One of the reasons why Demon Slayer is such a compelling anime show is its colorful ensemble of characters. Fans aren’t only drawn to the likes of main protagonist Tanjiro Kamado or the Demon Slayer Hashira, but also to morally ambiguous characters like Genya Shinazugawa.
Despite an early appearance in the show, Genya has largely remained out of the spotlight and has noticeably been a lone wolf who refuses to work with anyone. Luckily, we may discover more about this brash Demon Slayer who was from Tanjiro’s batch of recruits in the upcoming Swordswith Village Arc which is currently in production.
Warning: Minor spoilers for those who have yet to watch the Demon Slayer anime.
Who is Genya Shinazugawa?
First appearing in episode four of the Final Selection Arc, Genya is portrayed as something of a foil to Tanjiro’s kind and thoughtful character. Rather than feeling excited or relieved that he’d passed the exam (unlike fellow recruits Tanjiro and Zenitsu), Genya displayed impatience, aggression, and even cruelty.
Nonetheless, he – alongside Tanjiro, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Kanao Tsuyuri, and Inosuke Hashibara – survived seven nights at the top of Fujikasane Mountain and was one of the individuals who became a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.
After passing the Final Selection exam, Genya immediately demanded his Nichirin Sword by intimidating Kanata Ubuyashiki, which resulted in a confrontation between the former and Tanjiro. He later chose an ore for his sword and departed for parts unknown.
The next time we see Genya is in episode 26 during the Rehabilitation Training Arc. He had grown significantly larger and taller, looking far more intimidating than the last time Tanjiro saw him.
Tanjiro noticed an odd smell coming from Genya when they passed each other in the hallway of the Butterfly Mansion as well.
Throughout the recent arcs, Demon Slayer’s main characters have encountered one Hashira after another and delved into Muzan Kibutsuji’s organization. As the lines between humans and demons continue to blur, fans have been hopeful that gray characters like Genya will be further explored.
We may have to wait until early 2023, but something tells us Genya may become a pivotal character as the story progresses.
is Nobuhiko Okamoto?
Genya’s voice actor, Nobuhiko Okamoto, is one of the top voice actors in Japan. He is best known for his roles in Haikyu!!, My Hero Academia, Food Wars, and Black Clover.
He won the award for best actor in a supporting role during the fifth Seiyu Awards in 2011 for his performances as Takumi Usui in Maid Sama!, Eiji Niizuma in Bakuman, and Accelerator in A Certain Magical Index.
