It's no secret that Shinobu isn't the strongest Hashira. Though highly skilled, she lacks the physical strength required to cut off a demon's neck and, therefore, relies on her poison to combat and defeat her opponents.
This doesn't make her any less terrifying, though. Anyone who's watched her fight against the Demon Spider (Daughter) remembers just how graceful and lethal she is. She may look like the kindest person in battle, but she's one of the few Demon Slayers who finds pleasure in torturing her victims.
And yet, in the Infinity Castle Arc battle of Hashira versus the Upper-Rank Demons, is there really any hope that Shinobu could survive?
spoilers
Before we answer that, please bear in mind that this article will contain spoilers about Shinobu's death and perhaps the Infinity Castle Arc!
Does Kocho Shinobu Die?
Kocho Shinobu dies in the Infinity Castle Arc of the Demon Slayer manga.
She's killed by Doma, the Upper Rank 2, in a battle to avenge her late sister, Kanae Kocho.
It's a very tragic end to one of the best characters in Demon Slayers. Shinobu's last act of sacrifice left many viewers in an intense state of agony, to the point where most decided to halt reading the manga for a while.
I suppose it's a relief that the anime audience of the franchise has a lot of time before Shinobu's death hits their screen. The Infinity Castle Arc is the second-last arc in Kimetsu No Yaiba, ranging from chapters 137 to 183, which means that it'll be illustrated in the very final seasons of the show — not to be expected for another five years.
Until then, the anime will likely focus on familiarizing the audience with Shinobu's past and her masked personality.
How Did Doma Die?
Shinobu predicted her death long before she faced off against Doma and decided to take countermeasures.
Over the course of a year, Shinobu poisoned herself in small amounts, hoping that if Doma consumed her, the large intake of poison in her body (seven hundred times the lethal dose) would incapacitate him long enough for her subordinates to kill him. Before she died, Shinobu signaled this to Kanao, who beheaded and killed Doma with the help of Inosuke.
Kanao remembered how Shinobu and her elder sister Kanae adopted her and saved her from a life of slavery. The girls had loved her more than her own family, and the fact that she'd lost both Kanae and Shinobu was too heavy a burden for Kanao.
What was more surprising, though, was Inosuke's reaction. After learning of his past, Shinobu had acted like Inosuke's mother. Though Inosuke wasn't the one to show many emotions (apart from his signature lousy temper), this display of heartbroken tears made us realize just how much he'd come to love Shinobu as well.
However, Kanao and Inosuke weren't the only ones overwhelmed with emotions. It appeared that in his final moments, Doma, for the first time in his life, felt genuine human emotions because of Shinobu.
Did Doma Have A Crush On Shinobu?
Doma was infamous as the 'demon who couldn't feel.'
Even as a human child, Doma was incapable of experiencing any emotions. When his parents killed themselves in front of him, all he expressed was a mild annoyance about the mess they'd made and the stench of blood.
Doma knew that this was abnormal and worked towards faking human emotions. He mimicked human emotions to lure victims or mock his opponents, but not once did he express any genuine feelings towards anyone in his centuries-long life.
However, after his death, Doma appeared in limbo along with Shinobu. He complimented her strategy and admired her faith in her comrades before coming to an unexpected realization that he felt his heartbeat when he looked at her. He asked her, "Is this what love feels like? You're pretty cute, Shinobu."
This conversation alluded to the fact that Doma might've developed a crush on Shinobu, which was followed up with him asking her if she'd go on a date to hell with him. Shinobu smiled kindly as she told him off in a last act of spite.
Did Shinobu and Giyuu End Up Together?
Giyuu and Shinobu didn't end up together, though it was implied that both of them liked each other. Giyuu reacted more emotionally to Shinobu's death than he reacted to any other Hashira's, leading people to believe that he might've loved her.
Maybe if Shinobu hadn't died, Giyuu and her would've ended up together sooner or later. But sadly, we never had the chance to find out.
