Highlights
- Genya Shinazugawa is a tough and determined fighter who had a troubled past and suffered abuse from his family.
- He developed a unique fighting style that combines a gun and a sword, making him stand out among other Demon Slayers.
- Genya also has the ability to consume demon flesh, temporarily gaining attributes similar to demons, but there may be detrimental effects in the long run.
The younger brother of the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Genya Shinazugawa makes his first appearance during the Final selection which took place on Mount Fujikasane. This is also where Tanjiro met Genya as they qualified to become Demon Slayers together.
Although constantly seen to be angry and in a foul mood, Genya harbors a troubled past where his family and him suffered abuse from his father and his mother’s transformation into a demon, leaving his brother to end up killing her since she killed his other brothers and sisters. From the get-go, Genya is seen to be an extremely tough and determined fighter both mentally and physically, but what's the deal with his fighting style?
Got Guns?
Genya also makes an appearance in the latest Swordsmith Village Arc where his character is given more screen time and plays a vital role in the battle against Upper Moon Demons 4 & 5. However, unlike his peers, Genya was unable to develop a breathing technique which forced him to adopt a new technique in his fight against demons, the new technique he developed involved using a dual wielding method of using a double barreled shotgun and a nichirn wakizashi (a smaller version of a katana). Genya is an expert marksman and loaded the gun with not just regular bullets, but bullets made from scarlet crimson ore, the same material used in nichirin swords which is seen to be highly effective against demons.
The combination of both gun and sword is a unique fighting style seen in the Demon Slayer series. While most Demons Slayers used unique swords with different shapes and styles, Genya chose to stand out from the rest and chose to fight using a gun, which is perfect for long range combat. This also shows the advancement of weapon technology during Japan's Taishō Period. Once Genya lands a direct hit on a target using his gun and in case the blow was not powerful enough, he can still use his wakizashi to dash in and finish off his opponent.
As Genya was unable to adopt or learn a breathing technique, he was later trained by Gyomei Himejima, the stone Hashira, who took him under his wing and taught him how to use repetitive action, a technique which uses repetition of words or phrases in order to clear the mind and focus on his attack and avoid distractions, this technique is also similar to a breathing technique that a demon slayer would use.
Tactical and Hidden Abilities
Apart from his tactical skills, Genya also has a power that he uses as a last minute resort and when all else fails, this is his ability to consume demon flesh and to temporarily gain attributes similar to the demon's flesh he consumed, by doing this he is able to enhance his physical condition even more giving him a competitive edge. Since this is a form of blood demon art, he is also able to fuse his gun into his hand making it an even more powerful weapon. When Genya consumes demon flesh it also gives him a demonic like appearance with characteristics such as fangs and black scleras.
However, although not proven, the drawbacks of continuously using this could prove to be detrimental to Genya's body as continuous consumption of demon blood could prove to be fatal over time. The use of both gun and nicihirn blade combined with body altering properties makes Genya a powerful demon slayer, and he also plays an important role in the fight to defeat Muzan, and later goes head-to-head with Upper Moon 1 Demon,Kokushibo, making him a unique character in the series as he ultimately dreams of becoming a Hashira.