Why does Obanai have a snake around his neck in Demon Slayer?

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has introduced many characters with intriguing personalities as well as exceptional feats. Among them are the Hashiras, who are the strongest Demon Slayers known for their bewitching swordplay and their powerful Breathing Techniques. They are the only individuals capable of going toe-to-toe against an Upper Rank demon on equal grounds.

Each Hashira is different from the other, but the reclusive Serpent Pillar Obanai Iguro seems to be the most interesting Hashira in the series. Obanai managed to catch the attention of the series' fans not only by his distinctive attributes but also by his unique appearance. He carries a snake around his neck, and fans are curious to know the actual reason behind it.

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Demon Slayer: The snake around Obanai Iguro’s neck explained

Obanai is the only Demon Slayer in the anime who carries a snake around his neck almost all the time. However, the reason behind this is not to intimidate anyone, as he is mostly dependent on his pet snake to compensate for his partial blindness

Obanai’s Kaburamaru is not an ordinary pet snake, as it possesses a peculiar ability to discern and anticipate the movements of its targets and relays the information to its master.

Obanai mastered his Breathing Style in conjunction with Kaburamaru created the Serpent Breathing, which is why his swordsmanship mimics the movement patterns of a snake.

As Obanai was the first boy born in his family after 370 years with an eccentric set of eyes, the Snake Demon took a special interest in him. She let him grow a little bigger before she could devour him completely. When he turned 12 years old, the Snake Demon cut Obanai’s mouth from both sides to make him look like her.

Obanai was later returned to his cell, where he was imprisoned for the rest of his life to be presented as an offering for the Snake Demon someday. After being tortured and living in constant fear, Obanai resorted to devising a plan to escape from the cell.

However, Obanai was not alone as Kaburamaru was with him from the beginning, whom he considered his only precious friend. Along with Kaburamaru, Obanai somehow managed to flee the cell, but he eventually got chased by the Snake Demon.

To his surprise, The Flame Hashira, Shinjuro Rengoku, turned up in front of him out of nowhere and defeated the demon effortlessly. After listening to what happened to Obanai, Shinjuro tried to reunite him with his family.

After Obanai’s defection, brimming with rage, the Snake Demon massacred his entire family, leaving one cousin who berated him for escaping for his life. Looking at the situation, Shinjuro took Obanai along with him to the Demon Slayer Corps.

While his past took a heavy toll on him, he promptly trained himself to become a Demon Slayer and rank up to Hashira level. Using his combat abilities in conjunction with Kaburamaru, Obanai became one of the most powerful combatants of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Kaburamaru and Obanai are connected to a level where each of them can sense each other's emotions to a greater extent. Kaburamaru is also capable of understanding human speech. Obanai has never considered Kaburamaru his pet, as he believes him to be the closest friend he ever had.