5 Demon Slayer ships we're glad never happened (& 5 that should have)

Like any other fanbase, fans of the Demon Slayer are quite popular for coming up with certain pairings - ships - that could have been shown during the course of the series. It’s only natural for fans to do this since some of the characters were close to one another in the series.

While some of the ships make a lot of sense, others are quite scarring. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable ships that the Demon Slayer fanbase came up with, for better or for worse.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the manga.

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Ships that fortunately never materialized in Demon Slayer

1) Sanemi and Nezuko

This ship is problematic on numerous levels. Sanemi was about 21 years old towards the end of the series, and Nezuko was just about 14 years old.

Certain people started this ship after witnessing Sanemi’s reaction to Nezuko after he patted her head. However, the only reason he did that was because he saw a little bit of Genya in her. It was strictly platonic, and making it something more than that is scarring, to say the least.

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2) Shinobu and Doma

Fanart of Shinobu and Douma from Demon Slayer (Image via Twitter/Blurrblur3)

This is another ship that does not make sense because Doma is a demon who killed Shinobu’s elder sister. Shinobu vowed to avenge her elder sister, and she sacrificed her life in the process, hoping that Kanao and Inosuke would kill Doma.

Fans felt that the hatred between the two could be considered part of their relationship dynamic. However, the majority of the fandom is glad that this ship didn’t happen during the course of the series.

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3) Muzan and Nezuko

Nezuko and Muzan from Demon Slayer (Image via Gemmastafford-knits)

This is another problematic ship that the majority of the Demon Slayer fandom despises. Muzan was a fully grown adult who’d been living for centuries, while Nezuko was a 14-year-old girl. Muzan also killed her entire family and turned her into a demon. This ship doesn’t make any sense, but a small section of the fandom believes that the aforementioned characters could be in a romantic relationship.

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4) Rengoku and Akaza

There’s a shockingly large number of people who believe that Rengoku and Akaza should have been a couple. The reason why this ship doesn’t make sense is because Akaza literally put his fist through Rengoku's solar plexus and killed him. Rengoku’s death was one of the saddest moments in the series, and he died protecting the ones around him. But for some reason, a section of the Demon Slayer fandom took this opportunity to ship these two characters.

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5) Tanjiro and Nezuko

This is another ship that has no reason to exist in the Demon Slayer series. Nezuko and Tanjiro share a strong and beautiful bond, but it’s clear to everyone that it was strictly platonic. It’s safe to say that the majority of the fandom is glad that the series stayed away from these relationships.

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Demon Slayer ships that should have happened

1) Obanai and Mitsuri

This is one of the most wholesome ships in the entire Demon Slayer series. Both these characters were open with their feelings towards each other. However, the series wasn’t able to explore this relationship all that much since Obanai and Mitsuri died during the fight against Muzan. The two passed away as Obanai held Mitsuri in his arms, and they promised to find and marry each other in another life.

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2) Shinobu and Giyu

Shinobu and Giiyu from the series (Image via Ufotable)

Giyu is socially awkward and barely spoke to anyone during the course of the series. During the later stages of the series, we realized that he felt like he didn’t belong there. His interactions with Shinobu were quite awkward, and fans thought that this could be the beginning of a romantic relationship. Fans believe that these characters look good together, and Shinobu also teased Giyu during the course of the show. The series could not explore this relationship because she died to Doma during the Infinity Castle arc.

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3) Sanemi and Kanae

Sanemi and Kanae from the series (Image via Koyoharu Gotouge)

When Sanemi was first promoted to the position of the Wind Hashira, he expressed his anger towards the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. Kanae was the only one who seemed concerned for Sanemi while others were quite upset with the way he spoke about the leader. This interaction led to the fandom believing that there was an opportunity for a romantic relationship to exist between Sanemi and Kanae, hoping that this would be canon. Unfortunately, fans were saddened that this relationship was not explored because Kanae died to Doma early in the series.

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4) Giyu and Sabito

This is another popular ship that fans would have loved to see during the course of the series. Giyu had gone through a lot and witnessed his sister die because she saved him from a demon. Soon, he came across Sakonji Urokodaki, who took him under his wings and taught him Water Breathing. There, he met Sabito, who was a talented swordsman, and they formed a beautiful bond. Sabito was extremely respectful, and Giyu felt comfortable around him. Fans would have loved to see a romantic relationship develop between them, but Sabito died during the Final Selection when he saved Giyu from a demon.

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5) Tanjiro and Kanao

This ship is canon in the Demon Slayer series. However, the manga series didn’t specifically show the two characters confessing their love for each other. The only reason fans knew that this ship was canon was because of the final chapter when we saw descendants of Kanao and Tanjiro who looked exactly like the aforementioned characters.

Tanjiro helped Kanae make a decision for herself by using her coin when he was at the Butterfly Mansion recuperating from the injuries he sustained in Mount Nagatumo. Since that interaction took place, fans knew that they had developed a special bond and wanted a few chapters that focused on their romantic relationship.