Mitsuri Kanroji is a character from the Demon Slayer anime that I truly understand and vibe with. When I was reading the manga and watching the anime, I always latched onto her because she was everything I was insecure about. She's short and petite, I'm tall and muscular. She's attractive and beautiful, meanwhile I always felt like I looked more like a man than a woman—out of place.

But as I continued to read, I realized she and I are a lot alike. She put everything on the line to protect her friends and family, and I have too. She has an (obviously fictional) genetic disorder where she is as strong as ten men despite her build—and I always felt like I needed to be weak to be a woman.

As I continued to read, I learned that she and I have much of the same insecurities. Too worried about being pretty and being liked that they never saw the beauty in what they really are—both she and I are women, through and through. Both raised to be perfect when that was clearly impossible to achieve.

She found her place in a group of friends that made her feel loved and accepted for her differences—and soon enough, so did I.

Mitsuri opened my eyes to my own male gaze I accidentally made myself have, and how I truly learned to blossom and be me.

That is why I adore her.