10 Best Fights in Demon Slayer

Written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge, the story of Demon Slayer follows the heartbreaking tale of siblings Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado. After losing his entire family overnight and watching his sister turn into a demon, Tanjiro swears to hunt down the one responsible for the tragedy while simultaneously looking for a way to cure Nezuko. The story follows his struggles as he trains relentlessly to become stronger and joins the Demon Slayer Corps. Each mission he gets while working as a full-fledged Demon Slayer brings him one step closer to curing his sister, but the risks are far too high.

Muzan Kibutsuji, the demon progenitor, gives some of his blood to 12 demons with great potential and calls them the Twelve Kizuki, a group divided between Upper and Lower Moons. Each Kizuki is insanely powerful, but the difference between Upper and Lower ranks varies significantly. However, that’s not the only thing that makes Demon Slayer fights intriguing. Each battle isn’t bound by just good vs. evil; it’s layered with personal trauma, loss, and empathy. Fans are awaiting the upcoming Infinity Castle Arc trilogy movies, the final showdown between the Demon Slayers and the demons. It will also include some of the best fights in the story.

Warning: This article contains major spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga!

Tanjiro vs. Enmu

Although the fight against Enmu was a combined team effort, Tanjiro was solely responsible for taking out the demon while the others focused on rescue. Rengoku ensured that none of the passengers died, fulfilling the major objective of his mission. Meanwhile, Zenitsu saved Nezuko, and Inosuke opened the engine so Tanjiro could easily spot the main body. However, Enmu, as a Lower Moon Six, wasn’t merely powerful, but his Blood Demon Art was insanely tricky. He can put his targets into a deep sleep and manipulate their dreams. The dreams can be horrific to traumatize the target, or they can be so pleasant that one would never want to wake up from them.

In Tanjiro’s case, it was the latter, and it was more brutal than any nightmare because he kept seeing the happy memories he shared with his deceased mother and siblings. However, when he realized that it was all fake, Tanjiro slashed his own throat in the dream so he could wake up. Enmu kept repeating the same trick while the Demon Slayer kept slashing his neck. After several rounds of this immense torture, Tanjiro finally severed Enmu’s head.

Rengoku vs. Akaza

Rengoku was only around for one arc and fought one major battle, but that was more than enough to make him a fan-favorite character. After Enmu’s death, the threat should’ve been over. Tanjiro and the others were either injured or exhausted by the time Rengoku caught up with them. However, no one expected Akaza, an Upper Three demon, to just show up out of nowhere. Of course, as a Hashira, Rengoku didn’t waste a second before jumping into the fight while also stopping the young Demon Slayers from interfering.

Without an ally to lend him a hand or a Demon Slayer Mark, Rengoku put up an excellent fight against Akaza. Akaza loves fighting more than anything, and he recognizes Rengoku’s talent before offering him to become a demon. It’s only natural that someone as honorable as a Hashira would refuse such an offer. However, Rengoku paid the price with his life, breaking the hearts of Tanjiro and his friends. His death was a major lesson they needed to grow stronger while also honoring his memory.

Uzui and Tanjiro vs. Gyutaro

Most of the Entertainment District Arc set up Daki as the main villain and the Upper Moon Six. So, it was quite shocking that Gyutaro is not only the real Upper Moon, but also significantly stronger than his sister. Tanjiro and Uzui join hands to deal with Gyutaro while Zenitsu and Inosuke fight Daki. The siblings share their powers, so their heads must be severed at the same time. The fight in the anime is not only visually stunning but also highlights how the Demon Slayers push past their limits to defeat the strongest opponent they have ever faced.

The fight was historic, to say the least. Gyutaro’s defeat didn’t come easily, it cost Uzui’s eye and hand while destroying the majority of the Entertainment District. However, the Demon Slayers also managed to achieve a feat that the Corps hasn’t done in over a hundred years. This was the breakthrough they desperately needed, before the final fight against Muzan.

Muichiro vs. Gyokko

While defeating Gyutaro with a team effort was an impressive feat, Muichiro killing Gyokko, an Upper Moon Five, all by himself, is something that never happened in the series. All of the powerful demons, especially the Upper Moons, were practically undefeatable, but Muichiro is just that special. As a direct descendant of the Sun Breathing Style, Muichiro was already talented enough to become a Hashira at the age of 14. Initially, he did have trouble fighting the demon, but being in a near-death situation helped him gain back his memories. Muichiro remembers his family and the tragic demon attack that took his brother’s life and almost killed him as well.

Once the fog in his mind cleared, Muichiro tapped into his true potential and manifested a Demon Slayer Mark, a lost technique that was quite common in the golden age of Demon Slayers. After unlocking his true powers, Muichiro easily defeated Gyokko, with astounding strength and speed that made an Upper Five look like an ordinary demon.

Shinobu Kocho vs. Doma

As a Hashira, it’s Shinobu’s duty to defeat any demon that comes her way. However, fighting Doma wasn’t merely because of that, but she had a personal reason for that. Her sister, Kanae, was killed by the same diabolical demon. As an Upper Rank Two, it was nearly impossible to defeat him by pure strength, especially when she lacked the physical strength to even sever the neck of ordinary demons. Hence, Shinobu made preparations for years by injecting herself with poison that is only harmful to demons.

She was fueled by rage when she saw the obnoxious demon, which only strengthened her resolve. As she expected, Doma swallowed her whole without knowing she was the very poison that would lead to his demise. Although Doma didn’t die right away, Shinobu weakened him just enough for her younger sister to deal the final blow.

[RELATED: 10 Best Episodes of Demon Slayer to Get Excited for the Infinity Castle Movies]

Zenitsu vs. Kaigaku

Zenitsu received a crucial letter at the end of the Hashira Training Arc, and he has never been the same since then. The Infinity Castle Arc reveals that it’s because his master committed Seppuku to atone for the sins of his student Kaigaku, who willingly became a demon. Zenitsu and Kaigaku learned under the same master but never really got along. Kaigaku was a prodigy who mastered all forms of the Thunder Breathing Style except for the first one. Meanwhile, Zenitsu could only hone his skill in the first form, which is said to be the most difficult form of Thunder Breathing.

After being pulled into the Infinity Castle, Zenitsu comes face to face with Kaigaku, the new Upper Moon Six. It’s his first fight where he stares right into his opponent instead of sleeping out of fear. Since the first form wasn’t enough to defeat his enemy, Zenitsu creates his own, the Seventh Form of Thunder Breathing, and severs Kaigaku’s head in one strike. Up until his last moments, Kaigaku remained an arrogant and unbearable being who refused to accept his weakness. On the other hand, this fight was a major milestone for Zentisu, who had come a long way from being a weakling who used to cry at the sight of demons to being capable enough to create his own breathing form.

Giyu and Tanjiro vs. Akaza

Giyu is the first Demon Slayer Tanjiro met, and he’s the one who set the young on the path to becoming one of them. The two of them always had a special bond, but we finally got to see their teamwork in the Infinity Castle Arc. Giyu and Tanjiro worked together to defeat Akaza, Upper Moon Three. Akaza proved quite a challenge for those two, even with Giyu’s Demon Slayer Mark manifesting during the battle. Not only that, but Tanjiro gained the ability to see the Transparent World, which is a heightened perception ability awakened by a special mark on his forehead. In that moment, he also managed to reduce his presence, which caught someone as perceptive as Akaza off guard.

The fight also revealed Akaza’s heartbreaking backstory. Even after Tanjiro severed his head, Akaza kept on fighting and was about to launch a devastating attack. However, he stopped midway and embraced his humanity and acknowledged Tanjiro’s magnificent technique, and expressed gratitude for being reminded of his past. As his body disintegrates, he accepts his past, his regrets, and the fact that he wants to die as a human, not live forever as a demon.

Kanao and Inosuke vs. Doma

The Infinity Castle Arc finally reveals the conversation between Shinobu and Kanao during the Hashira Training Arc. Shinobu knew the special power of Kanao’s eyes, which grants her exceptional enhanced vision abilities, allowing her to predict her opponent’s movements and attacks. Kanao couldn’t do anything to stop her sister from sacrificing herself, and even witnessed her death. Amid the fight, Inosuke also lends her a hand as he gains back a long-forgotten memory. His mother, whom he lost as a newborn baby, died because of Doma.

Even with Shinobu’s poison, the young Demon Slayers put their lives on the line to kill the monster. Doma also acknowledges their strength, even going as far as saying Kanao is more skilled than Shinobu, a Hashira. Kanao’s precision and calmness contrast heavily with Inosuke’s wild and unconventional fighting method. Furthermore, we also learn more about the Upper Moon Two, who didn’t have much of a role before this fight. Unlike other demons, he doesn’t have a tragic backstory, and his personality is just as horrifying as his abilities, but that’s what truly makes him intriguing as a demon.

Muichiro, Genya, Sanemi, and Gyomei vs. Kokushibo

Defeating any of the Upper Moons is a nearly impossible task, but no one gave the Demon Slayers as much trouble as Kokushibo, the strongest of the Twelve Kizuki. Kokushibo is the older twin brother of Yoriichi, the legendary Demon Slayer who invented the breathing styles. In the Infinity Castle, several Corps members joined hands to defeat Kokushibo, but it was far from easy. It wasn’t just the battle, but we witnessed the heartbreaking confession by Sanemi, who pushed his younger brother away so the latter could lead a happy life.

Additionally, the series also unveiled Kokushibo’s backstory and how he ended up dying after living a life full of regrets. However, even though Gyomei and Sanemi manifested their Demon Slayer Marks during the battle, the price of defeating the demon was far too great. Kokushibo’s death was a result of Muichiro’s and Genya’s sacrifices, and Gyomei suffered the lingering effects of manifesting his mark, which took his life before the conclusion.

Demon Slayers vs. Muzan in Sunrise Showdown Arc

The Demon Slayers had the opportunity to jump on Muzan two times. The first time was when Muzan arrived at the Ubuyashiki manor. That was when Tamayo injected him with a poison and severely weakened him. However, before the Demon Slayers could kill the monster, they were pulled into the Infinity Castle and forced to fight the Upper Moons. This resulted in a lot of casualties, but once all the Upper Ranks were defeated, the surviving members of the Corps challenged Muzan once again.

Severing his head, even in a weakened state, wasn’t possible for them, so all they had to do was keep him occupied till the sun rises. Unfortunately, that’s a lot easier said than done. Even with the combined efforts, the Corps continued to suffer several casualties until Muzan disintegrated into the dust.