Tengen Uzui has made his way into the hearts of Demon Slayer fans since the start of the Entertainment District Arc. Being the flashy and flamboyant man that he is, Tengen has become one of the best and most memorable characters in Demon Slayer. He had a rough start when meeting Tanjiro as Tengen was one of the Hashira that thought he and Nezuko should be executed, but the two of them have come to respect each other.
The Sound Hashira hasn’t had an easy life. From being raised in a tough shinobi family to changing his way of life, Tengen Uzui and his wives have had quite the journey. Here are some things that fans might not know about this flashy Hashira.
Updated on July 4, 2022, by Sarah Prado: The Sound Hashira has certainly earned his spot as one of the best characters in the series. From his larger-than-life personality to his flashy moves on the battlefield, Tengen Uzui has proven his strength. Thanks to him along with Tanjiro and the others, they were able to take out the Upper Six Kizuki duo. Though he’s retired now, this will not be the last time fans will see him. Until then, there are some more things fans can learn about Tengen Uzui and his flashy life in Demon Slayer.
Warning: manga spoilers are ahead.
14 His Initial Design Was Very Different And Not As Flashy
Fans know and recognize Tengen Uzui for her large, muscular, and flashy appearance, but his look could’ve been a lot different. He was initially drawn as a tall, but slimmer man with bandages covering most of his face. His arms were also covered with long sleeves because he didn’t want his arms to get sunburned (according to the author). Overall, his appearance would’ve been toned down.
Luckily for fans, his design changed and ended up being what he looks like now. His face is uncovered and he has a flashy headband to make him stand out. Plus his large muscles also seem more fitting for him and his flamboyant and lively personality.
13 His Wives Mirror Tanjiro, Zenitsu, And Inosuke
If fans were wondering how Tengen Uzui didn’t completely lose it when dealing with the craziness of Inosuke and Zenitsu, look no further than his wives. Makio mirrors Inosuke and is headstrong, loud, and confident. Suma is very much like Zenitsu, being overdramatic, fearful, and easily prone to tears. Hinatsuru is calm and patient like Tanjiro as well as being strategic in battle, as shown when she shot a bunch of wisteria poison-laced kunai at Gyutaro.
Tengen was more than equipped to handle Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke’s very different personalities. However, unlike his wives, Tengen is fine with hitting and yelling at Inosuke and Zenitsu if they get too out of hand.
12 He Was Set To Have A Different Wife
Tengen Uzui loves all of his wives equally, but he was actually set to have a different wife. He was supposed to marry Suma’s younger sister, but Suma had other plans. Suma wanted to go to the interview so she crashed through the door while it was happening. The details of the interview itself are unknown, but it worked out since Suma became his first wife.
Tengen didn’t have to say yes to her and could have married her sister, but Suma must’ve done something right. It is good he chose her since Suma is hilarious just about every time she’s onscreen and her interactions with him and the other wives are entertaining to watch.
11 Second Hashira To Retire From Being Disabled
With the loss of his left hand and left eye, Tengen Uzui decides to retire after his battle with Daki and Gyutaro. He is the second Hashira to retire due to being disabled. The first Hashira to retire from this was Jigoro Kuwajima, Zentisu’s master and the former Thunder Hashira. While Tengen proved he could technically fight with one hand and eye, he opted to retire instead.
Even though he retired, Tengen oversees the stamina portion of the Hashira Training along with his wives. He also helps during the final arc and protects the Ubuyashiki siblings alongside Shinjuro Rengoku and Urokodaki.
10 Looked Up To Kyojuro Rengoku
Tanjiro isn’t the only one who looked up to the former Flame Hashira. Tengen Uzui looked up to Kyojuro Rengoku and often compared himself to him. He doesn’t believe he has any talent or that he would ever be as great as Kyojuro. It was a little surprising to hear this since Tengen is usually boastful and confident in his abilities, but it showed that he does have some insecurities.
Though he didn’t acknowledge Tengen as a Hashira at the beginning of the Entertainment District Arc, Tanjiro sees Kyojuro in Tengen when the Sound Hashira tells Gyutaro and Daki that they’ll stop them. During the fight, Tengen sees a vision of Kyojuro who tells him he’s a great swordsman and to look after Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke for him. He would carry on Kyojuro’s will and protect Tanjiro throughout their fight with Gyutaro.
9 Abandoned His Family Ideologies On His Own
Tengen’s childhood was pretty tough due to the harsh training that his father put him and his siblings through. He killed two of his siblings during this time but didn’t know it until after the fight. By the time he was 15, only he and one of his younger brothers remained. Instead of fighting his brother to the death as their father wanted, Tengen Uzui and his wives left the clan. Considering that this lifestyle was normal for his family, Tengen seeing the flaws in his family’s logic is impressive.
Tengen abandoned everything he knew and was raised to believe, and started anew with his wives. Tengen even had to help them adjust since they were raised to believe they were there only to produce offspring and that missions come first no matter what. Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki acknowledged his courage for leaving his old life behind.
8 He’s One Of The Most Open Hashira
According to the second fanbook, Tengen Uzui's openness is 88% and the third-highest of the Hashira in this ranking. This probably isn’t too surprising since he was quite frank with Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. Plus, Tengen was one of the Hashira that agreed Tanjiro and Nezuko should be executed since Nezuko is a demon.
He’s not afraid to speak his mind to anyone, but it is usually toned down when he’s with his wives. Tengen isn’t trying to be outright cruel when talking to others, but he’s not going to lie to spare anyone’s feelings. When Daki was yelling at him that she’s an Upper Rank, Tengen flat out told her she’s too weak to be one. It turned out to be true and Gyutaro was revealed to be the true Upper Six Kizuki.
7 Created Sound Breathing
Similar to Inosuke, who created Beast Breathing all on his own, Tengen Uzui created Sound Breathing by using his enhanced hearing and Musical Score Technique. This style is derived from Thunder Breathing, which explains why Tengen’s attacks are really fast and have explosive power almost similar to Zenitsu’s fighting style.
With this style of breathing, Tengen was able to break down Gyutaro’s attacks after finishing his Musical Score. It allows him to read enemy movements a lot easier by deconstructing their movements into sound from reading the rhythm of their movements. As shown in the battle with Gyutaro, once he perfected it, Tengen and the Upper Six Kizuki were on an even playing field even though the Hashira had one hand.
6 Thought About Exterminating His Family
In the official fanbook, it’s revealed that Tengen often thought about exterminating the rest of the Uzui clan. Having seen three of his siblings die before age 10, killing two of his siblings, and watching his last surviving brother kill the others, it’s no surprise that he would want to do this. Doing so would prevent his family from reinforcing the dangerous tradition and mindset that only the strong are meant to live in the world.
However, even after everything he’s been through, Tengen Uzui still can’t bring himself to kill his father and brother. Killing them would basically be the end of the Uzui family, who are known to be one of the best, if not the best, shinobi clans still around.
5 Fastest Hashira In Running
Despite his large and muscular build, Tengen Uzui is the fastest runner among the Hashira. This could be thanks to his shinobi training since they have to be quick. Plus, he’s the second tallest among the Hashira. Tengen is not as muscular as Gyomei Himejima, but this probably works in his favor when it comes to speed.
Plus, Tengen was able to keep up with Gyutaro and Daki attacks for the most part. Considering that he was going up against two very powerful demons that had fast attacks, any other Hashira might’ve had a harder time dodging attacks.
4 Second Strongest Hashira In Physical Strength
Thanks to his muscular build, Tengen Uzui came in second place in an arm-wrestling competition between him and the other Hashira. The winner was Gyomei, which really isn’t a surprise since he’s more muscular and larger than Tengen.
Fans of the anime have now gotten to see just how strong Tengen is. His Nichirin Cleavers are a lot larger than the average Nichirin Sword so it requires more strength to wield. Tengen wields them effortlessly and is able to attack just as fast as anyone with a regular sword.
Tengen was able to swing them with total control by just the tip of one sword, almost succeeding in cutting off Gyutaro’s head. Even after losing his hand, Tengen was still able to match Gyutaro’s strength and helped Tanjiro get the opening he needed to defeat the Upper Six Kizuki.
3 He Technically Does Not Have Any Tsuguko
With his growing fondness for them, Tengen Uzui proudly claimed Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke as his Tsuguko when they entered the fight. It took a little time for him and Tanjiro to get in sync with each other, but they did and defeated Gyutaro together while Inosuke and Zenitsu stopped Daki. However, the three Demon Slayers don’t ever officially become Tengen’s Tsugukos. After the battle, Tengen opts to retire.
He tells the Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro, that Tanjiro has grown strong enough to fill his spot, showing that he’s confident in his skills as a Demon Slayer. Tengen even disagrees with Obanai and tells him the younger slayers are growing.
2 Befriends Giyu Tomioka In The End
According to the official fanbook, it’s revealed that Tengen Uzui and his wives befriend Giyu Tomioka after the series. When Tengen’s child was born, Giyu was allowed to hold the baby. It’s a little surprising that they become friends since they’re complete opposites in personalities. Tomioka is quiet and reserved whereas Tengen is loud and boastful.
Tengen viewed him as “gloomy” and “depressing” according to the fanbook, so it’s good to know that his view on the Water Hashira changed. Plus, it shows that Giyu opened up to his comrades and that he has a good friend in Tengen.
1 He Has A Descendant
Like most of the characters, Tengen Uzui does have a descendant that looks just like him. His descendant is named Tenma Uzui and he’s an Olympic-level gymnast representing Japan. It is revealed he just won the gold medal, showing that he’s very talented. Like his ancestor, Tenma comes from a large family and has seven siblings.
He’s also known to be rude to reporters and flipping the bird at cameras. Though it seems like he does this to get attention, Tengen would be proud to know that his family is continuing to be flashy generations later.