A slightly more recent addition to the Demon Slayer lore has been the Demon Slayer Marks. Very few people have them and they are difficult to acquire. Especially given the extremely specific criteria that must be met. Having a Demon Slayer Mark means that the individual is extremely powerful, but also cursed to die young. It both indicates the power of the bearer, but also seems to augment their power if one can survive the conditions to acquire the mark. While each slayer’s mark is unique and visually tied to their own breathing style, they are somewhat contagious, as an individual who possesses a mark can resonate with another and pass it along.

Demon Slayer is an epic anime following the story of a young boy and his sister-turned-demon on their quest to restore her humanity. Tanjiro Kamado climbs the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps until he is noticed by some of the most powerful demons that exist. In the process, he discovers long-lost secrets and becomes the first person since the Golden Age of Slayers to awaken a Demon Slayer Mark.

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Origins of the Mark and the First Bearer

yoriichi-demon-slayer

Like many other aspects of the Demon Slayer Corps, the first Demon Slayer Mark was found on Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the inventor of Sun Breathing. He is the only known human to have been born with the Mark, a flame-like pattern on his forehead. It is known that more than one individual resonated with this original mark and gained their own but only one is known by name.

Kokushibo, Yoriichi’s brother whose human name was Michikatsu Tsugikuni, was able to gain a Mark through resonation with Yoriichi. In Michikatsu, the Mark manifested as a flame-like pattern on his forehead and opposite on his lower cheek. His mark stayed in his demon form as well.

Modern Bearers of the Mark

Demon Slayer Tanjiro Swordsmith Village Arc Trailer

Tanjiro Kamado is the first known bearer of a Demon Slayer Mark since the Sengoku period. Presumably, the Mark was lost in the intermediary time due to the Corps being consistently whittled away by the demons thereby preventing strong slayers from emerging. His relationship with Sun Breathing resulted in him also acquiring a flame-like symbol on his forehead very similar to Yoriichi, although his is larger.

From Tanjiro a large portion of the Hashira were able to resonate and acquire Marks of their own. Mitsuri Kanroji acquired a winged-double heart pattern on her shoulder, referencing her love breathing technique. Giyu Tomioka was able to activate his flowing water pattern on his left cheek as well in reference to him being the water-breathing Hashira. Both of these individuals activated their mark in battle at a critical life or death moment that then allowed them far greater success than prior.

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Sanemi Shinazugawa, the current wind Hashira, was able to activate a small pinwheel on his cheek, although the activation of his mark did not allow him to beat his opponent without help. He is also the first in the modern era to discover how to activate the red Nichirin sword capability of the mark. Obanai Iguro the Snake Hashira was able to acquire a snake pattern on his upper arm. Obanai is the final of the modern bearers to activate his Mark as he was unable to do so until the final battle with Muzan. This temporarily allowed him to bypass his own blindness at the urging of Gyomei.

Gyomei and His Unusual Situation

Gyomei Himejima, The Stone Hashira in Demon Slayer

While Gyomei was able to unlock his Demon Slayer Mark, a cracking pattern on his forearms, prior to others mentioned here, he was reserved for last due to the unique nature of his mark. The Demon Slayer Mark comes at a cost. The bearers are trading their own life for enhanced physical capabilities. Only two Slayers were ever known to be older than 25 with a Mark. Yoriichi lived till old age, likely due to him having been born with the mark and thereby avoiding the curse altogether. Gyomei on the other hand did not activate his Mark until he was already older than 25.

It was speculated that when he awoke his Mark during battle that he would likely die within hours. And while this was true, it is unclear if it was truly due to the Mark or the fact that he was killed. Certainly his injuries were what killed him, however, it is unclear if the injuries were a result of the curse.

There have been quite a few Slayers with the Mark, many more in the Golden Age of Slayers, though only two managed to leave a legacy that lasted into the modern era. In the modern era there are seven known bearers of the mark. In each situation one person earned the Mark honestly, Yoriichi and Tanjiro, the others were able to gain their marks through a connection with that original bearer. Despite this, every single slayer with the Mark showed incredible strength, determination, and ability following the awakening of this powerful tool.

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