Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has seen massive growth in its popularity, which has eventually led to the series claiming the ‘best-selling manga of the year’ title in 2019.
While the manga has now concluded, the anime is still ongoing, and there’s a significant amount of story that’s yet to be covered.
As Kimetsu no Yaiba is almost entirely action-oriented, most of us are especially looking forward to the vivid and colorful fighting sequences being animated, as well as the moment when Nezuko finally becomes human again!
One of the main factors that set this series apart, the Nichirin Blades, will play a huge role in helping Tanjiro fulfill his goals.
However, it will also act as a double-edged sword, thanks to its dreadful omen. While the manga readers already know about the various ironies associated with Nichirin Swords, us anime watchers are blissfully unaware (hopefully).
Let us remain that way for a bit longer, and just talk about what these sword colors could possibly mean.
1. What are Nichirin Blades?
Nichirin blades, also known as Nichirin swords, are forged from Scarlet Crimson Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore, both found on Mt Yoko.
Due to being bathed in sunlight throughout the year, the materials continuously absorb sunlight, which is fatal to the demons.
Decapacitation of a demon with these blades is enough to provide them with eternal sleep, and it is one of the only ways a human can kill a Demon.
These blades are specifically made for and used by the Demon Slayer Corps.
After a Demon Slayer recruit chooses their ore, it will then be used by a swordsmith to model the blade in terms of shape and functionality while keeping its user in mind.
After Tanjiro passed the Final Selection and joined the corps, Hotaru, a swordsmith, appeared at Urokodaki’s house to deliver him his very own Nichirin blade.
However, after Tanjiro wielded his sword, it turned pitch black.
What could this mean? I’ll talk about this briefly in the article later on. For now, let’s see why the blades change color in the first place, and what they imply!
2. What do sword colors imply in Demon Slayer?
The Nichirin Blades also go by another name, that is, “color-changing swords.” The reason behind this name is that these weapons take on a distinct color when first wielded by its owners.
The reason these Nichirin Blades change color is that they are influenced by their owner’s talent, personality, and technique when first drawn.
Due to this, once the sword changes color, it becomes a representation of its user and their background.
For example, Giyu Tomioka, the Pillar of Water of the Demon Slayer Corps, wields a blue colored blade. His use of the Water Breath style, accompanied by his fluid and calm personality, makes blue a perfect color for his sword.
In contrast to Giyu, Mitsuri Kanroji wields a pink Nichirin Blade that perfectly depicts her Breath of Love style and emotional and passionate personality.
There are currently ten known colors that a sword can take on, each of which has a different meaning.
3. The Nichirin Blade Colors & Meanings
I. White
The first sword color on this list is white, which symbolizes mist. The demon slayer who wields a white Nichirin Blade is Muichiro Tokito, a Hashira and the Mist Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps.
He practices the Breath of Mist style, which is derived from the Breath of Wind.
Due to this, he also has a calm temperament and is often seen lost in his thoughts. His technique, absent-mindedness, and eccentric personality are aptly represented through the color white.
II. Grey
Next in line is the color grey, which symbolizes stone. The Stone Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, Gyomei Himejima, unlike traditional Nichirin swords, wields a grey colored hand-ax with a spiked flail attached to the hilt through a long chain.
Gyomei’s grounded and robust personality, accompanied by wisdom, makes grey a perfect match for him.
III. Yellow
Zenitsu Agatsuma wields a yellow Nichirin blade, which symbolizes thunder.
His practice of the Breath of the Thunder technique, combined with his explosive personality, makes this color an apt match.
The most interesting aspect of his blade is that while most Nichirin Blades take on their color entirely, in Zenitsu’s case, a solid yellow band runs down the length of his sword, forming a lightning bolt motif.
IV. Indigo-Grey
This unique color symbolizes a beast. Inosuke Hashibara practices the Breath of the Beast and wields two chipped blades of Indigo-grey to slay demons.
As the Breath of the Beast was developed by him while living his life in the mountains, the grey indigo-gray color embodies the animalistic nature of his personality — short temper, pride, and the inherent need to fight against the strong.
V. Pink
Fifth, in line, is the pink color, which symbolizes love. This color blade is used by Mitsuri Kanroji, one of the Hashira who practices the Breath of Love style.
Mitsuri’s emotional and passionate personality, accompanied by her courage when facing demons, makes this pink blade most suitable.
VI. Light Pink
A light pink blade symbolizes flowers. It is wielded by both Kanae Kocho and her sister Kanao Tsuyurii. Her style is usually dependent on speed and her reflexes, allowing very little presence in battle.
There are seven forms of the Breath of Flowers style, culminating in a style that renders the rest of the world slow. Due to their technique, and personality, the swords have taken on the color light-pink.
VII. Green
The green Nichirin Blade symbolizes wind and is wielded by Sanemi Shinazugawa of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Like the wrath of strong winds, Sanemi brings down the Demons due to his burning hatred towards them.
Sanemi’s rude and dismissive behavior is just like the wind that refuses to bow down to anyone. This accompanied by the breath style he’s mastered makes green an apt color for him.
VIII. Red
Kyojuro Rengoku of the Breath of Flames wields a red blade that symbolizes flame. The color red quite aptly captures his charismatic and energy-driven personality.
Kyojuro can bring raging flames down on his worst enemies, and just like Zenitsu, his blade takes the form of a flame motif down the length of his sword.
However, in the manga’s later chapters, we see some swords taking on a red color on top of their original. The reason behind this is exposure to intense heat that raises its temperature.
These swords are known to hamper the regeneration of demons and, in some cases, burn them on a cellular level.
During the fight against Muzan, when Sanemi forcefully clashed his sword with Giyu’s, both of their blades temporarily red.
It is assumed that the reason their swords turned red was that Giyu had his Demon Slayer Mark, which allowed him to raise his body’s temperature and, in turn, his sword.
IX. Blue
The color blue symbolizes water. Giyu Tomioka, the Pillar of Water of the Demon Slayer Corps, wields this blade. His use of the Water Breath style, accompanied by his fluid and calm personality, makes blue a perfect color for his sword.
X. Black
Our main character, Tanjiro Kamado, wields a black Nichirin blade, and just like any other protagonist, his weapon is indeed special.
As it turns out, black Nichirin swords are very rare, and because of that, the symbolism behind it is virtually unknown.
The only piece of information available about the color black is that the wielders of this blade always die young.
While the exact meaning behind the color black is unknown, some theories and hypotheses are placed together from bits and pieces of information available.
One theory states that black symbolizes charcoal to reference Tanjiro’s past job.
Others believe that it symbolizes the Sun Style, which is the original and an almost extinct style. Interestingly, black is also the color that absorbs the most sunlight — a major weakness of demons.
4. Why is Tanjiro’s sword black?
Due to its rarity, there is not much known about the color black.
However, it is believed that since Tanjiro uses the exceedingly rare Dance of the Fire God, i.e., the Sun Breathing style, which is the origin of all other forms, his sword takes on the color black.
5. About Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoge. Its publication in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump began in February 2016 with 19 collected tankōbon volumes released as of present.
In a world filled with demons and demon slayers, Kimetsu no Yaiba follows the lives of two siblings Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado after— the murder of their family at the hands of a demon.
Their hardship does not end there, as Nezuko’s life is spared only for her to live as a demon.
As the oldest sibling, Tanjiro vows to protect and cure his sister. The story traces the bond of this brother-sister or better yet, demon slayer and demon combo against the odds of an arch antagonist and the society.
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