Demon Slayer no doubt is a rambling fantasy anime series, taking place in the world of demons, ghosts, and demon slayers. The focus of the series is Tanjiro Kamado, a teen boy who ends up discovering that a demon has killed his entire family except for his sister, who unfortunately turns into a demo. He’s on a mission to save Nezuko her and slay the demons, duh.
As you dive deep into the series, you will be introduced to the Demon Slayer Corp that saved the Fuji family from the demons. To express gratitude, the family designed their crest with a Wisteria flower so that the members can easily identify their home and stay there without paying anything.
As the demon lore progresses throughout the episodes of season one, you will learn so much about them. This includes how demons came into being in the first place, how are they different from one another, how they get stronger, and how the demons can be defeated. The Demon Slayer Wisteria flower stands out as important mythology throughout the series. If you are a die-hard fan of this series, you might want to get your hands on some merch or probably Demon Slayer accessories. Explore our Tanjiro Merch collection to grab items from your favorite character!
Wisteria Flower – A Perfect Weapon Against Demons
The audience is introduced to the wisteria flower in the fourth episode. These flowers have some powerful medicinal properties. The fragrance of a wisteria flower works wonders against repelling demons. Within seconds, you can bring down a low-ranked demon. What about high-ranking demons? Well, they can be defeated to some extent as well. At the very least, they can be paralyzed with the flower power.
Demons try everything they can to get away from the Wisteria flowers. This explains why the home base of the demon slayer corps is surrounded by these flowers. It’s a way to keep the demons at bay. Wait, Demon Slayer Wisteria isn’t just a demon repellent, it’s also used for engraving the ranks of the members of Demon Slayer Corp. The flower is basically a symbol of power for the organization and it’s important to the plot of the show.
How Does Tanjiro Discover Wisteria?
Tanjiro discovers that the Demon Slayer Corp uses Wisteria flowers as both defensive and offensive tactics against these demonic enemies. This discovery proves to be a crest as a means of a visual motif throughout the anime.
Demon Slayer Corps is a secret group of highly skilled swordsmen who receive years of training in killing demons. There are several pillars inside the Corp and each specializes in a breathing technique for amplifying the ability of the fighter. For trainees to graduate and further their ranks, they must pass a final selection test. Now you must be wondering what it has to do with wisteria. Wait for it!
Their final selection involves surviving 7 days on a mountain filled with demons. This mountain looks like the actual Mt. Fuji. And yes, the inspiration for wisteria flowers has been taken from the flowers that bloom on this mountain in reality. The mesmerizing flower tunnels you see in the manga and anime really do exist.
Coming back to our point, Tanjiro has to complete this training as well. Did I mention the part that he joins the Corp because he wants to avenge the demons? You know now!
So our protagonist is bluffed by the sight of the breathtaking wisteria flowers flowing on the base of Mt. Fuji. From there, he learns that these flowers have the power to repel demons. The test, however, is that he has to face the demons on the flower-less region of the mountain.
From the insect pillar of the Corp, he gets to learn that the flower itself can’t kill the demon. The poison from the seeds of the flowers does the trick. Well, this is again inspired by real-world wisteria flowers. Their petals contain toxins whereas their seeds are poisonous.
A Little History on the Real Wisteria Flowers
Culturally speaking, you will see wisterias in Japanese Kabuki Theater to perform the wisteria maiden dance. Grown at Mt. Fuji, these followers are a symbol of nobility majorly because of purple and regal color and the fact that they grow at high altitudes.
Wisterias are mostly native to Asia and North America, although they are commonly planted in other parts of the world due to their appealing growth habit and abundant blossoms. The plants have escaped cultivation in several areas outside of their natural range and are now classified as invasive species.
Wisteria has long been associated with long life and immortality. Wisteria symbolizes Love, Sensuality, Support, Sensitivity, Bliss, and Tenderness in Japanese Kabuki theatre. The quantity of Wisteria flowering vines also represents our own awareness.
I bet after learning about the history of Wisteria flowers, you have started to like them too. In that case, you wouldn’t mind wearing a wisteria flower-inspired hoodie featuring Tanjiro Kamado himself, now would you?
Wisterias vines are capable of growing to the summits of trees in the wild. When large wisteria vines bloom in early June, they create a spectacular view. Their scent also lingers.
The Various uses of Wisteria in Demon Slayer
Let’s have a quick look at the various uses of this flower throughout the anime:
- Trainees of the Corp, during the final selection, use this flower to trap the demons on the mountain
- After the selection, Wisteria is used for engraving the ranks of the members on the back of their hands
- This lavender flower is also used for creating poison which works like magic in paralyzing the regular demons and immobilizing the ones who are less strong.
- Shinobu uses Wisteria for creating a medicine that can turn a demon back into a human.
That’s all folks, this is all that we know about the powers of Wisteria. We will have to wait and see how the use of these poisonous flowers progresses in season 2 of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.