palette

Welcome to another self-indulgent post where I try to analyze and assign kanji to the Butterfly Sisters' names since theirs are either written in katakana or hiragana unlike most kny characters, meaning that they don't have an inherent meaning and are open to interpretation.

I also have the headcanon that the reincarnated versions of the characters have their names written differently from their canon selves to distinguish them (so Kanae and Shinobu's names would be actually written in kanji instead of kana). So I tried to assign them kanji readings that suit them and make sense not only symbolically for what they represent in the story, but also in-universe.

Small note here, I'm not an expert in Japanese so there may be lot of mistakes but I did my best to research and get things as accurate as possible (my main sources where these: JapaneseNames.info, namedic.jp , pon-navi.net, kanjipedia.jp, takaboto.jp and jisho).

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For Kanae (カナヲ), I decided to go with 叶咲.

叶 (kana): 'to grant, to be fulfilled, to come true (of a wish or a prayer)' referring to her wishes of Kanao opening up and her dream of getting along with demons. 

咲 (e, nanori* for 'saki'): 'to bloom, to flower, to open up' regarding her connection to flowers. 

Moreover, it also carries the subtle nuance of a smiling face—because blooming flowers are metaphorically linked to a person’s face opening up into a smile 笑顔が咲く"egao ga saku" (a smile blooms)—in reference to her wanting her sisters to smile. 

*unusual/specialized reading of kanji characters only used in Japanese names.

Her name can be interpreted as "dreams and wishes that bloom and come true", "a wish that comes true and blooms" or "wishes come true and smiles bloom". 

I wanted to focus on her dream since it’s a core theme for her character, but ‘Kanae’ itself has a lot of different positive meanings, so any could be applied to her character. I also considered these as well: 

佳和恵: first one 'good, beautiful, excellent', second one 'harmony, peace, Japanese-style', third one 'to bless, gentle, wise' 叶笑: first one 'to grant, to be fulfilled, to come true (of a wish or a prayer)', second one 'to laugh, to smile, joy' 叶恵: first one 'to grant, to be fulfilled, to come true (of a wish or a prayer)', second one 'to bless, gentle, wise'

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Shinobu's name (しのぶ) is by far the most complex, nuanced and well-thought by the author among the Butterfly Sisters. It's written in hiragana, giving it a softer and gentle vibe, which makes me think that gtg wanted the audience to associate her first with the positive meanings of her name rather than the negative ones. However, since her name is left up to interpretation I'm sure that the intention was to evoke both the positive and negative nuances associated with its possible kanji readings that work with her character. Taking into account her character arc, some of them are (and I mean some because she has a lot and all of them could work, search them up and you will see):

This one is my favorite for her

忍 (shinobu): 'endurance, perseverance, patience, stealth' but also 'to conceal oneself, hide, sneaky' (root word for shinobi), and in some contexts, even 'cruelty'

The composition of the kanji is:

刃 (yaiba): A blade or sharp edge, symbolizing sharpness or difficulty. 心 (kokoro): the heart or the spirit, representing emotion and resilience.

Having a blade over your heart symbolizes the emotional pain or pressure one must endure without breaking, and the suppression of emotions. It reflects the idea of enduring even when the heart feels the weight of the blade, persisting in the face of challenges to achieve a goal and the ability to bear hardship stoically and to keep one's true emotions or intentions hidden.

It relates to mental and emotional strength to withstand hardships and to remain patient in difficult or painful situations. The virtues of being resilient and perseverant are seen in a good light, but the kanji carries heavier and serious nuances that in certain contexts can suggest suffering in silence or excessive endurance under painful or unpleasant situations.

2. 偲 (shinobu): 'to remember, to miss, to cherish the memory of someone, to encourage each other, intelligent'

It's used in the context of reminiscing about the past or honoring someone who has passed away, so it gives off sad, nostalgic vibes. It represents fondly remembering people or events with compassion, care, and emotional warmt, so it's not just about simply remembering, but also about conveying feelings such as nostalgia, kindness, and respect and affection for the other person, just like how Shinobu remembers Kanae so fondly after her death.

3. 死乃生

死 (shi): 'death, to die, to pass away'

乃 (no): 'from, therefore, possessive particle'

生 (bu): 'life, birth, living, to exist, growth'

It conveys the concept of "life born from death" or "one who lives through death", contrasting existence and mortality. Given that Shinobu is foreshadowed and thematically tied to death and transformation, this duality is especially fitting—and the motif of rebirth, transformation, life and death also aligns with the butterfly symbolism in Japanese culture.

Like I said before, her name fits perfectly with what her character reflects—repressed emotions, hard work, patience, talent, longing for someone dearly, and life and death dualism However, thinking *strictly* in-verse, it would be strange for such loving parents to give their child a name with such heavy connotations (the last one literally involving death, and I'm pretty sure it's illegal). For that reason, I settled on a reading  that preserves her character themes but leans into more positive meanings: 志乃芙. 

志 (shi): 'aspiration, will, ambition, intention, resolve'

Represents a deep, heart-driven ambition, a firm aspiration in life or a high goal that the heart strives for. 

乃 (no): a possessive article or connecting particle (of, so, in other words...)

It's an auxiliary particle that smoothes the flow of the name and serves to soften the overall meaning.

芙 (bu, nanori for ‘fu’): 'lotus flower, hibiscus mutabilis (cotton rose)'

The lotus flower is strongly associated with beauty and elegance. It's a sacred flower in Buddhism, symbolizing purity arising from suffering, spiritual awakening/enlightenment and rebirth. It's even more meaningful given her narrative associations since she's seen alongside one in Chapter 41's cover, foreshadowing her conflict with Douma, whose Buddhist symbolism and mansion prominently feature the lotus.

The hibiscus (also known as "drunken lotus" or "tree lotus" in some Chinese contexts) symbolizes a gentle and kind heart, delicate beauty and the fleeting nature of life. 

I already talked about Shinobu's symbolisms earlier, but adding a little bit more in light of this reading: from a young age she firmly resolved to become a Slayer and help people, and even after her sister pleaded with her to leave the Corps, she remained determined to continue, driven by her sense of duty and revenge to take down the demon that killer her sister, which she laters succesfully achieves. The floral motifs connect her with flowers, and evoke the imagery of someone outwardly beautiful and gentle, yet possessing deep inner strength. It's far more positive than the other meanings but it still preserves the underlying duality of life and death, as well as the resilience that defines her character.

Taken together, this name suggests someone who embodies both strong will and gentlessness and beauty, or a gentle spirit with an unwavering resolve. Notably, both sisters' names share core themes of becoming (as in unfolding) and flowering, but the ideas expressed in different ways that match with their personalities. 

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Kanao (カナヲ) is easier to work with as her name doesn't have as many readings or nuances as Shinobu's, and because it's similar to Kanae's, many of the meanings overlap. Before starting to look for name readings, I first checked for Kanata's name (her descendant) to see if it gave any hints about what Gotouge might've associated with him that served to Kanao's character— but unfortunately it's also written in katakana (カナタ), so his has no meaning either.

Anyway, from what I've seen, this interpretation is often viewed as "closest to canon" in fandom spaces and the most accepted one when breaking down her name: 花直.

花 (kana): 'flower, blossom, blooming; cherry blossom, petal'. As a Flower Breathing user, the flower motif is essential. It also carries the metaphor of being as beautiful or splendid as a flower.

直 (o): 'correct, honest, straightforward, direct'. It reflects her struggle with emotional repression and indeciveness—her development centers on listening to her what her heart wants and to express her own feelings. 

Her name can be interpreted as "being as beautiful and sincere as a flower" or "blooming to become an honest person". It combines the imagery of floral beauty and personal growth into an honest and strong-willed individual. This is mirrored in her character arc—how she transitions from an emotionally numb and stunted girl and "blooms" into someone resilient and resolute, capable of processing her own feelings and expressing them (take her conversation with Douma as an example). 

There's also the theory that her name derived from "Kanae" because the "e" (エ) transforms into "o" (ヲ) as in "egao ni naru"  (to turn into a smile), reflecting Kanae's wish for Kanao to smile and express herself. 

Another option I consideted was 佳直, only changing the first kanji to mean 'beautiful, excellent, good' since she's a kind-hearted and extremely talented, but it loses the flower motif that I want her to keep. I also thought about using 叶, like in Kanae's name, to symbolize how her growth regarding her autonomy and ability to listen to her own heart became true, while making the "smile" wordplay more obvious. Still, I prefer for Kanao not only to be associated with flowers, but also to have her own distinct meaning as a separate character rather than seeming like she's simply taking Kanae's identity and mimicking it.

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Aoi (アオイ) is likely named after the color rather than the hollyhock flower—especially since there's another character with that meaning (葵枝 Kie)—or the overly affectionate readings her name can have. Taking that into consideration, 青依 could suit her well: 

青 (ao): 'blue; vast oceans and clear skies, azure, youth, freshness' because of her blue color palette. The color blue is also tied to purity and water, which connects to her Breathing Style and serious personality.

依 (i): 'to lean on, to rely on, to follow' often used in contexts of trust or reliance. She's a dependable and trustworthy character, and basically Shinobu's right hand as she works in the Butterfly Mansion as a nurse and takes care of all the house chores. 

Taken together, it can be interpreted as "someone like the pure blue sky who is trusted by others". It evokes a grounded, kind person who both supports others and is supported by them. As mentioned before, Aoi is trusted by the Corps and the Butterfly Sisters due to her role as a nurse (in which she takes it very seriously and is good at it too), but at the same time, she feels indebted to them for taking her in and treating her kindly even after abandoning her Slayer duties (which she is very self-conscious about it).

Also, the first kanji is the same one as her descendant's, Aoba (青葉). Considering that most descendants take kanji from their ancestors and incorporate them into their names, it's likely that if Aoi's name was written in kanji, it would include 青.

Another option I had in mind was:

藍 (aoi): 'indigo, indigo dye, indigo plant'

It is less literal in terms of color. The kanji refers to the indigo plant, a flowering shrub primarily known for producing blue dye from its leaves, and it is also used in Japanese traditional medicine and health practices.

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The little girls were a bit more difficult to name—not because they have deep layers of symbolism, but because we know so little about them individually that it's hard to determine what would best fit their characters—, so I guess the author had the simpler or more common readings in mind, especially since their family names give off that impression as well (寺内 Terauchi, 高田 Takada, 中原 Nakahara): 

Starting with Kiyo (きよ), to keep the simplicity I went for 清, though I also considered 嬉与:

清 (kiyo): 'clear, pure, serene, to clarify'

This expresses a wish for the person to have a pure heart and a sincere, gentle personality. 

嬉 (ki): 'happy; glad, joy, to play, pleased, delighted'

与 (yo): 'together with, to be involved, to give, to bestow, to grant'

Putting it together, it means "to give joy" or "to live with joy", suggesting someone who shares happiness with those around oneself. She's a kind and thoughtful girl who works hard as a nurse's assistant, so it suits her desire to make those around her happy.

Next is Naho (なほ). In her case, I took into consideration both the calm pattern within the trio and her family name: 和/凪朋 or 菜穂.

和 (na, nanori for 'wa'): 'harmony, Japanese-style, gentle" or  凪 (na): 'lull, calm, still sea'

朋 (ho): 'friend, companion'

The interpretation would be "a harmonious and gentle friend" or "a peaceful companion". It suggests a gentle personality that avoids conflicts and wants to get along with everyone—very much in line to the little girls' supportive and encouraging nature as they help the Slayers.  

I couldn't decide between 和 and 凪 because both work well, but 凪 gives a more specific nuance of calmness, making the meaning closer to "a calm and comforting friend," which aligns nicely the trio's serene and pure image. 

The second option is: 

菜 (na): 'greens, vegetables, rapeseed blossoms, side dishes, prepared meals'

穂 (ho): 'an ear of a grain, head or spike of a cereal plant (like rice or wheat)'

It basically means "ear of vegetable/greens" or "lush plants bearing grain", symbolizing healthy growth and an abundant, nurturing presence. It ties strongly to nature and agriculture, considering that her family name Takada (高田) means "high rice field/paddy", suggesting a farming upbringing.

Finally, for Sumi (なほ), I avoided any kanji that referred to longevity or beauty since those are already used for another character (Sanemi and Genya's younger sister, 寿美 Sumi). Instead, I thought that either 澄 or 純 could work here.

澄 (sumi): 'to clear, transparent, to feign innocence'

純 (sumi): 'pure; genuine, simple, chaste, innocent, sincere'

Both convey very similar meanings, representing someone with a genuine and honest heart, unclouded by negativity. It's very similar to Kiyo's first reading.

This is a self-indulgent post where I just try to figure out when Sakonji became a Hashira in the canon timeline and what he did after retiring—so maybe there are a few mistakes, but I tried to check every source material I'm aware of as much as possible. With that said, let's begin:

—Establishing the main story's timeline:

In Chapter 7, the Hand Demon states he was captured by Sakonji Urokodaki during the Keiō era (between 1865 and 1868). Although Tanjiro never specifies the year they're in (the Taishō era goes from 1912 to 1926), the Hand Demon mentions he's been trapped in Mt. Fujikasane for 47 years. From this, we can conclude that the story at that point takes place between 1912 and 1915.

If the story (Chapter 1) started when the Taishō era began (1912), and considering that it took Tanjiro 2 years to train for the Final Selection, his encounter with the Hand Demon most likely occurred in 1914 or 1915, placing the Hand Demon's capture around 1867 or 1868. 

And this is reinforced when we consider the model on which the Infinity Train is based: the JGR Class 8620 steam locomotive (and I think this is the reference they used for the manga panel I showed earlier), completed on April 3rd, 1914.

We know for a fact that the choice of this model was deliberate—meaning they had the year in mind—because of one of the Official Shonen Jump TwiCasting Q&A broadcasts, specifically, the one held on March 13, 2017 (the same day Chapter 53 officially released):

Q. Are there any real-life locations that served as inspiration for the places that appear in the story? A. Regarding the locomotive, editor Takano has visited museums and other places to conduct research.

So this more or less confirms my initial assumption: that the current canon must take place in 1914 or 1915.

—Sakonji's Hashirahood:

The first time we learn that Sakonji was once a Hashira was in Chapter 46.

At the 2021 art exhibition, it was revealed that Sakonji started wearing his Tengu mask at the next Hashira meeting after Jigoro Kuwajima (Zenitsu's Cultivator and previous Rumble Hashira) jokingly suggested it. Because Sakonji is shown wearing the mask in the Chapter 8 flashback, this means he was already the Water Hashira at that time when he captured the Hand Demon (around 1867–1868). 

In Chapter 46, Kagaya states that Hashira meetings are held twice a year. Even though the art exposition doesn’t specify which meeting Sakonji first wore the mask to, if we go back to Chapter 46 again, we can have a small glimpse of Sakonji’s letter that begins with the phrase 新緑の候 (“the season of fresh greenery”), which is a traditional Japanese seasonal greeting used in May. Considering that the Hashiras held another meeting after Nezuko’s trial (stated in Chapter 46, Chapter 47, and Chapter 48), one of the biannual Hashira meetings and Nezuko’s trial overlapped, so the scheduled Hashira meetings take place roughly six months apart—in May and November. Taking all of this into account, Sakonji likely showed up at the next Hashira meeting wearing his Tengu mask either in May or November of that year.

While the art exhibition doesn’t clarify how long he has been in that position or if that was his first Hashira meeting, he might have become a Hashira 1 or 2 years before capturing the Hand Demon—perhaps around 1865–1866.

—Sakonji's predecessor:

My reasoning for placing his promotion 1 or 2 years before the Hand Demon encounter comes from Chapter 148, where Akaza states that it's been 50 years since he last encountered a Water Hashira. Based on the timeline established above, Akaza must’ve fought Sakonji's predecessor, and even though he doesn't explicitly state that he killed the previous Water Hashira, it's reasonable to assume so (additionally, in Chapter 63, Akaza mentions that the other Hashiras he's killed didn't use Flame Breathing, and all of them refused his proposal to become a demon).

To expand Sakonji’s predecessor's identity, he was killed by Akaza—someone who doesn’t kill women (not even Corps members) as per Douma’s statement in Chapter 157 and Akaza’s Fanbook 2 Taishō secret—which would make him a man. Considering the estimated capture of the Hand Demon, the previous Water Hashira’s death likely took place around 1864–1865, during the Genji era.

If Akaza killed the previous Water Hashira about 50 years before the main story, and the Hand Demon was captured 47 years ago when Tanjiro was taking his Final Selection, that creates a three-year gap between the previous Water Hashira’s death and Sakonji’s promotion. Since Sakonji’s already wearing the Tengu mask during the Hand Demon flashback—and we know he began wearing it as a Hashira—it supports the idea that he had already assumed the position by that time (side note but also his hairstyle in the art exhibition and in the Hand Demon's flashback are slightly different too, suggesting that it passed some time between those events).

Moreover, Water Breathing swordsmen have always been present among the Hashira (said by Kyojuro in Chapter 54) and is also the most common Breathing Style among Demon Slayers (Volume 17 extra page), so it’s highly likely that they filled the vacant Water Hashira spot in no time. Sakonji ascending to Hashirahood, again, could’ve been easily done in just 1 or 2 years, or even less. 

—Post-Hashirahood:

Even though we don't exactly know when he retired, he settled himself in Mt. Sagiri and still kept in touch with the Demon Slayer Corps by starting to train students to become Water Breathing swordsmen as a Cultivator, his current job (said in Chapter 4, for which he receives money from the Master himself, as stated in Fanbook 1 Q&A, but never spends it unless he has to feed his students or pay his hunter friends). He trained a total of 15 students—and only 2 passed the Final Selection.

The only ones introduced in canon are Makomo, Sabito & Giyuu, and Tanjiro—we don't know when Makomo started training under Sakonji nor how old she would be in the current canon, but since Giyuu was the only student who passed the Final Selection before Tanjiro appeared (because the Hand Demon made sure to kill all his students, as per Chapter 7*), she must've taken her exam before Sabito and Giyuu took theirs.

*Keep in mind that the Hand Demon never encountered Giyuu, so he only counted 13 students (excluding Tanjiro) when he was bragging about how many of Sakonji's students he had killed.

Returning to the Taishō era timeline: based on Tanjiro and Hand Demon’s exchange, the canon takes place between 1912 and 1915, concretely 1914 or 1915, due to Tanjiro’s two-year training period. So, that would mean Giyuu and Sabito entered the Final Selection around 1906–1907 when they were 13 years old, as Giyuu mentions in Chapter 130. Since the average training period time for the Final Selection is 1 year (as stated in Fanbook 1 Q&A), Sakonji trained them around 1905–1906, during the Meiji era. (Back to Makomo—taking into account that the average training is 1 year and that she seemed around Tanjiro's age [13yo] or a bit younger, it's highly likely that she would be older than Giyuu and Sabito in canon, so her meeting and training under Sakonji must've happened before 1905).

Back to Tanjiro's training, and now that I have established that Chapter 1 takes place in 1912, I want to be more specific here: The Taishō era officially began on July 30th, 1912, and considering that the events occur on a snowy day and Tanjiro mentions New Year's in Chapter 1, it must be winter—either December 1912 or early 1913.

By the Taishō era, Japan had already adopted the Gregorian calendar during the Meiji Restoration (1873), replacing the traditional lunar calendar that had been used for centuries. The question, then, is which calendar is Tanjiro refering to. If he means the Gregorian New Year (January 1), then Chapter 1 would take place in late December 1912 (around Nezuko's 11th birthday on December 28th). If he is referring to the Lunar New Year—which was still celebrated in some rural areas to keep the tradition (Tanjiro lives in a rural area and his family is known for being very traditional, take the Hinokami Kagura as an example)—then the events could instead be placed in early February 1913, since the Lunar New Year that year fell on February 6.

If it is the Gregorian one, then we can assume Tanjiro began training with Sakonji sometime between late December 1912 and early January 1913. If his family still celebrated the Lunar New Year, then his training liekly began in early February of 1913.

(He might be referring to the Gregorian calendary because it has been decades since they switched calendars. If Tanjiro planned to earn money so his family could feast during New Year’s, he would have needed to align with the economy of the nearby towns, which already followed the January 1st New Year's. That said, t, the manga does not necessarily have to follow real-life practices strictly ahd could still preserve a more traditional atmosphere by having the Kamado family continue to celebrte the Lunar New Year).

—Post-canon:

In Chapter 204, Tanjiro notes that the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom, and in Japan that happens in late March or early April. Since the Demon Slayer Corps is officially disbanded not long after he says that, and the main story spans roughly a year, Chapter 204 likely takes place in late March of 1915 or 1916 (it's been 3 months since the war ended, meaning that they defeated Muzan around late December or early January).

This would make Sakonji the eldest (former) Hashira and Corps member overall (affiliated as a Cultivator). 

In the post-canon, we can see him living a peaceful life much like the other surviving characters. In Chapter 204, his only appearances are alongside Giyuu, indicating the closeness of their relationship. Additionally, he participates in the group photo for the final panel of the manga in Chapter 205 (before Volume 23's release). Meanwhile, his (official) final appearance in the manga is in the pictures from the extended ending in Volume 23, depicting him taking off his mask with a smile on his face, further emphasizing his sense of comfort and contentment of living in a world free of demons. Finally, in Tanjiro's report, it is mentioned that he visits the Kamado household frequently (and in the same report, it's implied that he still spends time with Giyuu too—if that wasn't already made evident in Chapter 204—assuming the hand shown in the panel is his).

Again, in Chapter 205, we also get to see him in the modern-day time skip as an elderly man playing shogi with Jigoro. Although the character chart doesn't explicitly state it, it seems more like his reincarnation—much like Jigoro's since he actually dies in the canon—because it's very unlikely for him to leave offspring at his advanced age.

—Now, some speculationts:

An issue is that we don't have Sakonji's canonical age, so we cannot determine precisely how old he was when he became a Hashira. Nevertheless, we can assume he’s in his sixties (just because it makes sense lol), but if he’s exactly 60, that would mean he was 13 when he met the Hand Demon, which age-wise doesn’t make that much sense, and also because of his looks. My guess is that he’s in his mid-sixties during the main story, making him in his late teens (around 18 or 19) when he captured the Hand Demon, far more plausible than the first option. 

Based on the ages at which other Hashira achieved their rank in the main story, promotion typically appears to occur in the mid-to-late teens—around 15 to 18—with the likes of Tengen, Giyuu, Kanae, Sanemi, Shinobu, etc., as an example. Therefore, it’s reasonable to speculate that Sakonji became a Hashira within that age range.

The other bad thing is that Jigoro's age is also unknown. However, considering all things, it's likely these two were around the same age, if not just a little older or younger than Sakonji when they were active Hashiras. Fanbook 1’s Q&A confirms that Jigoro retired at 35 after losing his leg in battle, and since Sakonji doesn’t present any physical disability that prevents him from demon slaying, he could’ve remained active way longer—until his forties if he wanted. 

If these speculations/estimations are correct, Sakonji may have served as Water Hashira for 20 to (almost) 30 years before retiring, showing an outstanding and enviable longevity (that would also mean he wore the Tengu mask for several decades, oof).

An approximate but general and summarized canon-compatible timeline (without specifying as much as I did before): 

•  1864–1865 (Genji era): An unnamed male Water Hashira is killed by Akaza. 

• 1865–1866 (Keiō era): Sakonji Urokodaki becomes the new Water Hashira. He starts wearing his Tengu mask. 

• 1867–1868 (late Keiō era): Sakonji captures the Hand Demon and sends him to Mt. Fujikasane.

• Post-1868 (Meiji era): Sakonji continues serving as a Hashira for many years before retiring and becoming a Cultivator.

• 1905–1907 (Meiji era): Sakonji trains Giyuu and Sabito for a year, and they enter the Final Selection at age 13, with only Giyuu surviving. Sakonji has trained 14 students by now.

• 1912–1916 (Taishō era, main story): He remains active as a Cultivator (Tanjiro being his last student) until the Demon Slayer Corps is officially disbanded, having trained 15 students in total. 

• Post-1916 (Taishō era onward, post-canon): With no more demons around, he lives a peaceful life until his death. He's seen in the modern-day time skip, most likely as a reincarnation.

Lately I have been checking on some characters' age and I noticed how old some of them are to have such young children, so I wanted to comment on three dads I found the most interesting:

I think we should ask why did Manfred had another child at such late age, like why you as a 47 years old would decide to have another baby (Franziska was 2 when DL-6 happened omg, probably why she never noticed any change in his father's shoulder mobility), when you already have a kid that probably already entered adult life or at their late teens, why the bother to have another after a long time?

I don't know or remember if he ever explicitly said that he wanted a successor (considering that Franziska never talks about her sibling neither seems to be related with prosecutors), but it's funny to think that franziska was an oops baby

Another case i find it extreme is Excelcius. He is 68 in aai2 meaning that he had Eustace at 51-52?? Now soemone tell me please why on earth would you be thinking on breeding at 51, your big ass age should be thinking on retirement not having children dawg

And its interesting because, its not like it's implied that he has other children, nor Eustace seems to acknowledge any other close relative that isn't his father, and Excelcius' house was empty besides Eustace, so I'm pretty sure that he is an only child.

But if he hated him so much why on earth would you want a child, and at such late age on top of that? My only theory (and makes sense with his character) is that he only wanted a kid out of greed, probably saw Manfred with 2yo Franziska and wanted one too for himself or something.

We dont know his age but considering that he died when Lang was a teen or a very young adult, Da Long Lang looks so old here, so maybe Shi Long was another baby that came in his late years.