Sanemi Shinazugawa

Sanemi Shinazugawa (不死しなず川がわ 実さね弥み, Shinazugawa Sanemi?) is a major supporting character of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. He is a Demon Slayer of the Demon Slayer Corps and the current Wind Hashira (風かぜ柱ばしら, Kaze Bashira?).[2]

Sanemi is also the older brother of Genya Shinazugawa, a Demon Slayer who fought alongside Tanjiro Kamado and Nezuko Kamado. Before becoming a Hashira, Sanemi, along with his partner Masachika Kumeno, defeated the former Lower Rank One, Ubume, with Masachika dying as a result.

Sanemi is a tall man of very muscular build, with spiky long white hair and large almond-shaped eyes with purple irises. His face and body are covered with scars, accrued over his many years of fighting demons. He cuts his hair short somewhere in between the Rehabilitation Training Arc and the Mugen Train Arc. He is usually seen wearing a crazed expression on his face.

He wears a green-tinted version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform, unbuttoned to expose his chest and abs with a white long sleeved shirt over it with the kanji for kill (殺さつ, satsu?) etched on the back, white buckles around his shins and tabi socks with a pair of white zōri with green straps.

During his battle with Kokushibo, he loses his right index and middle fingers.

Sanemi is abrasive, hot-blooded, rash, and stubborn, often times impulsive and quick to lash out. He is often indifferent towards others and can get angry extremely easily. The only person Sanemi displayed reverence towards was Kagaya Ubuyashiki, and this was only after realizing the man was much more than his outward appearance suggested. Sanemi has also displayed a hunger for battle, wishing that he could encounter Upper Rank demons and proclaiming his excitement in fighting Upper Rank One, Kokushibo.

Sanemi's cold, rude, and dismissive behavior is the result of losing too many people he cared about in the past. Later, when he sees those people who have passed, such as his mother, he can't help but give her a smile to be able to see her again. When Genya joins the Demon Slayers in search of him, Sanemi repeatedly dismisses and lashes out during any chance of seeing him, but Tanjiro Kamado is able to tell Sanemi didn't truly hate him; and in fact still bore the same brotherly love he had for him in childhood. This was however never expressed outwardly as he tried to push Genya away from him and the Demon Slayers so he wouldn't be exposed to danger.

Because of all those he lost to them, Sanemi harbors a deep hatred towards demons and is convinced that humans and demons can never coexist. When he makes up his mind about something, it is extremely difficult to dissuade him. He did not believe Tanjiro's insistence that Nezuko Kamado wouldn't eat humans and even moves to prove his own point by stabbing through the box with Nezuko inside.[4] After riling her up, he slashes his own arm to try and bait her into attacking him due to his rare blood's effect. Even after she doesn't, and Kagaya uses this as proof Nezuko won't attack humans, Sanemi doesn't truly accept the Kamado siblings.

Tanjiro is ultimately right about Sanemi. Despite his poor treatment of his brother, Genya, Sanemi truly did love and care for his brother, admitting that he blames himself for not protecting him. He even expresses that he wished that Genya would settle down and have a family. Following the battle with Upper Rank One, Sanemi shows not only great anger and a certain emptiness towards Muzan, but more cooperation with the likes of Giyu, someone he clearly did not get along with in the past. Even when Sanemi is launched out of the battle against Muzan, he displays undeniable courage and determination, like his fellow Hashira.

When the showdown with Muzan is finally over and time has passed, Sanemi has clearly mellowed out a bit. He is able to smile with Giyu, even after their past confrontations. Most surprisingly, he admits his mistakes and apologizes to Nezuko about his actions. It goes to the point he gives her a smile and a pat on the head, as he sees Genya in the way she responds.