The Fox Mask refers to the mask used by some characters in Demon Slayer and many other anime. They serve as a way to hide the face of the person wearing them and a ward against evil.
The fox mask is a traditional accessory worn in Japan, even in olden times to represent the white fox that the first God rode descending to earth. Since then, the fox, or Kitsune in Japanese, has been a symbol of divinity and a messenger of Gods in Japanese culture and mythology.
The Kitsune Mask in Demon Slayer
The Kitsune masks are ward masks that protect the wearer from disasters and evil. While the kitsune mask is a common accessory in the Demon Slayer universe, only the disciples of Sakonji Orokodaki, a former Water Breathing Hashira and currently a cultivator of Demon Slayer candidates, are known to have worn the Kitsune mask in the franchise.
How Tanjiro Become Orokodaki’s Important Disciple
In the Final Selection arc, it was revealed that Orokodaki gave his trainees Kitsune masks to protect them from the evil they will face during the final selection of the Demon Slayer selection test to become an actual Demon slayer.
Orokodaki put a warding spell on the masks he gives to his students as some kind of amulet to provide some sort of protection. However, the protection is not meant last as it only offers limited protection for the wearer. It’s not enough to keep demons away nor provide a special ability to the wearer.
In the Final Selection Arc, Tanjiro was sent over to Orokodaki by the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, to help Tanjiro become a Demon Slayer and help Nezuko.
At first, Orokodaki hesitates to train Tanjiro to become a Demon Slayer. So Orokodaki gave Tanjiro very hard training to make Tanjiro give up on his own. But Tanjiro refuses to give in and is determined to become strong to find the cure for Nezuko’s becoming a demon.
When Tanjiro overcame the difficult training Orodaki gave him, Orokodaki decided to provide Tanjiro with a final test. Orokodaki’s condition is for Tanjiro to cut the giant rock in the mountain on his own.
If he does, Orokodaki will finally give his recommendation so Tanjiro can take the test in the final selection and become a Demon Slayer. If Tanjiro fails Orokodaki’s test, Tanjiro will have to give up becoming a demon slayer.
How Sabito and Mokomo Met Tanjiro
Tanjiro tried all his might to cut the giant boulder in front of him. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t even scratch the boulder until he had almost given up.
As Tanjiro leans over the giant boulder, an orange-haired guy wearing a white Kitsune Mask with a big scar on it suddenly tries to attack Tanjiro. His name is Sabito, and his goal is to push Tanjiro to his limits to get him riled up and inspired to grow.
After Sabito has beaten up Tanjiro out of his consciousness, Mokomo takes over Sabito’s place and guides Tanjiro on how to master the Breathing Technique. Mokomo is a smart girl, and she taught Tanjiro how the Breathing technique works.
After six months of challenging Sabito, while training under Mokomo’s guidance, Tanjiro finally challenges Sabito for the last time. At that time, Sabito used a real sword instead of the training sword he usually used against Tanjiro. The real sword is proof that Tanjiro is ready to face Sabito.
In a quick attack, Tanjiro is able to cut Sabito’s mask into two, showing Sabito’s gentle smile. Sabito and Mokomo then vanished into a thick fog and said goodbye to Tanjiro.
As the fog cleared up, it was revealed that Tanjiro managed to cut the giant boulder into two without his knowledge.
The Importance of The Warding Mask to Tanjiro
The Warding mask that Orokodaki gave to Tanjiro is an important artifact during the Final Selection when Tanjiro fought the Hand Demon.
At the final battle with the Hand demon, Tanjiro was supposed to meet a disaster after receiving a direct blow from the Hand Demon, which caused Tanjiro to be blown off against a tree that could have fatally injured him. However, the mask prevented Tanjiro from being severely injured and broke immediately after Tanjiro fell to the ground.
While it is not explicitly stated that Tanjiro was saved by the mask in either the anime or the manga, it is safe to say that receiving a direct blow from the hand demon is strong enough to injure a kid heavily. After all, many demon slayer candidates have died with only one blow from the said Demon.
The fact that Tanjiro could stand up immediately without any problem and only became unconscious after receiving such a strong blow proves that the Kitsune mask saved Tanjiro.
Contributor
Article by John Salinas.
Japanoscope uses affiliate links, which means that commissions may be received when you click on links to products from partner retailers.
