What’s In A Name? - Kyogai
The kanji for Kyogai’s name is as follows: 響(read: kyō) 凱 (read: gai).
Both characters, on inspection, have very similar meanings that connect to one another.
響 - echo, sound, resound, ring, vibrate
Together they conjure images of triumph and success, the singing of jubilant victors echoing across a battlefield, the cry of a goal achieved after a long, hard struggle.
Reading this adds another layer of tragedy to Kyogai’s character, because as far as he was concerned his life was marked by struggle and failure. He kept trying, even as a demon, to find success in writing, but never could. Even success in a demon’s strength was short-lived, and eventually denied.
Like song, writing is an expression of the creator’s soul. Through writing, Kyogai shared his soul with others. When that man trod upon his work, he trod on Kyogai’s soul, and called it garbage. Kyogai was so creatively barren that, as far as this man was concerned, he had no business even sharing his favourite hobby - playing the tsuzuki drum - with anyone either.
If Kyogai wanted to sing, he’d be better off doing it alone, where no-one could hear.
Yet even at his lowest, Kyogai continued to try and find other ways to find success. As a demon, he gained in strength and joined Muzan’s Lower Moons, ranking at number six. But even here, he met failure, and when he could no longer advance, he was discarded.
Dealt another blow, Kyogai still continued to chase victory - that being recognition. Not to be praised as a master writer or the greatest at anything, Kyogai was never angry because he thought he was great, but to have someone at least recognise his efforts, and the fruits of those efforts. That no matter what form they took, writing or drumming, they were the singing of his soul and were worthy of acknowledgement.
Tanjiro gave him that. While abhorring the killing of humans, he recognised that Kyogai’s skill and power were honed by his effort - and worthy of praise.
For the first time, Kyogai’s soul sang.
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