of the biggest mysteries in the Demon Slayer franchise. The author of the series likes to fold these subtle yet significant details into the simplest things. Fans may not have paid much heed, but why did Tanjiro get a black sword? It’s odd that the Nichirin blade changed its color the moment its beholder, that is Tanjiro, drew it. Here is all you need to know to unfold all the secrets!
Nichirin blades changes their color with respect to their owners. It also reflects the personality of that sword holder. Is Tanjiro special? Well, he is the protagonist so that is reasonable to conclude. However, in what way is he special that turns the sword black upon unsheathing? Keep reading to find out!
To Where It All Began!
Hundreds of years ago, there was a man named Yoriichi. He was the creator of the breathing styles. And the one who left scars on Muzan’s immortal body, nearly killing him with a single strike. On the verge of death, frail Muzan hid for a hundred years until the swordsman died. But Muzan never forgot the blade that nearly killed him, a night-black blade that gleamed like the sun from the solar breath of Yoriichi.
Fearing for his life, Muzan ordered the execution of every single swordsman who learned the sun-breathing style. The one who wields the black Nichirin blade has the potential to learn solar breathing. This is the greatest weakness of Muzan, as the black blade is capable of inflicting damage that demons can’t heal and regenerate from.
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Tanjiro Unsheathes the Black Nichirin
After Tanjiro makes his way to the final selection, the Demon slayer swordsmith asks him to choose a sword. With the Nichirin sword, he would officially become the Demon Slayer and join the survey cops. The blade has different colors for different masters. For example, Rengoku has a red Nichirin. It corresponds to his flame-breathing style as the flame hashira. On the other hand, Giyu Tomioka has a blue sword since he uses water breathing style. But unlike Giyu, Tanjiro has a black blade.
Doesn’t Tanjiro also practice the water-breathing style? Well, it is a sign of a bad omen, according to swordsmith Haganezuka. He was furious when he saw the blade turn black. It is said that whoever wields the black sword is bound to live a short life. This can be explained through the entangled fate of the sun-breathing users and demons. Muzan had killed every single sun-breathing user before they reached their full potential. But why is black Nichirin associated with sun breathing style? Keep reading to unfold!
Why Did Tanjiro Get A Black Sword: Sun Breathing Style & Hinokami Kagura
The black blade represents the sun’s breathing. The story later revealed that Tanjiro’s sword is actually not black but red in disguise. Black color has the ability to absorb the heat of any spectrum. When the temperature is high enough, the sword turns red, which may represent the sun. Sun Breathing is the source of all other styles. Therefore, metaphorically, the black blade represents the supreme breathing style that absorbs all other techniques into one.
The Black Blade bearer has the ability to have more than one breathing style because it can achieve something stronger than all of them. This also explains why did Tanjiro get a black sword. It is because he knows Hinokami Kagura other than water breathing style. To slay more such mysteries, stay tuned to The Anime Daily!