Demon Slayer: How Much Has Giyu Tomioka Changed Since Season 1?

Highlights

The Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, shows selfless heroism by defying expectations and prioritizing compassion over duty.
Giyu’s struggle with an inferiority complex is powerfully portrayed as he overcomes his inner turmoil and finds confidence.
Through his transformation from self-doubt to confidence, Giyu becomes one of the strongest demon slayers, surviving battles with Muzan.

Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka has an air of mystery and quiet determination around him that makes him an intriguing character. He has served in the Demon Slayer Corps for several years and has significant experience under his belt.

Relying on his strengths, the Water Hashira trusts in living with pre-established principles that serve the interests of his peers and the Corps. Although he appears confident and stoic on the surface, deep down Giyu is carrying an inner turmoil that starts consuming him as the Hashira training is about to kick off. As Ubuyashiki takes cognizance of the situation, it leads to a series of events that turn Giyu’s life around.

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The Water Hashira’s Selfless Heroism

After Tragedy Strikes Tanjiro, He Finds Giyu Helping Him Every Step of The Way

In season 1 episode 1, Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka crosses paths with Tanjiro and Nezuko. Kamado is trying to control his sister who has just been turned into a demon and is unable to restrain her demonic instincts. In the spur of the moment, Giyu feels that he must rescue the boy from the demon, but it soon becomes evident to him that things are not as simple. Tanjiro is adamant that he wants to protect Nezuko and tells Giyu that she is his sibling.

Despite the emotionally charged circumstances, Giyu displays remarkable courage to make quick decisions and remains stoically in control. Tomioka feels that Tanjiro is being unreasonable because of the tragic incident and tries to argue that people who turn into demons never truly return to their old selves. Although he even rebukes him deep down Giyu understands Kamado’s pain and feels that he could have saved his family had he made it to the region a half-day sooner. But since he knows that nothing can be done now, he decides that it would be better to kill Nezuko. His judgements reveal a combination of compassion and strong resolve which is rare among his Hashira peers.

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Before Giyu can get the job done by decapitating Nezuko, Tanjiro runs towards him for one last desperate attack. Although he fails miserably, he ends up impressing the Water Hashira with his strategic thinking. Conventional wisdom would dictate that a demon slayer of Tomioka’s stature immediately kills Nezuko and ensures that there are no further casualties. But watching Nezuko leap in front of Tanjiro to protect him makes Giyu wonder if the siblings are different from the countless others he has come across in his career.

Giyu ignores the code of conduct abided by members of the Demon Slayer Corps and follows his heart to decide that Nezuko and Tanjiro deserve a chance. He then goes a step further by leaving the brother-sister duo in the hands of the former Water Hashira Sakonji Urokodaki. In the following months, Tanjiro trains under Urokodaki and eventually becomes a demon slayer. The magnanimity of Giyu’s character shines through his actions and becomes an inspiration for Kamado who goes on to achieve incredible feats.

As if he has already not done enough, in the Mount Natagumo arc, when Tanjiro is on the verge of death while fighting Rui, it is Giyu who intervenes and saves his life. The same evening, he again goes against all the rules and prevents Shinobu from taking any stringent action against Nezuko. This eventually leads to a Hashira meeting where it is revealed that along with Urokodaki, Tomioka has decided to take responsibility for Nezuko’s future actions and in case of any tragedy has promised to atone for Tanjiro’s sisters’ wrongdoing by committing seppuku.

The incident highlights how Giyu’s empathy is not limited to merely his obligations as a demon slayer but extends into his sense of personal responsibility. Although he appears uncaring, deep down Tomioka is willing to think beyond the confines of his personal experiences and formal training to kindle hope in an otherwise dark world.

Giyu’s Struggle With An Inferiority Complex and Inspiring Triumph Over Inner Demons

Despite Being the Water Hashira For Years, Giyu Lacks Confidence And Feels Unworthy of the Coveted Title

Giyuu Tomioka performing Dead Calm against Rui.

Giyu’s reserved personality makes it extremely difficult for others to befriend him. Since he prefers to stay aloof, one can hardly get a hold of the Water Hashira who always appears elusive. His nature is shaped by tragedies in the past which continue to haunt him to this day. But since he never truly opens up to anyone, it’s almost impossible to grasp the magnitude of his inner turmoil. Interestingly, this changes in the Hashira Training arc as the Water Hashira refuses to participate in it.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki understands Tomioka’s pain and how it is slowly consuming him. With the hope that Tanjiro can bring him out of his shell, Ubuyashiki writes a letter to Kamado asking for help. Despite still recovering from his injuries, Tanjiro visits Giyu. The Water Hashira is reluctant to open up to Tanjiro and tries to ignore him but he keeps following him around. Eventually, Giyu gives in and reveals that he never passed the Final Selection. It turns out that he had trained alongside Sabito and the two had become close friends.

According to Tomioka, Sabito was prodigiously talented and skilled. He could have potentially become the Water Hashira, if not for the tragedy that unfolded during the Final Selection. As aspiring demon slayers took the test, Sabito impressed everyone by single-handedly killing most of the demons and rescuing other participants. While Giyu struggled to defeat even a single demon, his friend left a lasting impression on his peers. Unfortunately, Tomioka lost consciousness due to his injury and by the time when he woke up, he had passed the Final Selection. However, he soon learns the tragic news that Sabito was killed by the Hand Demon.

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The incident made Giyu even more introverted and changed him as a person. After witnessing the talent Sabito possessed and still losing his life, Tomioka was filled with self-doubt. Although he continued working hard and eventually became the Water Hashira, his discussions with Tanjiro reveal that he does not see himself worthy of standing next to other Hashiras. The self-doubt has consumed him to the point that he refuses to participate in the Hashira training and only relents after Kamado’s persistent efforts.

Giyu’s acceptance to partake in the crucial training highlights a crucial moment in his life. His struggle with underconfidence slowly comes to an end as he embraces his insecurities. This leads to a dramatic shift in his worldview which allows him to confidently assert himself in his fights. Thanks to his stoic nature, the transformation is smooth and brings a sense of inner peace trumping the inner turmoil that followed him around all these years.

Eventually, as he goes on to fight some of the most feared demons in the world, Tomioka is clear-headed, composed, and confident. The Water Hashira who once did not see himself worthy of standing next to his peers goes on to become a handful of demon slayers who survive the battle with Muzan and his evil forces.