Ameyarain😶‍🌫️

Kokushibo is a fearful demon, only showing respect to those who deserve it and coldly admonishing those who he believes are weak or not worth his time. But, only does he show appreciation to Muzan, at times; rare-like demons and humans. However and somehow, you caught his attention, and now, you suffer the consequences of the Demon who is head over heels for you.

There’s two (2) ways of getting the Upper Moon One (1)’s attention, either you were a Hashira: an intelligent, fast, and strong one at that. A strong swordsman who wasn’t afraid to try to fight him, let alone get hurt or killed in the process of fighting him. Or, someone who was as skilled but refused to spar and was very kind towards him, even knowing who and what he was. You knew the lengths of damage that could possibly come if you decide to fight him, even declining to turn into a demon once he offered, stating that it would be useless.

Either way, he found you amusing; extremely pretty, and an odd feeling in his chest that awakened once he first interacted with you, let alone talked with you; even if it was for a few minutes. He was beyond perplexed by this, which slowly drove him to his obsession towards you.

The way he fell for you was ‘unknown’, but one thing he did know was that everything about you made his head spin. Everytime he thought of you, or saw you; he was hit with a wave of unknown nostalgia. It annoyed him greatly, though; it did interest him deeply, seeing that he felt a connection to you, almost like you two somewhat knew each other.

From there on, he would stalk you like a prey, following your every move to make sure you’re not in trouble, and to learn everything about you. Whether that was you on a mission to slay a lousy demon, or on a peaceful walk to a town; he is behind a few feet, watching you with cold eyes. Within a few weeks of interacting with him, he would know everything about you: your favorite color, food, to your preferred sleeping position and sleeping clothing; this would also include a few of your weaknesses and hobbies to try to court you once he takes you ‘home’.

Kokushibou is very possessive, due to his past; he gets very jealous of others, believing you two were meant to be together: any partners, friends, or the person you accidentally ran into are killed or eaten by him. He hates the idea of someone else touching you, let alone talking to you; he vows you two were meant to be ‘by fate’. This also includes slaying any demons that may wanna come after you, if it’s an Upper Moon, he will threaten them to leave you alone as ‘he wants to eat you first’.

As he’s been alive for centuries, he uses his clever-like abilities to plan an ‘attack’ to kidnap you to keep you to himself. He would kidnap you around a few weeks of meeting you (3-6 weeks).

Possibly, after a harsh mission and coming back to your home exhausted; he would be there, sitting and waiting for you patiently. As soon as you take out your katana, he’s already behind you; tying you up (gently) with robes and throwing you over his shoulder whilst on the way to your shared home. The home that you two ‘live in’ is an abandoned-yet stable house that is miles, miles away from any signs of humans other than heavy and clouded fog on the high hills.

His yandere tendencies are overprotective, possessive, frighteningly-patient, and unpredictable. He doesn’t force you to do anything, including talking; he knows you might be mad by the fact he took you, but he needs you to understand. The room you woke up in is simple, rather with some things you enjoy having and a bundle of your clothes, that somehow, went ‘missing’. Sadly, you do have a chain around your ankles that prevent you from leaving the room(s); only able to reach the bathroom, living room, and the window(s).

He gives you time to adjust, never forcing you to do things, and allowing you to ask questions. As a way to get closer to you emotionally and physically, he tries to do things that will make you feel appreciated or welcomed. Such as: cooking your favorite meals, ‘buying’ you expensive clothes, or showing you slight affection. He’ll even offer to rearrange anything in the house that you prefer, wanting you to be as comfortable as possible.

Despite Kokushibo’s seemingly cold personality, he’s so incredibly caring and kind towards you; no matter how much you yell or try to ‘hurt him’. He never yells or snaps at you, rather just waits patiently for when you're done crying or yelling at him.

His way of affection is awkward, but comfortable-likewise. He never, ever touches you without permission. But once you allow it or agree to his question of asking: he becomes very touch-starved, reaching for your touch like a moth flying towards a lamp. He loves putting his hands around you anywhere that is deemed ‘respectful’: arms around your waist, holding your hands, and laying on your lap while you scratch his head, maybe playing with his hair. Rarely does he seem vulnerable, especially in front of the Demon King, but around you: he tends to let himself off guard and let him live a ‘normal life’ with you.

Kokushibo ‘buys’ you a lot of things: spoiling you with things you love. Whether that’s books, makeup, clothing, or drawing supplies; he’s willing to buy anything, including a whole stack of your favorite Ramen. However, it does depend on how you behave to receive the gifts he gets for you.

While on the conversation of rules, to add more: he’s not the strictest, but he does have bylaws in place that expects you to follow. All he wants you is to act nice, not plan on leaving or hurting him; but let him love you as it’s ‘supposed’ to be. But, if you decide to break them: he’ll be very disappointed. His way of punishment is never physical, more so emotional. Whatever you do, it is always the same: quiet treatment. The scary part is that he’s excellent at staying quiet.

If you’re being physical: trying to attack him in any way possible, he won’t really do anything besides allow you to hurt him; stating that you need to let your frustrations out. He keeps thinking in the back of his mind that it’s better than hurting yourself, plus; it doesn't really matter if you attack him, he’s a demon. Though, he will get tired of it; slowly grabbing your hands to hug you while kissing your forehead, whispering on how ‘You’re safe with me, I’m sorry but I love you’.

As stated above, he’s very patient; terrifying at it. If you decide to give him the quiet treatment back, he would just sigh and wait for you to break it off; not ‘really’ bothered by it. He, of course, loves your voice but at some point, he knows you will break off this ‘tantrum’ and want some attention of sorts.

The threats you throw at him are even more useless. Much like above, he isn’t affected by it; even if you call him a ‘monster’ or ‘disgusting’. He’d just sigh and ask bluntly if you’re done with the tantrum, cause you’re acting ‘childish’.

Now, if you have the thought of leaving, let alone have a plan to escape: he’s gonna be very disappointed with you. The most ‘extreme’ he will do is completely ignore you, you’d rarely see him; even at night. The only thing you’d see from time to time is him sharpening his katana at night before disappearing through thin air. Occantionaly, after he gets fed up with you, you will see him staring at you with a weird, irritated-like look before he locks eyes with you, asking ‘Are you done? I hate ignoring you’. The way he punishes you is the way he punishes himself, he loves being in your presence and something he’s severely addicted to; it pains him to do these to you.

He never, ever withholds food or any necessary needs from you; no matter how much you disobey. He knows that will make it a harder time for you to get used to him and your new surroundings. However, if you do continue misbehaving, he won’t cook your favorite food, give you five (5) blankets when in reality you only need two. He will take away anything that can make you feel ‘special’ in some-sort; removing your drawing supplies, extreme clothes, or games of sorts.

If you do behave, you will be spoiled like it’s your birthday. He will grant you with any wish you want, including the most utmost things (Ex. A human heart, a bag of blood, or expensive jewelry, etc). He even allows you to go outside with him watching over you, whether that was when you asked to take a walk or go to the shops; he’ll allow it, but he states he has to watch after you, even if he's jumping from building to building, smiling as if you're having a good time. Sadly, he won’t let you buy weapons, fearing you’ll hurt yourself.

Though, if you do somehow hurt yourself, Kokushibo will be a very worried mess but is somewhat-good at hiding it; he will bandage you up, offering to kiss your injury(ies) while baby-proofing the corners, walls, and doors to make sure you don’t get hurt again.

Now, Kokushibo is very possessive and protective over you, meaning he watches you like a hawk and never lets you out of his sight. He’s somewhat-paranoid, like someone is gonna come in and take you away from him. He hates if people look at you, especially the wrong way; he’s not afraid to get extremely dirty for you and will kill anyone that eye’s you with desire, or even talks to you with slight annoyance.

From time to time, he would accidentally hurt you; it’s rare however. He tends to forget about his own strength around you, grabbing you harshly or hugging you so tightly that you need to tell him to stop squeezing you. Of course, he feels bad but sometimes he can’t help himself because you’re so darn cute.

Kokushibo is a gentleman, meaning he would never force you to turn into a demon, unless you were in a serious situation (Ex. Dying from being ill, being attacked by a demon, or having a serious injury that related to you losing a lot of blood, etc); The offer is always on the table.

Whichever you choose, whether falling for Kokushibo or continuing to hate him; he won’t let you go and never stop loving you, not until his last breath.

—

Masterlist | Requests closed (7/18/2022)

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©yandere-kokeshi

Do not plagiarize, repost, modify, translate or copy my work.

Unfortunately, both of these characters appear extremely rarely, and their biographies are spread thinly throughout the manga.

But even this was enough to create a more complete Journey for each of the brothers than that of the main trio. Moreover, most importantly, their Journey is not simply a description of events with symbolic figures, as was Tanjiro's, but a story of a spiritual transformation of the individual.

Yoriichi, like his brother, is a tragic hero, whose essence is summed up by the phrase “I’m a mere mortal”, Yoriichi, clearly no mere mortal, constantly uttered these words like a mantra, demonstrating a complete reluctance to embark on the Journey. A man stuck in the Refusal stage, suffering the full weight of problems that befalls those who do so.

He was born the Chosen One. Yes, he truly is the Chosen One, for the Demon Slayer world is a world where hell and heaven truly exist. With a mark, incredible strength, enormous chi, and other gifts from Amaterasu, something his family naturally knew nothing about. His Known World was an extremely sad spectacle, as his father was a superstitious man, and also a samurai from the early Sengoku period, meaning he was very far removed from any notions of humanism. Therefore, the man considered the younger of the two twins (which is already a source of fear) with a strange mark on his forehead to be cursed and bringing misfortune. Nothing special, really, just standard magical thinking for a person of that time.

He wanted to get rid of the child, but his mother, Akeno-san, showed unexpected aggression, shocking everyone around her, including her husband, and thus saving her son's life.

And so we have the Master of the World — the unnamed father (the author didn't consider him worthy of a name). A military man, a feudal lord, a stern and calculating man.

The Mistress of the World — Akeno-san. A calm, sickly, and deeply religious woman.

And the First Heir — Michikatsu's older brother, who grew up in a system where he was expected to be both filial piety and to become his father's replacement in the future, the ruler of the fief, not just a submissive soldier. And he grew up tenacious, hardworking, and stubborn when it came to achieving his goals. And although his father wielded absolute power in the household, Michikatsu clearly believed he had his own opinion on matters, even under the threat of violence.

Excerpts from the fanbook. From here on, translations from the original are shown in red to convey the exact meaning.

How should we assess his role in Yoriichi's life, given the significant discrepancy between the brothers' perspectives? It's important to be clear who's speaking. Gotoge has always been excellent at creating psychological profiles. And if Kokushibo is a 480-plus-year-old individual who recalls events he only vaguely recalls, and through the lens of his present-day perspective, it's unlikely he could recall the thoughts and perspectives of a little boy named Michikatsu. Even the faces of his family have faded from his memory, much less his own thoughts at age seven.

On the other hand, we have Yoriichi, who is about 30 years old and has possessed the Transparent World since birth, allowing him, among other things, to see people's psychological states. Putting it all together, we can say Yoriichi's opinion is far more credible. According to him, Michikatsu didn't despise his younger brother; he pitied him and worried about him.

He played with him, gave him a device so he could call for help, since Yoriichi was considered deaf (and no one knew how to teach a deaf person to speak at the time). He communicated with him despite all the prohibitions.

That's why Yoriichi loved his brother so much. At that particular time, Michikatsu wasn't "Kaigaku Number 2"; in Yoriichi's eyes, he was a protector and a positive role model. A source of good memories of home.

Yoriichi himself was already an extremely passive and submissive person, accustomed to being led by his older brother's hand. Those who like to label him consider him autistic (it's a fashion these days to attribute mental illness to everyone), but Yoriichi should be viewed as a mythical Buddhist hero. And he's not mentally ill, but rather blessed. Or even Enlightened. A perfect being from birth, incapable of experiencing negative feelings towards people or any strong aspirations, as the Enlightened One has already completed his Path. The very tree Tanjuro mentioned.

And... this is the main source of problems in his life. Because who is a Hero? A Hero is the primary driving force of Existence. He is the leading manifestation of Yang energy in history—movement, activity, sometimes even chaos. One who knows no rest and seeks development.

A perfect and passive being can’t be a Hero, because only Yin energy can be perfect and passive. A Goddess, a Mistress of the World, a Princess, any metaphorical Mother, but not a Father, whose essence is struggle.

Yoriichi possessed heroic abilities and a heroic Body, but he lacked a heroic soul.

...and the heroic soul ended up in another child. "Oops," said Amaterasu...

The turning point occurs when the brothers turn seven years old. Seven years old is a special milestone in Asia, as people believe that until that age, a person belongs to the spirit world. The tradition of celebrating this milestone in a child's life continues in Japan to this day.

The reasons why Yoriichi chose to speak with his brother now aren’t revealed, but the most important thing is that he demonstrated his phenomenal fighting ability. Picking up a weapon for the first time in his life, he instantly knocked out an adult professional fighter.

And this... instantly destroyed his Known World, as the backlash came immediately.

1. The Call to Adventure

The father decides to make Yoriichi his Heir, getting rid of his eldest son in the process, as he could theoretically pose a threat to his brother.

The stress of this situation overwhelms Akeno, and she dies of illness.

In other words, Yoriichi's biological father acted as the Dragon, destroying his world (as manifested in the death of his mother) and planning to send his eldest son to a monastery, symbolizing the imprisonment of the Princess in a tower, where she will never be able to begin a new era. Yes, in this Journey, Michikatsu played the role of the Damsel in Distress, whom Yoriichi needed to save. Save his soul and his world, where he has a family.

2. Refusal of the Call

Instead of confronting his father, Yoriichi runs away, abandoning his brother (the Princess) in the Dragon's arms.

Yoriichi didn't want to quarrel with his father, so he saw only one way to help his brother: leaving. While this truly saves Michikatsu, it also leaves him in the company of the man who so recently intended to get rid of him, and it's unlikely that such a thing can be easily forgotten.

Nothing more can be learned about this period, as Kokushibo himself immediately switches to memories of his wife, and his father dies shortly after his marriage.

According to the logic of the Journey, the stage of Supernatural Aid, or at worst, the stage of Threshold Guardians, follows after Refusal, but what happens to Yoriichi?

Yoriichi finds Uta and, in her, acquires a new Mistress of the Known World. Michikatsu remains in his memory, but Yoriichi considered his connection with his home severed and never planned to return there.

The gods were probably astonished: "Hero, are you... planning on being a hero? What do you mean, not?"

And at first, Yoriichi was lucky. He spent serene days in Uta's company, and the terrifying Dragon in the person of his father died on its own, allowing Michikatsu to live a peaceful life, as peaceful as it could be for a feudal lord of the Sengoku era.

But fate still found Yoriichi. For fate leads the willing, and drags the unwilling.

When Yoriichi went to negotiate with the midwife, leaving his pregnant wife alone for a whole day (in the mountains, in the forest, in a house without a fence... what stunning, unadulterated naivety), he returned to find her dead.

The higher powers cruelly punished the one who dared to defy his destiny.

3. Supernatural Aid. Appearance of the Mentor

Help, as with Tanjiro, arrives, but too late. A demon hunter appears and invites Yoriichi to follow in his footsteps.

It's unlikely he could teach the Chosen One anything, but he showed him where the futon was in the barracks, and that's all he needed.

So, Yoriichi himself didn't rush into the Unknown World; he was simply led there, given a sword, and pointed a finger at the demons. Even the Threshold Guardians were absent, because there was no one to check here. He had enough power for an entire army, and Yoriichi's enthusiasm always strove for perfection. To zero.

The Threshold Guardians and Belly of the Whale stages are skipped.

4. Road of Trials

Instead of burning with an unbearable thirst to kill every demon on the planet, Yoriichi found his calling in sharing his divinely bestowed knowledge with other slayers, like a Goddess. This knowledge literally encompassed how to transform one's Qi into a tangible form—Breath—and thereby increase one's combat potential.

Although, according to the rules of the Hero's Journey, a Hero should develop himself, not improve others. But Yoriichi was already born perfect, and I don't think he spent even five minutes of his life on personal training.

5. Meeting with the Goddess

If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must be brought to the mountain—so the gods thought, and they orchestrated a local emergency for Michikatsu, sending a demon to his military camp at night. Michikatsu experienced shock when all his fighters were instantly slaughtered, and Yoriichi, pursuing the demon, meets his brother after 10 years of separation. If a Body without a Soul can't function properly, it must be given a Soul. But this Michikatsu was no longer the sweet, kind boy; he had become a samurai and an aristocrat, whose pride and self-esteem had been twice crushed by a tractor (which we'll discuss in more detail later).

And a warrior aristocrat takes such blows very hard. He needed to restore his self-respect—to prove to himself that he wasn't worthless but had a right to live. Therefore, without any persuasion or entreaties from Yoriichi, Michikatsu abandoned all his possessions and family and went to a place where—as he believed—he could restore his dignity.

But Michikatsu wasn't just a soldier and couldn't be satisfied with the routine of "kill a demon, get money and someone's gratitude," if only because he thought beyond the confines of a single mission. A soldier strives to win a battle, while a general thirsts to win a war. And Michikatsu likely understood perfectly well that killing one, ten, even a hundred demons would change nothing. Especially in the Sengoku period, where a village and its inhabitants could be plundered or burned just to spite the village's owner. Humans killed on a much larger scale than demons.

And so, killing demons alone brought him no satisfaction. The Hero's soul and wounded pride craved a sense of significance, craved heroic deeds and recognition.

But the Princess doesn't perform heroic deeds; instead, she’s the one being fought for. She doesn't seek meaning in life, because she is meaning for others. And she certainly doesn't need to transform, because the Hero values ​​her as she is.

And the role Michikatsu was assigned in this life greatly oppressed him. He didn't understand why he existed. The concept of "living to be happy" didn't exist for him, because at that time, for the vast majority of people, happiness consisted of having a crust of bread, good health, and not fearing for their lives. Michikatsu had all of this, and even his abandoned wife and children lived far better than any peasant woman — better, in other words, than 90% of women in Japan. But this didn't make him any happier, because his problems lay much higher up Maslow's pyramid.

And it must be understood that when Yoriichi agreed to take Michikatsu with him to the hunter organization, he assumed the responsibility of a Mentor on his Journey. The responsibility of someone responsible for spiritual guidance and preparation for the transition from the role of an ordinary soldier to the role of a hunter living in the name of a sacred purpose.

And Yoriichi failed in this role. He couldn't.

Why? It's simple. A Mentor on the Journey is someone who has completed the entire cycle, at least to the Master of Two Worlds stage. Master of Two Worlds means that a person has successfully completed their transformation and successfully integrated back into the Known World.

In other words, they have completed the Journey themselves and can now explain how to do so to others.

But Yoriichi didn't complete the Journey; he refused it.

So it turns out that Michikatsu never made the transformation from an ordinary soldier, treating his enemies with the principle of "nothing personal, just business," to a hunter convinced he was fulfilling a sacred mission. And the only way for him to restore his self-esteem was to compete for the title of the best warrior, a competition he could never win. This, combined with his stubbornness and battered self-esteem, drove him to despair. Moreover, let's recall Yoriichi's phrase, "All masters of their craft converge on one point." He was primarily referring to spiritual Enlightenment, but he himself had already been born Enlightened and therefore couldn't explain to his brother how to become one. He simply didn't understand the torment of his soul.

And when Michikatsu came to him with the question of how he should live when he was soon to die and not even a memory would remain, what did Yoriichi say? He replied, “Don't worry and be happy. Just calmly await your fate; a more talented person than you will soon be born”.

No Hero would sit and meekly await their death, leaving the accomplishment of heroic deeds to someone else.

And at that moment, Yoriichi failed his meeting with the Goddess. Michikatsu went off to seek answers elsewhere and was "kidnapped" by the cunning Dragon.

6. Atonement with Father

Two monsters, one from the human world, the Chosen One of the gods, the other from the demon world, the Progenitor... no, they don't clash in a fierce battle for dominance of the Unknown World in the main villain's castle, but meet completely by chance on a path at night.

Unlike Tanjiro, Yoriichi never specifically tried to search for Muzan, which once again demonstrates the extent of his inertia.

And what does Yoriichi do? Defeats evil, realizing that this is his destiny? No. Instead of immediately focusing all his moral and physical strength on destroying Muzan, Yoriichi spends precious minutes expressing his indignation at his uncultured behavior.

Tanjiro meeting Muzan: running at him and yelling. Yoriichi: ...

Yoriichi was sorely lacking a genuine desire to defeat the villain at any cost... or an extra pair of hands.

Perhaps if Michikatsu had died in battle with Muzan, it would have been enough to truly anger Yoriichi.

Perhaps if Michikatsu had undergone the transformation and become a slayer not only in rank but also in spirit, he would have been able to heat his sword and inflict enough damage on Muzan before dying to make Yoriichi's task easier.

Perhaps, if Michikatsu had been nearby at that moment, he wouldn't have wasted time currying favor with the progenitor of monsters and would have prevented his brother from doing so.

But none of the above happened, because the hero's Soul had already been stolen by the evil Dragon. And Yoriichi never received his weapon—the unquenchable flame of the heroic Soul, necessary for the feat. Ultimately, Muzan escapes and then spends the rest of eternity erasing any memory of the Breath of the Sun. And even here, Yoriichi made no effort to hinder him. He didn't keep any archives, didn't create a hiding place for future generations. The fact that the Breath of the Sun has survived centuries is the initiative and merit of the Kamado family, not Yoriichi himself.

As for Michikatsu as a prisoner and the Dragon's most prized possession (yes, Muzan truly considered himself extremely fortunate to have obtained him) – again, Yoriichi did nothing to free his Soul from its prison, even at the cost of destroying his physical form. Although Yoriichi, perhaps better than anyone, understood how dangerous Michikatsu was. As the second most powerful hunter in history, he had become a truly terrifying demon and threatened the very existence of the extermination organization. But Yoriichi took no steps to quickly find and kill him, even though Michikatsu, unlike Muzan, never hid or avoided combat, meaning finding him wouldn't have required any extraordinary effort.

Only in his eighties did Yoriichi resolve to do what was necessary... and failed, because he died of old age, leaving his Soul eternally trapped in the immortal Dragon.

But from the point of view of samurai honor, Yoriichi was obliged to do this.

Yes, this is the true apotheosis of the Hero, who failed to do anything he should have.

He couldn't protect his World, he couldn't save his Princess, and he couldn't defeat his Dragon.

Because without a heroic soul, a heroic body is an empty vessel.

And yes, like all good characters, Yorichii was reincarnated as an ordinary man with a wife, children, and a life where the worst thing is a mortgage. Who has no idea that his Soul is burning in hell, or that he ever even had a brother. Can you call that a happy ending? I don't know.

Michikatsu's own journey didn't even hint at a happy ending. Fortunately, hell in Buddhism isn't a final destination, but a transit point (though not for those who end up in Avici. Muzan will have to languish there until the next kalpa).

But while in Yoriichi's Journey, Michikatsu is the Object (that which is influenced), in his own Journey he’s the Subject, and in many ways, he has ruined his own life.

There are many absurd opinions about him as a hero. For example, the claim that Michikatsu could never have equaled Yoriichi because he was bad and jealous, and bad boys naturally never win. This position is preschool-level, because Yoriichi is the Chosen One of the gods, and it is impossible to equal him in principle, and life is such a thing that you can do good deeds as much as you want and still never achieve success.

The second popular claim is that the moons symbolized the seven deadly sins, and Michikatsu was responsible for envy. This is no less clever than the first, because the leading religion in Demon Slayer is Buddhism, which doesn’t have the concept of the seven deadly sins. Christianity isn't mentioned at all, and there’s only hint of Shintoism. The theme of Buddhism is indeed present in Michikatsu's plot, as the main tenet of that religion is: "All desires lead to suffering. As long as you desire, you continue to suffer”. And Kokushibo's story is the story of a man whose desperate desire to achieve the impossible destroyed everything he held dear. The connection is obvious.

What's less obvious, however, is his Journey, because to properly understand the plot, one must understand the motives and origins of the hero's actions, and all we have are a few meager pages of biography, conveyed by an unreliable narrator.

But what do we know for sure about Kokushibo as a person? Let's try to list all the information that can be considered reliable (this is where the repetition begins, but it's inevitable):

1. Michikatsu Tsugikuni was born at the beginning of the Sengoku period to a wealthy samurai family and was a man with a sense of honor and ethics appropriate to his time and social standing.

Only a VERY rich person could afford large rooms, expensive furnishings, multi-layered clothes and equipment for a personal army.

What conclusions can be drawn from this?

A) He had a very specific attitude toward death and murder.

Michikatsu Tsugikuni was a professional military man who lived during the feudal wars, when death was omnipresent.

And from his perspective, demons eating people was far more repulsive than killing them at all. Ordinary people were just as likely to rape, rob, and enslave. Cannibalism is disgusting, but death is the reality of life.

And he was part of this reality. While Yoriichi and villagers like him initially led relatively peaceful lives, Michikatsu regularly killed ordinary people without any personal grudge against them. And he lost his comrades because war is a thing where people die.

Why is this important? Because Michikatsu Tsugikuni never perceived the work of a slayer as a great mission, lacking the personal element. He approached demon slaying with complete coolness and businesslike efficiency, as befits a professional.

Such a man would never be able to heat his blade, as it requires a tremendous emotional outburst. A self-respecting samurai, however, strives to remain calm in any situation.

On the other hand, such a man would never perceive the very need to kill others as something terrifying, because he had already done it before.

B) Michikatsu Tsugikuni was not an ordinary plebeian, but a wealthy feudal lord, which, in the era of warring provinces, made him practically an independent ruler. Consequently, he wasn’t one who served, but one who was served.

Roughly speaking, he wasn’t a knight, but a lord. Every lord is a knight, but not every knight is a lord. Why is this important? Because it means that Michikatsu Tsugikuni never swore an oath of allegiance to Ubuyashiki. He was a political entity whose oaths automatically affected his family, his vassals, and his political alliances with other feudal lords.

The Ubuyashiki clan and the Tsugikuni clan were on the same rung of the social ladder.

And if he had sworn an oath of allegiance to Ubuyashiki, his entire family and all his subordinates would have automatically become Ubuyashiki vassals. Like the Rengoku clan, for example. And then, after Michikatsu transformed into a demon, his family would have been obligated to find him and destroy him to clear the honor of the Tsugikuni clan. This didn't happen. The Tsugikuni clan degenerated over centuries for reasons beyond its control—Kokushibō states this explicitly.

Only Yoriichi swore a personal oath to Ubuyashiki. Not as a samurai, but as a humble man named Yoriichi. And he bore responsibility not as a member of the Tsugikuni clan, but as a slayer who had brought another person into the organization and vouched for him.

What was Michikatsu considered within the organization then? Most likely, some kind of honorary ally. He was bound to the organization by absolutely nothing other than his personal desire to be there.

C) Michikatsu was born into a very religious family, a very religious and superstitious class, and in an era when belief in God was taken for granted. And so he grew up a deeply religious man.

Furthermore, as the heir to a wealthy samurai clan, he had access not only to combat training but also to a good education, and therefore, in his eyes, the Way of the Samurai was not simply military service, but a philosophy with specific concepts of honor. And he couldn't have grown up any different in the conditions in which he was raised.

He wasn't isolated from society like Muzan, and his parents didn't turn religion into a profitable business like Douma's. His father devoutly followed feng shui, his mother constantly prayed at the altar of Amaterasu, and everyone around him lived the same way.

And while none of this was ever verbally expressed, it's important for understanding both the character and the plot.

Particularly because Kokushibo's main opponent in his final battle is Gemei. The best warrior in centuries, according to him, and also... a Buddhist monk. A man strong in his faith, he didn't turn away from his principles even after being accused of murdering children.

And this has great symbolic significance, as Michikatsu himself almost became a monk as a child, something he terrified of, having set all his intentions on the path of the samurai. But again, having become a samurai, he ended up betraying his own principles, which once again puts him in opposition to Gemei.

2. Michikatsu Tsugikuni was born at the beginning of the Sengoku period to a wealthy samurai family and was a man with a sense of honor and ethics appropriate to his time and social standing.

Michikatsu Tsugikuni was a normal, adequate member of society, as much as possible for someone who had been going to war as a job since the age of 14. While Nakime is a serial killer, Douma a psychopath, and Hantengu a schizophrenic, Kokushibo shows no signs of deviant behavior. Before becoming a demon, he led a completely law-abiding life, and his quirks were fueled by internal conflicts, not mental illness or flawed ethical standards.

Look at his bowed head posture. It's the posture of a man who understands he's doing wrong.

He understood that envy weighed heavily on him, and considered it a flaw. He understood that betraying one's duty as head of a family and feudal lord was wrong. And he understood that eating humans was immoral, and that demons were vile monsters.

He always knew this, it wasn’t as if he suddenly had an epiphany before his death (there is such a theory).

The Kokushibo’s sword translates as “The Empty Cry of the Abandoned by God”. And when a believer calls himself “abandoned by god”, it doesn't seem like a compliment at all.

Year after year, finding excuses to indulge his obsession, he drifted further and further down the path of no return, which gave rise to yet another attempt to convince himself that the end justifies the means. Until he reached a situation where making excuses became impossible.

3. Kokushibo has very low self-esteem, despite his high social status and military successes.

Moreover, this low self-esteem shines through in all his actions:

His inability to accept defeat from anyone other than the incomparable Yoriichi. Only the most insecure people constantly fear being in a "shameful" position. This applies both to the demons he demonstratively devoured, punishing them for even attempting to challenge him, and to his refusal to acknowledge the possibility of a more capable person being born than himself, even though to him — a man with children of his own — such a development should have seemed the natural course of events.

His desire to prove his worth to himself by any means necessary. For example, to emphasize that this talented boy is the heir to his bloodline. That is, the child's talent is a consequence of being the descendant of such a remarkable warrior.

His inferiority complex toward his younger brother was so strong that the mere sight of Yoriichi made him feel almost physically ill. Any achievements below Yoriichi's level seemed unworthy to Michikatsu, not enough to justify his very existence.

I remind you that they are twins.

He literally didn't understand why he should live if he was worse than Yoriichi. Therefore, he longed to accomplish something great, to convince himself that Tsugikuni Michikatsu's birth into this world was not in vain.

And this isn't just envy. A person overcome by banal envy never doubts their right to live and being worthy of same blessings as their more fortunate rival (Zenitsu and Gyutaro send their warmest greetings). This is something on the level of psychological trauma, where Yoriichi acted as a trigger, initiating another bout of self-abasement. Almost like PTSD.

And his decision to become a demon was born not out of fear of death, but out of the hope that, with endless time to train, he would one day be able to equal his brother and finally calm his fevered mind.

4. Before his death, Kokushibo listed the things he believed he had sacrificed for the sake of his desire to equal Yoriichi. And since he considered it a "sacrifice," it means he perceived it as something valuable. Something personally important to him.

Moreover, the listing proceeds in ascending order of severity, symbolizing how Michikatsu "went ever further, out of a desire to equal Yoriichi." The worst sin, naturally, was betraying the Way of the Samurai. Essentially, betraying himself.

He didn't want to kill Muichiro. And he described his married life as peaceful and prosperous. If he had been indifferent to this, he wouldn't have cherished the memory of it for so many centuries. The fact that he was genuinely happy (!) to meet his descendant speaks to the importance of family and children to him.

And summing up his achievements and sacrifices, Kokushibo sadly admitted that the life he had lived wasn't worth leaving his family, betraying his principles, and killing his descendant.

What follows from this? It follows that Michikatsu valued two things most in his life: the way of the samurai and his family. And why he abandoned what he considered important and valuable is what we must understand when charting the Journey.

Now about the Journey itself.

The stories of Yoriichi and Michikatsu run parallel, contrasting each other in almost every way, including the subtype of the Journey. If Yoriichi is the defeated hero of the classic Hero's Journey, then Michikatsu... is the deceased heroine of the classic Heroine's Journey.

The Heroine's Journey is a special case of the Hero's Journey, where the hero sees no need to evolve beyond their initial way of life, but rather questions the wisdom of their established way of life in general. This Journey primarily reflects a psychological crisis within a person, where the primary goal is not to respond to the challenges of fate, but to come to terms with oneself.

This type of Journey is most often found in fairy tales for girls, and the Journey itself was identified as a separate category by psychologist Maureen Murdoch, who spent many years helping adult women struggling with balancing their personal and professional lives. This explains the specific names of the stages, but one shouldn’t think that only the emancipated woman of the 20th century can be a "heroine".

1. Separation from the Feminine

The Hero realizes that although they fully conform to the social norm, they feel completely unsatisfied. Someone from a different social category not only receives far more benefits, but also demonstrates this to the Hero personally, often to their detriment.

The Call to Adventure stage. With the emergence of the Herald, as a demonstrator of the advantages of another social group.

2. Identification with the Masculine and gathering of allies

The Hero receives help in their attempts to cope with the crisis and meets those who support their desire to change their social status. From this point on, the Hero also begins to gradually lose the attributes that connected them to their original status.

The Supernatural Aid and Appearance of the Mentor stages are possible.

3. Road of trials: meeting ogres and dragons

Trials on the path to the goal.

4. Finding the boon of success

The Hero, at the cost of enormous investment and effort, achieves success in their new status, but completely severing ties with their old one.

In fact, this stage correlates with the Threshold Guardians stage. The Guardians demand a price for the transition to the Unknown World of a new social status, and this price is a final break with the old social status.

The severing of ties with the old status correlates with the Ritual Death stage.

5. Awakening to feelings of spiritual aridity, death

The hero begins to experience disappointment in the choice they made, leading to a psychological crisis.

6. Initiation and descent to the Goddess

The Hero meets their Anima/Animus, a spiritual mirror—a person who has faced similar dilemmas but with a different attitude. Sharing experiences leads to revelation, and new horizons open up for the Hero.

Meeting with the Goddess stage.

7. Urgent yearning to reconnect with the Feminine

The Hero realizes the need to reestablish ties with their former social status.

8. Healing the mother/daughter split

The Hero reestablishes ties with their former social status. Most often, this is accompanied by a symbolic reconciliation with the person who, in the Hero's eyes, embodied their previous social status.

The Atonement with Father stage.

9. Healing the wounded Masculine

The Hero comes to terms with oneself.

The Apotheosis stage.

10. Integration of Masculine and Feminine

The Hero realizes the value of both statuses and understands how to achieve balance between them.

The Master of Two Worlds stage.

And I'll state right away that:

The Known World, also known as the "previous social status," in Michikatsu's Journey is the world of ordinary, down-to-earth people, while the Unknown World, also known as the "new social status," is the world of special people with superpowers.

Just like Yoriichi, Michikatsu's main problem was his refusal to accept his destiny. If Yoriichi didn't want to be the Chosen One, then Michikatsu... didn't want to be an ordinary, insignificant person. He wasn't even 17 when he climbed to the very top of the Japanese social pyramid, but this didn't make him happy.

Why? Let's try to understand.

Separation from the Feminine

What do we know for sure about Michikatsu's childhood before moment X?

He had a younger brother, Yoriichi. He was considered deaf, which in medieval times also meant muteness. An authoritarian father with complete power within his fiefdom. And a quiet, modest mother who spent most of her time engaged in religious practices.

What was Michikatsu's relationship with them? What do we know for sure?

Initially, Yoriichi and Michikatsu got along well. Despite explicit prohibitions, Michikatsu visited his brother and played with him, even under threat of physical punishment. He made him a flute so that the "deaf" Yoriichi could call for help, meaning that for the sake of creating the gift, Michikatsu found the materials, tools, and time to make it. This required some effort on his part, as no one had taught the heir of a wealthy clan how to work wood. Besides, chisels aren't exactly on every shelf in a samurai's estate.

Kokushibo also mentioned in his memories that he couldn't give his brother any of his belongings... which means he tried.

He himself (almost 500 years later) attributed his behavior to pity, but it seemed like too much effort was being expended on behalf of a man whom — according to Kokushibo himself — he despised.

Yoriichi said that "my brother was kind and constantly worried about me". So, Michikatsu certainly didn't consider him a "mama's boy". So where does this rhetoric come from? I can only speculate that in his memoirs, Kokushibo was quoting his father, attributing his words to himself hundreds of years later.

And what about his parents?

Michikatsu described his mother as a quiet woman, but he knew that it was she who stood up for Yoriichi when the head of the family wanted to get rid of the marked child. According to the «Rumors», Akeno treated the children equally, and Kokushibo's memories show that he wasn’t isolated from his mother in any way.

Furthermore, the «Rumors» mentioned that Akeno constantly quarreled with her husband over their sons, which caused great stress for the boys. And when their father hit Michikatsu, she even attacked him with her fists. This suggests Michikatsu felt a certain affection for his mother, since his parents' quarrels had such a severe impact on him. And regarding Yoriichi's position in the family, he sided with his mother, not his father.

But his father's situation is particularly interesting. It was emphasized that, despite his character, he loved his wife dearly. He had no concubines or children with other women. He didn't even remarry when his wife died, even though, by the standards of the Sengoku period, one son was too risky for a feudal lord.

Why is this important? Because it means Michikatsu was considered his father's sole heir, which... afforded him a certain protection. Given the particular upbringing of that society, the boy was constantly reminded of the importance of his status, and, aware of his value, Michikatsu allowed himself far more freedom than an ordinary manor resident.

He knew his father was capable of killing even his own child, but he wasn't afraid of him and easily sabotaged his orders within the bounds of etiquette. Not directly, of course, but "when his father isn't looking," he could, for example, visit his brother, knowing that the guards would be afraid to inform on the future master. Because his very existence is a guarantee of the fief's future stability. As long as he meets the expectations of adults, he is untouchable.

As for his father himself, given Michikatsu's behavior, one might assume he viewed him less as an authority figure and more as an aggressor. A man constantly yells at your mother and dreams of getting rid of your younger brother. It's unlikely that a stubborn child with a strong character would feel much sympathy for such a parent.

The degree of obedience of the child to the main person in the house is immediately visible.

And most likely, it wasn't ambition, but rather the desire to be independent of others' will, that gave rise to the dream of "becoming the best samurai in the country" in little Michikatsu. Why do I think this? Firstly, we know of no evidence that he actively engaged in conquest, politics, or dueling other samurai. Thus, as a feudal lord — effectively an independent ruler — he showed no desire to realize these ambitions, although he could have. On the contrary, having become the head of a wealthy family, he led a "quiet, languid life" by his own choice. His father died almost immediately after his marriage, and this lifestyle was his personal choice (!).

For some reason, it seems to me that a person with great ambitions wouldn’t become a homebody...

And secondly, because the fear of helplessness runs like a thread through the character's entire story. Time after time, his life found itself in the hands of others. In the hands of his father. In the hands of a demon. In the hands of a mark.

"Become the master of your destiny" - Muzan told him, luring him into his net. And the most important thing wasn't "save yourself from death" or "become the strongest", but precisely this. The entire life of a samurai is a struggle. Even seppuku represents a conscious choice by the samurai to end his own life with his own hand. Humbly awaiting his fate — that's what Michikatsu couldn't and didn't want, because he had been raised differently.

But. I said "dream", not "future plan". Until moment X, the desire to become the best samurai hadn't yet turned into an obsessive drive, as Michikatsu had no reason to obsess over it. No one ever told the child he would inevitably become the best. Nor did they instill in him false hopes of being a rising star of the samurai world.

A normal, experienced mentor wouldn't say such things, because the proud, like the fool, die first in war. Everything the mentors said boiled down to: "You have talent, and you will become strong if you train hard".

And by moment X, the dogma “I am the most talented boy in Japan” couldn't form in little Michikatsu’s head. The mere appearance of a more gifted child could not, by itself, have shocked him enough to leave him traumatized for the rest of his life.

Yoriichi hadn't humiliated him in a personal duel, hadn't insulted him in any way, and posed no threat to his life. But then why did Yoriichi become Michikatsu's personal trigger? To do this, we need to examine in detail all the events that occurred from moment X to Michikatsu's departure to join the slayers.

First, moment X itself. It’s not the specific scene of Yoriichi's duel with the trainer. No. Just because the adult Kokushibo is fixated on his younger brother doesn't mean that a little boy named Michikatsu was fixated on him. After all, before their second meeting, Michikatsu led a completely ordinary life, not preoccupied with winning. And at seven years old, Yoriichi, his father who disowned him, and his deceased mother all mattered to him. It's a whole series of events that occurred in a very short period of time. When Yoriichi came to Michikatsu to tell him of his mother's death, he was still living in his room, meaning he hadn't even been moved to the storage room as planned.

The area marked in red is three tatami mats. This means the decision has been made, but hasn’t yet been implemented.

And so it turns out that in just a few days:

Michikatsu suddenly realized he didn't know his brother at all. He wasn't deaf, wasn't sick, and didn't need any protection;

His father decided to rearrange his sons, sending the eldest to a monastery, thus destroying the entire system of existence that his mentors had built in the boy's head from infancy.

He lost his "heir's armor", which had protected him from his father's tyranny, and for the first time in his life, found himself in the position of a meek victim.

- And then his mother, the only source of unconditional love in the child's life, who could have supported and comforted him in difficult times, suddenly died.

The mentors didn't dare interfere, his mother's retinue was busy with the funeral, and Michikatsu endured all these events alone, without any moral support. Silently and helplessly, he watched as his familiar world crumbled before his eyes.

Centuries later, Kokushibo remembered his emotional experiences at that moment quite clearly, so traumatized he was.

If we look closely at the boy's behavior, we can discern in these memories the famous five stages of acceptance of the inevitable.

First Shock, then Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Despair, and Acceptance.

Shock: when everyone learns that Yoriichi is gifted with a unique fighting talent, and his father rejects him, his entire life collapses before his eyes.

Denial: Michikatsu's attempts to find a logical explanation for Yoriichi's abilities. To prove, at least to himself, that they aren't so different.

Anger: after finding his mother's diaries, Michikatsu is confronted with proof of Yoriichi's unique abilities. The anger he felt at that moment was irrational and yet a completely natural reaction to stress. It is a person's anger at the injustice of existence, which he takes out on the nearest object nearby. In this case, his brother.

Bargaining: A person's attempts to bargain with doctors, higher powers, anyone. "Please die. Such a person should not have been born. Your existence defies the laws of nature" - a reliance on the justice of heaven.

Moreover, it's important to focus on the moment of Anger and the moment of Bargaining, when Michikatsu (a deeply religious man living in an era when magical thinking was considered commonplace) was sincerely angry at his younger brother, blaming him for everything, and begged the heavens to rid him of him, as the existence of a person with such abilities was abnormal.

Why is this important? Because in his quest to become stronger, Kokushibo was driven not only by the desire to be the master of his own destiny, but also by the conviction that if he was worse than Yoriichi, then there was no point in his existence at all.

He says outright, "If I'm worse than Yoriichi, then why was I even born?". This isn't envy anymore. And it's not a question of achieving a sense of security.

Because when Yoriichi went missing and the threat passed, Michikatsu, having calmed down, began to assess the situation differently.

It was he (!) who wished for his brother to disappear. A believer in an era of magical thinking, when people believed in witchcraft, evil spirits, and curses. A seven-year-old child with no one to discuss his experiences with. He wished his brother dead, so he could take what was rightfully Yoriichi's. Although what awaited him was not death, but rather the relatively peaceful and prosperous life of a Buddhist monk.

Quoting Kübler-Ross's book "On Death and Dying":

The next fact we must understand is that, at a subconscious level, we are unable to distinguish between desire and action. Everyone remembers examples of those illogical dreams where two contradictory statements coexist side by side. In the dream, this seems insignificant, but in the waking state, it becomes unthinkable and illogical. The subconscious is unable to distinguish between the desire to kill someone in a fit of rage and the actual act of murder. A child is also unable to make this distinction. An angry child, secretly wishing death on his mother for not fulfilling his whims, will suffer severe trauma if his mother actually dies — even if the event doesn't coincide with the destructive wish. He will forever hold himself responsible for his mother's death. He will constantly repeat to himself (and occasionally to others): "I did it, it's my fault. I behaved badly, and Mom left".

Michikatsu believed himself to be responsible for his brother's disappearance. And that through his prayers and curses, he had taken the place of the clan's heir, even though his brother had proven more worthy. This is where his conviction arose that he had no right to be worse than Yoriichi. If he deprived his brother of his rightful place as heir, then he had to be at least as good as him. Fear of helplessness and guilt were personified in one specific person. And guilt has every chance of developing into hatred.

Grief, shame, and guilt are not so different from feelings of anger and resentment. Grief always implies certain signs of anger. Since none of us wants to admit to being angry at the deceased, these feelings are usually carefully hidden and suppressed, prolonging the mourning period or expressing them in other ways. It is not for us to judge such feelings or regard them as bad or shameful. Our task is to understand the true causes and meaning of these very human reactions. To explain this, I will return to the example of a child—the child that lurks within every person's soul. A five-year-old who has lost his mother blames himself for her departure, but at the same time is angry with her for disappearing and no longer fulfilling his wishes. Thus, the deceased person simultaneously evokes in the child equal love and hatred for such a cruel punishment.

It wouldn't have been so bad if that had been all. The period after his brother's escape and before his father's death is never mentioned, but it's likely that Michikatsu more or less reflected on his injuries over the course of seven years, got married, became the head of the clan—that is, he seemingly achieved practically the highest position in society, with the exception of some emperor. But no one remembered the emperor during the feudal wars.

He's a wealthy feudal lord. Perhaps even a daimyo (a daimyo was a feudal lord with an income of at least 10,000 koku of rice per year). He's a successful ruler, married to a beautiful woman, and has two sons. It would seem that his life plan has been fulfilled, he's established himself as a person and can respect himself for it.

And then Moment X version 2.0 occurs, which completely destroys his newly restored self-esteem.