Are "Nichirin Swords" Modern-Day "Magic Items"? A Deep Dive into the Sorcery Forged into the Blade!

Hello! This is Osamu, the manga blogger.

In "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," the only weapon capable of annihilating demons is the "Nichirin Sword."

That sword wielded by the Demon Slayer Corps members—do you all just think of it as "a katana made of special metal"?

The more I read the story, the more convinced I become that it's no mere weapon.

I believe it's a type of "Magic Item" (Madougu), crafted to sever the "curse" that is the demon by activating the "magic" that is the user's "Breathing."

Today, with my favorite book, the "Dictionary of Magic Items," in hand, I want to thoroughly explore the "jujutsu" (sorcery/magic) embedded within the Nichirin Sword!

What Defines a "Magic Item"?

First, let's open the "Dictionary of Magic Items."

According to this book, a "Magic Item" isn't just a convenient tool, but an item characterized by:

1. Being made from special (sacred or cursed) materials.

2. Being imbued with magical power through specific rituals or crafting methods.

3. Possessing the function of a "catalyst" that chooses its owner or amplifies the owner's power.

Typical examples include the "Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi" from Japanese mythology and King Arthur's "Excalibur" (which is also mentioned in the "Dictionary of Magic").

Now, what happens if we apply this definition to the Nichirin Sword...?

It fits astonishingly perfectly!

Theory 1: The Sorcery of the Material - "Imitation of the Sun"

Nichirin Swords are crafted only from special materials: "Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand" and "Scarlet Crimson Ore," both gathered from the "mountain closest to the sun."

Why is this?

Because the demon's only weakness is "sunlight," right?

The "Dictionary of Magic" describes a concept called "Imitative Magic" (Ruikan Majutsu). This is a fundamental law of sorcery stating that "things that are alike influence each other."

In other words, the Nichirin Sword is:

The product of an extremely powerful form of imitative magic, which seeks to imbue the blade with "the power of the sun itself" by using ore gathered from "the place most similar (closest) to the sun."

To destroy the demon (= Yin, darkness), they counter it with a material that harbors the attribute of the sun (= Yang, light).

The Nichirin Sword, by its very material, can be called a concentration of the strongest "anti-demon sorcery."

Theory 2: The "Contract" Ritual of Choosing an Owner

A Nichirin Sword has no specific color when it is first forged.

Only when its first owner grips it does it change color for the first time, corresponding to the owner's aptitude.

This is not just a simple aptitude test.

I believe this is precisely the "ritual of contract" that binds the sword to its user.

Like many "Magic Items" and "Holy Swords" listed in the "Dictionary of Magic Items," the Nichirin Sword also "chooses its user."

Then, by dyeing itself with the attribute of its owner's "Breathing" (= magic) (such as Flame, Water, Wind, etc.), it is completed as a "catalyst" that draws out that power to its maximum potential.

The sword acknowledges its owner, and the owner breathes life into the sword.

Through this ritual of "color change," the Nichirin Sword becomes, for the first time, "a Magic Item belonging only to that person."

Theory 3: The Curse of "Kotodama" (Spirit of Words) - "Akki Messatsu"

And then, there are the Nichirin Swords of the "Hashira," the strongest swordsmen.

Engraved at the hilt of their swords are the four characters: "Akki Messatsu" (Slay All Demons / Destroyer of Demons).

It is shortsighted to think of this as a mere slogan or a statement of determination.

In Japan, there has long been a belief in "Kotodama" (the spirit of words).

It is the idea that spiritual power resides in words, and by speaking them or writing them down, they can affect the real world. This is a form of sorcery, akin to "Runes," which imbue letters themselves with power, or "Choubuku" (subjugation rituals), which bend others to one's will with incantations, both of which are found in the "Dictionary of Magic."

By engraving this intense "curse" (or perhaps "prayer")—"We will annihilate the demons"—as Kotodama onto the core of the "Magic Item" that is the sword.

By doing this, the Nichirin Sword's purpose "to kill demons" is elevated to its absolute limit, completing it as a jujutsu armament (cursed/magical weaponry) existing "solely for the purpose of destroying demons." Wouldn't you agree?

Conclusion

When we analyze it this way, it becomes clear that the "Nichirin Sword" is no ordinary weapon.

1. Sacred Material (Imitative Magic harboring the sun's power)

2. Ritual of Contract (Attunement with the owner via color change)

3. Sorcery of Kotodama (Imbuing the purpose of "Akki Messatsu")

Through these layers of "jujutsu" (sorcery), the Nichirin Sword becomes the one and only "Magic Item" worthy of the name, capable of severing the "curse" of the supernatural beings known as "demons."

Those swords wielded by the Demon Slayer Corps are imbued not only with the skill of the swordsmiths but also with the "prayers" and "curses" of countless people determined to see the demons destroyed...

When you think of it that way, every swing of that sword takes on a different, heavier meaning, doesn't it?

This was Osamu!