💫4bditori🪳

Before we get down into the nitty-gritty, I feel that I should first clarify what 'En Media Res' is. It's a term commonly used in the analysis of literature, and it means, roughly, 'in the middle'. For example, if a plot is comprised of a character journey from point A, through points B and C, then a typical story starts at point A. An En Media Res story would likely start their narrative at some point between A, and up to point B. As you might imagine, pulling off a story with this structure can be difficult, as a character's arc requires it's whole context to best be enjoyed and understood. When done properly, En Media Res narratives invoke an air of enticing mystery about a character or event; however, when done poorly, you risk alienating your audience via making it too mysterious, or even seeming like you're cultivating a false air of mystery. A reader might be left skeptical if a character ponders the death of their brother, but never seems to think too in depth about it until it becomes plot relevant. Now, there is a solution to this issue, albeit one that also requires a level of finesse in its application: amnesia.

Having a character regaining their past memories at the same time the audience is learning them can make for an incredibly compelling narrative when done well, which happens to apply to one Muichiro Tokito.

Muichiro's introduction establishes a few things about his character:

1. He's an airhead. He's barely paying attention during Tanjiro's trial, instead focused on a prior train of thought, that being clouds. His head is in the clouds eh? Very subtle Gotouge-Sensei.

2. He has a serious streak, along with some serious sass when it counts.

3. As Mitsuri aptly comments, he's quite skilled for one so young.

Combining these character traits, we're left with a somewhat airheaded prodigy with a sarcastic streak who's able to get things done when push comes to shove. But other than that, we know very little about Muichiro's past, but most importantly, neither does he.

Muichiro's got some pretty intense memory repression going on, in response to some fairly traumatic events in his early life; namely the death of his twin brother, alongside his own near death around the same time. When Tanjiro encounters Muichiro in the Swordsmith's Village, he displays a personality, that is frankly, a bit of a jerk. However, he's just as skilled as we've been lead to believe up until this point. His intense interest in Tanjiro's eyes, and his desire to regain his clouded memories is compelling, at least to me. He starts to go up against Gyokko, and is trapped in that water vase (which was the stuff of my nightmares, like hello waterboarding on steroids). At this point in the series, a Hashira going up solo against a member of the Upper Ranks has never ended well, so we've been trained to worry by the narrative. However, it is in this moment of intense concern that Muichiro's life begins to flash before his eyes.

Gotouge-Sensei really likes using this idea that a person's life flashing before their eyes in moments of crisis is the brain desperately searching out a solution. It's how Tanjiro remembers Hinokami Kagura, and how Zenitsu remembers the technique for slowing poison, and even Akaza triggers a memory in Rengoku that gives him one last reserve of resolve and strength. However, Muichiro literally finds strength in his memories. Things that he's inadvertantly repressing brings out his full resolve and rage. It is only after regaining these memories that we see Muichiro's true 'infinite potential' and his acquisition of the Demon Slayer Mark.

This is an incredibly satisfying moment to read, and Muichiro ripping into Gyokko with a Savagery no man may tame just hits

This moment is hype as all get out, I will shamelessly admit to actually performing a fist pump upon reading this moment. It hits because of the nature of his narrative. If he's been asleep this whole time, Muichiro has just 'awakened' and we get to see exactly the answers to this kid's questions. It is an excellent example of an En Media Res character arc done right.