Summary
- Shinjuro Rengoku struggled with alcoholism and bitterness after losing his wife, neglecting his sons and causing regret.
- Shinjuro had an inferiority complex about Flame Breathing compared to Sun Breathing, despite his past status as Hashira.
- Despite his harshness, Shinjuro’s love for his sons is evident post-tragedy, as he seeks redemption and acceptance.
The father of the late Kyojuro Rengoku, Shinjuro Rengoku was the former Flame Hashira. In his prime, Shinjuro was a well respected Hashira but after the tragic loss of his wife, he lost himself and turned to a life of alcoholism and bitterness. He quit the Demon Slayer Corp and even stopped being a good father to his sons, Kyojuro and Senjuro.
He also has an inferiority complex when it comes to Sun Breathing since he used Flame Breathing, but Sun Breathing is recognized as the original and most powerful, and he considers other breathing styles as “imitations”. However, even though he came off harsh, Shinjuro’s story is filled with regret and sadness.
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Demon Slayer: Every Tanjiro Breathing Style, Explained
Discover every Breathing Style Tanjiro uses in Demon Slayer, from Water to Sun Breathing, and how his rare ability makes him a truly unique warrior.
The Bitterman Who Chose To Ignore His Family
Shinjuro Neglected His Sons And His Family
Shinjuro’s wife was a kind person who kept him grounded most of his life along with her two sons. After her death due to an illness, Shinjuro lost control and spiraled into a depression. He abandoned his duties as a father and began drinking his sorrows away. He was even more depressed after reading ancient scripture which stated that Flame Breathing would not reach the same heights as Sun Breathing, this made Shinjuro feel inferior and that all his efforts as a Flame Hashira were meaningless. He also was extremely harsh towards his eldest son, Kyojuro and tried to discourage him from becoming a Hashira and refused to recognize his son’s accomplishments. He even chose to ignore his youngest, Senjuro, stating that he was too weak to become a Demon Slayer.
The first breathing technique ever created! The most powerful of them all! All the other techniques are derived from Sun Breathing! All the others just mimic Sun Breathing. They’re just cheap imitations, retrograde versions of Sun Breathing! Fire, Water, Wind…all of them! – Shinjuro Rengoku
Even though Shinjuro was harsh towards Kyojuro, Kyojuro was always respectful towards his father and still chose to follow his dreams of becoming the Flame Hashira. Kyojuro believed that it was his duty to protect others and still admired his father’s past even though his father showed him hostility. Kyojuro trained day and night even through the absence of his father. This was mostly because of Shinjuro’s own insecurities. He had convinced himself that no matter how strong he became, he could never reach the heights of a user of the Sun Breathing Technique. This is seen when Shijuro confronts Tanjiro about his Hanafuda earrings, questioning him about Tanjiro’s presence in his home and if he had come to, mock him.
The Road To Redemption Is A Rocky One
The Secret Love He Had For His Sons
After learning about the death of his son – Kyojuro, Shinjuro did not break down in sadness but rather lashed out in anger and denial. Stating that his son’s sacrifice was worthless. After meeting Tanjiro however, Shinjuro later has a change of heart and, in reality, he was actually deeply saddened by the loss of his oldest son. He had always loved Kyojuro but was not able to express it because of the wheel of despair he was in. After Kyojuro’s death, Shinjuro slowly began to realize his mistakes, and tried to turn over a new leaf.
Related
Demon Slayer: What If the Demon Slayer Corps Never Existed?
The Demon Slayer Corps stands as humanity’s only defense against Demons. But what would have happened if it never existed?
During the Sunrise Countdown Arc and after the death of Muzan, Shinjuro visits Tanjiro along with his son. At this point, he is seen to be more calm and in a better state of mind than he used to be. Shinjuro’s youngest son never carried on the bloodline of the Flame Hashira, since he did not possess the relevant skills like his older brother did, eventually giving up on his plan to follow his brother’s footsteps and leaving it to Tanjiro to carry on Kyojuro’s legacy as the one of the respected Demon Slayer Corp members. Shinjuro’s story is one of loss and regret but eventual acceptance as he tries to make amends for all the time he had lost. One question still remains. If Shinjuro had taken on training Kyojuro from the start, could Kyojuro’s death have been avoided? Or would he have met the same fate in the end?
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Release Date
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April 6, 2019
