Demon Slayeris one of the most popular anime of the last couple of years, and one need only look at its stellar animation to realize why this is the case. Ufotable has proven time and time again that their animation work is second to none, withDemon Slayersetting the bar for what is possible in the realm of animation. The show has made it quite clear time and time again that thepowerful Hashiraintroduced near the tail-end of the first season will play a huge role in saving humanity from the threat of demons. With the advent of the Demon Slayer Mark, it’s clear that these Hashira will finally be able to bridge the power gap and fight on equal ground against the Upper Rank Demon Moons who’ve made their lives a living hell time and time again.
Time and time again,these Hashira have shownthat they’re not to be messed around with. The ease with which they defeated a Lower Rank Demon Moon made it clear that these demon slayers are in a class of their own, and it seems that the Upper Rank need to fear these tough swordsmen as well. The sheer level of strength these swordsmen boast is massive, although there’s no denying that some of the Hashira are simply stronger than the others in every way. Fans can’t wait for all of these swordsmen to awaken their mark since it would help them stand toe-to-toe with the Upper Rank Kizuki and give them a taste of their own medicine.
Updated on July 26, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Demon Slayer’s Hashira Training arc has just wrapped up, and fans can’t wait to see how the Infinity Castle saga will pan out after the cliffhanger conclusion of this season. The advent of the Demon Slayer Marks coupled with the renewed confidence of the Hashira to battle against the Upper Rank Demon Moons that seemed completely out of their league will make for a great time. As one would expect, a lot of strength will be required for the Hashira to take out these powerful demons, and the Hashira must pull out reserves of strength they didn’t even know they had to take out these tough enemies by any means necessary.
Strongest Ability
Thunder Breathing - Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash
In their current states, the former Hashira won’t be able to hold a candle to the strengths of their modern counterparts. However, this in no way indicates that these people were weak in their past — it just means that the new generation has caught up to them and, in some cases, surpassed them. While he might have been a powerful Hashira in the past, a particularly harrowing battle with a demon led to his right leg being cut off. Given how strong the Upper Rank Demon Moons are, it’s possible that Jigoro would’ve lost his life if he had to face off against these powerful threats.
Still, no one can say that Jigoro Kuwajima is an outright weak person. He was once the Thunder Hashira, which clearly indicates he used to be one of the mostpowerful Hashirain the world ofDemon Slayer. It was only natural that he’d be overtaken, but he set the groundwork for the Hashira who came after him. The fact that he taught a genius like Zenitsu to become a master of Thunder Breathing by mastering just a single style is proof enough of how powerful he really is.
Water Breathing - Tenth Form: Constant Flux
Just like Kuwajima, it would be impossible to write off Urokodaki as an outright weak person. His title as the Water Hashira of the past means that he was one of the most powerful Demon Slayers around, at a certain point. This is obviously a major achievement, and it can confidently said that Urokodaki would decimate most of his opponents if he’d managed to awaken his demon slayermark too.
As a master of the technique, Urokodaki even taught Water Breathing to the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka. This, in itself, should prove just how vast and amazingSakonji’s legacyreally is. After all, he was able to turn Tanjiro into a powerful user of Water Breathing, even though that wasn’t his natural style. Given how talented and powerful Tanjiro has become since then, his mentor should be commended for setting a great foundation which Tanjiro could build upon.
Flame Breathing - Ninth Form: Rengoku
The Rengoku family has held the mantle of being the Flame Hashira for generations. Kyojuro’s passion for his craft could be seen in each and every scene featuring him, and it’s a shame that he bid his farewell a bit too soon. Not much is known about Shinjuro Rengoku, Kyojuro’s father who once held the position of the Flame Hashira. However, achieving this title is no meager feat in itself. It’s clear that Shinjuro had to go through a lot of trials and tribulations to be recognized at such a high level.
While his image may have been marred following his alcoholic rant deriding his own son’s sacrifice, it’s clear that this character has his own personal demons that he’s been dealing with for quite some time. This can be seen later on in the series when he’s genuinely heartbroken about his child’s loss, with Tanjiro deserving some credit for making the heroic Flame Hashira’s father see the light. There’s nothing concrete to show off hispower as a Hashira, but it’s possible that this character would’ve set the world ablaze if he’d awakened his Demon Slayer Mark in his prime to face off against the might of the Upper Rank Demon Moons.
Flower Breathing - Final Form: Equinoctial Vermilion Eye
Just like Shinjuro, not a lot is known about Kanae’s time as the Flower Hashira. However, it’s a given that she was extremely powerful since everyone holds her in high regard to this day. She left behind many people who mourn her demise and actively hate the demon responsible for cutting her life short in such a brutal manner. Despite not awakening her Demon Slayer Mark, Kanae had the guts to face off against someone as powerful as Doma, which definitely showed off her courage even if her strength wasn’t up to par.
The fact that Doma killed her is going to be a source of great anger for both Shinobu and Kanao. Only time will tell how both warriors will deal with this battle, once they come face to face with this Upper Rank demon.Demon Slayer’s manga might’ve ended its run, but anime-only fans are still in the dark when it comes to this impending confrontation. Thankfully, the end of the Hashira Training arc means that it’s only a matter of time before people get to enjoy the goodness of the Infinity Castle saga, setting the stage for an amazing end to an anime that has captured the attention of fans all over the globe.
Sound Breathing - Fifth Form: String Performance
The Sound Hashira might have a cool character design, but his power isn’t anything noteworthy. This is especially true when compared to some otherHashira inDemon Slayerwho boast truly impressive powers. Of course, this statement would be different if Tengen had awakened his Demon Slayer mark, but he retired before reaching the true depths of his potential.
As a result,Tengen Uzuihas to deal with the moniker of being one of the leastpowerful Hashiraaround. Of course, that’s not the worst thing in the world, as all Hashira are strong. He’s still incredibly powerful and can give any demon a run for their money. It’s a shame that he retired before getting a power boost that would let him enhance his abilities and deal with tougher demons. After all, the Sound Hashira was able to dispose of Gyutaro with Tanjiro’s help even though he hadn’t awakened his Demon Slayer Mark, so one can only wonder how he would’ve bossed these demons if he could rely on this mark to augment his powers.
Insect Breathing - Dance of the Centipede: Hundred-Legged Zigzag
Shinobu Kocho is a capable demon slayer who is worthy of being the Insect Hashira. That being said, she’s arguably the weakest Hashira when it comes to pure strength. However, brawn is not the only way to determine power inDemon Slayer. Shinobu’s sharp mind coupled with the effective way in which she wields poisons in battle makes her a force to be reckoned with no matter what.
Brute strength may be missing in Shinobu’s arsenal, but it’s her other powers that really make her a force to be reckoned with regardless. The show has revealed the grudge she has against Doma for killing her sister, Kanae Kocho. It’s clear that this demon slayer is on a collision course against the Upper Rank 2 Demon Moon, and fans can’t wait to see how their conflict shapes up in the events to come. She may not be thestrongest Hashiraaround, but the Insect Hashira will rely on a wealth of poisons and other tactics to take out this powerful demon instead.
Rengoku is easily one of the most lovable Hashira inDemon Slayer. This is why it’s a shame that he succumbed to the wounds that he suffered in his fight against Akaza. Regardless, the strength that Rengoku showed in this encounter was still incredible to behold. In fact, he could’ve actually defeated Akaza had he not been exhaustedafter saving everyone on the Mugen Train.
Fans will rue the fact that he missed out on a power-up that would’ve made this likable character even more daunting in battle. His death was a huge turning point in the series, showing just how much of a gulf there was between the Upper Rank demons and the Hashira at that point. It was an emotional moment that drove Tanjiro, his friends, and the rest of the Demon Slayers to get as strong as possible and deal with the threat posed by Muzan’s top brass.
Love Breathing - Sixth Form: Cat-Legged Winds of Love
At a glance, the Love Hashira doesn’t really look like a fighter who boasts a ton of raw strength. However, looks can be very deceptive — Mitsuru Kanroji actually boasts one of the highest raw strength levels in the Hashira. After all, no mere mortal would be able to rip out Muzan’s tentacles with ease.
Swordsmith Village showed the competency of thispowerful Hashira, wielding a whip-like nichirin blade that looked pretty unique and gave Hantengu’s toughest form a run for his money. She also managed to manifest the demon slayer mark in record time, allowing her to fight on equal ground against this powerful foe and emerge victorious. It was a great moment that redeemed astrong Hashirawho didn’t get a lot of screen time during her battle, with Tanjiro and Muichiro hogging a lot of the spotlight instead.
Serpent Breathing - Fifth Form: Slithering Serpent
The Serpent Hashira hasn’t really got the time to shine in the anime. However, manga readers know precisely how much power Obanai Iguro houses. He’s easily one of thestrongest members of the Hashiraand can hold his own in a fight against the toughest demons around. During the Hashira Training arc, the fact that he could stand toe-to-toe with Sanemi, a powerful Hashira known for being as savage as they come, shows that he’s no pushover. He may have awakened his Demon Slayer Mark pretty late on during his fight against Muzan, but this power boost allowed him to land some damaging blows on the demon king despite having to nurse major injuries.
As one would expect from the Serpent Hashira, Obanai is cold, calculating, and ruthless. His debut appearance has already made these aspects of his personality fairly obvious for viewers to see. However, this doesn’t mean that he’s a complete savage, and will definitely stand on the side of good in the battle against Muzan and the remaining Upper Rank Kizuki. Fans can’t wait to see his powers in action when the Serpent Hashira is eventually called into battle.
Mist Breathing - Seventh Form: Obscuring Clouds
Muichiro is a fascinating character who seems a bit too apathetic for his own good, even if his indifferent nature doesn’t stem from any malice. The Mist Hashira whipped out a litany of amazing moves and took Gyokko out after manifesting his demon slayer mark and completely obliterating this twisted artisan who loved to mangle the bodies of people for his sickening amusement.
He was pushed to the very brink, yet managed to still snatch victory back from the jaws of defeat and single-handedly killed an Upper Rank demon, which is no mean feat. Muichiro’s tragic backstory makes it clear that he’s a fascinating character whom viewers have gotten pretty attached to over the course of the series. The way he shone during the Swordsmith Village arc was incredible and led to the Hashira amassing a huge number of fans in no time, establishing him as one of the mostpowerful Hashira inDemon Slayer.
