Demon Slayer: 10 Most Powerful Corps Members, Ranked

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In 2020, the acclaimed manga “Demon Slayer” by Koyoharu Gotouge drew to a close, but its anime adaptation is continuing, focusing on the final story arc through a three-part movie series. The first film debuted in Japan on July 18th, 2025, breaking numerous box office records since then and is now slated for U.S. theaters on September 12th, 2025. This movie depicts the climactic battle against the demons. For more than a millennium, the Demon Slayer Corps has worked secretly with one goal: to vanquish Muzan Kibutsuji, the first demon, who is unique in his ability to transform humans into demons. If he’s defeated, it would mean an end to the fear and violence that humanity has suffered for centuries.

Demons possess extraordinary strength beyond ordinary humans and have a remarkable ability to heal rapidly. Some demons even wield Blood Demon Art, a potent skill that amplifies their power exponentially. Moreover, these creatures can only be killed under specific circumstances, a fact not widely known. This asymmetry in power often leaves humans at a considerable disadvantage when battling demons. Remarkably, they persist in this struggle against the supernatural. The Demon Slayer Corps is an assembly of individuals who harness Total Concentration Breathing, a technique that significantly boosts both their physical and mental capacities such as strength, agility, and response time. Recently, ComicBook compiled a list ranking all the Hashira, the most distinguished members of this organization, but who are the ten strongest throughout its history?

Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga!

10) Kyojuro Rengoku

With merely one film, Kyojuro quickly earned a vast fanbase, undeniably so for his authentic portrayal of a Demon Slayer and his formidable strength as a Flame Hashira. The mission to vanquish the demon commandeering the Mugen Train was triumphantly completed, with no lives claimed that day, thanks to Kyojuro, Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and Nezuko Kamado, their collective efforts resulting in a resounding victory.

But then events take a downturn as Akaza arrives post Enmu’s downfall. Kyojuro engaged in single combat with an Upper Rank Three without any Demon Slayer Mark, and remarkably saved everyone in the process. Regrettably, he never reached his full potential due to the rarity of the Demon Slayer Mark at that time.

9) Mitsuri Kanroji

Mitsuri’s immense power, combined with her agility and a distinct sword, make it effortless for her to outmatch multiple opponents. Trained under Rengoku before becoming a Hashira, she developed her Love Breathing style from the Flame Breathing Total Concentration. This breathing technique was designed specifically to complement her speed, strength, and swift Nichirin Sword.

Despite Tengen Uzui being the fastest Hashira in general, Mitsuri’s technique outpaces him significantly. In her battle against Zohakuten, the Upper Rank Four and the final form of Hantengu, Mitsuri activated her Demon Slayer Mark, transcending the physical constraints imposed on her as a human.

8) Obanai Iguro

In the Hashira Training Arc, we only caught a glimpse of Obanai’s powers, but his full potential will be unveiled in the Infinity Castle Arc. He activated his mark during the climactic battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, boosting his abilities to maintain combat effectiveness despite his grievous wounds. Remarkably, Obanai is among a select few Demon Slayers who possess the Transparent World ability, an extraordinary power that enables its users to peer through bodies, observing internal organs, muscles, and blood flow in slow motion, allowing them to anticipate attacks and movements more accurately.

His attacking style is modeled after the Water Breathing method, enabling him to execute swift strikes and undulating movements like a serpent. He carries a flexibly curved Nichirin sword reminiscent of an Indonesian Kris sword, which seems to mimic snake-like waves in its motion.

7) Muichiro Tokito

Muichiro Tokito, the youngest among the Hashiras, hails from the Tsugikuni bloodline. Since Yoriichi remained unmarried following his wife’s death during pregnancy, his brother Michikatsu continued the lineage. It was their unique heritage that initially drew the attention of the Demon Slayer Corps towards Muichiro and his twin brother. In an astonishingly short period of just two months after taking up a sword, Muichiro ascended to the peak of demon slaying prowess at the tender age of fourteen, earning him the title of Hashira.

In the pulse-pounding duel against Gyokko within Swordsmith Village, I, myself, unleashed the awe-inspiring Demon Slayer Mark, granting me an effortless edge over Upper Moon Five. These upper echelons of the Twelve Kizuki are nearly mythical in their power, and it had been more than a century since the Corps managed to fell one prior to the Entertainment District Arc. Yet, I made quick work of the demon, slicing through it with an ease that belied its formidable reputation. In the climactic arc, I took my abilities to new heights by awakening the ability to peer into the Transparent World.

6) Giyu Tomioka

From my perspective, Muichiro, with his immense raw talent and potential, outshone nearly every Hashira. Yet, he was relatively inexperienced compared to his peers like Gyomei. On a higher plane, Gyomei towers above the rest, but the youngest Hashira still found himself slightly less seasoned than Giyu and Sanemi. The Water Hashira, however, demonstrated remarkable self-sufficiency by creating his unique breathing technique independently. Meanwhile, Giyu’s primary hindrance was a mindset that undermined his belief in being worthy of his rank.

Despite Tanjiro’s efforts in helping Giyu overcome his reserve, it was only during his confrontation with Akaza that Giyu truly unlocked his full potential. The intense urgency to protect Tanjiro pushed Giyu to activate his Demon Slayer Mark, a transformation that greatly benefited him in the fight.

5) Sanemi Shinazugawa

Similar to Obanai, Sanemi’s abilities were unveiled earlier in the series, however, it’s during the Infinity Castle Arc where we’ll witness him in action. The Demon Slayer community has often found themselves discussing which one between Sanemi and Giyu is stronger. Truth be told, their prowess is quite evenly matched, but Sanemi edges out slightly due to his immense physical power and the tremendous impact of his blows compared to Giyu’s abilities.

Wind Breathing is an incredibly potent offensive skill, enabling its users to unleash forceful blows akin to a tornado. Moreover, during the climactic fight, Sanemi activated his Demon Slayer Mark, which provided him with the identical augmentation that Gyu originally possessed.

4) Michikatsu Tsugikuni (Kokushibo)

Initially, the Upper Rank One demon, Kokushibo, went by the name Michikatsu Tsugikuni and was the elder brother of Yoriichi, who founded the Breathing Techniques. While harboring feelings of jealousy towards his brother’s skills, Michikatsu was not a mere weakling himself. Because Yoriichi was the sole swordsman in the Corps capable of wielding the Sun Breathing Technique, Michikatsu developed his distinctive Moon Breathing Style as a response.

Instead of simply using the Breathing Technique and awakening the mark like other Demon Slayers, Michikatsu chose an unusual path. He allowed himself to transform into a demon due to self-doubt and fear of dying prematurely because of the mark. This act brought disgrace upon his entire family. It’s worth noting that as a demon, he gained the power to perceive the Transparent World, although it is uncertain if he could do so in his human form.

3) Tanjiro Kamado

In the final arc, it’s rarely discussed just how incredibly powerful Tanjiro became, even outmatching all other Hashira except Gyomei. Among all characters in the series, Tanjiro stands alone as the one who masters not just one, but two Breathing Styles. This dual expertise enables him to develop a stronger and more enduring fighting style. Each technique possesses its unique strengths and weaknesses, yet Tanjiro swiftly chooses the appropriate style for each situation. His physique is better adapted for the Sun Breathing Technique, but it quickly drains his energy, making Water Breathing a valuable asset during intense battles.

Among all the Demon Slayer Corps, it’s just me, Tanjiro, who masters the Sun Breathing Technique – a skill that originated within the Kamado family. This ancient art was nurtured through their forefather, Sumiyoshi Kamado, a comrade of Yoriichi, with the intention of preserving his friend’s legacy. Notably, I have also unlocked the ability to perceive the Transparent World, and during my battle against Akaza, I was able to conceal myself much like a hidden plant, making it impossible for my adversaries to sense me.

2) Gyomei Himejima

It’s plausible that Tanjiro might have equaled or even surpassed Gyomei if their battles hadn’t ended. However, with the demons vanquished following Muzan’s demise, there was no longer a need for Tanjiro to wield his sword again. In the climactic battle, Gyomei demonstrated that his title of the strongest Hashira wasn’t an empty boast. Despite being older than 25, he shattered the belief surrounding the prerequisites for activating the Demon Slayer Mark and utilized his enhancement in combat during the final storyline.

Unlike many Demon Slayers, he employed a unique arsenal: a Nichirin-chained spiked flail and axe. His physical prowess outmatched that of any other Corps member, bordering on superhuman abilities, regardless of his lack of a Breathing Style. The Stone Hashira utilized his blindness as a source of strength by enhancing his other senses to extraordinary levels, giving him an uncanny ability to sense and react to his environment with astonishing precision. Upon awakening his mark, he could tap into the Transparent World. His Stone Breathing Style enabled him to manipulate the earth beneath him and his surroundings to generate potent offenses and defenses.

1) Yoriichi Tsugikuni

Across the entire saga, be it human or demon, I’ve witnessed no character approaching the prowess of Yoriichi, a legendary figure who mastered the Breathing Techniques. His impact on the Demon Slayer Corps is etched indelibly into history, as he stands unparalleled as the greatest Demon Slayer. Despite coming agonizingly close to vanquishing Muzan, Yoriichi’s skill alone forced the demon to the very edge of defeat. However, the slippery nature of demons allowed Muzan to elude Yoriichi, never again daring to challenge him directly and instead slinking back into the shadows.

Fortunately, Yoriichi inflicted numerous wounds on Muzan using his Sun Breathing Technique, and these wounds continued to burn him for centuries, creating an opportunity for the Demon Slayers to exploit Muzan’s vulnerabilities. Yoriichi perfected the Sun Breathing Style in such a way that all 13 forms are employed sequentially, with the final form preventing excessive strain on his body. Anyone who has fully grasped this technique can employ it continuously for several hours without tiring.

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2025-08-31 01:41