The Real Reason Nezuko Wears A Bamboo Muzzle On Demon Slayer

One of Netflix's most popular anime series is due for its second season this year, and it's sure to take the media world by storm once again. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" has gained a loyal fanbase, and its movie sequel "Demon Slayer: Mugen Train" even made movie history in the U.S. The exhilarating anime series follows a young man named Tanjiro Kamado who, upon returning home from work, realizes his family has been killed by a demon. The sole survivor of the attack besides him is his sister Nezuko — though she's been transformed into a demon as well. Tanjiro then decides to train to become a demon slayer and embarks on a quest to find a cure for Nezuko along the way.

Though Tanjiro is a beloved character in his own right, Nezuko is a fan favorite thanks to her amazing powers and her tendency to be absolutely adorable. She's known for her iconic outfit that features a light pink kimono and matching pink hair bow, a checkered hanhaba obi, a long brown haori, and zōri sandals with socks — not to mention the bamboo gag in her mouth. Why does she wear the muzzle, you ask? The answer is actually pretty simple.

When Tanjiro first realized Nezuko was a demon, she attacked him before seemingly realizing he was her brother. A demon slayer named Giyu Tomioka arrived and threatened to kill Nezuko, but Tanjiro stopped him and attacked Giyu himself. Giyu then realized that the two had a special bond — especially when Nezuko put herself between the two young men, ready to protect her brother even in demon form. Rather than continuing to attack, Giyu knocked the two siblings out and Nezuko woke up with her now-iconic (and strong) bamboo muzzle.

Since Nezuko never actually tasted human blood, the muzzle prevents her from getting any in her mouth, whether by accident or purposefully. Though she seems to have control over herself — and even had a few spells put on her to assuage her need for human blood — Nezuko is still a demon, and no one knows for sure if she'll be able to continue resisting her natural urges forever. If Nezuko were to taste blood, it's likely that she would lose control completely, forcing Tanjiro and other demon slayers to kill her. So the bamboo gag really protects Nezuko as well as the other humans the slayers may encounter on their journey.