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Demon Slayer focuses primarily on Tanjiro and Nezuko’s development, which leads to Zenitsu and Inosuke often being overshadowed. Inosuke is an especially interesting character due to his animalistic fighting skills and the stark contrast between his physique and his feminine facial features.
Fans were initially caught by surprise when his face was revealed, with many wondering why he wears his trademark boar-head mask. This article elaborates on Inosuke’s reasons for sporting the boar head, which hides his face for the majority of the time.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Demon Slayer anime and manga. All external media in this article are the property of their respective owners.
Significance of Inosuke’s boar-head in
Demon Slayer
Inosuke’s past
It was during Inosuke’s fight against the father Spider Demon in Demon Slayer season 1 episode 18 that his past was mentioned for the first time. While being strangled by the demon, Inosuke remembered a scene from his infancy, where his mother kept crying and apologizing, urging Inosuke to live on.
Later chapters of the manga revealed that Inosuke’s mother, Kotoha Hashibira, had escaped with her child from her abusive family and taken refuge at the Paradise Fate Cult with the Upper Moon demon Doma posing as the leader of the group. Eventually, Kotoha’s abusive husband and in-laws tracked her down but were killed by Doma.
But when she realized that Doma was secretly eating the cult members, she ran away and tossed Inosuke into a river in the forest before being killed and eaten by the demon. Inosuke was found by wild boars, who protected and raised him as their own. Having almost no memory of his birth mother, Inosuke considered a female boar as his mother.
It was revealed in the Demon Slayer manga that the mask Inosuke wears was originally the head of the mother boar that raised him. It is possible that he collected the creature's remains after her death and wore her head in an attempt to fit in with the animals he grew up with. Some fans also believe that it was his way of keeping the memory of his adoptive mother alive.
Another possible theory suggests that he wears the boar head in an attempt to look menacing since his facial features made him appear feminine. The mask is also in keeping with his unpredictable dual-blade swordsmanship, which is heavily inspired by his life in the forest. The rest of his outfit is similarly inspired by his previously animalistic lifestyle, including his belt made of deer fur and his bear-hide socks.
Inosuke invented and mastered a unique breathing style that he named Beast-Breathing and managed to pass the Final Selection exam of the Demon Slayer Corps without any formal training. The boar-head mask also appropriately describes his brash personality, which often resembles that of a ferocious cornered animal, treating strangers with suspicion and distrust.
Final thoughts
Inosuke matured throughout the series, but he never lost the edge, which made him as formidable as a Hashira, enabling the character to go toe-to-toe against several Upper Moon demons.
It is never explicitly mentioned in the Demon Slayer manga why Inosuke began wearing the boar-head mask. However, there is no doubt that over time, it has become part of his identity.
Many fans have speculated that mangaka Koyoharu Gotouge included the detail to draw attention to Inosuke’s skill as a warrior and to emphasize the contrast between his appearance and personality.
