In the world of Demon Slayer, the battle between humans and demons isn’t fought with ordinary weapons. Instead, Slayers wield special katanas made out of sun-bathed ores—Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore—that constantly absorb sunlight and become one of the few ways to permanently kill a demon. However, these unique Nichirin Swords do more than just slice through demon flesh. They change colors as soon as their wielder draws them for the first time, awing both viewers and the Slayers alike.
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This color change reflects the wielder’s individual breathing style and hidden potential. A crimson blade may symbolize flame and passion like Renguku’s, while a yellow blade may signify lightning-fast speed like Zenitsu’s. Rarer still are jet-black swords, whose meaning remains mysterious even within the Demon Slayer Corps. However, these colors aren’t entirely unique as they reflect the wielder’s breathing style, creating a system of color-coding for different abilities. Nichirin Swords can also differ greatly in style and shape, from Mitsuri’s whip-like sword to Tengen’s cleavers. So while drawing out the sword’s full potential is up to the wielder, it’s clear not all Nichirin Swords are forged the same. With that in mind, here are the best Nichirin blades from Demon Slayer that won fans’ hearts and carved their place in anime history.
6) Muichiro Tokito’s Mist Blade
The Mist Hashira wields a standard Nichirin katana in white—diamond teal in the anime—that matches his Breathing style perfectly. The decision to change this sword’s color was deliberately made by Demon Slayer’s animation studio, Ufotable, to visually align it with Muichiro’s breathing. His breathing technique creates cyan-whitish mist around him, obscuring his movement and making it seem like he vanishes from sight before landing his slashes.
The sword itself is simple with Destroyer of Demons engraved on the blade. Its tsuba is a golden rectangular frame with smaller hollowed rectangles at each corner. While the hilt is turquoise wrapped in black cord and capped with a decorative gold pommel cap. This sword’s shining moment came in the Swordsmith Village arc as if it weren’t for this white blade and the youngest Hashira’s incredible breathing technique, the very smiths who forge Nichirin swords might have been wiped out entirely.
5) Tengen Uzui’s Dual Sound Cleavers
The Sound Hashira wields a pair of amber-hued cleavers that perfectly reflect his flamboyant personality. Despite their weight, Tengen wields them with surprising speed and precision—a skill honed from his shinobi upbringing. As with Inosuke’s sword, each blade has a circular notch taken out that aids in tearing opponents apart.
The two cleavers are connected with a chain, allowing Tengen to swing them around instead of just being limited to close-range combat. But that’s not all. Against Upper Rank Six siblings Gyutaro and Daki, Tengen showcased the versatility of this weapon by combining his attacks with explosives. This made this sword so deadly strong, in the manga it is stated that before fighting the Upper Rank 6 Gyutaro, no demon had ever survived a blow from him.
4) Mitsuri Kanroji’s Love Blade
Mitsuri Kanroji wields an eccentric Nichirin sword that resembles a whip more than a katana. Forged into an ultra-thin blade, the sword is malleable enough to coil and lash out mid-strike. Tinted rose-pink, the blade is paired with a clover-shaped tsuba and a magenta hilt wrapped in green cords tied into heart-shaped patterns.
In combat, Mitsuri’s blade perfectly complements her speed and flexibility. It grants her unmatched reach and speed, allowing her to strike from unexpected angles, weave around defenses, and slash different areas or the same area multiple times, turning every battle into a deadly dance. Fans saw the Love Hashira’s whirlwind attacks against Upper Rank 4 in the Swordsmith Village arc, highlighting her katana’s devastating range and precision.
3) Obanai Iguro’s Serpent Blade
The Serpent Hashira wields a Nichirin Blade that defies the traditional straight edge of a katana, but perfectly matches his style. Instantly recognizable, the sword is forged with a snake-like curvature and has a lavender hue that complements his Serpent Breathing. As a Hashira, Destroyer of Demons is engraved on the blade’s surface.
The tsuba is a gold circle with two snakes, and the hilt is decorated with a twisting purple cord, enforcing the snake theme from head to hilt. Fans appreciate the craftsmanship behind this design as much as the wielder’s skills. Incorporating his pet snake Kaburamaru into the technique, Obanai uses slithering motions to bend his sword and attack in impossible ways.
2) Kyojuro Rengoku’s Flame Blade
Kyojuro Rengoku’s iconic Nichirin sword boasts bright red and orange tones, a color palette distinct to Flame breathers. The traditional katana has flames on both sides of the blade, paired with a crisp white grip and an eye-catching, flame-shaped tsuba. But this is more than just a sword.
It eventually became an extension of Rengoku’s blazing spirit, etching its place in fans’ hearts. His skilled swordsmanship with this blade was shown in the Mugen Train arc, where he faced Upper Rank Three in a battle that pushed both to their limits. While he did lose, Akaza, who had slain countless Demon Slayers and even multiple Hashira, openly praised Rengoku’s swordsmanship.
1) Yoriichi Tsugikuni’s Black Nichirin Blade
At the top of this ranking is the sword that started it all. The strongest Demon Slayer to have ever lived, Yoriichi Tsugikuni wielded the original Sun Blade feared even by Muzan. Similar to Tanjiro’s, Yoriichi’s Nichirin sword had one of the rarest colors in the Demon Slayer world. It was pitch black, a shade long believed to signify a shortened life.
During battles, however, this sword turned bright red, reflecting Yoriichi’s mastery of Sun Breathing. The crossguard was nearly circular with 4 slight indentations, featuring a black center framed by a golden border. Yoriichi’s katana also had the word Slay engraved on the side, unlike Destroyer of Demons written on Hashira’s weapons. While not much is known about the sword’s specific properties, it was certainly the nightmare of demons.
So, which Demon Slayer blade stands out the most to you? Let us know in the comments below, and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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