Demon Slayer: Who Is the Strongest Hashira?

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has lots of powerful characters, but which Hashira is the strongest?

By Megan Peters

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is about to work through its biggest arc yet. The anime brought the Hashira Training arc to an end this year, and soon, Tanjiro will hit up theaters with a huge comeback. Demon Slayer will span the Infinity Castle arc across three movies, giving the Hashira plenty of time to shine in battle. As the films come together behind the scenes, fans are curious how the Hashira showdowns with go, so we're here to break down its strongest fighters.

After all, the Hashira are not an organization to mess with lightly. The Demon Slayer Corps is massive, and its long history has made the Hashira legends. Only the strongest slayers are given the title, and these days, its ranks are flush with talent. From the Stone Hashira to the Love Hashira, even the most unsuspecting fighter in the group is a powerhouse, but who is the strongest?

So, Who Is the Strongest Hashira?

When it comes to crowning the strongest Hashira, well – Demon Slayer beat fans to the punch by crowning them outright. During the Infinity Castle arc, it is the Upper Moon One who passes the title to Gyomei, the Stone Hashira. As the oldest living Hashira, Gyomei not only has the battle experience to take the top spot but the raw power. It was made clear during the Hashira Training arc that even the other Hashira fear Gyomei's power. That enough should tell you just how fearsome the fighter is.

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(Photo: ufotable)

As for the organization's other fighters, they are nothing to laugh at. Gyomei lived long enough to take his strength to the top, but his younger comrades have also proven themselves in battle. In the manga, Demon Slayer has stressed the discipline a Hashira must have to take the title. Sanemi excels in brute strength while Giyu and Muichiro pair their prodigal talent with their strategic prowess. As for characters like Tengen and Rengoku, their fiery spirits fueled their passionate fights. And even for Shinobu, a character often regarded as the weakest Hashira, is nothing short of a beast. Her intelligent planning and stealthy techniques make her a threat to the Upper Moons with ease. So while Gyomei may sit atop as the strongest Hashira, his allies are in no way far behind.

Of course, the Hashira are not gods on the battlefield. Over the decades, the Demon Slayer Corps has lost countless Hashira in battle, and we've seen several pass in this era. Fans of Demon Slayer will never forget Rengoku's final stand against Akaza, and Tengen nearly lost his life against Gyutaro. The Upper Moons who answer to Mugen are similarly matched in strength, but they lack one thing Gyomei (and the others) lean on. Humanity and the hope it carries cannot be discounted. So even if Upper Moon One has killed thousands, he is missing a key pillar the Hashira hold on to. 

What Is Next for Demon Slayer?

Thanks to creator Koyoharu Gotouge, the story of Demon Slayer has played out on the page, and the anime is now nearing its climax. The team at ufotable has three films in production that will spell out the Infinity Castle arc. No word has been given on when the movies will go live, but fans are hoping Demon Slayer kicks off the comeback in 2025. After all, Demon Slayer finished its season four run this spring.

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If you want to catch up on Demon Slayer, you can find the anime's first four seasons on Crunchyroll as well as Hulu. Viz Media oversees the manga's release in English, and Gotouge capped their hit manga several years ago. Following its debut in February 2016, Demon Slayer posted its final chapter in 2020, and Gotouge has yet to announce any sort of manga comeback.

What do you make of Demon Slayer's roster of Hashira? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

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