Who Is Kagaya Ubuyashiki? What To Know About The ‘Master’ Of The Demon Slayer Corps

This article contains major spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga.

Within Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, powerful swordsmen and terrifying demons often take up the spotlight. However, behind the scenes stands a quiet figure whose influence on their world is impossible to ignore.

Though rarely appearing on the battlefield, his presence shapes the fate of the Demon Slayer Corps and its warriors. Keep reading to learn more about Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s role in the battle against Muzan and the demons, as well as what his motivations stem from.

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Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s origins and position in Demon Slayer

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, usually referred to as ‘Oyakata-sama’ or ‘master’ within the series, is the 97th head of the Ubuyashiki family. He has inherited leadership of the Demon Slayer Corps as part of an ancient lineage tasked with eradicating demons and ending Muzan’s reign of terror.

His family established the Corps in the Heian era, aiming to break the curse stemming from Muzan’s creation as the first demon. Although born into privilege, Kagaya’s life is marked by loss: several family members died young, and he assumed his role at age four after his father’s suicide.

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Demon Slayer: The Ubuyashiki family curse

A hereditary curse has plagued Kagaya’s bloodline ever since Muzan’s transformation into a demon, causing a wasting disease that claims family members before they reach thirty. Kagaya also suffers from this curse.

As the illness progressed, his skin developed a shriveled, pinkish rot, and his eyes turned dark—leaving him effectively blind and bedridden by the time he met his fate. Despite his condition, he maintained a serene smile and a gentle, fatherly presence that bolstered the resolve of every slayer under his command.

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Demon Slayer: Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s leadership and sacrifice

Despite being unable to fight, Kagaya commands immense loyalty through his soothing presence that calms and unifies even the most stubborn Hashira. He treated each demon slayer like a child, remembering every member by name and visiting the graves of fallen warriors until his strength failed.

His extrasensory perception allowed him to sense Muzan’s approach and assess fighters’ strength without sight. In the Ubuyashiki manor’s last stand, Kagaya lured Muzan into a trap by masking his hatred behind a calm demeanor and detonated a self-destruct device.

This act may have taken his life, but it also wounded the Demon King and bought enough time for his forces to prepare. His son Kiriya later succeeded him, ultimately disbanding the Demon Slayer Corps after Muzan’s defeat and carrying forward Kagaya’s legacy of hope and sacrifice.

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