Demon Slayer has become one of the most popular anime of all time despite only being out since 2019. While Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu are entertaining to watch, fans are eagerly waiting to see more of the Hashira, the best Demon Slayers, to get in on the action. Kyojuro Rengoku and Tengen Uzui have played major roles so far, while Giyu Tomioka and Shinobu Kocho have had minor roles.
With the Upper Ranks Kizuki appearing, the Hashira need to be properly prepared. Thankfully, they have their Nichirin weapons to help make the battle easier. Some wield the traditional katana while others have opted for modified versions or different weapons to better suit their fighting styles.
Update on April 26, 2023, by Sarah Prado: More and more of the Hashira are getting their time in the spotlight to take on Muzan Kibutsuji and his Upper Rank Kizuki. With only the strongest demons left, the Hashira will have to make sure they’re well-equipped to take on the task. While most of them use the standard Nichirin Katana, there are a few who use specialized weapons that better fit their fighting styles. Regardless of what they use, the Hashira is a deadly group that uses everything at its disposal to fight. These are the weapons that the Hashira use to fight the demons coming their way.
Warning: manga spoilers are ahead.
13 Shinobu Kocho, The Insect Hashira: Stinger Nichirin Katana
Physically, Shinobu is the weakest among the Hashira as she’s not able to behead a demon. However, she found a way around this with her specially designed Stinger Nichirin Katana that fits with her Insect Breathing Style. This katana doesn’t have a blade but has a rod that holds wisteria-laced poison. With this, Shinobu is able to inject demons with it when she’s fighting them, and depending on how strong the demon is, the effect can be immediate or take a little time.
Her sheath also doubles as a mixer and loader in case she ever needs more poison. Despite the delicate appearance, the blade lasted throughout her fight with Doma, the Upper Two Kizuki, and came close to defeating him by stabbing him in the neck. Unfortunately, even with the amount of poison in the blade, it wasn’t enough to kill him.
12 Jigoro Kuwajima, The Former Thunder Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
While fans don’t get to see Jigoro in action, it is known that he was a former Hashira. This alone shows that he was a pretty strong Demon Slayer and took out a lot of demons during his prime. Plus, being a Thunder Breathing user, this is one of the toughest Breathing styles to learn let alone master. His two students, Zenitsu and Kaiguku, are only able to use certain abilities of this style, and neither ever fully master Thunder Breathing.
Being a master of this Breathing style, Jigoro was known to be an amazing swordsman. Since he’s been described as a ‘swordsman’ it is assumed he used a Standard Nichirin Katana during his time as a Demon Slayer.
11 Shinjuro Rengoku, The Former Flame Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
He might not seem like much now, but Shinjuro was once a great swordsman. Being the former Flame Hashira, Shinjuro took out a lot of demons during his days as a Demon Slayer. He rescued Obanai Iguro, the now Serpent Hashira, from the Serpent Demon that his family served and worshiped for generations. He also saved a young woman named Yomi and her daughter from a demon, and twenty years later, Kyojuro would save Yomi and her granddaughter Fuku from a demon.
He used a Standard Nichirin Sword that looks just like Kyojuro’s sword. Shinjuro appears to have used the same blade during his time as a Demon Slayer which goes to show that the swords of the Flame Hashira are pretty sturdy.
10 Sakonji Urokodaki, The Former Water Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
The man who trained Tanjiro and the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, to be some of the best Demon Slayers in the current generation. Urokodaki was known to be a very strong member of the Corps during his days as a member. He was able to incapacitate the Hand Demon during his youth and it seems like his blade didn’t break from this.
It’s a pretty impressive feat since the Hand Demon was known for being stronger than an average demon. While fans don’t get to see him go all-out, it can be assumed that he was very powerful in his prime as he made it out alive and in one piece. Now, he’s still considered one of the strongest members of the Corps and a cultivator of the Water Breathing Style.
9 Kyojuro Rengoku, The Flame Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
Poor Kyojuro was only around for a short time, but he’s not forgotten. He probably would’ve been able to defeat Akaza, the Upper Three Kizuki, had he not used most of his energy to protect the passengers on the Mugen Train. His sword endured a lot during his fight with Akaza, from punches to chopping off limbs. The Flame Hashira put up an excellent fight and came close to decapitating the Upper Three Kizuki, but sadly his sword just wasn’t able to cut through his neck.
He certainly had the strength as shown when he held Akaza in place, but it was clear that Kyojuro had used a good bit of his energy to keep the passengers safe. Had he been at full strength, he might’ve been able to win the fight.
8 Giyu Tomioka, The Water Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
Giyu is a pretty strong Hashira, so his sword has to be tough. He’s taken out Rui, the Lower Five Kizuki, and helped Tanjiro fight against Akaza, the Upper Three Kizuki. His sword broke during the fight with Akaza, but Giyu still managed to use it to help Tanjiro. He threw it at Akaza’s head, piercing it. This would be the final battle for Giyu’s blade as a whole, but it served him well.
Even after it was broken, Giyu was able to use his Water Breathing techniques and it didn’t break anymore after that. For about half of the final battle against Muzan, he continued to use it until Sanemi tossed him a new sword to use.
7 Kanae Kocho, The Former Flower Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
The adopted older sister of Kanao and Shinobu’s biological older sister was a formidable fighter during her life as a Demon Slayer. Unlike Shinobu, Kanae was able to cut off a demon’s head with no problem with her Nichirin Katana. While fans don’t get to see her in action, it is known that she was able to fight Douma, who was already the Upper Two Kizuki, for hours until sunrise. Sadly, she didn’t win and lost her life from the injuries she sustained, but it shows how strong Kanae was.
It is known that her sword broke during the fight, but it’s not known exactly when it happened. Regardless of when the fact that Kanae was able to fight Douma to a standstill is impressive and even he had to commend her strength.
6 Sanemi Shinazugawa, The Wind Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
Being one of the strongest Hashira, Sanemi’s sword matches his appearance. His sword is very durable and lasts throughout the series. It had no problem piercing through the box that Nezuko is held in. He fought against Kokushibo during the final arc of the manga. His sword was able to clash with the demon’s blade and not waver or break during this battle. Kokushibo is the second most powerful demon and his sword is more durable and sharper than a normal Nichirin Katana.
However, Sanemi doesn’t necessarily need one to take out demons. Before becoming a demon slayer, he hunted them on his own by incapacitating them and holding them down until daybreak.
5 Muichiro Tokito, The Mist Hashira: Standard Nichirin Katana
Being a Demon Slayer prodigy, Muichiro Tokito is one of the best swordsmen to ever join the Demon Slayer Corps and quickly rose in the ranks to become the Mist Hashira. He is the only one who took out an Upper Rank Kizuki by himself. It lasted through his fight with Gyokko, the Upper Five Kizuki, and Muichiro had no problem decapitating him to finish their fight. The sword also lasted throughout most of the fight with Kokushibo, the Upper One Kizuki.
The young Mist Hashira used up the last of his energy to stab his weapon into the Upper One Kizuki. He turned the blade red and burned the area, making it so Kokushibo couldn’t regenerate. This ended up being one of the reasons why his allies would win the fight.
4 Obanai Iguro, The Serpent Hashira: Twisted Nichirin Katana
Fitting his image and title as the Serpent Hashira, Obanai’s sword is perfect for his Serpent Breathing Style. The sword fits perfectly with his slithering movements while fighting and made it tough for his opponents to defend against. With all the twists and turns that he does for his Serpent Breathing Style, he was able to stand on equal ground with a fully-powered Muzan during the final battle.
He played a huge role in the final battle and was able to back Muzan into a corner despite being blinded and having serious injuries. His sword was able to become red after awakening his Demon Slayer Mark and lasted him through the fight.
3 Tengen Uzui, The Sound Hashira: Dual Nichirin Cleavers
A flashy Hashira like Tengen needs flashy weapons that are perfect for him. Matching his eccentric and over-the-top personality and Sound Breathing abilities, Tengen has a pair of Nichirin Cleavers that are connected by a chain. Despite their rather large size and appearance, the Sound Hashira is able to effortlessly wield them and make quick strikes such as when he beheaded Daki and she didn’t know it. He is able to wield both blades with one arm thanks to the chain holding them together.
His swords are said to have a lot of explosive power and no one survived a hit from them until he went up against Daki and Gyutaro. Using these swords along with his bombs and shinobi training makes Tengen a fearsome opponent. The cleavers lasted throughout the whole fight against the Upper Six Kizuki duo, showing just how durable they are.
2 Mitsuri Kanroji, The Love Hashira: Whip Nichirin Katana
She might have a delicate appearance, but no one should be fooled by this. Mitsuri has a rather unique weapon that she uses to fight demons. Her whip nichirin katana fits her fighting style as she is one of the most flexible Hashira, if not the most flexible one. Despite being the slowest runner, Mitsuri’s attacks are faster than Tengen’s attacks, who is the fastest Hashira.
Her blade can cut through lighting and sound waves from Hantengu, the Upper Four Kizuki. Thanks to her flexibility, she doesn’t have to worry about injuring herself and is able to use her weapon to its maximum capabilities.
1 Gyomei Himejima, The Stone Hashira: Nichirin Spiked Flail And Axe
A pair of weapons that are fitting for the strongest Hashira. Instead of a standard sword, Gyomei uses a spiked flail and axe to take out his enemies. It’s a very strong and durable weapon that takes a lot of skill to use. Because Gyomei is blind, he uses the echoes of the chain to help him know the space and movements around him thanks to his acute sense of hearing.
The chain was durable enough that Kokushibo couldn’t cut through it and had to fight at close range. Considering that Kokushibo is the second most powerful demon alive, this is quite an accomplishment. It wasn’t until the final fight with Muzan that the chain of his weapon began breaking. However, it wasn’t without reward and Gyomei was one of the key factors in defeating him.
The Swordsmith Village Arc Brings In Three New Allies And Two Upper Rank Kizuki
The current arc will not only focus on Tanjiro and Nezuko, but will also focus on Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira, and Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Hashira. Another character that will get some time to shine is fellow Demon Slayer, Genya Shinazugawa, the younger brother of the Wind Hashira, Sanemi. If that isn’t enough to excite fans, the Demon Slayers must work together to take on two Upper Rank Kizuki: Hantengu, the Upper Four, and Gyokko, the Upper Five.