A rant about Zenitsu but in defense of him, because I don't agree with some fandom opinions. Alright?

When people want to criticize a character I expect them to not make things up. In case of a character like Zenitsu this is usually what happens not only because he can be dramatic at times and people find him annoying for it but also because in the anime show there're scenes that were added or changed, meaning they aren't exactly canon to manga.
The criticism usually are about 4 things
1) him being protective and jealous over Nezuko. Which despite being dramatic he doesn't do much about it, at no point he tries to restrict Nezuko or tries to stop her from interacting with others. People also forget that Nezuko enjoys spending time with him and doesn't push him away. So Zenitsu isn't disrespecting a boundary. And in his dream we see what he really wants and it isn't what people make him to be. Plus, I don't think Tanjro would let anyone who would treat Nezuko badly be with her. That's not who he is as a character. (Obanai has a similar sense of protectiveness and jealousy over Mitsuri, that sometimes affects his actions but doesn't hurt Mitsuri overall, and I don't usually see people who criticize Zenitsu do so about Obanai)
2) he has sexual thoughts at some point is another thing that people criticize him for. While some scenes were added in the anime, like him blushing when butterfly girls help him with exercise, he again doesn't do anything about his thoughts. (His thoughts being sexual exactly or not in some scenes is up for debate because blushing=/=sexual thoughts either. Also I don't see anyone calling out other characters for blushing or having nose bleed in the anime) some humans have sexual thoughts, it's normal it happens. What's important is people actions. And Zenitsu doesn't do anything about his thoughts. (Thought crimes or Thought heroism aren't real.) My point is criticizing him over thoughts that doesn't end in anything isn't very fair imo. (He doesn't tell people how he's fantasizing about them and he doesn't say anything objectifying to any girl.)
3) him yelling at Inosuke & Tanjiro for complaining about training even tho they can spend time with girls. Tbf Zenitsu did take Inosuke & Tanjiro away from others to yell at them and on one hand it's a bit disrespectful to Inosuke & Tanjiro because training is hard ofc they're tired. On the other hand comparing this training to their missions, it's like going to the park and Zenitsu not getting why they complain while not nice, makes some sense. This was inappropriate but not in a "pervert" way but in a "this isn't the place or time to talk about it and being loud too" kind of way. People can talk about their type or things they like, but it has a time and place.
4) now this one: him insisting and begging that women to marry him. This one is actually the worst thing he has done. Begging someone to marry him because "he wanted to marry and be loved before he dies" doesn't make him pervert because there isn't anything sexual happening, he was having a panic attack and he genuinely thought that he would die in his next mission, but it's still very disrespectful how he did it. He changes after Tanjiro called him out.

The last one is the only thing that deserves criticism imo, but also considering Zenitsu's past and being groomed (for money) by several ex-girlfriends, his actions make more sense. He doesn't know the social approved way to show love or how love even works exactly. He sometimes miss social clues too. The last action is rude and disrespectful and while his past explains it, it doesn't excuse it. But people forget that Zenitsu has character growth too, after Tanjiro scolds him , he doesn't try to do anything like that again. Throughout kny his behavior does change. Other than that he's sometimes clingy and he can be annoying to other characters at times, but tbf every character annoys another at one point in kny. One thing that is clear is that Zenitsu desire is love & connection as we see in his dream, dating Nezuko and holding her hand.

#gentalk