In episode 5 of the Hashira Training Arc of Demon Slayer, which premiered on Sunday, June 9, 2024, viewers witnessed Tanjiro joining Sanemi’s rigorous training regime. This particular episode triggered a barrage of backlash against Sanemi on various social media platforms such as X.
Sanemi Shinazugawa, who is currently known as the Wind Hashira and a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, is also the older sibling of Genya. His fiery temperament has earned him recognition, but it has also been the cause of backlash from the audience.
Please be aware that this article contains spoilers.
Reactions to Sanemi’s Actions in Latest Episode of Demon Slayer
In episode 5 of the Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc, titled “I Even Ate Demons…”, viewers witnessed a clash between brothers Genya and Sanemi. Despite being related, Sanemi adamantly refused to acknowledge Genya and even went as far as to suggest he leave the Demon Slayer Corps due to his perceived lack of skill. Sanemi’s anger only intensified when Genya remained stubborn and admitted to consuming a Demon.
Despite being in a fit of rage, Sanemi attempted to blind him, but Tanjiro intervened to stop him. This resulted in a confrontation between the two, as Tanjiro had recently joined Sanemi’s intense training regime.
During the episode, Sanemi informed Tanjiro that while the Corps’ rules prevented him from killing his brother, he was still willing to cause him severe harm. In addition, when Zenitsu insulted Sanemi, Genya stood up for him and continued to receive guidance from him during their training.
The complex relationship between the Shinazugawa brothers has garnered a variety of reactions from the audience, with a significant number expressing unfavorable opinions towards Sanemi.
Reactions to Sanemi’s Actions in Demon Slayer
Since the release of the latest episode, fans of Demon Slayer have divided into two main groups. One faction has been voicing their disapproval of Sanemi’s actions, while the other group shows understanding towards him and views any disparaging comments as an attack on Sanemi. Below are some examples of comments denouncing Sanemi.
“Now that the sanemi and genya scene got animated i think it’s reasonable to think sanemi was being an a*** in that scene. . like idgaf about their lore his reaction was a bit much,” wrote a fan, criticizing Sanemi’s conduct in episode 5.
“Also some sanemi fans need to stop acting like holding him accountable is us saying that “he doesn’t love genya” . we know sanemi loves genya, and his whole purpose of doing what he did was to protect genya. but it was the wrong way and he ended up hurting him instead,” wrote another, elaborating on why certain character traits and decisions ought to be scrutinized.
“Some fans just have to admit it: if you’re a broken soul and been through shitty times but deep inside believing it’s the only way you save your loved one IT DOESN’T JUSTIFY U BEING AN A***.”
“Sanemi is not a problem solver here, he’s a troublemaker,” echoed another fan of the anime.
Some have also attempted to defend the character and dismissed critics as those who slander Sanemi:
“When people say they’re genya’s number one fan but they mischaracterize him, slander sanemi because “he was about to hurt the poor baby 😭😭☹️☹️☹️”and s*** him even slightly just because he looks more like and adult or something like GET OUTTTTTTT,” wrote an X user.
“Just because his intentions are good, Sanemi’s way of doing it is cruel and unjust. He has the option to fight alongside Genya to protect him like the Kamado’s but instead he uses an extreme form of tough love and pays the price for it.”
“This is one of the themes to his character,” justified a fan.
“I’m sorry I’m not taking any sanemi slander I support him 1000% idc if he wanted to gauge genya’s eyes out for eating demons he’s a baby boy to me,” said another fan of the character.
The topic of characters, especially those who are morally ambiguous, never fails to pique my interest. While it is simple to form strong opinions about clearly good or bad characters, those with a blend of positive and negative traits often prompt us to contemplate moral dilemmas, resulting in more thought-provoking discussions.
Similarly, discovering that a villain has a tragic past or a virtuous character has imperfections can humanize them and elicit feelings of empathy. However, it is important to examine these characters objectively and not allow emotions to influence one’s perception.
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