Shinobu may have foreseen her death at the hands of the demon Doma but none of us saw it coming. Even fellow Demon Slayer Corps Hashira Giyuu was caught off guard by the news of her death. Shinobu was very skilled and was supposed to get her revenge on the demon for killing her sister. She was not supposed to die the way she did even though her dying directly led to Doma being killed eventually.
Does Shinobu Die?
Much to the frustration of viewers, Shinobi is dead and will not be coming back. Her death happened in the penultimate arc of the Demon Slayer manga when she was fighting the demon Doma.
Shinobi and Doma have history as it was the same demon who murdered her sister, Kanae Kocho, the late flower Hashira. Revenge was supposed to be on the cards since Shinobu is a skilled swordswoman who can compete with the best of the best. Unfortunately, things did not go as imagined as the demon who murdered her older sister was also able to kill her.
How Does Shinobu Die?
There were a series of events that preceded Shinobu’s death. The first one was that her subordinates in the Infinity Castle Arc were missing. Shinobu later finds that it was Doma who took them and by the time she gets to them, they are being devoured by the demon. The sight of this drives her crazy but excites Doma who thanks Nakime for making another meal available in the room.
During this time, one of the disciples calls out to signal that she is still alive but despite Shinobu’s best efforts, the disciple dies in her face. Shinobu is enraged some more and starts trying to get Doma angry by reminding the demon of the haori he received from her late sister. It was at this point that Doma realized who he was going to be fighting.
Doma tried to get the upper hand by rattling Shinobu and telling her that he was supposed to eat her sister. He said the rising sun stopped him from eating Kanae. This statement throws Shinobu overboard and she has a go at Doma, stabbing the demon’s eye with Insect Breathing, Dance of the Bee Sting: True Flutter.
Doma was, however, well aware of Shinobu’s poisoning ability, and so he immediately began to produce antibodies to heal himself. Not relenting, Shinobu continues to attack him with Insect Breathing, Dance of the Dragonfly: Compound Eye Hexagon.
While this injures Doma, he was able to strike back and severely injure Shinobu who was also able to deliver one last blow with the Insect Breathing, Hundred-Legged Zigzag. An injured Shinobu stabbed Doma in the neck and watched him get poisoned.
Shinobu thought she had come out triumphant but Doma quickly recovers. Shinobu can’t do much at this time since she is severely injured and exhausted. When Doma gets hold of her, he starts mocking her by saying she never stood a chance. He then horrifyingly absorbs her body.
However, something unexpected happens. Shinobu, who had envisioned her death in the hands of Doma, had 37 kilos of wisteria flower poison in her body after eating the poison of the Wisteria flower daily. She did it to make her boy poisonous and had more than enough poison in her to kill a demon.
The poison, however, wasn’t enough to kill Doma since he was an upper-rank-2 demon. It, however, weakened him so her friends; Kanao and Inosuke were able to land the final blow that took off Doma’s head.
What Chapter Does Shinobu Die?
The plot of Shinobu’s death occurs very late in the narrative, in Chapter 143 of the manga, during the Infinity Castle arc. However, her death is yet to be depicted in the anime.
Shinobu’s death was depicted in Chapter 143 titled “Wrath,” which was published as part of Volume 17 on January 28th, 2019. Shinobu is killed and devoured by Doma in this arc, just like many of Doma’s victims. However, in her case, it was a form of sacrifice. She had poisoned her body in hopes that it would be enough to kill him or weaken him enough for her allies to finish him up.
Shinobu’s plan comes to fruition when Kanao and Inosuke Hashibira successfully separate Doma’s disfigured head, exacting revenge.
Shinobu and Doma’s heads talk in Limbo, where Doma finally expresses his feelings for Shinobu by proposing that they go to Hell together. She smiles cruelly and declines.
Shinobu is last seen with her sister Kanae, before happily rejoining their parents in the afterlife. Thereafter, Shinobu and Kanae’s reincarnations attend an all-girls school in future Japan.
Key Facts About Shinobu’s Death in Demon Slayer
Key Aspect | Details |
---|---|
Character | Shinobu Kocho |
Cause of Death | Sacrificed herself to weaken the Upper Rank Two demon, Doma, by poisoning him with Wisteria-infused venom before her death. |
Episode/Manga Chapter | Manga Chapter 143 (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) |
Circumstances | Shinobu engaged Doma in a fierce battle but was outmatched. She intentionally absorbed large doses of poison into her body to use it as a weapon. |
Significance of Death | Her sacrifice significantly weakened Doma, allowing Kanao Tsuyuri and Inosuke Hashibira to defeat him shortly after her demise. |
Legacy | Shinobu’s clever strategy and resolve to avenge her sister, Kanae, inspired other Demon Slayers and cemented her role as a pivotal character in the storyline. |
Reactions from Others | Her death deeply affected Kanao, who admired Shinobu, and the Butterfly Mansion staff, who saw her as a mentor and protector. |
Symbolism | Her sacrifice symbolizes selflessness and the ultimate dedication to the Demon Slayer cause, embodying her belief in a brighter future for humanity. |
Giyuu’s Reaction to Shinobu’s Death
Giyuu was more shaken than he had ever been when a demon slayer was killed after he learned of Shinobu’s death. The duo may have had his differences but if there was one thing that Giyuu knew about Shinobu, it was that she was tough. They had mutual respect for themselves over this, with some even speculating that they may have later become lovers. Regardless, Giyuu was taken by surprise when he found out that Shinobu was dead.