We learned that wisteria deters demons in a recentish episode of Demon Slayer (uncertain when this will be published). This piqued my interest. I was aware of the name, of course, but the episode made me realize that I was unaware of what wisteria actually is. not to mention why they would make a strong all-around defense. I thus did as I normally do and turned to my trusted friend Google.
The first thing I discovered is that wisteria are incredibly lovely:
Since Quebec’s weather can be rather fickle and only the hardiest plants can survive, I doubt that we see the flower very often. However, as I shall discuss a little later, that might not be be the problem. By entering “wisteria” and “devil” together in the search field, I discovered a second thing: there isn’t a clear connection between the two. More research was required!
In actuality, wisteria is an Asian plant species that belongs to the pea family. Though I believe it has spread to the nearby areas as well, it appears to have its natural origins in China and Japan. It was introduced to Europe and America some time ago, and now various American versions are also successful in the US.
The plant’s traditional meaning comes from Chinese and Japanese civilizations. The flower has also been utilized in Kabuki theater as a symbol of love, sensuality, support, sensitivity, bliss, and tenderness. It is more frequently linked to luck, youth, and births. I suppose all these loving and compassionate relationships may be seen as the opposite of demons, but I’m not sure that’s the whole story.
In reality, the bloom is quite resilient, and individual specimens can survive for hundreds of years. The oldest live one is currently thought to be in Japan and has been extant for more than 1200 years. It is therefore not strange that it is linked to immortality. Although there are trees that outlive flowers much longer, the endurance of flowers is still rather remarkable.
We can draw a few parallels between this and the Demons. I haven’t read the manga, and the anime hasn’t provided us with a lot of information on the demon lore thus far, so I’m just treating them like vampires. mostly because they are killed by the sun, which is typically associated with vampires even though their behavior is very similar to that of zombies. In essence, I’m thinking that demons do not age and do not pass away naturally, but the anime has not explicitly stated this.
Wisteria is also a rather combative plant. You must frequently trim them back when introducing them into new surroundings or else they risk taking over and suffocating the nearby plants.
Thus, rather than being hostile to demons, they are comparable to them in many ways. a persistent and perhaps deadly presence that encroaches on other living things.
In actuality, there is a straightforward canon explanation for demons’ aversion to flowers. You could assume that the fact that Demons want to stay away from them so desperately is because of the plant that can be used to create a poison that is fatal to them. They want to cross the grove so badly that they would rather starve to death on a remote mountain. I don’t think the tale goes any further than that.
But I want to add my headcanon to it since we like to find relevance when there isn’t actually any. Find a tiny reason why the author would have picked that particular flower over the dozens of dangerous plants that were available. Furthermore, I don’t believe the conventional interpretations are enough. Instead, there was a fusion of those symbols and the plant’s organic behavior.
They resemble devils if you consider wisteria as a symbol of rebirth and immortality and add that to their lengthy lifespans and predatory nature. Both prey on others in search of immortality, but one is a sign of impending death, while the other is the promise of brand-new life. The other, which is connected with sunshine, conveys our ideal of freshness and beauty while conjuring images of decay, rot, and gloom. They are conceptually similar to funhouse mirror representations of one another.
Okay, so this might be a bit of a stretch, but I like this interpretation of Wisteria’s role in the Demon Slayer mythos. What do you think of the series, if you guys watch it? Am I making any sense here? Perhaps there were hints in the episode that I missed (or simply put, I’m slow sometimes), which would have led us to believe the exact opposite. I’d be interested to hear about any conspiracy theories you may have.
Wisteria trees deter demons for what reason?
Wisteria blooms are introduced in “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s” fourth episode, which also emphasizes how potently medicinal they are, particularly as a poison. The scent of the wisteria flower, when concentrated, works wonders to ward off demons. When used on typical, higher-ranking demons, the flower can at least paralyze them. It works especially well against low-ranking demons.
Demons like to stay away from wisteria flowers as much as possible due of the threat the plants pose. This is precisely why the Demon Slayer Corps’ headquarters are surrounded by flowers; it protects them from danger (most of the time). Wisteria is also used to inscribe the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corp members into the hands of demon slayers, therefore the flower’s importance extends farther for them. The flower serves as an effective symbol for the business.
As of this writing (May 2021), only one season of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” has been broadcast, but future plotlines in the manga series indicate that wisteria blooms will play a significant role in the mythology as a whole. Fans should be delighted to return to the demon realm sometime in 2021 since there has already been a sequel movie, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train,” and a second season of the anime has already been confirmed. Be sure to keep some wisteria blooms on hand, though.
Why are demons affected by wisteria flowers?
- The name “Fujikasane,” which means “wrapped in wisteria,” comes from the fact that wisteria is utilized to keep the demons imprisoned on Mount Fujikasane during the Final Selection[3].
- The ranks of the corps members are inscribed on the back of their hands using Wisteria after the Final Selection.
- [4]
- Wisteria may be utilized to make poisons that can immobilize Lower Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki and paralyze common Demons. These poisons have been demonstrated to have the power to dissolve nearly any demon in sufficient concentrations, denying the ability of certain demons to regenerate, as demonstrated by Shinobu Kocho. [5]
- Shinobu was able to alter her own physique by using Wisteria Flower Poison with the aid of Tamayo and Yushiro. As part of her defense against Doma, Shinobu voluntarily changed her own physiology so that every cell of her flesh was covered in wisteria poison[6], transforming her body into a covert human poison capsule that, given enough time, would slowly eat away at the bodies of even the highest Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki. She claimed that her whole size and weight made her equivalent to 37 kilograms of poison, or over 700 times[7] more than what would be required to kill an average demon.
- Shinobu uses wisteria to make a drug that will transform a Demon back into a human.
- [8]
Demon Slayer, how does wisteria influence people?
Despite the fact that the wisteria flower has a variety of uses, it is most frequently used to create poisons that can paralyze common demons and the Lower Ranks of the 12 Demon Moons. Muzan Kibutsuji is the only person immune to its affects because he is the origin of all demons in Demon Slayer.
In reality, wisteria flowers are poisonous, but to everyone. This flower’s seeds contain a poisonous substance called wisterin that, if consumed, may result in nausea, dizziness, collapse, etc. These flowers can have considerably more severe side effects than merely nausea and dizziness in the Demon Slayer realm, where they are exclusively fatal to demonkind.
In Demon Slayer, what does wisteria flower represent?
Wisteria Flower ( () , Fuji?) is a plant predominantly used by the Demon Slayer Corps to combat Demons. The Demon Slayer Corps once helped a family escape a demon attack. The family created their family crest with a Wisteria Flower so Corps members could see their expression of gratitude.
Why is Muzan feared by demons?
Demons are mostly carnivorous, vampire-like creatures that feed primarily on human flesh and blood. They exclusively work at night because sunlight is deadly to them and will burn them to ash. Demons possess an exceptionally strong physical structure and regenerative capacity that renders them impervious to common weapons and allows them to easily recover from any harm, even growing a new head. Only the Nichirin Swords, unique weapons crafted from unique ore with sun-absorbing characteristics, may cause fatal wounds. Of all, even with a Nichirin Sword, the only way to ensure a demon is killed is to cut off its head. Demons are also known to detest wisteria blooms since they find their scent repulsive and they are harmful to them.
Almost all demons have a bloodthirsty drive to kill and consume people and have largely forgotten their previous lives as humans. While they do still have their original personalities, they tend to develop darker versions of them. Nezuko Kamado, Tamayo, and Yushiro are just a handful of the demons who have fully kept their human emotions and memories. Some of the Twelve Kizuki still have human memories, including Rui (though he eventually forgot them), Kaigaku, Kyogai, and Kokushibo. It’s possible that demons too had their life flash before their eyes before they transform into pure ash because all demons do regain their memories just before they pass away.
As they ingest more humans, the demon species is also known to evolve and become stronger, giving them the ability to take on more monstrous shapes and enhance their physical and regenerative capacities, among other qualities. Demons can develop Blood Demon Arts, a variety of superhuman abilities and skills that are particular to each demon, if they have consumed enough humans. Demons can consume varying amounts of nutrition according on their blood type, with higher nutrition levels being associated with rarer blood kinds. The rarest blood kind is called Marechi; eating one of these people gives a demon nearly the same amount of nourishment as eating 100 regular people.
Tamayo and Nezuko are both revealed to be outliers to this rule; the former is shown to have developed into a very potent demon despite having her body surgically altered to require little blood intake (typically in the form of blood donations). The latter, who has never killed a person, gets the majority of her energy from long stretches of slumber, and over time, she was able to acquire her own special abilities and get stronger.
It is also revealed that Muzan’s own blood possesses unique qualities that, in proportion to the blood injected, can enhance a demon. The blood can cause a mutation in the recipient’s body that is much beyond what they can handle, which can result in death. The blood is deadly toxic in greater doses. However, if they persevere through the painful process—which has been proved to get worse the higher the dose—their strength will much increase. Muzan, on the other hand, is also seen to be able to negate a demon’s immortality and capacity for regeneration, and, if he chooses, to consume and destroy them.
The main foe of the demon race is the Demon Slayers, a group of people who have been taught to eradicate them using a variety of highly sophisticated methods and tools that have been developed over millennia. Demons thus prefer to live in secrecy, with the general populace being unaware of their existence. Additionally, some demons integrate themselves into human society to both conceal themselves from their captors and to have far easier access to their prey.
Appearance
Demons can take on many different shapes. The majority have humanoid appearances with just minor physiological differences, such as lighter skin, fangs, pointed nails, eyes that resemble cats but have oddly colored sclera, dark markings that appear in different patterns all over their bodies, and/or lighter or darker hair. The modifications vary from demon to demon; some can maintain their original appearances while others develop twisted features like extra heads, mouths, or limbs. There are other instances where demons have bizarre, hideous physiologies that are more similar to those of animals than people.
Behaviour
The Spider Family, a collection of demons pushed to cooperate by their leader Rui in what was a hostile environment, is the only exception to the rule that demons, for the most part, work alone, don’t bother to group together, and battle over both prey and possible hunting grounds. The majority of demons, however, are linked to Muzan Kibutsuji, their progenitor. Through a series of curses, he is able to read their thoughts, see what they see, determine where they are, and even kill them remotely, acting like a hive-mind. All demons swear allegiance to Muzan, who keeps their allegiance by coercion and fear. Muzan does not have absolute control over his offspring, though. A person with a strong enough will might be able to break their bond with Muzan, making them resistant to his curse and largely invisible to him. Tamayo and Nezuko are the only demons known to perform this action.
Creation
Demons are not naturally born, with the exception of Muzan, the first demon, who was brought into the world by the Blue Spider Lily remedy. Only Muzan has been proven to be able to transform a human after exposure to the blood of a powerful demon, unlike the majority of the race.
It is possible to be immune to demon blood, though this is extremely uncommon.
[1] Kokushibo has also disclosed that people who practice Total Concentration Breathing are less susceptible to Muzan’s blood’s transforming powers.
Using science rather than the transfusion of blood, Tamayo was also able to turn a human into a demon, although this technique is far from as effective as the one that took her two hundred years to perfect and was only used once. Chachamaru was likewise made into a demon by Yushiro via an unidentified technique.
It should be emphasized that they were not created by a supernatural process but rather a biological one carried out with the aid of chemicals, indicating that Muzan’s blood and the medicine made from Blue Spider Lily may have mutagenic effects. The process is carried out at the cellular level, as shown by Muzan pouring blood into a civilian. If the mutation is too severe, the victim’s cells would be annihilated, leaving only ash behind.
Restoration
A demon’s metamorphosis is not permanent and can even be undone, albeit this is unknown to the general public. After hundreds of years of study and testing using the blood of numerous powerful demons with significant concentrations of Muzan Kibtsuji’s blood, Tamayo created a medication that can reverse demonification. A powerful demon like Muzan was able to withstand the effects of the drug, but with great biological effort, suggesting that the drug’s effectiveness may vary depending on the target.