Kanao Tsuyuri/Synopsis

The story of Kanao Tsuyuri from the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba series.
==Biography==
===Background===
The girl eventually known as Kanao Tsuyuri was one of many children born into a poor family with parents who never bothered to name her. Her parents were incredibly abusive to her and her siblings, occasionally beating or even drowning them if they were displeased with the children's behavior. Eventually, the constant abuse and pain she suffered caused the girl to snap psychologically. As a defense mechanism, she essentially became an empty shell with little emotion. She would only ever do what she was told, and couldn't make any decisions for herself. At some point, the girl was sold into slavery by her parents for a small sum.
One day, the girl had a rope tied to her waist and was being pulled along a bridge by her master. At that moment, the Kocho sisters approached the pair. The older sister named Kanae questioned the man as to why the girl was tied up, speculating that it might be because she was a criminal. The man pointed out the obvious implications that the girl was a slave. Regardless, Kanae approached the girl and began talking to the child. As the man attempted to push Kanae away, the younger sister Shinobu intervened. The slave master demanded that if they really wanted to talk to the girl then they should buy her. In response, Shinobu tossed a large sum of money in the air and grabbed the girl's rope.
The Kocho sisters were both high-ranking members of the Demon Slayer Corps, an unofficial organization dedicated to the extermination of demons across Japan. Demons were immortal creatures who devoured humans to rise in power, but would evaporate when exposed to the sun. The Demon Slayers killed demons by decapitating them with Nichirin Blades, special blades that essentially stored up sunlight. Although the girl was freed from slavery and introduced into a loving home called the Butterfly Mansion she still remained a husk of a human.
There were several other children under the care of the Kocho sisters, some of which were orphans who had lost their families to demons. Kanao formed a sister-like bond with Aoi Kanzaki, a girl around Kanao's age who worked at the mansion because she was too afraid to hunt demons. A trio of younger girls: Naho Takada, Sumi Nakahara and Kiyo Terauchi were also members of the household who formed a bond with Kanao.
The girl chose her own name to be Kanao Tsuyuri from a short compiled list, which frustrated Aoi as she wanted Kanao to use her surname. Shinobu eventually grew frustrated by Kanao's refusal to make her own decisions. In response to Shinobu's grievances, Kanae devised a way for Kanao to decide for herself. She bequeathed a coin upon Kanao and simply told her to flip every time she wasn't sure about anything. She also went on to tell Kanao that her soul might finally open up when she falls in love one day.
The Demon Slayers used a special breathing technique known as Total Concentration Breathing to increase their strength and speed to the level of a demon's. There was also a special variant of this known as Total Concentration Constant which only the mightiest of Demon Slayers were capable of. Total Concentration Constant was the ability to use Total Concentration Breathing around the clock, further increasing the user's physical traits. Kanao was able to learn both variants at an unspecified point in time despite her young age.
Furthermore, the Slayers made use of special sword styles known as breathing styles to unleash powerful attack upon demons. Kanao was able to learn the Flower Breathing style and all of its forms by observing Kanae wielding her blade. Kanae and Shinobu both trained Kanao in several combat forms. Unlike the other orphans taken in by the Kochos, Kanao began slaying demons because she wasn't any good at housework.
When Kanao was twelve, Kanae was murdered by a powerful demon named Upper Two Doma. Doma was a member of the Twelve Kizuki, a group of the twelve strongest demons in existence who served directly under the demon lord and progenitor Muzan Kibutsuji. At the funeral, Kanao was unable to make herself cry despite her inner feelings of sadness. She felt incredibly bad at the time, although none of the other mourners judged her.
After Kanae's death, Shinobu helped Kanao refine her swordsmanship and her use of Flower Breathing. Kanao was eventually named Shinobu's Tsuguko. A Tsuguko was a swordsman trained by a Hashira that would one day succeed them. The Hashira were a group of the nine greatest Demon Slayers in the Demon Slayer Corps. Shinobu, a practitioner of Insect Breathing, was the Insect Hashira and Kanae had been the Flower Hashira.
===Final Selection===
Against the wishes of Shinobu, Kanao traveled to Mount Fujikasane to take the Final Selection exam at the age of sixteen. The test permitted those who could survive to officially join the Demon Slayer Corps. Kanao was first seen waiting at the base of the mountain for the exam to commence alongside roughly twenty other would-be Demon Slayers. Eventually a pair of twin children addressed the participants. The children explained that demons were trapped on the peak of the mountain by a wisteria prison (wisteria being a flower toxic to demons), and that each participant had to survive seven days on the mountain peek to pass the Final Selection. With that, the participants rushed up the mountain side.
By the end of the examination, only five participants remained alive including Kanao. All of the survivors except one convened at the base of the mountain once again to receive their reward. The other present survivors were Tanjiro Kamado, Genya Shinazugawa and Zenitsu Agatsuma. Out of the four, Kanao was the only one who wasn't covered in dirt and bruises from the examination, indicating that she found the test relatively easy.
The twins appeared to the survivors and congratulated them on their success. Each survivor was bestowed a Kasugai Crow, a crow capable of human speech that would serve as a messenger for each new Demon Slayer. Genya, caring not about the crow, grabbed one of the twins and demanded to be given his Nichirin Blade immediately. In response Tanjiro asked Genya to relinquish his arm and subsequently broke it when the boy refused to. Kanao completely ignored the commotion, choosing instead to gaze at a butterfly in her hand.
After the commotion, the other twin directed the newly-minted Demon Slayers to the Nichirin ore that would be used to create their swords. Kanao and the others then left the mountain separately as full-fledged Demon Slayers.
===Mount Natagumo===
Sometime later, Kanao accompanied Shinobu to Mount Natagumo on orders from Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. The mountain was infested by demons, including a member of the Twelve Kizuki. Tsuyuri directed the Kakushi (relief team) for those Slayers who had previously survived demon encounters on the mountain. In particular, Kanao ordered the clean up following a fight between fellow Selection survivor Zenitsu and a spider demon. During the clean up, she ordered the Kakushi to bring the survivors of the spider demon to the Butterfly Mansion and reassured the Kakushi that they could rest easy.
On orders from Shinobu, Kanao began hunting the demons on the mountain. Tanjiro, who Kanao had previously met during Final Selection, was attempting to flee the mountain with his demon sister Nezuko Kamado. As he ran, Tsuyuri (perceiving him as a traitor) ambushed Kamado by jumping on his back, causing him to topple over and let go of his sister. Kanao attempted to slash at Nezuko, only to be pulled back by Tanjiro. Kanao fell on top of Tanjiro and proceeded to knock him unconscious whilst he was ordering Nezuko to flee.
Following her brother's advice, Nezuko began to run for her life. Kanao pursued the demon and slashed at her head, an attack Kamado avoided by shrinking into a child. Nezuko continued to avoid all of Kanao's subsequent attacks without attempting to go on the offensive. Tsuyuri was bemused by Nezuko's actions, yet decided not to ponder on the reasoning.
Eventually, Kanao was able to force Nezuko into a corner. However, before she could execute the demon a Kasugai Crow overhead informed her that Nezuko was to be taken into custody and escorted to the Demon Slayer Headquarters. Tsuyuri asked the demon she had been pursuing if she was Nezuko, and then presumably restrained the small demon. Later on, she observed the rise of the sun as everyone left the Mountain after the demons had been exterminated. The present Twelve Kizuki member Lower Five had been killed by the Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka during the conflict.
Note: In the anime adaption the scene where Kanao is ordering the clean up takes place after her pursuit of Nezuko.
===Rehabilitation Training===
The day after the Natagumo incident, Kanao was relaxing in the back garden of the Butterfly Mansion with butterflies fluttering around her. Two members of the Kakushi, carrying Tanjiro and Nezuko on their backs respectively, entered the grounds and greeted Kanao. Tanjiro hadn't maintained any memory of the night before and only recognized her from Final Selection. However, he remained silent, seemingly entranced by Kanao. The Kakushi asked permission to enter the Butterfly Mansion several times, as Shinobu had given the pardoned Tanjiro and Nezuko permission to stay there. Due to her aloof nature, Kanao declined to speak, making the Kakushi unsure as to what to do. Eventually, Aoi arrived and led the group inside, leaving Kanao alone in the garden.
A few days later, Kanao began helping Tanjiro and Inosuke's recovery alongside Aoi and the three other girls. Inosuke Hashibira was the fifth survivor of Final Selection who wasn't present during the second meeting. Kanao participated by playing the cup game and tag with the boys. The former game consisted of two people trying to throw sour cups of medicated water on the other as reflex training. Naturally, due to her vastly superior skill, Kanao was able to best Tanjiro and Inosuke at both games with ease. When Zenitsu began joining in on the sessions, he was also easily beat by Kanao.
Kanao's winning streak continued to pile up until Tanjiro began training to use Total Concentration Constant. Over time, the gap between the pair began to slowly shorten, as Tanjiro inched closer to beating Kanao at the various exercises.
Note: The following section of the article includes material exclusive to the anime.
Kanao observed the boys training in the yard. Shinobu approached her and suggested she should join them, considering she was a member of their class. Kanao declined to respond, choosing to bow and walk away from her sister without responding. She began reminiscing about her past and the circumstances that led to her possessing her coin.
After remembering Kanae's words about how falling in love would lead to her soul opening up, Kanao glanced over to Tanjiro and flipped her coin to see if she should talk to him. Unfortunately the coin indicated that she shouldn't so Tsuyuri merely wandered away from the courtyard.
Note: Anime exclusive information ends here.
Eventually Tanjiro was finally able to catch Kanao during tag and beat her at the reflexive cup game (although he refused to splash her with the foul-smelling medicated water). By the time Tanjiro's recovery was over and he had mastered Total Concentration Constant, the pair were equally matched and had equal wins and losses against one another.
Before leaving for his next mission, Tanjiro decided to bid farewell to Kanao. He approached her while she was relaxing in the garden and tried to thank her for all the help she gave him. Kanao, after consulting her coin, began talking to Tanjiro. She merely stated that there was no reason to thank her as she had merely been following Shinobu's orders. With that said she said goodbye to Tanjiro. However, Tanjiro, seemingly intrigued by Kanao's coin, queried her on the nature of the toss.
For a time, Kanao repeatedly said "Farewell" to Tanjiro but relented and told him the reason behind her coin after he continued to pester her. After learning Kanao's reasoning, Tanjiro sat and pondered in deep thought for a few moments before theorizing that the voice in Kanao's heart must be really small. He then asked to borrow the coin and made a proposition to Kanao: If the coin landed on heads then Tsuyuri would have to listen to her own feelings and her own heart rather then the whims of a coin.
With that said he tossed the coin high in the air. Kanao sat in suspense as she waited to receive the result of the coin toss. Tanjiro was able to catch the coin and rushed over to Kanao's side, revealing the result to be heads. Tanjiro celebrated the result of the toss and grasped Kanao's hand, wishing her good luck in her future endeavors.
As Kamado began to rush off, Kanao questioned Tanjiro on how he made the toss come up as heads. He merely revealed that it was by chance, but if it had come up tails he would've kept flipping it until it was heads. He then flashed her a pure smile and ran off, leaving Kanao alone in the courtyard. Kanao then held the coin to her chest and deeply contemplated Tanjiro's words and actions. After a few moments Aoi arrived, startling the flustered Kanao.
Note: There will be spoilers from the manga from this point forwards.
===The Abrupt Kidnapping===
Some months later, the Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui came to the Butterfly Mansion and attempted to kidnap Aoi and Naho. As he carried the girls away, Aoi begged Kanao to help her. Although initially unsure what to do due to Tengen being her superior, Kanao remembered Tanjiro's words and stopped the Sound Hashira in his tracks. Sumi and Kiyo followed suite and soon Uzui found himself smothered by children trying to stop him. Tanjiro, hearing the commotion, rushed over to help the girls.
Tanjiro threw a headbutt at Tengen, who swiftly shook the girls including Kanao off him and avoided Kamado's attack. Tengen then explained that he needed a female Slayer for a mission and decided to take the girls. Uzui released Naho after Kiyo pointed out that she wasn't a member of the Corps and tried to flee with Aoi. However, he was cut off by Zenitsu and Inosuke. Irritated, Tengen reluctantly agreed to take Tanjiro, Inosuke and Zenitsu instead if they dressed up as women. Aoi was safely returned to Kanao and the others and the three boys went with Tengen on the mission.
===Mission's Aftermath===
Sometime later, Tanjiro and company were brought back from their mission after being badly injured. The Slayers had fought and defeated the demon siblings Gyutaro and Daki, who held the joint position of Upper Six within the Twelve Kizuki. Although this was the first time a member of the Twelve Kizuki's upper ranks had been defeated in over a century, it came at a steep cost. The Sound Hashira Tengen was forced into an early retirement after being crippled and Tanjiro was so badly injured he fell into a coma. Zenitsu was relatively fine and was back on duty the next day, whereas Inosuke had also fallen into a coma.
One day while bringing a potted plant into Tanjiro's room, Kanao discovered that he had awoken after his two month slumber. Tsuyuri dropped the plant in shock and rushed to his side, expressing how glad she was that he was finally awake. Eventually a Kakushi entered the room and yelled at Kanao for not alerting anyone that Tanjiro had woken up. A few short moments later Aoi, Naho, Kiyo and Sumi came through the door and began crying in relief at Tanjiro's recovery. The girls began filling Tanjiro in on everything that had happened during his slumber including the situation his friends were in.
They went on to explain that Inosuke's recovery had been difficult due to his resistance to medicine. Kanao, like everyone else, was surprised to then look up and see Inosuke clinging to the ceiling like a spider. After Inosuke's arrival Tanjiro fell asleep again. Kanao, in a rare display of force, yelled at everyone to be quiet while Tanjiro was asleep. Kamado subsequently made a full recovery.
Category:Synopsis