This article is written by guest contributor Kyle Lantion. Kyle is an avid comic fan and loves all things comic-related. So much so that his favorite tabletop hobby is painting minis for Marvel Crisis Protocol and other miniatures. When he’s not painting, he’s probably playing in or Judging Flesh and Blood TCG Tournaments all around the city.

Throughout the series, we see characters like Tanjiro Kamado grow from powerless to one of the most powerful slayers in the anime. From the get-go, we knew Tanjiro would become a strong slayer on the level of a Hashira (He’s the main character, duh!). A character we didn’t expect to grow beyond the role of comic relief in the earlier stages of the manga and anime was Zenitsu Agatsuma. He’s gone from a hapless side character to a badass thunder god. This fan favorite has proven himself to be more than just a comedic inclusion but a main character through and through. Join us as we recount his journey from Hopeless womanizer to successor to the Thunder Hashira!

Who Is Zenitsu Agatsuma?

To give a brief background on Zenitsu Agatsuma, he was the former Thunder Hashira, Jigoro Kuwajima’s junior disciple, the senior being a boy named Kaigaku. While Kaigaku flourished and learned every Thunder breathing form except for the first, Zenitsu struggled and only managed to learn the first form. His senior ridiculed him because of this and made him feel inferior. Despite his lack of talent and ability, Jigoro still encouraged Zenitsu to keep working on his training and perfect the first form. 

We’re first introduced to Zenitsu during the Demon Slayer recruitment test. He was first portrayed as a character who knows nothing but fear and will most likely die during the test, but surprisingly passes. This would become a recurring theme with Zenitsu. He would be placed in situations that fans wouldn’t expect him to overcome alone or, at the very least, be saved by Tanjiro. However, we would be repeatedly proven wrong as Zenitsu conquers every challenge with his eyes closed (quite literally, actually). As the series progresses, we see him grow from being cowardly and lucky to become a serious and brave slayer worthy of being the Thunder Hashira’s disciple.

Just How Strong Is He?

We have seen from countless moments in the anime that Zenitsu is more than capable of taking down demons stronger than him and is skilled enough to be considered a formidable swordsman. This is all countered, however, by his crippling lack of self-confidence and cowardice. This is why most of his wins in the series happened when he was unconscious or unaware of his situation. Without his constant worrying and self-doubt, Zenitsu demonstrates skills far beyond that of his fellow slayers. This is demonstrated in his ability to use the first form, the very foundation of Thunder Breathing, in creative and flexible ways. For example, he uses the first form, six fold, wherein he does the first form six times at lightning speed.

What Changed?

Toward the end of the Hashira training arc, he receives a letter from his hometown. He learns that Jigoro has committed seppuku after discovering that Kaigaku became an upper moon for Muzan. Enraged by this, Zenitsu’s whole demeanor changes, and we are faced with a determined and serious Zenitsu who is void of fear or hesitation. He is resolved to avenge his master and take down his former senior in the final showdown. 

Is Zenitsu Agatsuma Hashira-level?

In the final fight with Kaigaku, Zenitsu is shown to be at a major disadvantage. Not only was Kaigaku stronger than him when they were trainees, but his senior was also now an Upper Moon Six demon and could manifest real lighting using his demon blood arts. Despite all this, Zenitsu shows exactly why Jigoro saw the two of them as equals. Perfecting the first form gave Zenitsu a massive advantage over Kaigaku, who could not learn the basic foundation of Thunder breathing and was eventually taken down by a form of Zenitsu’s own creation: Thunder Breathing Seventh Form: Flaming Thunder God.

Not only has Zenitsu shown great martial prowess and ability despite his lack of innate talent, but he was able to defeat an Upper Moon Six demon, an accomplishment most hashiras are required to do to cement their position as hashira. Over time, Zenitsu has proven to be the complete successor to Jigoro’s legacy.

You can watch Zenitsu and Demon Slayer on Netflix.

Zenitsu Agatsuma’s story is pretty straightforward, so how about a more complicated one like Muzan and Tamayo? Read all about it below!

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The Relationship Of Muzan And Tamayo: Everything You Need To Know