Demon Slayer has enjoyed a lot of popularity in recent years and that has not only been for Ufotable’s phenomenal anime adaptation, but also because of the characters. While it is fair to say that many of these characters are unidimensional, there is no denying that they are also quite charismatic, particularly the likes of the Hashira or the three Upper Moons.
In that regard, one of the biggest mysteries in the Demon Slayer series is the two ghosts who helped Tanjiro during his initial training at the start of the story. It was eventually revealed that they were Sabito and Makomo, the deceased spirits of two of Sakonji Urokodaki’s students and childhood friends of Giyu Tomioka, which led to a lot of fans wondering whether the ghosts were siblings.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Demon Slayer.
Explaining if Sabito and Makomo are siblings in the Demon Slayer series
The characters of Sabito and Makomo were first introduced during the first arc of Demon Slayer, which focused on Tanjiro learning how to wield a sword and the Breathing technique. Eventually, he had to break a giant rock with this ability, which he couldn’t do and was faced by Makomo and Sabito, with the latter challenging Tanjiro to test his mettle and develop his abilities.
It was eventually revealed that they were ghosts and had died during the final test to become a member of the Demon Slayer Corp. They were also friends with Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira. However, a lot of people are still not sure whether they are siblings.
The short answer is that they are not related and their respective families were killed by demons, which is why Sakonji Urokodaki adopted them and trained them, the same way he had done with the likes of Tomioka and Tanjiro. So, Sabito and Makomo are not related.
The concept of ghosts and other wasted elements
It’s no secret that Demon Slayer is an extremely popular series and has sold millions of manga copies all over the world, with the anime adaptation by Ufotable often being praised for its world-class animation style. However, situations like the characters of Sabito and Makomo reveal a valid criticism of the series, which is that the story often includes a lot of interesting concepts, but drops them without an explanation.
Sabito and Makomo’s existence in the manga proves that there are ghosts in this story, but this is an element that is never used again. The same goes with Genya during the Swordsmith Village arc: he can briefly turn into a demon by eating their flesh and there is no other example of an individual with that ability. While Muzan’s origins as the creator of demons are explained, there is never a proper explanation as to why Genya can do what he does.
There are other elements such as the ranking system at the Corp, which Inosuke explains to Tanjiro during the Entertainment District arc, but the concept is utterly wasted afterward. This, coupled with some pacing issues in the story, can lead to a point of frustration for a lot of fans.
Final thoughts
The revelation of Sabito and Makomo as ghosts is a very poignant moment in the Demon Slayer series and they serve as a very solid motivation for Tanjiro when he is starting his journey. However, they don’t share any familial connections whatsoever in the story.
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