Every major Shonen series has some sort of iconic ability that its main cast makes use of throughout its narrative. One Piece has its Devil Fruit abilities, while My Hero Academia has Quirks. Dragon Ball is remembered for its various energy attacks and transformations, which continue to evolve and change as the franchise continues on. Demon Slayer’s eponymous foot soldiers make use of the many Breathing Styles that exist in its world.

Breathing Styles are essentially sword fighting styles that make use of a technique called Total Concentration Breathing, which allows the user to channel incredible power during combat. There are 14 different Breathing Styles Demon Slayer’s can make use of, and most typically specialize in one during their time in the corps.

Why Sun Breathing Fits Tanjiro Best

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Tanjiro makes use of Water Breathing for most of the series. Taught to him by Sakonji during his training in the mountains, it is one of the five main styles derived from Sun Breathing. Though Tanjiro succeeds in making use of Water Breathing throughout the early parts of his adventure, he eventually discovers that he’s better suited for Sun Breathing instead.

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Sun Breathing was the first Breathing Style utilized by Yoriichi Tsugikuni. As Yoriichi taught his pupils how to use the technique, he adjusted it to suit their various strengths and weaknesses which is how the other 13 Breathing Styles came to be.

Long forgotten and unknown to most of the Hashira during Demon Slayer’s narrative, the technique was kept alive by members of the Kamado family, and passed down from father to son as a ceremonial dance performed every New Year.

How Does Sun Breathing Compare To Other Styles?

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While Sun Breathing might seem similar to Flame Breathing, the latter stands alongside Water, Thunder, Stone, Wind, and Moon Breathing as variations of Sun Breathing as a whole.

Yoriichi initially created 12 different techniques to compliment this style, but would soon develop a thirteenth after meeting Muzan. The technique was made with the sole purpose of killing the Demon King, and simultaneously made use of the initial 12 in order to cut the monstrous creature down in one movement.

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The Kamado family is able to use this power thanks to the friendship between Yoriichi and their ancestor, Sumiyoshi. Their iteration is known as the Hinokami Kagura and is treated as a ceremonial dance in which the users try to appease the Fire God. They do so by dancing from sunset to sunrise in the hopes that their offering will stave off various threats and illnesses. He might have not known of its significance at the time, but seeing his father perform the dance would give Tanjiro an invaluable advantage in his career as a Demon Slayer.

Tanjiro certainly did a lot of good with his Water Breathing techniques, but his ability to use Sun Breathing both gives him an edge in battle and allows him to stand out among the incredibly powerful Hashira he fights alongside. Manga fans know just how effective this technique can be, while anime viewers can look forward to seeing it develop throughout the series.

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