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The history of Kokushibou from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the tale of a moon that could not become the sun.
Past: A Moon Overshadowed by the Sun[]
Early life[]
Kokushibo as a Child
Nearly five hundred years ago Kokushibou was born during the turbulent Sengoku Era (translated as Warring State Period) of medieval Japan to a family of Samurai as Mitchikatsu Tsugikuni. During this time feudal military barons with private armies constantly fought one another for supremacy, plunging the whole Japan into long bloody civil war. Alliances were forged only to be broken, people dead or dying in large numbers with their corpses littering the land, and the threat of power-hungry subordinates usurping their superiors were prevalent. Born into such an environment, Michikatsu had to constantly keep his guard up and understand his own position to survive - this habit persisted even after becoming a Demon, and because of this upbringing Michikatsu/Kokushibou does not tolerate Lowers attempting to defy Uppers (hence him punishing Akaza the Upper Moon 3 for turning upon Douma who is Upper Moon 2). Michikatsu was the elder twin brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the first user of the Breath of the Sun. The twin brothers were amongst the very first group of Breath style users, with Mitchikasu being the user of the Breath of Moon.
In a young age, Michikatsu always looked after his younger twin brother, Yoriichi, and gave him a flute as a gift. Michikatsu sympathized that Yoriichi's life was difficult and suffered discriminatory treatment from their own father. Then there came a day Mitchikatsu's view of Yoriichi would shatter beyond repair: during a typical kendo lesson, Yoriichi came up and held a wooden sword duel against the instructor whom Mitchikatsu could not defeat no matter how hard and what tricks he tried to pull. Yoriichi who up until this point never held a sword in his life - defeated the kendo instructor decidedly and unilaterally much to Michikatsu's shock. Still struggling to piece together what he just saw, Michikatsu asked how Yoriichi managed to win, Yoriichi told him what techniques he used: unique breathing that enhances his physical attributes and another technique that allows Yoriichi to move faster and see through his opponents' anatomy - would later come to be known as See-Through World. But Yoriichi was not pleased with violence kendo made him to use, and he quickly lost further interest in swordsmanship. But Michikatsu is concerned. That Yorichii was revealed to be a strong, admirable and prodigious swordsman who would no doubt threaten Michikatsu's position as a successor to the clan.
Then one day, Yoriichi came to inform Michikatsu that their mother died of illness and Yoriichi himself would enter monastery, never to return. After Yoriichi left his house, Michikatsu read diary left by his late mother and realized many uncomfortable truths about his brother, who was not at all what he seemed to be. Realizing truths about Yoriichi, Michikatsu's brotherly feeling towards Yoriichi developed into full-blown jealousy and rivalry between brothers fostered. After Yoriichi left, Mitchikatsu inherited the position of the clan lord, and became the samurai he wanted to be. Time went on and Michikatsu gradually began to forget Yoriichi, living in a peaceful life, getting married and fathered a son.
One night on a routine patrol, Mitchikatsu and his men were attacked by a Demon. Only Michikatsu was saved - by Yoriichi. Seeing his brother matured into even better samurai than he ever could, Michikatsu's jealousy rekindled. Mitchikatsu left his family in order to pursue his brother's back.
However, things were not going well from Michikatsu's point of view: every time he tried hard and finally seemed to inching closer to Yoriichi in terms of power, there came ever greater gap in skill, further frustrating the older brother. Still, with patience, Michikatsu trained hard. Eventually Michikatsu developed his own Demon Slayer Mark and also developed the Breath of the Moon based upon the Breath of the Sun, reaching towards his brothers' peak of power. Just as Michikatsu believed that he too will ultimately reach Yoriichi's talent in due time, his life made a drastic turn when he discovered those who developed Demon Slayer Mark greatly shortened lifespan and made them live until they were 25 years old at maximum. When he received news of Slayer Mark wielders dying in a young age, Mitchikatsu became disillusioned and believed that he too will die one day after his 25th birthday, with no one to inherit his skills and never would be able to surpass Yoriichi.
Kokushibou making his fateful choice.
Under the fear of his own death, Mitchikatsu made a pact with Muzan Kibutsuji, who approached him. Muzan (in addition to having an interest of converting Demon Slayer into a Demon) explained to Michikatsu that by becoming Demon Michikatsu would avoid death by Demon Slayer Mark and be able to maintain, train, enhance and hone his Breathing swordsmanship skills for eternity. Mitchikatsu accepted the offer for eternal life and power, and became a demon in the process. Not long after becoming a Demon, Michikatsu - now christened as Kokushibou, betrayed Demon Slayer Corps and assassinated the corps' commander by decapitating him. Kokushibou then took the former Corps commander's head to Muzan as the pledge of loyalty to the Demon lord. This act of betrayal led to his brother Yoriichi severely denounced and reprimanded by his fellow Demon hunters, nearly being forced to commit seppuku as restitution. Fortunately Yoriichi was spared by the young son of the deceased Corps commander and only dismissed from Demon Slayer Corps.
For the next sixty years, Mitchikatsu came to discovery that his brother also awakened the same kind of mark but became the sole exception at the time to awaken his own power.
Love-Hate Relation with Yoriichi[]
Presumably under Muzan's order, hunted down his brother for six decades, and discovered that while Yoriichi had developed the mark as well, he managed to live pass 25. When Kokushibou find him, Yoriichi was already an old man in his eighties.
Kokushibo wounded by Yoriichi
Surprised that his brother managed to live a long age even with the mark, Kokushibo believed that he had never met his brother for sixty years. He kept questioning why Yoriichi was still alive. However, Yoriichi tearfully replied that his brother's choice was such a pity. Kokushibo saw his brother's tears and was deeply guilt-ridden about his jealousy and choice.
However, knowing the brothers will destinied to slay each other, Kokushibo still determined to kill Yoriichi, knowing he was too senile to live any longer. While holding pity towards his brother, Yoriichi preceeded to fight him before landing a slash on Kokushibo's shoulder. The latter felt seriously repressed by an unseen force and was awe-struck by fear. Shocked, Kokushibou realized that his brother's strength never faded in spite of his age and frail state. Getting jealous over it, Kokushibou decided to finish off his brother and their sixty-year-old feud with spite.
Feeling that the next slash will be a fatal attack, Kokushibo turned around and prepared to land his attack before Yoriichi could behead him, realizing that Yoriichi was the very same warrior that was so strong that he even cornered Muzan himself once when he was younger. However, once he turned around, Kokuboshi discovered that Yoriichi stood still, before tle latter let his katana and head down. Immediately, Kokushibou came to the conclusion that Yoriichi was dead, much to his own grief.
However, that grief soon turned into disgust, as he thought his human brother left this world with a win, and Kokushibou cut Yoriichi's corpse into pieces in order to spite him. In the process, the flute he gave to his younger brother was cut into pieces.
Corrupting Kaigaku[]
Kaigaku surrendered to Kokushibo and accepted Muzan's blood to become a demon
After the death of his brother, Kokushibo continued on to devour humans and hunt down swordsman, before becoming the Upper Moon One and subsquently Muzan's strongest subordinate. Many years before the story started, Kokushibo had a confrontation with Kaigaku, one of the youngest Demon Slayers at the time, who was overpowered and defeated. Impressed by Kokushibou's strength, Kaigaku cowardly surrendered himself to Kokushibo.
Seeing Kaigaku begging for mercy and his service, Kokushibo then offered his own blood and the power given by Muzan. He claimed that Kaigaku will become his companion if he accepted the blood and then if Muzan is willing to accept him as an ally, but then he threatened to Kaigaku that if a drop of blood was spilled, he would be chopped into pieces.
With great care, Kaigaku accepted Muzan's blood from Kokushibou and became a demon, trying to fulfill his desire to become stronger. After Kaigaku becoming a demon, his master committed suicide out of sheer guilt and shame.
Red Lights District Arc[]
Meeting of the Upper Moons[]
Kokushibo made his debut in the Upper Moons' meeting after the deaths of both Gyuutarou and Daki, the duo of Upper Moon Six. He was berated by Muzan for his (and other Upper Moons') constant failure and calmly accepted it. During the meeting, Kokushibo watched as Douma sarcastically insulted Akaza, infuriating the latter so hard that he sliced Douma's head in half.
As a punishment to Azaka's disrespectful behavior, an irritated Kokushibou covertly sliced off the former's hand due to his violation of the hierarchy of the Upper Moon system, claiming that Akaza had gone too far and enforcing the system. He then suggested that if Akaza was really disgusted by Douma, he should fight Douma in a bloody fight in to take his place. Akaza agreed and challenged both Douma and Kokushibou, something the latter wished him luck before departing.
Dimensional Infinite Fortress Arc[]
Kokushibou VS. Muchiro[]
During the Infinite Fortess Arc, the Upper Moons went into a fiery final battle against the Slayers after Muzan attacked the base of Demon Slayers and teleported almost the entire team into his lair, the Dimentional Infinity Fortress. During battles, Kokushibou was seen alone in his room when he heard about Akaza's defeat at Tanjiro's hands and his subsquent suicide. Kokushibou lamented how pitiful and weak Akaza was to have abandoned his ambition to become stronger, indicating that Kokushibou actually took Akaza's declaration of challenge seriously and was even looking forward to their duel that never came.
As Kokushibou was waiting for his opponent, he soon gained his wish and encountered Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Pillar, who was transported to the same room as Kokushibou. With his deduction skills, Kokushibou recognized that Muichiro was his descendant, born from a bloodline that was carried on by Kokushibou's child when he was still human, although his original family name no longer existed.
Surprised that the Upper Moon One was his ancestor, Muichiro became determined to defeat him then marched on for the fight against Kokyshibou, revealing his Demon Slayer mark that was activated in his confrontation against Gyokko. Seeing Muichiro having such strong skills in a mere age of fourteen, Kokushibou was impressed and proud of him. He praised Muichiro to be such a young warrior, believing it must the product of his own family's bloodline.
Nevertheless, Muichiro denied Kokushibou's theory. They began to fight against each other, but Kokushibou quickly overpowered his descendant and cut off one of his arms. Nevertheless, Muichiro quickly tightened his arm to stop the bleeding, before he continued to fight.
Seeing this, Kokushibo became even more impressed and decide to spare him by pinning Muichiro against a column effortlessly. He then offered a chance to Muichiro to serve Muzan as a demon so that he can continue to live.
Fighting Shinazugawa Brothers[]
Kokushibo cutting off Genya's arm
However, their discussion was interrupted by Genya Shinazugawa when the latter start shooting his Nichirin Gun at the Upper Moon One. Kokushibo easily avoided the gunshot. He then appeared behind Genya and then dismembered him, while recognizing Genya to be the one who ate demons. Then, seeing Genya still alive, Kokushibou realized that Genya was unlike the other imitation demon three hundred years ago, so he decided to behead him.
Fortunately, before Kokushibou could proceed, Genya was rescue by his brother, Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Pillar, who accepted Genya's apologies and came to understand his younger brother, and vice versa. Shinazugawa Brothers finally reconciled with each other after their years of feud. Watching the entire scene, Kokushibo had a nostalgic feeling of him fighting alongside his late brother, Yoriichi, before he snapped out of his sad feelings and began to duel Sanemi.
Very briefly during the fight, Kokushibo was slightly stalled by the skill of Sanemi. However, he still retained his composure and fought with expeirence of fighting a past Wind Pillar, dealing a serious wound on Sanemi and stating that moving would lead to his entails to spill out. However, Sanemi was unfazed. Laughing fearlessly, Sanemi proceeded to use his rare blood to lure the demon, in the very same way he once tried to test Nezuko and prove her threat, but failed since Nezuko recalled her human past and refused to attack him.
Kokushibo overpowering Sanemi
Unlike Nezuko who managed to resist, Kokushibou was briefly mesmerized by Sanemi's rare blood, but then he refused to buy it. He regained his composure and overpowered Sanemi with his Moon Breathing - Sixth Form. He then decided to deal a significant blow to Sanemi, but his attack was interrupted by Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Pillar, who came to rescue. Now getting surrounded by three opponents, Kokushibou struggled to retain himself and observed Gyomei's skills. He was impressed by the physical skill and build of Gyomei, stating he had not fight a immensely strong and powerful swordsman like Gyomei for three hundred years.
Getting Serious[]
Following an intense struggle, Gyomei awakened his Demon Slaying Mark on himself to fight Kokushibou, though stating once it was his trump card he meant to save for Muzan, much to Kokushibou's concern. Because Gyomei was already 27 years old, his current state shortened his lifespan into just one night, and he will be dead by dawn.
Feeling pity for such a talented person could not live through the end of night, Kokushibou then proposed to save Gyomei's life by turning him into a demon, but Gyomei rejected the offer and claimed that Kokushibou's offereing was an insult to humanity, before stating that there was one certain swordsman who managed to live passed his 25th birthday even with his mark awakened, possibly referring to Yoriichi, which made Kokushibou emotionally disturbed for a bit. Realizing that Gyomei will never join him, Kokushibou cynically scorned his faith on humanity and engaged into battle once more.
Meanwhile, Sanemi managed to seize the chance and stitched his wounds, before rejoining the fray and attacking Kokushibou. Deciding to go serious, Kokushibo evolved his own katana and turned into what appeared to be a elongated sword with three extending blades. He managed to overpower Sanemi and continue to battle his opponents.
During the meantime, the fight became so intense that Kokushibou had a part of his hair severed and his blade broken, but they always regenerated. Seizing the chance, Muichiro managed to free himself from the column and helped Genya by reattaching his body and feeding him a piece of Kokushibo's hair. Since Kokushibou's power was only behind Muzan, even his hair served the same effect as his blood, which contained some of the Upper Moon One's blood. Absorbing the power of Kokushibou, Genya then started to mutate and began to syncronized with the mind of Kokushibou, before hearing Muzan's voice inside his head.
Turn of the Table[]
On the battlefield, Gyomei and Sanemi stalled Kokushibou back as Muichiro rejoined the fight. Kokushibou was busy fighting three Pillars, without noticing that Genya swallowed a piece of his shattered blade and mutated even further.
Meanwhile, Kokushibou discovered that Gyomei managed to predict his own action and probably see through his weakness, even though he was blind. Kokushibou came to conclusion that Gyomei also possessed the ability of See-Through World. As a result, he used the Sixteenth Style of the Breath of the Moon against the Pillars. Muichiro managed to get close to Kokushibou and cut off the demonic swordsman's right arm, at the cost of a leg.
Struggling against Kokushibou, Muichiro shouted at Gyomei to take action right now. Kokushibou then discovered Genya, now barely human in appearance, aimed the now mutated Nichirin Gun at him. Heeding Muichiro's encouragement, Gyomei fired bullets at Kokushibou, who tried to deflect it with his katana. However, the bullets changed their track, narrowly missed Muichiro and hit Kokushibou's arm, much to his dismay.
Shocked, Kokushibou then laid his eyes on Gyomei and discovered that his gun was covered in demon eyes, just like the own katana of Kokushibou, making him realized that Gyomei absorbed his own power. Before Kokushibou could react, Gyomei used the Blood Demon Art he gained from his mutation to turn the bullets into branches, trapping Kokushibou in a tree.
Seizing the chance, the three Pillars immediately marched on and prepared to give him one last strike. Now, being fully struck by horror and getting paralyzed by the nervous feeling, Kokushibou recalled his last confrontation with his brother 400 years ago, knowing that the latter was the very first man who drove him into such fear, as he faced the imminent danger right in front of him.
Last Stand & Death[]
Kokushibo's Transcendent form
Enraged as his deceased brother was once again about to be proven right, Kokushibou is now more than ever determined to survive and sprouted blades all over his body, cutting Muichiro and Genya in half, respectively at the waist and spine, before fatally injured Sanemi and Gyomei. However, it did not stop their attack. Being cut up horizontally, Muichiro held his blade which turned red, similar to the phoenomena when the Breath of the Sun was activated, and seered through Kokushibou's organs. The remaining slayers began landing blow on him as well, ending with Gyomei and Sanemi beheading him.
However, much to their horror, Kokushibou's head regenerated and turned into a much more monstrous form. At first, Kokushibou began celebrate about himself conquering death, but then he began to feel only disgust when he saw his own reflection on Sanemi's blade. Eventually, Kokushibou remembered his original goal and began to feel remorseful over his discard of humanity. He ceased attack due to being distracted by his own thoughts, indirectly allowing Gyomei giving one final blow on his head. Kokushibou attempted to regenerate once more, but due to Muichiro's blade, his Blood Demon Art failed. He failed to regenerate twice and began to crumble.
As his shattered head was fading away, Kokushibou bitterly claimed all he wanted was to be like his own brother, Yoriichi. He began his own reminiscence over his past and his childhood, his marriage, his fall from grace, and eventually, his murder of Yoriichi. Lost in consfuion over the meaning of his existence, Kokushibou broke down in sadness while asking Yoriichi about this in vain, before he completely perished for good. The only thing remained was his possession of some sliced up pieces of flute, which is the same flue he made for Yoriichi when they were children - and the same one he once chopped into pieces indirectly when he mutilated his brothers' corpse.
Kokushibou's death announced the total extermination of the original Upper Moons. After Kokushibou's death, Genya and Muichiro passed away due to their injury. Stricken by grief, Sanemi and Gyomei vowed to destroy Muzan once and for all.
Burning Brightly, Burning Brightly[]
Kokushibou's final fate.
Kokushibou was last seen being burnt in hell all alone, condemned to be immolated by hellfire for eternity without ever reuniting with any of his loved ones. Unlike his fellow Oni Akaza and lesser Oni Rui, both of whom redeemed upon regained their humanity and returned to their human forms, Kokushibou seemed to remain as an Oni. Also whereas Rui, Akaza reunited their respective loved ones and made peace with them, there was no one for Kokushibou to reunite. Also unlike Rui and Akaza, whose loved ones loved them so much so that they went to hell with them to share their sufferings, Kokushibou is all alone to be tortured and there was no one to share his torment. This also meant that his brother could not reunite with Kokushibou either - a tragic denouement for both siblings who began their lives in tragedy and ended in tragedy.
His damnation in hell was a terrible end for a man who willingly severed all ties of love with his family along with his own humanity. He lived alone, died alone, and now must suffer horribly for his crimes alone forever.
Beyond the Sanzu River[]
In the bonus chapter that deals with the immediate aftermath of the Demon Slayer Corps' final battle against Muzan, Kokushibou is shown to be in hell, seemingly adjusted to his damned afterlife in contrast to previously shown being burnt by hellfire for eternity. When interviewed what it was like to encounter the user of Breath of Rock combat style, Kokushibou commented that he (Gyomei Himejima) reminded Kokushibou of the staue of Nioh King.