Demon Slayer is easily one of the most talked-about anime of the past decade. Known for its emotional character arcs, unique setting, and mesmerizing animation, the show has garnered fans’ attention since its initial release in 2021. Demon Slayer follows siblings Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado as they journey to reverse Nezuko’s demonic transformation in a world rampant with demons. Along the way, audiences watch Tanjiro train to become stronger alongside a cast of allies with special abilities that help them fight back against the evil forces threatening humanity.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead for the Ending of the Demon Slayer Manga and Infinity Castle Trilogy!
As the anime draws closer to its conclusion, many fans are looking back on the highlights of the show, including the best fights that showed off individual character strengths. Many of these fights center around the Hashira: high-ranking swordsmen in Demon Slayer who take on the more difficult missions. In this list, we’re going to take a closer look at which of the Hashira rank highest in terms of raw strength, technique, and feats in the show.
9) Shinobu Kocho
Shinobu Kocho is the Insect Hashira, having inherited the position from her older sister, who died at the hands of Douma, Upper Moon Two. She acknowledges that she is the weakest Hashira in terms of physical strength, unable to behead a demon in the traditional sense with her sword in combat. Despite this, Shinobu manages to become a Hashira because of her cleverness, ingenuity, and skill with poison. She fights with a wisteria-edged nichirin blade, taking advantage of her speed and agility to deal poisonous blows to her enemies.
Shinobu’s technique is Insect Breathing, utilizing fast stabs and thrusts to take down demons. Shinobu created this for herself to create an advantage for her fighting style. Her speed and reflexes are able to outpace most demons, and she is even complimented by Douma for her ability to maneuver in a fight. In the end, Shinobu uses her intelligence and anger towards the Upper Moon to take Douma out, letting him feast on her poisoned blood and flesh, and avenging her beloved sister.
8) right of Uzui
Tengen Uzui is a standout among the Hashira in terms of flashy appearance and loud personality. He holds the title of the Sound Hashira before his early retirement during the “Entertainment District Arc”. Tengen was raised in a family of Shinobi, which helped him to form his strong fighting skills and familiarity with using different weaponry. The Sound Hashira is viewed as the second physically strongest of the Hashira ranks, and is the fastest among them.
His technique, Sound Breathing, is one that Tengen invented himself. This style of breathing enhances his combat abilities, such as his signature duel-wielded swords. It also amps up his heightened hearing and his Musical Score: a skill Tengen developed to read enemies’ attack formations like they were songs in front of him. During his time as a Hashira, Tengen is able to simultaneously keep up with Daki and Gyutaro, higher-ranked demons, despite being poisoned during the battle.
7) Kyojuro Rengoku
Kyojuro Rengoku is one of the most popular Demon Slayer characters and held the title of Flame Hashira in the Corps. His father was the previous Flame Hashira, initially teaching Kyojuro before stopping his training. Rengoku was not stopped by this, instead, he trained himself from a Flame Breathing technique book until he reached Hashira status. Rengoku is shown to be incredibly tactical in a fight, practicing logical combat when approaching powerful demon techniques he isn’t familiar with. This, combined with his overpowering determination, caught the attention of Upper Moon Three, Akaza, who even offered to turn Rengoku into a demon so his talent wouldn’t be wasted.
Rengoku is able to fight and overpower powerful demons in his time as a Hashira. He bests Lower Moon Two, Hairo, who acknowledges his strength and knowledge of swordsmanship. Kyojuro also helps slow Enmu down during the “Mugen Train Arc” of the anime, though the final blows go to Inosuke and Tanjiro. His technique, Flame Breathing, is complemented by Rengoku’s excellent fighting form, allowing him to impress and keep up with Akaza during their fight. It stands to reason that Rengoku might have been higher on the list if he had survived and was able to manifest a Mark like some of the other Hashira.
6) Mitsuri Kanroji
Mitsuri Kanroji is the Love Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. Initially, Mitsuri joined the Corps to find a strong husband to marry; however, her belief in the goal of the Corps is strong and her dedication to fighting surpasses her past goal. Mitsuri is shown to be a bright, cheerful, friendly woman who also hesitates very little in battle against demons. She has some of the least formal training among the Hashira, having joined the Corps later in her life, and yet still managed to pass the Final Selection after only six months of training.
Mitsuri’s technique is called Love Breathing, a technique she invented that takes advantage of her unique fighting style. She can also use Flame Breathing, having been trained by Rengoku, though she isn’t as skilled in the style. It’s also stated that Mitsuri had immense physical strength before becoming a demon slayer, something she was embarrassed about as a woman. Most notable is Mitsuri’s swordsmanship, utilizing a long, bendable sword that acts as a whip and allows Mitsuri to cut through sound waves and lightning attacks when fighting Zohakuten. Mitsuri is able to unlock her Mark when she resolves to not suppress her power any longer, gaining a power boost that lets her hold Zohakuten back for an extended time.
5) Muichiro Tokito
Muichiro Tokito is easily one of the top Hashira on this list, with a well of potential that was cut too short by his death in the final battle. Tokito is the official Mist Hashira, and the youngest Hashira at just 14. It’s stated that Muichiro was able to kill a demon with simple wooden tools before ever training to become a demon slayer; after training, he reaches the ranks of Hashira after only two months, showcasing his innate talent and skill. Other Hashira, including Rengoku and Tengen, have both noticed and commented on his strength and ability.
Muichiro is shown to be extremely proficient with a blade during the “Hashira Training Arc”, overpowering the Yoriichi Type Zero doll styled after the infamous swordsman of the past. He combines these skills with his technique, Mist Breathing, of which Muichiro was able to create his own form that was later crucial in defeating an Upper Moon demon. The Mist Hashira conjures a Mark in the final battle and is able to defeat Upper Moon Five, Gyokko, on his own. Muichiro’s strength would impress even Kokushibo. Against Muzan, Muichiro continues to fight after losing limbs and suffering fatal injuries, once again confirming his strong willpower and determination towards the goal of the Corps.
4) OBANAI TEACH
Obanai Iguro, otherwise known as the Snake Hashira, tends to be one of the overlooked Hashira when speaking about raw strength. His smaller stature and effective blindness in one eye made it so Obanai isn’t as physically powerful as some of his counterparts; despite this, Obanai is shown to have complete mastery of his sword and breathing technique, and a strong willpower in battle that is a driving force during the final fight against Muzan. While closed off and slow to trust due to his past, raised by a cult that worshipped and sacrificed newborns to demons, Obanai is dedicated to the Corps and their cause.
His technique is called Serpent Breathing and was completely invented by Obanai himself, an impressive feat. The agility and speed of this technique are aided by Obanai training his pet snake, Kaburamaru, to relay information on incoming attacks to him so the Hashira can predict and counter any offense. In the “Infinity Castle Arc”, Obanai can be seen slaying numerous demons on par with Lower Moon ranks. Obanai is one of the Hashira to awaken his Mark in the last battle, holding back Upper Moon Nakime for a significant portion of time. He is also able to land multiple blows on Muzan, and is the first Hashira to awaken after being knocked unconscious and assist Tanjiro in holding the Demon King off.
3) Giyu Tomioka
Giyu Tomioka is the first Hashira introduced in Demon Slayer and holds the title of Water Hashira. He is the first to vouch for Nezuko and Tanjiro’s goal among the ranks of Hashira, even putting his own life on the line to give them a chance at success. It’s also shown that Giyu holds a great deal of survivor’s guilt for becoming the Water Hashira when his best friend Sabito died in the Final Selection, even viewing himself as unworthy compared to the others in his rank. Despite these feelings, Giyu is consistently portrayed as one of the strongest among the Hashira, developing even more when his Mark is awakened.
Giyu utilizes Water Breathing in his fighting style, a technique he has mastered enough to create a new Form, Dead Calm. He’s able to easily kill Rui without much struggle, initiating this Eleventh Form to defeat the Lower Moon. Giyu is also seen killing multiple demons during Infinity Castle that were comparable in skill to the Lower Moons. In the final battle, Giyu faces off against Akaza, who comments on his strength and prowess, even offering to turn him into a demon similar to his offer with Rengoku. Giyu is crucial in ending Akaza, and is one of the slayers who aided in weakening Muzan at the end.
2) Sanemi Shinazugawa
Sanemi Shinazugawa is the Wind Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, and typically acknowledged in canon as one of the strongest Hashira. Initially, Sanemi is shown as a hot-headed individual with a lust for battle and an intense hatred of the demons he fights. His apparent anger even extends to his younger brother Genya, though it’s later confirmed he merely wanted to keep his brother safe and away from the world of demon-fighting. Sanemi is one of the few Hashira to survive the final battle and acts as a crucial part of the team fighting against Muzan.
As the Wind Hashira, Sanemi is adept at Wind Breathing, and is considered the strongest Wind Breathing user of the current generation. Not only does he awaken his Mark by the end of the series, Sanemi is also able to turn his nichirin sword red in battle during important moments that aid his allies in the fight. He is able to hold off hordes of low-level demons in the “Infinity Castle Arc”. Most notably, Sanemi is one of the two responsible for finally beheading Upper Moon One, Kokushibo, even temporarily holding his own against the demon when his mark awakens.
1) Gyomei Himejima
Gyomei Himejima is the uncontested strongest among the Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps. The Sound Hashira looms above the others in his rank, visually striking with the bright colors of the beaded necklaces he wears and carries. Unlike his menacing appearance, Gyomei is gentle in nature, with a soft-spoken countenance. He’s shown to be a leader figure among the Hashira, and is also the mentor who helps to train Genya Shinazugawa. He’s recognized by multiple members of the Corps for his strength, and Kokushibo himself acknowledges that he hasn’t seen an opponent as strong as the Stone Hashira in centuries.
Gyomei, as the Stone Hashira, utilizes Stone Breathing in his fighting style. Unlike the others, Gyomei equips himself with a spiked flail and axe, able to deal devastating blows to his enemies. His blindness assists Gyomei in enhancing the Hashira’s hearing, allowing him to keep up and interact accordingly with his surroundings during combat. While fighting Kokushibo, Gyomei also reveals an awakened Mark that gives him another power scale, helping him hold his own and later behead the Upper Moon One with assistance.
Did you agree with the ranking of this list? Tell us about your favorite Hashira from Demon Slayerand how you’d rank them.
