In the first episode of the series, we were introduced to monsters that instantly killed the Tanjiro family and made his sister into a demon.
Their strength was vastly over humans, and with their speedy regenerative capabilities, it seemed nearly impossible to defeat the demon.
That was until Tanjiro was accepted into his fellow members of the Demon Slayer corps and was equipped with a fancy demon-killing blade.
Our protagonist is all set up, he’s on his quest to exact justice and discover a way to get a cure for his daughter!
First, let’s discuss the new sword he got. The incident that occurred with Tanjiro isn’t just the fact that her sister got slain but he also received a “Death Sword.” (Talk about drawing short straws!)
There is a rumor that Black swordsmen like Tanjiro will die young, however, it’s rare to see such a scenario occur in the same way to the character. (except that he died for a time)
There are no more spoilers! Let’s talk about this mysterious blade. Does it have a distinctive feature that’s similar to the other blades?
What is the significance behind it? The Tanjiro’s weapon isn’t normal, is it?
What is a Nichirin Blade?
Nichirin blades are steel specifically designed for blades Demon Slayer Corps members use to take down demons.
Based on the Demon Slayer manga (which could be considered to be”the “bible” of the anime series)
The blade is constructed of iron sand in scarlet crimson and scarlet crimson ore that is gathered from the mountains.
However, the material isn’t sourced from any single mountain. They’re sourced from mountain ranges that rise in the sky, which means they’re bathed in sunshine throughout the year, without interruption from rain or being blocked by sunlight.
The blade is constructed of an element that has taken in sunlight, the only factor that kills demons.
A distinct feature of this Nichirin blade is the fact that they change colors after their owners pick their blades at first.
Each color symbolizes a distinct source of inspiration or element and also the personas and types of power each demon slayer possesses.
You can see the distinction between each of them in the following:
Black Nichirin Blade
The most intriguing color of the sword that comes from Demon Slayer is the one Kanjiro is armed with.
The black blade is a symbol of the Sun and is often surrounded by myths and prejudices. historically, every demon slayer that used it lived a short existence.
This could suggest that Tanjirou will change the rules and establish an undisputed legend of Nichirin blades of black within the Demon Slayer universe.
Additionally, black is often seen as an absorption that encompasses all hues.
This could indicate that Tanjirou is poised to navigate through the colors of swords and breath is a demon-slaying method that allows them to develop the power they have within them to defend themselves against the sword.
The person who wields this gray Nichirin blade breaks through the patterns and demonstrates that the Nichirin isn’t required to be employed as a sword.
Gyomei Himejima wears the gray blade which represents that of the Stone however instead of an actual sword, he has an ax that is attached to chains.
Oddly, the character of Gyomei is in complete contrast to Stone.
He’s calm and kind and is always crying, despite being one of the most powerful demon slayers.
What shade is Tanjiro’s sword?
Nichirin swords from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, also called Nichirin swords and Demon Slaying blades, are created from a unique mineral that constantly absorbs sunlight.
Due to this unique feature, the blades are utilized by the Demon Slayer Corps to slay demons.
After Tanjiro completed his Final Selection and joined the Corps, Hotaru, a swordsmith was at Urokodaki’s home to hand Tanjiro his exclusive Nichirin Blade.
Both Tanjiro’s instructors Urokodaki and Hotaru believed that the sword would change color to red, due to the burgundy-colored hair and eyes.
Hotaru even said that the color could be a good stroke of luck.
However, once Tanjiro used the knife, it went into a dark shade, which was believed to bring bad luck to the person who used it.
It is believed that the users of the Black Nichiren blade will not be able to go very far, and they will pass away young, just like their predecessors.
What caused Tanjiro’s sword to turn black?
The reason for the sword of Tanjiro turning black is not clear, some hypotheses and theories have been compiled from fragments of information we have available.
When we examine Zenitsu’s swords, it is adorned with an unmistakably yellow band that runs along the length in line with Zenitsu’s Thunder Breath style.
Inosuke however, on contrary, practices the Beast’s Breath and the sword is an indigo-grey shade.
In taking all of these factors into account it is possible to conclude that the way a person breathes is a major influence on the color of the sword.
In this instance, since Tanjiro uses the unusual Dance of the Fire God, i.e., the Sun Breathing style, which is the genesis of all styles, it is logical that his sword is black.
There is a belief that when the color of a Nichirin sword is given a color and then it doesn’t change.
But, the sword of Tanjiro was able to acquire an indefinite red hue and I’ll go over that in this article, too.
What are the meanings of colors in swords what do the colors of swords mean in Demon Slayer?
Nichirin swords are also known under another name, which is “color-changing swords.”
The reason for this is that these weapons have a distinct hue based on the user’s characteristics at the time of first using them.
For instance, Giyu Tomioka, the Pillar of Water of the Demon Slayer Corps is armed with a blue-colored blade.
His preference for the Water Breath style, accompanied by his calm and fluid temperament, makes blue the ideal shade for the sword he wields.
Contrasting with Giyu, Mitsuri Kanroji wields a Pink Nichirin Blade that perfectly depicts her Breath of Love look and an emotional and passionate character.
Our protagonist, Tanjiro Kamado, wields a black Nichirin sword, and as with any other character, his weapon is unique.
In the end, it is black Nichirin swords are uncommon, and due to this, the meaning associated with them is largely unknown.
To keep up with the tragic themes of the show, the only bit of information on this black sword is an indication that states that the holder of the sword will always end up dying young. Could this be a hint of Tanjiro’s demise?
Manga readers are sure to think they do. As with other users, Tanjiro indeed died young although this was for only a brief time.
If this was an indication of a future event or just an accident The creator is the only one who knows.
Are Nichirin swords able to change their color multiple times?
When wielding the Nichirin sword is when it changes shade that best reflects the characteristics of the user and stays in that color for all time.
In the manga’s final chapters, we can see swords changing to a red color over their initial.
In the end, Nichirin Swords are unable to change color more than one time. They change color only when they are used by the owner in the very first instance.
The swords, however, Demon Slayer swords do come with a feature of temporary changing color in certain conditions.
One of the reasons Nichirin swords change color to crimson red is due to exposure to extreme heat, which raises the temperature.
The swords may hinder the regeneration process of demons and sometimes destroy them at a cellular level.
There have been just a handful of characters that have had their swords change colors like Tomioka and Sanemi.
In the fight against Muzan in which Sanemi firmly struck his sword against Giyu’s sword, both blade colors changed to red.
It is believed that the reason why their swords became red was that Giyu was wearing His Demon Slayer Mark, which allowed him to increase the temperature of his body and, it was a result, that of his sword.
Tanjiro’s Red Sword
If you’re not sure about this section, you haven’t read the manga and probably don’t know the spoilers.
In his battle with Muzan during which Tanjiro utilized the Sun Breathing style, his Nichirin blade, which was black, turned red as well as gave him the power to hinder the increased regeneration of Muzan.
The reason why Tanjiro’s sword turned red?
This is a question that is difficult to answer in the sense that it was not explicitly mentioned within the comic.
But I do have a well-known theory and an alternate explanation to explain the phenomenon.
One reason that the sword’s color changes could be because swords turn red when exposed to intense heat. This is a fairly well-studied and scientifically confirmed phenomenon.
Another reason that may affect Tanjiro’s blade changing color from red could be the Demon Slayer Mark.
These marks allow wearers to color their swords in red and confer the same characteristics that hinder the regeneration of the demon.
Red Nichirin Blade
Red can mean the intensity of a situation and in the case of Demon Slayer, this isn’t anymore so.
Red is the symbol of Flame, as well as Kyojuro Rengoku’s eccentric and expansive personality, is reflected in this.
The fire breathing creates amazing visuals, such as The Dance of the Fire God, which became one of the show’s most popular scenes (beware of spoilers from Season 1 at the hyperlink).
Amber Nichirin Blade
The amber blade symbolizes Sound and is a weapon used by Tengen Uzui.
It is believed that Sound Breathing uses noise to disorient enemies, and the people who use it have a very advanced perception of sound.
Tengen uses his blades in different weapons. The amber Nichirin blade can be found in a kusarigama set which is a hand weapon.
Yellow Nichirin Blade
The yellow blades originate from Thunder and in both anime and manga, the character is Zenitsu Agatsuma.
Agatsuma is a child who is terrified of the shadow of himself, but when placed under pressure, can unleash a sharp and quick character who can cause chaos with his sword.
Blue Nichirin Blade
The most famous swords that we see in Season 1.
The blue sword symbolizes Water as well as its owner Giyu Tomioka, who utilizes it to perform fluid moves that make him an expert and deadly killer.
The actions that Giyu uses for his breathing in water resemble the ocean.
It’s a tranquil body of water that could be deadly in certain circumstances.
Indigo-gray Nichirin Blade
The indigo-gray blade represents Beasts and, as such, the person who wields it in the show wears a huge head of hogs as a cape to conceal his face.
Inosuke Hasibira is also using two swords simultaneously and both cannot only take out the demon but also make an unclean mess of it.
The swords are made with sharp edges that resemble the predator’s teeth.
Green Nichirin Blade
Breathing, which has inspired numerous other techniques is symbolized in the color green sword.
The wind is the component of the Nichirin blade in green and Sanemi Shinazugawa is the person who uses the sword as Demon Slayer.
His eccentric personality led to an extremely dangerous reception when Tanjirou was taken to a place that was very special towards the end of the first season.
Pink Nichirin Blade
The pink blade symbolizes Love and may appear like an abstract concept when placed alongside other blades.
However, it is explained that “The Love Breathing” has a peculiar character, and was created by the Nichirin blade’s pink wielder Mitsuri Kanroki.
She was influenced by the “Flame Breathing” when she was instructed in the art of Kyojuro Rengoku.
Her sword is unusual: it’s small and looks like a whip and she’s the only person that can use it correctly.
White Nichirin Blade
The white of the Demon Slayer color scheme symbolizes the mist and is the character of Muichiro Tokito, the character in both the anime and manga series.
Mist Breathing is usually linked to a calm and detached personality as well as Muichiro doesn’t let his emotions hinder his judgment.
This color of the sword comes with techniques that are derived from wind breathing.
Lavender Nichirin blade
This blade symbolizes the Serpent and is the reason Obanai’s sword looks like the body of the snake.
The Serpent Breathing is derived from Water Breathing and the techniques are similar to the actions that the creature depicts.
Light Pink Nachirin Blade
The origin of the Water Breathing, the light pink Nachirin blade symbolizes the Flower which is utilized by Kanao Tsuyuri as well as Kanae Koucho, the twin demon slayers who created their Breathing.
Purple Nachirin Blade
The purple blade symbolizes the Moon and is the exact opposite of the sword Tanjirou makes use of.
This is the sword one of the antagonists of the series thus yet, Kokushibo, wields.
Moon Breathing is an improved version of Sun Breathing, which was improved by the application of some obscure techniques.
