If Demon Slayer Wants to Do Infinity Castle Right, It Must Nail My Favorite Battle of the Series

Spoilers for Demon Slayer's Infinity Castle arc!As Demon Slayer'slong-awaited Infinity Castle arc approaches, I am incredibly eager to see the manga's best fights adapted on the big screen. There are more battles in this action-packed section of the story than in any other arc, but it is not at all difficult for me to choose a favorite.

My favorite Infinity Castle fight is not just any ordinary neck and neck clash to the death, there is an additional layer of emotional intensity surrounding this particular duel, making it one of Demon Slayer's most significant. The battle in question is Zenitsu and the demon Kaigaku's final face off. Not only does this intense scene represent the series' most important values, like justice and avenging those who lost their lives needlessly, it allowed Zenitsu to have the conclusion to his arc that he deserved.

Zenitsu’s Mindset Changes Completely During His Fight With Kaigaku, Marking Major Progress in His Character Arc

Although He Is Exceptionally Talented Physically, His Mindset Held Him Back From Greatness For So Long

Zenitsu falling into the Infinity Castle

Although Zenitsu may be my favorite Demon Slayer character, I realize that a lot of other fans disagree with my opinion because of his cowardly behavior in earlier chapters. Zenitsu never wanted to become a demon slayer, and was essentially forced to enroll in the Demon Slayer Corps because he had no other option. Jigoro repaid a massive debt Zenitsu owed, when a woman deceived him and caused him to lose a substantial amount of money, and to repay Jigoro for his kindness, Zenitsu had to train under him and eventually become a demon slayer, since Jigoro once was the Thunder Hashira.

Since Zenitsu is a naturally anxious person, he struggled at first as a demon slayer. Although his Thunder Breathing skills and physical strength are incredible assets that other demon slayers should be jealous of, his attitude was his greatest obstacle, preventing him from truly excelling. Zenitsu has a negative reputation among fans because he often flees from danger or even faints from shock, but when he does apply himself, it becomes clear he is an exceptional prodigy. On his own, he has killed demons like the Tongue Demon and Spider Demon Son, proving his talents are not the problem.

Another Important Hero, Jigoro, is Avenged Through Zenitsu’s Actions

After Jigoro’s Death, Zenitsu Became Solemn and Motivated, Catching Even His Closest Friends off Guard

Demon Slayer's Jigoro puts a hand on Zenitsu's head at dawn.

What was Zenitsu's weakness was the sheer state of terror and dread he constantly lived in, petrified of encountering a demon and losing his life. For months, he threatened to quit, but right as he was on the verge of giving up, a tragedy occurred in his personal life that changed everything. Zenitsu's master, Jigoro, committed suicide out of shame when one of his former students, Kaigaku, turned to evil and became a demon. When he received a letter with this somber news, Zenitsu's fear and cowardice completely vanished, and his new vengeful mindset was born in an instant.

What I adore about this battle is how clearly it depicts Zenitsu's growth as a character, even before the fight itself begins. From the moment he read the letter, Zenitsu became scarily serious and motivated, to the point Tanjiro became concerned, because he had never seen his friend so solemn and quiet before. Zenitsu is so much more than a comic relief character, and his behavior leading up to his clash with Kaigaku makes this fact undeniable. Although Kaigaku is an Upper Rank, Zenitsu showed no terror, resolved to avenge the man who taught him everything and rescued him from a hopeless situation.

Zenitsu Finally Unleashes the Full Extent of His Thunder Breathing

The Hero Even Invented a Brand New Form of Breathing to Defeat Kaigaku, Showcased in the Fight

Demon Slayer Zenitsu using thunder breathing

Most of the Infinity Castle battles have an emotional component, such as Shinobu fighting the Upper Rank Two, Doma, to avenge her sister, Kanae. However, Zenitsu and Kaigaku's fight hits the hardest for me because Zenitsu's demeanor and actions during it feel so uncharacteristic, completely differing from the shy, cowering boy fans were introduced to at the beginning of the story. Zenitsu vs. Kaigaku is truly the peak of Zenitsu's character arc, and makes it abundantly clear that although he is often plagued by fear, his desire to protect others and stand for justice will always overpower his fright.

Jigoro shaped Zenitsu into the hero he is today, and Zenitsu slaughtering Kaigaku to avenge him is a satisfying full circle moment. Aside from the emotional impact of this battle, I also enjoy it the most because it is visually stunning and includes Zenitsu's best use of his Thunder Breathing yet, including a new seventh form. The fight itself is fairly brief, but only because Zenitsu's sheer power is much more overwhelming than it has ever been before, as he finally masters Thunder Breathing fully and uses the Breathing Style to slice off Kaigaku's head, in one of the coolest panels of themanga.

After This Battle, No One Can Deny That Zenitsu Is a Hero

Zenitsu’s Timidity Is Nowhere To Be Seen in This Scene, so He Has Finally Conquered His Greatest Weakness

The fact that Zenitsu took down Kaigaku alone is another aspect of the clash that makes it magnificent to me, because most of the other Infinity Castle battles feature multiple demon slayers fighting at once because of how formidable the villains in this arc are. Zenitsu never hesitated to confront Kaigaku on his own, refusing to even tell others about his plan. When Tanjiro begged Zenitsu to reveal what was bothering him, he simply informed Tanjiro, "this is one thing I have to do, no matter what," making it evident how dead serious Zenitsu was about fulfilling his duty without relying on others.

Zenitsu's use of Thunder Breathing against Kaigaku is jaw-dropping indeed, but his righteous, fearless attitude without a shred of fear made an even greater impact on me, cementing this particular battle as my favorite in the Infinity Castle arc. Jigoro's death was heartbreaking, but it served as the catalyst that caused Zenitsu to reach his potential, becoming nearly Hashira level in a mere instant. Out of all the Demon SlayerInfinity Castle fights, Zenitsu and Kaigaku's is the most significant, because it represents more than just a physical clash, it is Zenitsu's moment to prove himself as a hero once and for all.

trendglee