Highlights
- Jointly the Corps' strongest force, the Hashiras ensure Muzan's defeat with unique abilities and authority under Kaguya.
- The title is difficult to attain, requiring mastery of unique breathing styles and either demon or Upper Moon kills.
With the imminent arrival of its fourth season, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba remains one of anime's most exciting and thrilling series in recent times. Its upcoming season undoubtedly focuses on the highly-regarded Hashiras of the Demon Slayer Corps. Through the previous seasons of the show, quite a number of the Hashiras have appeared at some point during the series, with the most memorable being during the Mugen Train Arc, the death of Rengoku Kyojuro— the Flame Hashira.
A notable element that rears its head whenever the Hashiras appear at any point during the series is the stark gap in abilities between themselves and the ordinary demon slayer corps. This vast gap prompts the obvious question of who of these Hashiras might be the strongest among their ranks. Several choices instantly pop up at the mere thought. Here are some Hashira characters that will be discussed with the possibility of who the title of 'The Strongest' should go to.
Demon Slayer: Every Hashira's Unique Ability, Ranked
The Hashira each have a powerful ability in Demon Slayer.
Who Are The Hashiras of The Demon Slayer Corps?
The Most Lethal Demon Slayers
The position of Hashira is the highest rank attainable to a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. Therefore, those who have obtained the title are regarded as the most powerful demon slayers the organisation has to offer, with their combined strength making up the significant battle force the Corps can muster in the battle against Muzan and his demons. Regarding authority, the Hashiras are second only to the Corps leader, Kaguya Ubuyashiki.
However, their authority comes with proportionate responsibility that requires each Hashira to oversee and patrol specific regions, to gather more information regarding the demons in their respective areas and anything related. The minimal requirement to become a Hashira is total mastery of their unique breathing styles, with some of the Hashiras even creating their own unique breathing styles.
Aside from mastery, there are only two known methods to becoming a Hashira, both extremely difficult. The first is to kill at least fifty demons while being a Kinoe-ranked demon slayer or to kill a member of Muzan's Twelve Kizuki; the difficulty of the latter option is exponentially high as the Upper Moons have not changed members in over a century. The second method is to become the apprentice of a Hashira— a Tsuguko, which requires almost prodigious-level talent in most cases. Both methods, in terms of difficulty, need at least a few years of training, with the only exception being the current Mist Hashira, Tokito Muichiro, who achieved that status in under two months.
Demon Slayer: Every Member Of The Hashira, Ranked In Terms Of Strength
The Hashira are humanity's last line of defense against demons. Here's how every single one of them ranks based on their strength.
Who Could Be Called The Strongest?
A Question of Certainty Among Few Contenders
| Hashira | Breathing Styles |
| Giyu Tomioka | Water Breathing |
| Mitsuri Karonji | Love Breathing |
| Rengoku Kyojuro (Dead) | Flame Breathing |
| Gyomei Himejima | Stone Breathing |
| Tokito Muichiro | Mist Breathing |
| Tengen Uzui (Retired) | Sound Breathing |
| Shinobu Kocho | Insect Breathing |
| Sanemi Shinazugawa | Wind Breathing |
| Obanai Iguro | Serpent Breathing |
Throughout the series, the Hashiras are not precisely hidden characters, nor do they get the most screen time. However, with the screen time afforded them, the inevitable question of the strongest can not be avoided, given the impressive feats seen by some of them, with Rengoku's battle against Akaza easily resurfacing in memory, among others like Giyu's easy dispatch of Rui and his spider family, Tengen Uzui against Daki and Gyutaro, Mitsuri Kanroji and Tokito Muichiro during the Sowrdsmith Village Arc. However, an unanswered question remains whether their individual efforts are enough to earn them the coveted title of the 'Strongest' among the Hashira.
The enthusiastic Rengoku Kyojuro, the flame Hashira, is a candidate for consideration. Rengoku is easy to name as the strongest, given his efforts against Upper Moon Three, Akaza, who was so impressed with Rengoku that he offered to turn the latter into a demon. Despite Akaza's impressive regeneration, Rengoku managed to overwhelm him to the point of escape, which alludes to Rengoku's overall strength as a demon slayer, albeit that he, unfortunately, died, which means he falls short of the title mainly due to death among other reasons.
Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira, is another candidate for consideration, given his efforts throughout the series. Giyu's strengths are quickly highlighted as he made light work of the Lower Moon Five, Rui, during the early parts of the series. Also, his encounter with Akaza further alludes to his strength, as he could hold his own against the demon, like Rengoku. The critical difference, however, is unlike Rengoku, Giyu survives, as well as the contributions he makes during the defeat of Muzan, and the aftermath of Tanjiro becoming a demon. However, like his counterpart, Giyu also falls short of the title. Therefore, who really could be called the strongest?
Sanemi, The Wind Hashira?
A Worthy Alternative
Sanemi Shinazugawa, the wind Hashira, makes a strong case for himself, although his contributions come at the latter parts of the series, but decisive these contributions, nonetheless. His proficiency as a demon slayer is arguably second to the Stone Hashira, as he equally matched Giyu in speed, arguably the fastest Hashira. More than that, his efforts against the Upper Moon Rank One, Kokushibo, made more than an impression on the demon, causing Kokushibo's acknowledgement.
Sanemi, in the battle, was even stated to be one of the two strongest Hashira. Not only holding his own, Sanemi was also able to overpower the Upper-Rank One, albeit momentarily, after awakening his demon slayer mark. Despite being gravely injured, Sanemi, alongside Gyomei, eventually succeeded in killing Kokushibo, and immediately after, Sanemi assisted in dealing critical damage to the Demon King, Muzan. At the end of the final battle, Sanemi remains one of the few Hashira to survive the gruesome encounter, further alluding to his overall standing among the Hashira. However, Sanemi still loses out by a relatively small margin.
Gyomei, The Immovable Stone
The Strongest Demon Slayer?
The only worthy candidate is Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira. Despite being completely blind, Gyomei has been repeatedly stated to be the strongest Hashira, and this credence is cemented during his battle against Upper Moon One, Kokushibo. Described as a complete enigma by Tengen Uzui, Gyomei is the only demon slayer mentioned Yoriichi, capable of seeing and accessing the Transparent World, putting him in a different league, even among the Hashira.
Throughout the battle against Kokushibo, Gyomei could keep up with the demon for the entire duration only slightly tired and injured after he and Sanemi finally succeeded in killing the Upper Moon One. Beyond his battle against Kokushibo, Gyomei played a significant role in driving the demon king, Muzan, ultimately leading to his defeat, as he would not have been defeated if not for the heavy damage inflicted on him by Gyomei. Most importantly, Gyomei is one of the last surviving Hashira at the end of the Final Battle Arc, cementing his title as the 'Strongest'.
Demon Slayer
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 4
- Studio
- ufotable
- Japanese Title
- Kimetsu no Yaiba
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Koyoharu Gotoge
- Number of Episodes
- 56+
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll , Hulu , Netflix
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