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The Demon Slayer fanbase has lost count of the number of Michael Jackson memes that were shared within the community. When Muzan was first revealed, everyone believed him to be modeled after the late King of Pop. The way Muzan’s hair was designed, his complexion, and the choice of clothing were too similar to Michael Jackson's for the fanbase to ignore.
Since then, fans have wondered if Muzan’s character design was inspired by Michael Jackson. Although the mangaka hasn’t confirmed this, there are a couple of design elements that could prove their relation.
Disclaimer: This article explores a fan theory and is, therefore, speculative in nature. The final section of the article contains spoilers from the manga.
Understanding why Demon Slayer fans have reasons to believe that Muzan’s character design was inspired by Michael Jackson
Kibutsuji Muzan is the prime antagonist of the Demon Slayer series, who has the ability to change his physical form. However, he seemed physically similar to Michael Jackson when he was first introduced to the entire fanbase.
If one takes a look at Muzan’s first outfit in the anime, he sported a white fedora and a three-piece suit that was quite similar to an outfit Michael Jackson had worn in the past. The only difference was that Muzan’s suit was black while Michael Jackson’s suit was white in color. Moreover, Muzan’s curly hair was also quite similar to Michael Jackson’s hair.
This theory would naturally be quite weak if it was structured solely around their appearances. However, that is not the case. There is another important detail that could support this Demon Slayer fan theory.
Michael Jackson was questioned by the public and media when he had performed plastic surgery. Later, the artist revealed that he was diagnosed with a skin disorder called Vitiligo. This is an auto-immune disorder that casues patches of skin to pigment. Melanocytes, that are cells present in skin and eyes, produce a pigment called melanin.
If these Melanocytes are attacked or destroyed, the skin turns white and becomes patchy. One of the biggest dangers for people with Vitiligo is sunburn. They are sensitive to sunlight as it can cause extreme damage to the skin.
In Demon Slayer, Muzan is known as the Demon King because he is the strongest demon in existence and is immortal. However, a creature like this has only one weakness, i.e., sunlight. The appearance and sensitivity to sunlight are some reasons why fans believe that Muzan was inspired by Michael Jackson.
How Muzan became a demon in Demon Slayer
Kibutsuji Muzan was the first ever demon to come into existence. Before he became a demon, he was quite sick as a doctor was attempting to cure him from a strange disease. Muzan’s impatience led him to kill the doctor since he was not able to see any positive results. However, the doctor was killed before he could give Muzan the Blue Spider Lily medicine.
Muzan not only recovered but also noticed an increase in his strength and endurance. He noticed that he craved human flesh and needed their blood to stay alive. He was also unable to walk during the daytime since the exposure to the sun burned him severely. This is how Muzan became the first ever demon in the series.
Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2023 progresses.
