Every story is as good as its main antagonist, andDemonSlayerhasone of the best-written characters in recent memory. Muzan Kibutsuji is the demon lord, the head honcho of the underworld, and the most powerful demon in history.
Sure, he gives off heavy Michael Jackson vibes in appearance and wardrobe style, but Muzan is far more dangerous than a pop icon. He’s cold, he’s manipulative, but most importantly, Muzan is extremely intelligent and always ten steps ahead, making him an even bigger threat to the Demon Slayer Corps.
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Seldom seen but always felt, Muzan has left a lasting impression on every demon slayer, hashira, and human being he’s passed by. These ten episodes best exemplify the best, and worst, of his time inDemon Slayer, and the impact he’s had on the story.
10Demon Slayer Season 1, Episode 12
“The Boar Bares Its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps”
If it wasn’t clear how feared Muzan is by his fellow demon kind, “The Boar Bares Its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps” offers a great glimpse into this side. What makes this episode so unnerving isn’t how cruel he is, but rather how Muzan remains composed while making his threats.
During Tanjiro andZenitsu’s battle with Kyogai, it’s clear that they can use their sword skills to hold off the demon and even take off its head. That’s when Muzan comes into play, criticizing the demon for his lack of strength and offering Kyogai more of his blood to grow even stronger.
If it isn’t clear how menacing Muzan is, just look how scared Kyogai becomes when he’s in his presence. A fearsome and cruel demon pushing Tanjiro and Zenitsu to their limits was now a cowering mess, unable to look his master in his eyes.
9Demon Slayer Season 1, Episode 21
“Against Corps Rules”
Episode 21, titled “Against Corps Rules”, offersDemon Slayerfans a glimpse into the more manipulative side of Muzan. His fangs and immense strength are scary enough, but what happens when Muzan uses his words and cunning tactics to turn the tables on those he encounters?
Following the events of the spider demon family’s demise, we get a flashback to how they were turned into demons in the first place. Sure enough,it was Muzan who turned them, offering them solitude at a time when one of its members was gravely sick.
He offered to turn the sick family member into a demon to save them from their impending doom, but in doing so, they became soldiers of his demon army. Muzan is at his best when we see the soft side of him, for as kind as he can be on the surface, it’s what motivates him to make these offers that is truly spine-tingling.
8Entertainment District Arc, Episode 3
“What Are You?”
One of the two main antagonists of the Entertainment District Arc is Daki, the owner of the courtesan house and a very powerful demon. During the day, Daki serves as an oiran, concealing her demon form and running the house with stern and cruel authority.
Her demon form is no joke, as she can stand up tohashirasand hold up her own in combat. One figure she shudders in fear from is Muzan, which we see in the third episode of the arc, when Muzan visits her to check in on her progress.
You can cut the tension with a knife in the one scene where Muzan appears, as Daki crumbles to her knees and bows to her master out of sheer fear. In just a few moments of Muzan sitting and conversing with his fellow demon, it feels like Daki’s mortality is at risk, regardless of how calm Muzan appears.
7Demon Slayer Season 1, Episode 7
“Muzan Kibutsuji”
The name Muzan Kibutsuji feels like a myth during the first six episodes ofDemon Slayer’s introductory season, but his debut in physical form could not have left a better lasting impression. Unfortunately forTanjiro, who discovered him, he’s as terrifying as the legends state.
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Thanks to Tanjiro’s heightened sense of smell, and his ability to sniff out demon blood, he comes within eyesight of Muzan in episode 7. The chilling moment leads Tanjiro to realize that Muzan isn’t only walking outside freely, he appears to have a family with a human woman.
Nothing comes of this moment, as there are too many casualties at risk of being caught in the fight, but Muzan is as opportunistic as ever. Even with just a few seconds to act, Muzan manages to swipe a passerby’s neck, turning him into a demon, and creating enough of a distraction to walk away from conflict.
6Demon Slayer Season 1, Episode 8
“The Smell of Enchanting Blood”
The following episode offered usboth sides of Muzan; his human side as he walked down the street with a child in hand, and his demon side when nobody was watching. It’s hard to determine which one is more horrifying, considering they’re both evil in different ways.
In a dark alleyway, Muzan corners an innocent bystander and injects his blood into her forehead. If that’s not scary enough for you, he torments her while doing so and asks her what would happen if he gave her too much of his blood, before she turns into a mass of flesh and guts.
On the streets, Muzan keeps his composure despite Tanjiro shouting at him that he’ll chase him to hell just to be able to cut off his head. While Muzan escapes this time, his sneer tells us that Tanjiro’s words cut a little closer to the bone than he was willing to show.
5Swordsmith Village Arc, Episode 1
“Someone’s Dream”
It never ceases to amazeDemon Slayerfans that Muzan needs a fraction of an episode to leave us all on the edge of our seats. The first episode of the Swordsmith Village Arc is a great example of this, as Muzan’s screen time effectively impacts his role in the story.
After repeated failures from theUpper Rank demons, Muzan finally puts his foot down and gives them all fair warning that he won’t accept it anymore. Muzan admits he’s been far too lenient with them, and the temporary beheading of Gyokko serves as a threat of what is to come if they fail again.
All of this stems from the defeat of an Upper Rank demon, something that has never happened before. It could be that, for the first time, Muzan felt threatened by a demon slayer, but he still remained somewhat calm while holding Gyokko’s head in his hands, which made the episode feel unsettling to say the least.
4Demon Slayer Season 1, Episode 26
“New Mission”
No, your eyes do not deceive you. That slender figure with long hair is Muzan Kibutsuji, and he has every intention of showing off his brutality. Luckily for the demon slayers, this form remained in the hidden demon realm, where only other demons got to witness it.
While addressing his Upper Rank demons,Muzan remained in this form, revealing his ability to shapeshift into anything he pleased. Despite the updated appearance, the Upper Ranks were able to recognize Muzan by the sheer pressure and force he brought with him.
They really didn’t need to add more power and abilities to Muzan, and it made the story more concerning to know Muzan had this trick up his sleeve. For all we know, Muzan has probably encountered more of the hashiras and demon slayers than we anticipated if he could change his appearance so easily.
3Hashira Training Arc, Episode 7
“Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima”
The Hashira Training Arc is known for two things; Tanjiro’s growth as a demon slayer and as a human, and Muzan’s brilliant entrance in the final moments of episode 7. There may not have been a greater walk-in scene than this one in any anime.
Once again, Muzan needed only a few moments of screen time to make a situation feel tense; this time, however, the stakes were much higher. Confronting Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the head of the hashiras, Muzan never looked more at peace, yet more threatening than ever.
Pointing out that Ubuyashiki looked hideous in his frail state, Muzan’s appearance in a post-credit scene left us all jumping out of our chairs. He was there for one reason, to kill Ubuyashiki, and we all wondered whether the hashiras would be able to make it back in time to save him.
2Hashira Training Arc, Episode 8
“The Hashira Unite”
The conclusion of the Hashira Training Arc and the final episode ofDemon Slayerup until this point, is Muzan at his best in his combat state. This episode was jam-packed with action and drama, and we got the full experience of how powerful Muzan really is.
Fighting off all hashiras, Tanjiro, and even fellow demons interested in his blood,Muzan was able to hold his own. Not only that, but he survived a kamikaze blast from Ubuyashiki, which ended the life of the head of the hashiras but wasn’t enough to wipe out Muzan.
Even when it looked bad for Muzan, and the end was near, a simple smirk told us everything we needed to know about him. Muzan was never at risk, and he was just toying with his food before revealing his hand and drawing in all the demon slayers into his realm, leaving us all on an epic cliffhanger.
1Swordsmith Village Arc, Episode 11
“A Connected Bond: Daybreak And First Light”
Despite the beautiful quality of animation of the Hashira Training Arc’s finale, episode 11 of the Swordsmith Village Arc stands the test of time for Muzan’s role inDemon Slayer. No action, no bloodshed, but a look into Muzan’s past.
Like with any antagonist, something is driving Muzan to do the things he does, and we finally got our answer in “A Connected Bond: Daybreak And First Light”. Muzan was once a human, more than 1,000 years ago, but was riddled with the same sickness as Ubuyashiki.
Muzan believed no cure was available, but after killing the doctor that worked hard to keep him alive, Muzan realized his body was changing. Muzan had turned into a demon thanks to his doctor’s cure, but he now wished for nothing more than to destroy anyone in his way and use his newfound powers to his advantage.
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