Zenitaro

"Chuntaro? You came for me? You're so cute and adorable! Second only to Nezuko, but still!"

- Zenitsu to Chuntaro when it returned

Zenitaro is the friendship between Zenitsu Agatsuma and Chuntaro from the Demon Slayer fandom.

Canon
Chuntaro is the "kasugai crow" that was assigned to Zenitsu after he passed Final Selection. His real name is actually Ukogi, but he was nicknamed Chuntaro by Zenitsu and it's unknown if the bird is aware that he has a given name. He is frequently seen perched on top of Zenitsu's head. The bird's gender is revealed to be male in Demon Slayer second fanbook.

When Zenitsu got Chuntaro he was confused because the bird was not a crow, but a sparrow. Their first impressions were not the best, as Zenitsu thought that Chuntaro was mean while the latter thought that Zenitsu was useless since he cried so much, was cowardly and did not want to go to his missions. As Chuntaro cannot speak, he simply chirps frantically whenever there is a mission and attempts to drag Zenitsu to do his job as a demon slayer.

Chuntaro is often disappointed in his partner, as when Tanjiro translates what the bird is saying to Zenitsu, he is insulting him and calling him a coward. But this is proven to just be annoyance and frustration because Zenitsu does not understand what he's saying. Nonetheless the sparrow chooses to stick by his side throughout their journey.Despite their differences and rough start, they genuinely care for each other. On Natagumo Mountain, Zenitsu is poisoned by the Older Brother Spider Demon and going to turn into a spider in half an hour's time. He defeats the demon in that time, but as he lay dying atop the demon's nest, Chuntaro is teary eyed and crying beside him. Zenitsu, thinking he's going to die, apologizes to Chuntaro. The bird flies away, and later it is revealed that he flew away to get the Insect Pillar, Shinobu Kocho, to help his master. She arrives in time to save Zenitsu and all the other human-turned-spiders. Part of the healing process involved rolling her patients in bandages like a mummy, and Chuntaro can be seen sitting on Zenitsu's head in the scene.

Throughout Zenitsu's healing process at the Butterfly Estate, Chuntaro sticks by his side, almost always seen sitting atop his head, likely unwilling to leave his master alone after the close call on Natagumo Mountain. The bird encourages him to work harder and manages to convince him to take the gross medicine he needs to recover completely as well as go to train to master total concentration breathing.

Fanon
They are a popular friendship pairing, with Chuntaro appearing in many Zenitsu fanworks, he is notably the only "kasugai crow" that has made it onto a popularity poll, showing his popularity with the fans.

Their most significant fic so far is The Legend of Ukogi by Buriko, told by Chuntaro's POV. The duo are also often seen in other works or ships that include Zenitsu.

Fandom
TUMBLR

Trivia

 * Chuntaro is unique, as he is the only sparrow that has passed the kasugai crow test. He is also the only kasugai crow who cannot speak.