Aoi Kanzaki

Aoi Kanzaki (神崎 アオイ, Kanzaki Aoi) is a supporting character in the 2016-2020 dark fantasy manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and its 2019 anime adaptation.
She is a demon huntress turned nurse working in Demon Slayer Corps' medical sector. After losing her parents to Demons, she joined the Corps to eradicate Demons. After learning Breath of Water swordsmanship and managing to survive the Final Selection, Aoi was assigned under Kanae Kocho's care and had been caring for patients who are wounded in their battle against Demons.
She is voiced by Yuri Ehara in Japanese and by Reba Buhr in English.
==Appearance==
Aoi Kanzaki has black hair that is styled in twintails. She has the blue-tinted demon slayer uniform with a dress and butterfly pins on her hair.
==Story==
Aoi was first seen training Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira helping them recover their combat skills. She goes very tough on them and often pushes them to their limits. Eventually Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke recovered and surpassed her - with Inosuke going so far as retaliating at her. Although initially wanting to combat Demons, having survived in the Final Selection and possessing skills to fight Demons, Aoi sees herself as being purely lucky that she survived and after Realizing how vicious Demons can be, lost her resolve and instead opted to serve at the rear. And for this, she was self-hateful, detesting herself for being a coward until Tanjiro assured her that this isn't so. He consoled her that Aoi's devotion to heal has become part of Tanjiro's resolve and he would carry her heart to the battlefield with him. From this point on Aoi open up her heart more and more - Once again fulfilling the theme of the manga: helping others will eventually come around to help oneself.
From time to time, every time Tanjiro's team injure themselves in major battles with Demons, Aoi is seen attending to them. While many injuries were serious but not potentially lethal, there had been some injuries that were downright life-threatening, much to Aoi's worry and stress. Although concerned for their well-being, Zenitsu's tendency to whine along with Inosuke's feral characteristics often annoy her, resulting in Aoi stringently scorning both of them.
During the final battle with Demons, Aoi along with Naho, Sumi and Kiyo was seen praying for Demon hunters who are waging the desperate battle against the Demon lord Muzan Kibutsuji - unaware that her dear friend, superior and mentor Shinobu fell in the battle (and many more hunters and Pillars would die in the battle as well). 
Three months after Tanjiro returned to human from becoming Demon, with the final battle ended with Demon Slayer Corps being the victor, Aoi was seen preparing for foods for Tanjiro and other survivors. She then saw Inosuke attempting to steal foods, berates him not to do it, nevertheless gives him extra foods much to Inosuke's both joy and bewilderment (he thought Aoi must be very strong to detect his movement, but in reality this was not so; she noticed him because she cared deeply for him)
In tankubon of Demon Slayer manga chapter 205.5, Inosuke was seen giving Aoi fruits and flowers, beginning of a beautiful romance between them.
Eventually, she and Inosuke Hashibira marry and having a great-grandson named Aoba Hashibira who, like Inosuke, possesses very keen senses but lacks his fearlessness.
==Personality==
Aoi's personality is somewhat similar to that of the young Shinobu Kocho; volatile, strict, rational and open unlike her three colleagues at the Butterfly Mansion. She often appears angry, generally displaying how she feels very clearly. However, she does occasionally express more tender emotions such as declaring her enjoyment of the time spent with the trio when they were at the Mansion, looking openly surprised at Tanjiro Kamado's reassurance towards her, and bursting into tears when discussing Inosuke Hashibira's serious injuries.
Despite her somewhat gruff demeanor, she is internally kind and caring, doing her best to help the hunters that come to the Mansion.
==Relationship==
=== Kanao Tsuyuri ===
Kanao and Aoi's relation is neither good nor bad. Although initially happy at the prospect of having another sufferer to share grief and attempting to make Kanao blood sister on Aoi's part - even going so far as to recommend the surname Kanzaki, Kanao's seemingly lack of emotions (due to her terrible childhood) along with Kanao's inherent combat potentials which Aoi severely lacked, Aoi began to feel inferiority complex and the two eventually grew distanced from each other.
But after being comforted by Tanjiro Kamado and being saved by Kanao from being forced to go to battle against her will, the two became much more affable. Shinobu Kocho, noticing this, gave both of them mutual assignments, shoppings and errands to help them bonding each other.
==Etymology==
* The name Aoi means "mallow" (アオイ) in Katakana. 
** However, when written in kanji (葵 or 碧), it could possibly mean:
*** 葵 - "hollyhock, althea".
*** 碧 - "green, blue".
* Aoi's surname Kanzaki means "god, deity" (神) (kan) and "cape, peninsula" (崎) (saki/zaki).
== Gallery ==
Aoi Kanzaki (Manga; Colored).png|Manga (colored)
Aoi profile.jpg
Volume 19 Extra Page 01.png|Aoi insisting Kanao choosing surname 'Kanzaki' but Kanao already chose surname 'Tsuyuri'.
File:Aoi in the game Demon slayer ps5 xbox.jpg|Aoi in Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hinokami Keppūtan
File:Aoi kanzaki.gif
File:AOI KANZAKI GIF 3.gif
File:Aoi kanzaki .gif
File:Aoi is almost taken tengen uzui.gif
==Trivia==
*Aoi and Muichiro Tokito were test-mates during Final Selection.
*Aoi was the one who repaired Nezuko Kamado's hiding box when it was damaged.
==External Links==
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