The Demon That Stole The Hearts Of Everyone.

Spoiler: His Full Story. From Mugen Train to Infinity Castle Part 1.

It’s the way I absolutely hated this character at first and you probably did too. 

Hakuji Soyama or as we all know him as Akaza. 

The man we are introduced to in Mugen Train to who we see in Infinity Castle Part 1 goes through a shift. There’s a moment and a backstory that completely changes how you see him. 

Honest Akaza comes out of nowhere.

Being portrayed as someone who’s stubborn, headstrong, and battle hungry. Wanting to only face the strongest opponents because the weak are deemed unworthy in his eyes. 

Tanjiro was seen as weak. What Akaza didn’t realize though was he was going to use this moment to become strong. 

Rengoku on the other hand was worthy to fight. Even acknowledging his strength and respecting it. Saying that his fighting spirit was tempered like steel. 

Trying to get him to become a Demon. 

Wanting someone to train with and promised that he would become stronger than he could ever imagine. Though that was proven to not be very effective. 

Quick heads-up before we dive in: this post contains Amazon affiliate links. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

That was their difference. Rengoku strived to have an honorable human life. Akaza couldn’t understand why he would rather die instead of living eternally to become stronger. Not seeing why he would give up such strength. 

Turning into a battle of strength. 

Inevitably leading to Akaza killing Rengoku. 

Then bolting off because he stayed a little too long and needed to find shelter from the sun. 

Afterwards Akaza is seen as cruel and ruthless. That is how all demons tend to be anyways. Their human emotions no longer play a factor in who they are. 

When we see little clips of Akaza, I feel like we can see little slices of his humanity.

I understand that when you become a demon you essentially forget everything about your life before. Meaning any traces of loved ones are gone, things you couldn’t do before are gone, and who you wanted to be is also gone. 

I would like to think that little parts of them still remain though. 

It is the little details that are taken from his past. 

One being that he seems to want to make his master happy. This being when he reports back to Muzan. He wasn’t able to find the blue spiderlily, but he was able to defeat a hashira. Akaza saw that as enough. There was one less hashira to take care of. 

To Muzan that was seen as being the bare minimum. 

It seemed like something broke in him a little at that moment. Vowing that he would defeat every demon slayer that is at the next battle. Only then would he have done enough in his master’s eyes. 

Akaza also tends to have a bit of a temper and we see this when all the upper ranked demons are meeting. Being the one that disrupts the hierarchy. Not seeming to respect his colleagues, but also fearing the ones stronger than him. 

He needed to learn respect.

Then Muzan says something that sticks. 

“Can’t you see you’re falling in order of who has the most of their humanity remaining”

– Muzan 

Now Akaza doesn’t seem to have much, but when we finally get his backstory you realize he had more than what you would think. 

We judge people before we really get to know them. Deciding that they are either good or bad right off the bat. Sometimes we have to think about what could have been the reason a person becomes so heartless. 

Now I am not saying that every villain has a backstory where you think, “You know, I understand how things lead to this”. 

Some were demons before becoming a demon. 

While others were forced into the life of a demon. 

We judge Akaza before we even get his entire backstory.

In Infinity Castle Part 1 we get to see who he truly is. Along with why he became the villain everyone knows. Honestly I can’t blame him. 

While fighting Giyu and Tanjiro, Akaza has that same ruthless countered strength and attacks that he wields when facing a strong opponent. A lot of his technique and how he operates come from his past. More than people think. 

Let’s talk a little bit about his combat style. 

His fighting style he learned during his time being a human. Soryu Style being a type of hand to hand combat that he combines with his Blood Demon Art, Destructive Death. Which sends shockwaves causing more damage to his opponents. Then we have the Compass Needle technique that presents itself as a snowflake shaped that tracks and predicts his enemies attacks based on how they fight. The design isn’t random either. The snowflake shape ties back to his first love Koyuki.

Even though he didn’t remember her, a piece of her was still there. 

I love that they do this. Taking the little things that you would probably think are random and turning them into something that mean the most to the character. 

Before the fight really gets started Akaza finally acknowledges Tanjiro’s strength, admitting that Rengoku was right. He was ready, even stating. . .

“Now, let’s kick things off, shall we? It’s time we had some fun.”

– Akaza

At first giving all of his focus to Giyu. Being excited because the last time he fought a water hashira was 50 years ago. Even trying to make small talk while they were fighting him. He was so impressed with him that he needed to know his name.

Akaza wanted to know the names of the strongest opponents that he fought against. 

When he sent Giyu flying, he turned his focus back onto Tanjiro. Which is when the first straw starts to break. A single memory, a distant thought, and an attack that just hits air. 

Only Akaza knew what was happening.  

Then when his attention was stolen back to Giyu, he wasn’t accounting for the amount of time Tanjiro had to think. Reminding him of his old sensei was one thing, but calculating his technique to where all of his memories came flooding back like a waterfall is something completely different. 

Akaza can sense people’s intent to kill their fighting spirit essentially. 

Tanjiro fights through all of the defenses, cutting off his fighting spirit. Making Akaza confused because he couldn’t sense anything. That is when it happens. 

Akaza’s head is decapitated. 

His head disintegrated, but his body didn’t. Trying to regenerate because he didn’t want to die yet. To him, he couldn’t. 

Then something unexpected happens, the love of his life stops him. Not understanding what he was doing. Which makes Akaza confused on who she was, where she came from, what she was doing. 

Leading into a backstory that will make you love him as fast as you ended up hating him. 

Akaza had a rough life from the beginning. 

His father was very ill. Therefore he had to figure out what to do at a very young age. Which led to him pickpocketing and occasionally ending up in fights. Marking him as a criminal along the way. On paper and him physically. 

Being named a “Demon Child”.

His human years were spent in the Edo period where they would tattoo criminals for their crimes committed. They were to mark them so people would be aware of the company around them. Some of the tattoos he had as a human transferred over to his demon years. He had also gained more tattoos though.

Every time Akaza was tattooed. 

Every time he was beaten.

Every time his father grew more worried. 

His father felt guilty about Akaza being beaten and branded as a criminal. So much that the last time he got caught, his father committed suicide leaving a letter. Urging him to change his life because it wasn’t too late. Hoping he would stop stealing and would live an honest life. 

Grief can be a powerful thing though. 

Akaza went on a rampage. Fought people in the streets. He was sad, frustrated, and that was the only way he felt he could get those emotions out. 

When he was exiled from his hometown he ran into a dojo master that would change his life for the better. Keizo brought him into his house for Akaza to protect and take care of his daughter Koyuki. Now she was sick. 

Then it pans back to the present time, headless, trying to regenerate, while dreadful memories flood back. 

Slowly Akaza’s character starts to hit differently.

Starting to blame Tanjiro for reminding him of memories he views as worthless. 

The father and daughter were just what Akaza needed though. 

Keizo was the first person to trust him, even though he was a criminal. Having him even take care of his daughter. Akaza was used to taking care of the sick.

All of the apologizing, he never understood why the sick would do that. Oh, and everytime she would start crying in the middle of the conversation. Though the longer time he spent with Koyuki, the harder he fell for her, the faster he started to live a noble life. It took some time though. 

We had also learned that his name is actually Hakuji, which is the same symbol as Komainu. Making sense on why he needs someone to protect to be able to thrive. 

Komainu – A part of lion-like guardian statues that protect the entrance of shrines or temples. 

Watching Akaza get close to this family is heartwarming even though in the present he is calling them worthless. To where you just know something bad had to have happened for him to give up again. 

Hakuji’s heart had found his salvation in them though. 

As time went on Koyuki recovered, Hakuji was asked to take over the dojo, and they were both set to get married. 

His father after all asked him to live an honest life. Akaza had just never thought that something like this would happen. That he could find people that loved him. If he was branded a criminal or not. 

The moment Hakuji went to visit his father to tell him all of the good news. Yet another fateful night begins and he arrives back home to find that. . . 

The rival dojo had poisoned their well.

Koyuki and Keizo passed away. 

And, yet again. . . 

He is left all alone yet again, in a world that just seemed to be against his happiness. 

Seemingly blaming himself for not being able to protect the people he cares the most about in this world. He had made them all promises that he essentially thought that he couldn’t keep. With that waying on him he couldn’t take it anymore. 

Demon Slayer had done their signature thing. Making you hate a demon and then showing you a backstory that makes you be like well. . . 

He had gone through so much. I simply fell in love with his character, forgetting everything that he had done in the past. Simply being like okay, yea, he killed Rengoku. But he had lost himself in the worst way possible. 

I don’t blame him for becoming who he had become. 

Hakuji had gone on yet another rampage that led him to killing 67 members of the rival dojo. It was an absolute massacre. So much so that the people couldn’t be recognized. They were missing limbs, their eyes were ripped out, organs were thrown everywhere, and some were missing parts of their brain. Doing this with his bare hands. 

Nearby cities had even received reports that a demon was attacking people. Leading to Muzan catching wind and went to check it out for himself. Only to find a human was capable of doing such a thing. Then deciding to turn Akaza into a demon. 

What did he have to lose anyways? He had already lost everyone that meant the world to him. Therefore not caring what Muzan would do to him. 

Tanjiro had broken through to the depths. 

Fighting with honor, his fighting spirit was undetectable. 

Akaza, gained all of his memories and was pissed. Even if he were to stop fighting, he knew he wouldn’t be able to go where the rest of his family was. Those who were waiting for him were going to Heaven and he would go to hell. 

He regenerated part of his head. 

Almost becoming as strong as Muzan. 

Akaza was so upset with himself. He couldn’t protect the people he cared about, proceeded to desecrate his master’s Soryu with blood, and he couldn’t follow his father’s last wishes. 

Realizing who he truly wanted to kill. 

Himself. . . . 

Turning his attacks on himself. After he no longer looked like the Akaza we have learned to know so well. His head was blown off, limbs falling from his body, and he was a mangled mess. 

Because of his strength, he started regenerating yet again. 

He no longer wanted to regenerate though. On the brinks of death while his body is fighting to stay alive. 

Wanting to accept his fate and go to hell. 

Then we see all of his loved ones.

His two father figures, letting him know that it is okay, they forgive him. After all knowing he tried his best, but knowing the grief was way too much for him. 

Next Muzan, asking if he really wanted to become stronger than anyone else. Calling him worthless and baiting him to stay alive, to keep fighting. Making him second guess his decisions.

That’s when Koyuki shows up. She was waiting for him in the afterlife, ready to follow him wherever he goes. Even covering his ears to try and muffle Muzan’s voice. Letting him know it is okay to let go.

Akaza clings to his love, following her. 

The fight is over. 

Upper Moon 3 has been defeated. 

Hakuji Soyama finally found peace.

If you want to read more about Demon Slayer and their amazing characters. Rengoku will make you want to “set your heart ablaze”, Tanjiro will teach you that working hard can be successful, or there is Infinity Castle P1 that will have you hoping people can make it out alive.  

If Akaza emotionally clotheslined you, now you need the manga on your shelf, here’s the box set we’d recommend. Purchases through this link help support the Tavern at no extra cost to you.