One of the nine Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, known as the Wind Hashira. He utilizes Wind Breathing, one of the five main breathing styles. He is the older brother of Genya Shinazugawa, a peer of the protagonist Tanjiro Kamado, though he denies having a younger brother. He has a rough appearance with spiky white hair, purple eyes, and sharp, bloodshot sanpaku eyes. A distinct feature is his long, emphasized single upper and lower eyelashes. Curiously, while his parents and siblings all have black hair, he alone is white-haired. This could be congenital, or it might have turned white due to the extreme stress of his father's severe domestic violence during childhood. His face and entire body are covered in scars, proving the numerous life-or-death battles he has survived, and he hates demons accordingly. He has a thick, muscular build and is the tallest among the Hashira after Gyomei and Tengen. He always wears his uniform chest-open. The character for 'Kill' (殺) written on the back of his white haori is said to represent his resolve to 'exterminate all demons.' Uniquely, he wears multiple belts wrapped around his legs. He initially thought it was incomprehensible for Kanae to be active in the Demon Slayer Corps with her younger sister Shinobu. However, while having his wounds treated at the Butterfly Mansion, Kanae's warm and gentle touch suddenly reminded him of his late mother. When Kanae suggested that Masachika worried about him because he was kind, he coldly replied that he wasn't kind, finding the idea absurd. While they didn't seem to have much interaction beyond this, according to Gyomei, Sanemi actually liked Kanae.