Why Did Zenitsu Get A Sparrow Instead Of Usual Kasugai Crow?
Zenitsu Agatsuma is the most entertaining character in Gotouge’s manga ‘Demon Slayer’. Everyone is aware of the fun & humour he brings to the show and makes people laugh. Most notably his sparrow named Chuntaro is also quite hilarious but wait a minute! Have you ever wondered why did Zenitsu get a sparrow instead of the usual Kasugai Crows?
Before moving on to the topic that why Zenitsu got a sparrow we should know a little about the Kasugai Crows and why they’re assigned over to each Demon Slayer Corps member? Those who clear the final selection exam are gifted a messenger bird (usually a crow) which forms an integral part of communication between the demon hunters and the Corps.
These birds ensure that the demon hunters should always be aware of the fact where they are needed next however, the feathered creature that was assigned to Zenitsu was not a crow. Then who was it? Chuntaro is the “Kasugai Crow” that was assigned to Zenitsu after he passed the final selection exam along with Tanjiro, Genya and Kanao.
His real name is Ukogi, but he was nicknamed Chuntaro by Zenitsu. But, don’t you dare to think that Chuntaro is a common sparrow. His uniqueness lies in his achievements as he is the only sparrow that has ever passed the Kasugai Crow test. Although, he is also the only Kasugai Crow who cannot speak.
As Chuntaro cannot speak, he simply chirps whenever there is a mission and attempts to drag Zenitsu to do his job. Now, all this information pretty much implies that Chuntaro the sparrow, who serves as the messenger bird for Zenitsu, has the potential to act as a committed Kasugai Crow. But, why Zenitsu is the only one with a sparrow companion? The answer lies in old Japanese folk tales.
There is a popular Japanese story called Shita-kiri Suzume, also known as the Tongue Cut Sparrow, which gives a legit possible reason why Zenitsu received a sparrow. And, the reason is Zenitsu’s kind nature. Still, hard to understand! Let’s read the story first to get a better understanding of the concept.
The tale is about a poor farmer who treated an injured sparrow. The farmer fed the bird some rice and ensured it was taken care of. One day the sparrow ate some food when the farmer had gone to work. His wife got angry and didn’t like that her husband wasted their precious food. So, being outraged she cut the sparrow’s tongue, and it flew away.
When the farmer came home, he didn’t find the sparrow and searched for it. A group of sparrows led him to the tongue cut sparrow where he got the treatment by the farmer. After that, the farmer was given the option of taking one of the two boxes offered by the birds.
He took the smaller one since it would be easy to carry while descending the mountain. It was filled with treasure, and the farmer was quite happy. However, when his greedy wife came to know about it, she climbed the mountain and took the bigger box filled with snakes and monsters. This startled her, making her tumble down the mountain and ultimately die.
Zenitsu fits to have the sparrow because of his personality. Since he is not confident with his abilities, he would most likely choose the small chest just like the farmer. He underestimates himself as he is always afraid of demons which is why he has mastered only one form of the Thunder Breathing technique. But, that doesn’t make him a weak demon hunter.
In addition, the sparrow symbolizes good luck, kindness, and community, which are the qualities the Zenitsu needs to further improve as a Demon Slayer. The bond between Zenitsu and Chuntaro is not mostly seen with other pairings, which adds a factor to why most fans love the duo very much.
What do you think about this theory regarding Zenitsu receiving a sparrow instead of a crow? Feel free to comment down your thoughts and make sure to write your own theories as well, also don’t forget to share this article with your fellow otaku friends.
We post daily anime & manga news articles, so make sure to follow us on Instagram. You can also check out our anime news page for the latest updates.
