It is not very often that the main character of a series dies early on, unless it is an isekai. And even if they do experience death, they don’t stay in that state for long.
Itadori was a good example.
So naturally, when Chihiro was declared dead in Kagurabachi chapter 59, it didn’t come as a big surprise. The suspense didn’t last long either. We see him open his eyes right when the chapter ends.
However, the subsequent chapter reveals that Chihiro genuinely died before a mysterious resurrection brought him back.
Shiba offered his own hypothesis about Chihiro coming back to life, and I (and some readers) seem to have another hypothesis of our own.
Let’s try to understand them both!
Chihiro’s resurrection was Samura’s doing!
According to Shiba, Samura and Tobimune’s powers were responsible for bringing Chihiro back to life. Samura’s attack had gashed Chihiro’s lung and liver, which ultimately led to his death.
This is supported by the fact that his eternal contract broke.
However, once he died, the wounds automatically started healing, and Chihiro himself came back to life.
Shiba rightly called this a miracle, but his more grounded explanation relied on Samura orchestrating Chihiro’s revival, possibly through an unknown ability of Tobimune.
Despite Samura’s desire to eliminate the sword bearers, I believe he never intended to truly kill Chihiro. This temporary death served as a way to halt Chihiro’s journey down the path of vengeance.
Shiba’s assumption was probably based on this sentiment.
Interestingly, this also raises the possibility that Uruha may not be entirely dead, though that is a discussion for another time.
While Shiba’s hypothesis is believable and potentially accurate, another possibility warrants consideration: Chihiro’s potential link to the Kyonagi clan.
Chihiro’s possible link to the Kyonagi clan:
Before we get to discussing this possibility, we need to establish two things.
- The Kyonagi clan has incredible regeneration abilities.
- A person cannot use their inherent sorcery if they establish a contract with an enchanted blade.
Upon his death, Chihiro’s contract with Enten was severed, theoretically freeing his body to once again access its inherent sorcery.
Therefore, the automatic healing of his wounds could be a significant hint from Takeru Hokazono, pointing towards Chihiro’s connection to the Kyonagi clan.
According to the popular opinion, Chihiro’s mother could be from the Kyonagi Clan which would explain how he inherited the regenerative abilities.
Hokazono had said in the past that he would write about Chihiro’s mother in a future volume, and that revealing anything else about her would be a spoiler. One reason he could be gatekeeping the character’s information is because of her lineage.
Interestingly, this assumption also opens up the possibility to another theory.
Sojo was able to figure out that Kyonagi clan’s blood was essential to stabilize the Datenseki. If Chihiro’s mom was a Kyonagi, it would explain how Kunishige was able to create the enchanted blades. Could Kunishige have utilized her blood in the creation of these powerful weapons?
However, this possibility also raises several pertinent questions.
Would a person’s sorcery, specifically the Kyonagi clan’s regenerative abilities, function even after death? There is no point in the manga which allows us to explore this further.
On the other hand, we have seen that Tobimune has the ability to pick and choose their opponent, and also put some to “sleep”. What if, in reality, this was the sword’s resurrection ability we saw in action?
Furthermore, our hypothesis about Chihiro’s lineage casts a doubt on Samura’s intentions.
Did he genuinely intend to kill Chihiro? This single question could be a significant game-changer. If Samura truly aimed for a killing blow, it would undoubtedly alter our perception of his character moving forward.
What are your thoughts on Chihiro’s resurrection? Let me know them in the comments below!