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“	Demons don't age. We don't need money to eat. We don't fall sick. We don't die. We don't lose anything. And strong, beautiful demons, can do anything!!"	”
	— Daki to Tanjiro Kamado, Chapter 81

Daki (堕 (だ) 姫 (き) , Daki^?),^[2] known as Warabihime (蕨 (わらび) 姫 (ひめ) , Warabihime^?) in her oiran guise,^[3] is one of the primary antagonists in the Entertainment District Arc of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. She is also a member of the Twelve Kizuki, being the secondary holder of the position of Upper Rank Six (上 (じょう) 弦 (げん) の陸 (ろく) , Jōgen no Roku^?), a position she shares with the primary holder, her older brother, Gyutaro.^[4] When she was human, her real name was Ume (梅 (うめ) , Ume^?).

Appearance

Daki took a form of a young girl with long black hair and lime green eyes with long eyelashes. She is well-known for her beauty in the Red Light District so much, that even elders still remembered her appearance.

When she is first introduced as a Warabihime, she appears to abide to the characteristics of the oiran style, having her hair styled into a bun with numerous hairpins and combs in it, as well as wearing traditional makeup. She wears a layered kimono with different flower patterns on it, keeping fragments of her Blood Demon Art as her obi.

When she transforms into a Demon, she gains a pink flower-like tattoo on her face, and wears a revealing two-piece version of her kimono with flower patterned knee socks, and her oiran shoes. After reclaiming her Demon obi, her hair turned silver with lime green ombre.

Personality

Daki is a very prideful and sadistic person, taking enjoyment in messing with her victims before finishing them off. She seems to have a somewhat caring relationship with her brother, Gyutaro, though she has been seen insulting and ridiculing him when they both fail, showing that despite her love for her brother, she isn't above ranting and lashing out at him to vent her frustrations upon their defeat and later wasn't even above cruelly insulting her brother on his ugliness and viciously claiming that he couldn't possibly be her brother.

As a courtesan, she seems to have a seductive side as seen during her typical interactions with her male clientele. Despite being hundreds of years old, she has displayed childish tendencies such as throwing tantrums and crying hysterically when things begin going against her or not getting her way and would then begin lashing out against anyone in order to vent her frustrations. During her usual interactions with her brother and fellow courtesans, Daki typically acted something akin to a spoiled, arrogant and bratty child.

These childish tendencies may be due to the fact that she was only a thirteen-year-old girl when she was first turned into a Demon. It was noted by Gyutaro that as a human she possessed an easily influenced, honest personality, causing her to easily take up the personality traits and words of those she trusts and admired to heart, as seen when she was shown to be easily influenced by Muzan. Her brother Gyutaro himself believes that the sole reason why she is like she is now was due to her being raised by him to be selfish and to only worry and care about herself due to taking to heart his words of "take before you're taken from", resulting in her current personality.

Due to her past of being burned alive due to poking out a Samurai's eye as a human and her trauma of being left as a barely alive torched corpse, Daki has displayed a strong level of pyrophobia, as seen where she panicked and screamed in pain and fear when she was set on fire by Nezuko Kamado's Blood Demon Arts and was briefly reminded of her painful memories of the experience that then rendered her vulnerable due to the mental shock paralyzing her due to the remembrance of her past immolation as a human. Later it was implied that Daki's lingering psychological fear, pain and phobia for Fire was also impeding her recovery and regeneration after being burned by Nezuko (Although this also may have been due to her Blood Demon Arts unique quality to harm demons.)

However underneath her malicious personality, spoiled attitude and selfishness, Ume is shown to possess a strong genuine love for her older brother, as seen during her time in Limbo, where despite Gyutaro attempting to sever ties with her and try to send her to heaven, Ume stubbornly refuses to abandon her brother, even if it meant going to hell together with him. Having tearfully reminded him that no matter what happened to them, as long as they were together they were at their strongest and no matter how many times she died and was reborn, she would always be his little sister.

History

Human Life

Daki was born many years ago with the birth name of "Ume" in the Red Light District's Rashomongasi (Lowest Caste) area, where only sick prostitutes, geishas and oirans who could no longer work in the brothels were sent and left to die. Her birth mother was a prostitute there, having given birth to her elder brother a few years before. Her biological father is never mentioned, but was likely one of her mother's customers. Her brother noted their mother to be severely mentally unstable (most likely due to the district's extremely harsh and poor living conditions), having attempted to kill herself and her son numerous times as well. She also physically abused him due to not having the finances to keep him fed, forcing him to fend for himself. Likely due to their mother's mental instability, Ume was primarily raised by her elder brother until her early teen years, when her mother passed away from the disease Ume, the same sickness she was then named after.

Gyutaro noted that, even as a young child, Ume had an incredibly beautiful face that even grown men and women would falter from looking at. This gave him hope that the both of them could rise from poverty and be able to lead a better life by being scouted and eventually recruited to work in one of the most prestigious Brothels of the district. And just as he had hoped, Ume, in her early teen years, was finally chosen to work in one of the Red Light District's High Class Brothels. She began receiving proper education, taught the proper skills and fed the finest foods in her training to become a Oiran, and even before her training was even completed, Ume had already begun making a fortune by attracting many suitors and customers to the brothel, due to her beauty. At the same time, her elder brother began working as her "Collector" and would collect money and debts owed to the brothel.

However, this all came to an end when Ume, in self defense, poked out the eye of a samurai, a customer of hers, while her brother was away collecting debts. In retaliation to this, she was tied, bound, burned alive and left to die in a ditch. She was then discovered by her brother, who began to hysterically panic upon seeing her near-death state. They were then discovered by the same samurai she blinded, accompanied by the Manager of the House she worked in. The pair attempted to kill both Ume and Gyutaro, only to be killed by her brother instead, who then picked up his sister’s charred body and carried her around town in search of help. His struggle turned out to be in vain, however, as he came to the realization that no one would help them.

As Gyutaro collapsed from exhaustion and fatigue from his severe wounds, the then Upper Rank 6, Doma, happened upon the siblings, having been wandering the district in search of beautiful Geishas to devour. Taking pity on them, he offered to help the pair by turning them into Demons, claiming that it was because he was a "nice guy". He then challenged them to become strong enough to be chosen by Muzan Kibutsuji and join the Twelve Kizuki alongside himself.

As a Demon

Many years after becoming a Demon, Daki had already gained a reputation for her cruelty, such that senile elders remembered her ill-temper and demanded for "hime" (meaning "princess") to be added to her name.^[5] The activities of both her and her brother eventually caught the attention of Muzan Kibutsuji, who acknowledged their strength and power and officially allowed them to join the Twelve Kizuki and both were given the rank of Upper Rank 6.

At some point, Daki fought, killed and ate seven Hashira.^[6]

Two days before Tanjiro Kamado and company infiltrated the Red Light District, Daki was confronted by Omitsu, the manager of the Kyogoku House, over her mistreatment of the staff. When the hostess revealed her knowledge of Daki's past and extended lifespan, the Upper Rank seized her. Carrying her far above the district, Daki mocked Omitsu for her stupidity, labeled her as inedible, and dropped her to her death. Returning to her room, Daki was surprised to see Muzan Kibutsuji. Bowing to her master, she listened as he praised her for her new-found strength, cautioned her against getting careless, and stated his high hopes for her as a special Demon.^[7]

Synopsis

Entertainment District Arc

Walking with several assistants, Daki passed under Tengen Uzui's watchful gaze undetected in her oiran guise.^[8] Later, using her Demonic sash, she questioned Makio about the letters she had been sending.^[9] Sensing Inosuke Hashibira's presence, Daki's sash fled.^[10]

Daki appeared behind Zenitsu Agatsuma as Warabihime, demanding to know what he was doing in someone else's room, and quickly grew irritated at his lack of a response. She extended this irritation to two girls who tried to defend Zenitsu, insulting the young Demon Slayer before viciously abusing a crying girl for not cleaning a room fast enough. Her anger grew as Zenitsu grabbed her wrist to stop her cruelty.^[11]

Daki hit the youth through several walls, threatening him with further discipline, but stopped when the master of the brothel begged her to. Apologizing to him, she ordered Zenitsu's wounds to be treated and the mess from her fit of anger cleaned up. The Upper Rank then pondered over Zenitsu's identity, noting he might be a Demon Slayer. Later, in her room, she gloated over the success of her plan, promising to kill and eat all of her enemies.^[12]

Daki then appeared behind Koinatsu, seeking to eat her before she left to be married.^[13] She was then confronted by Tanjiro Kamado while restraining her fellow oiran and questioned him about the amount of backup he had, including when the Hashira would arrive. Dismissing the youth for his weakness, Daki soon grew enraged when he demanded she released Koinatsu and attacked the Demon Slayer with her sashes. Noting that he had survived, she complimented Tanjiro's eyes, wishing to eat them. She briefly clashed with the young Demon Slayer again, noting his skill in only severing the section of sash containing Koinatsu, but confidently proclaimed his doom regardless.^[14]

She then expressed irritation at her foes' interfering actions, asking Tanjiro about his backup again. Despite his refusal, she offered to let him live if he told her, noting that in their brief clash his sword had been chipped. She also stated that whoever had forged the blade was a terrible blacksmith, and quickly grew irritated once more when her opponent denied this, promising to kill him with her next attack. Launching said attack, Daki was shocked when Tanjiro cut through her sashes with a Hinokami Kagura technique. Noting the change in his sword style, she dodged his next attack, countering with an attack of her own. Missing due to another Hinokami Kagura technique, the Upper Rank turned to face her opponent just as his blade struck her neck.^[15]

Her decapitated head then fell to the ground, facing the head of Gyutaro. As their heads began to disintegrate, Daki screamed at her brother, blaming him for their defeat and claiming that "an unsightly thing like [him] could never be [her] sibling", while Gyutaro retaliated that Daki was weak and did nothing to help. Saddened by the siblings' bickering, Tanjiro then stepped in, covering Gyutaro's mouth to stop him from screaming abuse at his sister and pleading with them to try and get along, as they only had each other left in the world. Daki began to cry, wailing that she didn't want to die; however, her head finally disintegrated, leaving Gyutaro alone. As Gyutaro began to remember their life before becoming demons, Daki appeared to him in her original form as Ume, asking him where they were going and to take her along with him. He initially rejected her, sharply telling her not to follow him. However, Ume suddenly embraced him tightly, apologizing for her past words and crying out that they were siblings and she would never let him go. The pair then departed to the afterlife, with Gyutaro carrying Daki on his back as he had always done before.

Abilities and Powers

Demon Abilities

Daki is noted to be a powerful Demon, having been personally acknowledged by Muzan himself as being a "special Demon". This is further given credence as she was able to overwhelm and hold the advantage over Tanjiro Kamado, Nezuko Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira—all of whom were talented combatants, backing up her initial claims as being one of the Twelve Kizuki. However, her rank and position among the Upper Ranks is only thanks to her brother's powers and abilities that enhance her own.

• Supernatural Physical Prowess: As an Upper Rank Demon, Daki's physical capabilities have been augmented to supernatural levels due to the high concentration of Muzan's blood present in her. The base level speed of an Upper Rank can reach subsonic, proven when Upper Rank 3, Akaza, was moving so fast that even two extremely talented swordsman, Tanjiro Kamado and Inosuke Hashibira could only perceive sparks and dust clouds from his blinding movements, the same goes for their immense reflexes and reaction time. The base level physical strength of an Upper Rank is superhuman as well, proven when she could punch a hole into a building with her fists. The durability of an Upper Rank's skin and flesh is way stronger than Nichirin, proven when the neck of the second weakest Lower Rank, Rui, couldn't be cut by Tanjiro Kamado. Giyu Tomioka also noted that all Upper Rank Demons have limitless stamina and never suffer from fatigue.
  • Enhanced Regeneration: Daki is shown to have powerful regenerative abilities, as seen when she was able to easily heal herself after being burned alive by Nezuko's Blood Demon Art, and was able to regrow her severed sash tentacles seconds after they were cut off. Daki was also shown to be able to easily reattach her severed head despite being repeatedly decapitated by Tengen and Inosuke.

• Enhanced Mental Prowess: Like all Upper Rank Demons, who harbor extremely high concentration of Muzan Kibutsuji's blood, Daki possesses superhuman mental capabilities. She could process information and think clearly at supernatural speeds, proven by fighting talented Demon Slayers, who can think at equally or slightly slower speeds. As another testament to her mental capabilities, she has incredible concentration abilities and wits. She can split his focus on multiple opponents while still overwhelming them, she can also easily adapt to different combat situations and conceive combat strategies while engaging in combat.

• Psychic Connection: Daki has the ability to share her senses and mind with her elder brother, and also allow him to control her body by implanting one of his eyes into her forehead. Through this eye, she can send him logistical information through this link in order for them to better coordinate their attacks. At the same time, this ability also enhances all of Daki's own existing abilities and enhances her own sense of sight, due to her being implanted with one of her brother's eyes. This is seen when she's able to easily keep up with Zenitsu while he's using his incredibly fast Thunder Breathing techniques.
  • Immunity to Decapitation: While her brother is "sleeping" inside of her or when his "core" is implanted inside of her body, Daki is completely immune to death by decapitation. This is showcased when, despite being repeatedly decapitated by Tengen and Inosuke, Daki's body showed absolutely no signs of disintegration. As the Demon Slayers quickly realize, the only way to bypass this immunity is if Gyutaro himself is simultaneously decapitated alongside her.

Blood Demon Art (血 (けっ) 鬼 (き) 術 (じゅつ) , Kekkijutsu^?):

• Flesh Manipulation: Daki's main Blood Demon Art is to freely manipulate her flesh into various structures, mainly a cloth sash, which complements her beauty and looks. She can even morph and shift her flesh to have the properties of a cloth sash, as seen when she transformed her neck into a long sash of cloth to avoid being decapitated by Tanjiro.
  • Cloth Manipulation: Daki can manipulate the clothes she dons on because they are made using her flesh. When engaging in combat, she shapes her clothing into dozens of sashes as sharp as blades and as durable as shields, making it a perfect blend of offense and defense.
  • Flesh Obi (蚯 (みみ) 蚓 (ず) 帯 (おび) , Mimizu Obi^?): Daki has also displayed the ability to create sentient flesh detachments from her own body, as seen when she was able to create living Flesh Sashes to guard and protect her "store house" and watch over her "meat", and again when she created another living sash to monitor and watch over Hinatsuru as she suspected her of being a spy for the Demon Slayers.
    • Telepathic Connection: Daki has also shown the ability to telepathically communicate and monitor things through her living sashes, as seen when she was able to easily observe Inosuke's battle against her Sash detachment and was later able to have a full on conversation with it to give it new orders on how to deal with him.
    • Flesh Storing: Whenever Daki's finds a "beautiful" human that she wants to eat, she would usually "store" them inside her Flesh Sashes. Seemingly trapping them within the sashes and transforming them from 3 dimensional beings into 2 dimensional flat designs within her Obi Sashes, that also puts them into a deep sleep while they're trapped inside, allowing Daki to store a considerable amount of "food" in storage for later consumption. However a weakness to this is the fact that in order to free someone from the sashes one must simply cut it apart while making sure to avoid cutting the people trapped inside, immediately freeing anyone and returning them to their previous form.

• Hair Manipulation: Daki also displayed the ability to manipulate her hair as a weapon, as she attempted to attack Inosuke with clumps of her hair after he successfully decapitated her and took her head from her body to prevent her from reattaching it.

Techniques

Daki's attacks revolve around using her flesh tentacles that are shaped and retain the properties of sashes. Since her flesh is the source of her sashes, she can generate dozens of them to overwhelm the enemy while still properly defending herself.

Battles

Trivia

• Daki's Demon alias contains the kanji for "degenerate, descent, lapse into" (堕, da^?) and "princess" (姫, ki^?), and her real name contains the kanji for "plum" (梅, ume^?). The alias she used as an oiran translates to "bracken" (蕨, warabi^?) "princess" (姫, hime^?).
  • It was revealed by her brother that her birth name as a human, "Ume", was the name of the disease that killed their mother. It appears that would be syphilis, as its Japanese name is "Baidoku" (梅毒); "Bai" and "Ume" are alternative readings of the same character.
• Muzan saw her as a not a smart child.^[17]
• From the references and words of Muzan in Chapter 98, it is likely that her brother Gyutaro was the true holder of the Position of Upper Rank 6, not her. 
  • This is further reinforced by the fact that Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira, was able to easily cut her head off without her noticing and confirmed, from his own experience battling Demons, that she was nowhere near qualified to be one of the Upper Ranks without her brother's support.
• Daki's ability to transform her neck into an extendable sash appears to be based on the Japanese folklore yokai called the Rokurokubi.

Quotes

• (To Gyutaro) "No! No! No! You can't leave me! You mustn't leave me! We have to stay together! No matter how many times I might be reborn, I'll always be your little sister!"^[18]

References