Nezuko Kamado kept getting stronger and stronger in Demon Slayer's story until she ranked among the anime's most powerful characters. Her brother Tanjiro vowed to protect her, but more often than not, Nezuko could protect herself, even against the Twelve Demon Moons. Nezuko may not have broken Demon Slayer's combat system in the process, but she did shatter all expectations for her character.
Compared to the human she once was, Nezuko the demon felt almost scarily powerful, or even overpowered, in some memorable Demon Slayer scenes. She was sometimes OP in battle, but other times, Nezuko was OP because she twisted all the rules of demon-kind in her favor. Nezuko did things no other demon could imagine, and her best scenes in Demon Slayer all prove it.
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Nezuko Resisted Her Demonic Instinct to Kill Tanjiro
Nezuko's Humanity Held Her Back
Resisting her own demonic bloodlust ranks last among the most OP things Nezuko Kamado did, but it's still hugely important. In Demon Slayer's first episode, "Cruelty," Nezuko went berserk as a newly-made demon who didn't understand her own nature. That even turned Nezuko against her sole surviving brother, but not for long. Nezuko's inner humanity prevailed, which shows strength of character and will rather than physical strength.
That was a form of plot armor for the brother and sister, since it prevented Tanjiro's death and gave Giyu Tomioka a reason not to slay Nezuko the demon. Demon Slayer's lore suggests that demons always give in to their newfound bloodlust and revel in their new powers, but not Nezuko. Her superior willpower marked Nezuko as a good-hearted survivor who was worthy of her brother's protection in every battle.
Nezuko Kicked Off the Temple Demon's Head
She Was Pretty Strong For an Amateur Fighter
Some of Nezuko's feats of strength were hardly OP compared to characters like the nine Hashira or even Tanjiro's friends. Nezuko may not be overpowered like Jujutsu Kaisen's Satoru Gojo or One-Punch Man's Saitama, but being OP can be relative. Characters like Nezuko almost feel unfairly strong and skilled if they can fight effectively without any proper training. What's more, Nezuko wasn't yet fully used to her own demonic body as of Episode 2.
All that means Nezuko did well for herself when she kicked off the temple demon's head. It also established kicking as Nezuko's main fighting style, with her kicks featuring serious power and precision. She only needed one strike to take off the temple demon's head, and that demon was no longer a serious threat after Nezuko dealt that blow. For a short time, Nezuko was actually Tanjiro's protector rather than vice versa, making her oddly OP in the early episodes.
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Nezuko Fought Susamaru With Her Powerful Kicks
Susamaru Was Almost Beaten at Her Own Game
The team battle in Asakusa didn't surprise Demon Slayer viewers when Tanjiro fought Susamaru and Yahaba on equal terms. Thanks to his training and Nichirin blade, it made sense that Tanjiro could fight them so well. The memorable part was Nezuko's, with her once again using kicks with impressive results. She didn't need training to take on the temple demon, and she didn't need training to fight demons whom Tanjiro mistook for members of the Twelve Demon Moons.
In particular, Nezuko seemed to beat Susamaru at her own game. The two of them fought with Susamaru's colorful and deadly temari balls, a fine example of Nezuko's adaptability. No matter what her enemy uses in battle, Nezuko can adjust and fight back on equal terms, especially when kicking is involved. Given the power scale at that time in Demon Slayer, it almost felt like cheating — in a good way — how Nezuko could fight the powerful Susamaru to a draw like she did.
Nezuko Fought Hantengu and Survived
Without Training, Nezuko Outlasted an Upper Moon
By the time Demon Slayer arrived at the Swordsmith Village Arc, the villains were too powerful for Nezuko Kamado to fight solo. She could not defeat the likes of the Upper Moon 4 alone, but merely surviving that encounter is still a praiseworthy feat. Seeing how Hantengu could form an entire team by himself, it's only fair Nezuko had to fight him as part of her own team to survive that brutal night.
Nezuko felt OP in that fight, especially by her own standards, because she could sometimes face Hantengu alone and deal hefty damage. She endured Hantengu's close-range attacks and retaliated with her trademark fire, taking advantage of her superhuman abilities. Yet again, Nezuko had next to no training and thus relied on instinct, and that was all she needed. Just the fact Nezuko made it out alive as an amateur fighter when facing an Upper Moon makes her a demon unlike any other.
Nezuko Fought Daki in Her Adult Form
Nezuko's Shocking Glow Up Came With Some Baggage
One of the most startling moments in Demon Slayer arrived in Season 2's second half, when the heroes faced Daki and Gyutaro. Just when it seemed everyone had Nezuko's fighting style figured out, Nezuko changed the game with a new power. Facing extreme pressure from Daki and determined to protect her friends, Nezuko embraced her vicious adult form.
Nezuko physically grew bigger and fiercer-looking, but the OP part was her newfound strength. In that form, Nezuko could toss around Daki with impunity, and Daki hardly had a chance to retaliate. However, this OP moment was cut short by Tanjiro's determination to restrain his sister's bloodlust. After all, Demon Slayer is about the heart of a hero, not just the strength, and Tanjiro knew dangerous power when he saw it. The Kamados are the kind of people who win the right way or not at all, and it added a much-needed personal angle to Nezuko's OP status.
Nezuko Didn't Die When the Morning Sun Arrived
Nezuko's Evolution Caught Muzan's Attention at Once
Nezuko Kamado's most OP moment in all of Demon Slayer was also a critical plot point that helped set the tone for future events in Season 4. Notably, Tanjiro was ready to sacrifice his own sister to finish off Hantengu, all for the sake of duty. Happily, and shockingly, Nezuko survived the morning sun, which confused and delighted everyone around her. But it also marked Nezuko as a target, since she had what Muzan Kibutsuji the villain, coveted: sunlight immunity.
That was Demon Slayer's way of giving viewers mixed feelings in anticipation of Season 4. It gave the joyous moment a tense undercurrent to make it clear the fight wasn't over yet, and it made Nezuko's demon blood more of a plot device than ever. She had done what no demon had accomplished in centuries, and it wasn't even 100% clear how she did it. Now, as the Infinity Castle Arc rages on, Nezuko remains a prize in Muzan's eyes, a reward for defeating the demon slayers and gaining true immortality.
Demon Slayer
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- April 6, 2019
- Network
- Adult Swim
