Muzan's biggest mistake in Demon Slayer was one of the Kizuki

Modified Nov 28, 2024 02:43 GMT

While it has been around four years since Koyoharu Gotouge's Demon Slayer manga ended, there is one thing about the series's final story arc that has annoyed fans for years. Why did Muzan Kibutsuji name Nakime as one of the Upper Ranks within the Twelve Kizuki?

She was not only weak compared to the other Upper-Rank Demons, but also ended up being a key catalyst behind her leader, Muzan Kibutsuji's defeat. While some fans may not have noticed Nakime's mistake in the Final Battle Arc, upon noting it, it is difficult not to point one's fingers at her.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga and reflects the author's opinion.

Why was Muzan making Nakime an Upper Rank in Demon Slayer a mistake?

Nakime as seen in the anime (Image via Ufotable)

Nakime's Blood Demon Art "Infinity Castle Manipulation" allowed her to create portals. These portals could be used to transport people outside the Infinity Castle to anywhere within it through tatami sliding doors. This was how Nakime teleported the Demon Slayers and Muzan Kibutsuji from the Ubuyashiki mansion to the Infinity Castle at the end of the Hashira Training Arc.

However, considering how the ability worked, Nakime should have been able to teleport the Demon Slayers to locations within the Infinity Castle that worked favorably for the demons. Unfortunately, Nakime failed to accomplish that task, failing at the one thing expected from her. Had she got this right, the tides of the battle would have turned in Muzan Kibutsuji's favor.

Inosuke Hashibira as seen in the anime (Image via Ufotable)

If Nakime had teleported the Hashira to locations that would have pitted them against stronger Demons, the final battle could have been a complete victory for Muzan Kibutsuji. Instead, Nakime happened to make the worst mistake.

Upper-Rank One Demon Kokushibo was the strongest demon, besides Muzan Kibutsuji. Thus, if the Demon were to fight individual Hashira one at a time, he could have wiped out the entire Slayer Corps by himself. The same was the case for other Demons, as they could have won their fights if they faced off against a single Demon Slayer at a time.

Mitsuri Kanroji as seen in the anime (Image via Ufotable)

Instead, the manga saw Nakime teleporting multiple Hashira and Slayers to the same location, allowing them to team up against the Upper-Rank Demons. This is why Muzan Kibutsuji naming Nakime as one of her Upper-Rank Demons was a mistake.

There is reason to believe that Nakime couldn't transport humans the same way she did with Demons. However, this is only because she was seen scouting the enemy's location before teleporting them into the Infinity Castle.

In addition, fans also believe that the Demon Slayers would have caught up on Nakime's trick if she kept repeating it. Hence, repeatedly teleporting the Demon Slayers to favorable locations wouldn't have worked for long. Unfortunately, with the manga never exploring these possibilities, one can only make predictions about them.