In the tail end of season 1 of Demon Slayer, we were introduced to the Hashira. The Hashira are the most elite members of the Demon Slayer Corps, each with their own arsenal of special skills. Tanjiro and the gang have been on adventures with a few members of the Hashira such as Kyojuro Rengoku and Tengen Uzui.
With season 3 of Demon Slayer on the way, the trailer has indicated that Muichiro Tokito and Mitsuri Kanroji of the Hashira will be featured in the Swordsmith Village Arc. Mitsuri's Breathing Style is Love Breathing, a bit odd-sounding next to Styles that draw on nature such as Water Breathing and Thunder Breathing. So what exactly is Love Breathing?
Meet Mitsuri Kanroji
Just like Muichiro, the other featured Hashira in the upcoming third season of Demon Slayer, Mitsuri was first properly introduced in episode 22 of season 1. She and her fellow Hashira were called on to decide Tanjiro's fate for travelling with a demon in tow, namely his sister Nezuko. Where the rest of the Hashira advocated for sentencing Tanjiro to death, Mitsuri was the first showed empathy for Tanjiro. She felt immense anguish and pain that "such an adorable child" would be killed.
Mitsuri appears to have a very kind-hearted personality. She would rather choose the most non-violent route, such as voting for Tanjiro to live. She may also have a sense of humor and laughs at inappropriate moments, such as being the only one who laughed when Tanjiro gave Sanemi the Wind Hashira one of his deadly head-butts and desperately trying to stifle laughter when Tanjiro showed absolute terror when the Master said he should ty to defeat the Twelve Kizuki. She speaks emotionally and wishes the best for everyone, always blushing when she talks and thinks to herself.
The Origins of Love Breathing
Love Breathing is derived from the primary style of Flame Breathing. In Chapter 178 of the manga, it is explained that Yoriichi attempted to teach his Sun Breathing Style to others, yet his students could not measure up to his level of skill. As a result, Yoriichi modified his teaching to meet his students' strengths which subsequently created a variety of derivatives of Sun Breathing, Flame Breathing being one of them.
Flame Breathing allows the user to attack by conjuring flames, with the intention to burn the opponent. Shinjuro and Kyojuro Rengoku are the two known users of Flame Breathing. Six out of the nine forms of Flame Breathing have been used in the anime during the Mugen Train Arc; the First Form being Unknowing Fire, Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun, Third Form: Blazing Universe, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger and Ninth Form: Rengoku.
Love Breathing; An Extension of Flame Breath
Mitsuri was Kyojuro's Tsuguko and was thus trained in the Flame Breathing Style, but altered it to create her own version known as Love Breathing. It is rooted in the emotion of love, with the names of the various Forms even given romantic and sentimental names. Mitsuri's past is centred on love, albeit the bitter and the sweet of it, so it is almost poetic that this is her Breathing Style, using this complicated emotion as her armour.
Mitsuri's fighting style compliments her Love Breathing. She is known for her special muscle density makes her unusually strong for a female, something she was ashamed of in the past. The Forms she uses incorporate her immense strength and flexibility, supplemented by a whip-like Nichirin blade. The flexible and strong combination of her fighting style enhance the various Forms of Love Breathing she executes throughout the manga. Whip-like attacks, agile leaps and tumbles and fast movements are all important tenets of this unique Breathing Style.