Shinobu is rather laid-back, always having a smile on her face regardless of the situation she is in. She seems to enjoy teasing others and can be rather sadistic about it, enjoying most notably to pick on Giyu Tomioka.[4]Despite her relaxed exterior and her initial claim of wanting to get along with Demons, she can be rather cruel towards them, which is seen when she kills the Older Sister Spider Demon after giving her false hope of helping her and also attempting to kill Nezuko Kamado without hesitation.[5] Later on, she is shown to have a more compassionate side towards both Tanjiro Kamado and his sister after hearing their full story.[6][7]
It is later revealed that her outwardly calm and tranquil disposition is worn as a mask, as Shinobu holds an intense hatred for Demons due to the loss of her sister, Kanae Kocho, at a young age, along with the deaths of her parents, most of her Tsuguko, and the families of her apprentices at the Butterfly Mansion. This hatred is so strong that she is in a near-constant state of anger,[8] which is sensed by Tanjiro Kamado when the two individuals hold a conversation. Her desire for revenge rendered her unable to live the normal life her sister had wished upon her, instead devoting the entirety of her energy to defeating Demons.[9]
During her battle against Doma, Shinobu reveals that she also suffers from an inferiority complex due to her inferior physical abilities compared to her fellow Hashira, having been jealous of them for possessing taller or more muscular bodies than her and cursing her own for not developing further to make her more effective in combat.[10]
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Shinobu's original, bold attitude.
Shinobu's younger self had a more brash and straightforward demeanor as seen when she and her sister rescued Kanao Tsuyuri, who she had a negative attitude towards raising. After the death of Kanae, however, Shinobu started outwardly behaving more like her sister and eventually developed her smile and attitude to match while internally holding in her rage.
Shinobu's original, bold attitude.
