Hey fellas, are you ready to discover different layers of Yae in Kimetsu no Yaiba?
Yae is rather underrated in Demon Slayer, but the fierceness in her and her quiet strength can be seen even from miles away. Join me in this journey to find out about her personality, her special bond with Giyu Tomioka, and her fragile impact on the story while being overshadowed by the Demon Slayer characters’ swords and lash-outs.
Who is Yae?
Far from the madding clash of demons and swords, Yae emerges as a young woman who breaks down into a halt as she witnesses her father, Matazao transform into a demon. This event puts Yae on Giyu Tomioka‘s path, starting her journey in Demon Slayer.
She comes out as stubborn and impatient, with a certain type of constant fury in her eyes. I think Yae‘s decision to become a demon slayer was only an act of self-defense, a way to protect herself, not a long for vulgarity or power. She has her breathing style in the show. Her breath is a fusion of stone and wind breathing which is called the breath of the huntress. She owns a rifle which she uses often in hunting. Yae‘s rifle is based on a Japanese Arisaka Rifle line with a longer barrel. Her weapon and breath all mirror the hunter inside her.
What is Yae’s Appearance?
Yae is a young girl with long dark hair that reaches the end of her back. She has dark-colored eyes and thin eyebrows. Yae wears a short patterned Hanten and a buckled belt and she wears her hunting rifle on a belt around her torso and over her shoulder. Overall I think her appearance gives a cool huntress vibe.
Yae’s Personality
I’ll tell you a story. Shinobu informed Yae about the existence of demons and demon slayers. She then despite Sinobu warning her about them went to the mountains where she found her own father now transformed into a demon. Encountering that, Yae chose to end her own life alongside her father which shows her deep sense of responsibility and guilt. She was never a greedy soul. All Yae ever did was protect herself or the people around her, and that tells a lot about her kindness. I believe that’s her real strength, not the sword fighting or rifle hunting, her heart is the deadliest weapon.
What are her abilities?
Her father, Matazo trained Yae since she was a little child. So she is skilled in hunting as well as hiking and maneuvering through mountain trails. With her hunting rifle, she is able to hunt down animals like deer and bears. The most useful skill of hers in my mind is tracking, as she is able to track down demons even in a snowy mountain. All of these combined with her special breathing style have helped Yae in her path and highlight her Physical strength in the presence of vulnerability in Demon Slayer.
Yae and Giyu Tomioka
Yae finds Giyu through her path after she finds her father to be a demon. Their relationship is simple yet complicated. They don’t communicate much through words. They find communication through shared experiences and shared trauma. Yae’s quiet yet powerful personality complements Giyu‘s calm and resilient nature.
Their relationship speaks volumes about trust and mutual respect. They help each other to grow. Yae with her tremendous pain of grief finds in Giyu the soul mate in the sense that he shares the same feelings as her. They understand each other, so they let each other grow at their own pace. That’s beautiful in my opinion. I wish everyone finds someone they can share their burdens.
Yae and Giyu are examples of people who have each other’s backs and are moving gracefully toward their shared destination.
In the end
The thing is, I’ve always loved the quieter characters who brought light just to the people near them. Yae has her quiet strength. She doesn’t make loud noises with swords or doesn’t want to be the winner of every battle. She walks towards her goals and silences anyone who tries to stop her.
Even though it’s less flashy than other Demon Slayer characters, her story is as precious and important as theirs. Yae‘s story is not about the glory of battles or shining. It’s about the journey of finding herself and protecting herself through the darkness of life. For me, it’s a reminder that even through the darkest of times, tiny flashlights of hope can guide the way.
