Ranking All Hashiras Based on Power Levels - FableVerse

The Demon Slayer Corps has a very rigid hierarchical structure, with the Hashiras holding the highest position, second only to their leader. This structure is determined by their strength, and to become a Hashira, one not only needs to master a breathing technique, but should at least have beheaded at least 50 demons or at least one of the Twelve Kizuki. As such, becoming a Hashira is a feat only several people could accomplish.

With that being said, Demon Slayers from the same rank are shown to be treated equally, as the Hashiras treat each other as equals.

But that leads us to the question: who’s the strongest amongst the Hashiras, really? In this blog post, we explore this question and try to rank the nine Hashiras from Demon Slayer based on their power level.

9. Shinobu Kocho - The Insect Hashira

Shinobu sits at the bottom of our list because of her physical inadequacies. Although Shinobu is a really smart character and her will is solid, almost always facing unbeatable odds and facing death head on, her lack of physical strength unsurprisingly pulls her down. Even with her genius use of poisons, it’s only effective up to a certain level, and her fatal encounter against Upper Moon 2 Doma shows that to become a strong Hashira, you will need more than brains and willpower. 

Sadly, her death proves that you really need to be strong enough to cut the head of a demon to stand a chance against an Upper Moon, and it’s only Shinobu to whom this task proved to be impossible.

8. Tengen Uzui - The Sound Hashira

Many might find this claim outlandish, but Tengen Uzui is weaker than Mitsuri Kanroji. It’s true that Tengen was able to kill Upper Demon 6, but it cost him an eye and an arm in the process. Not to mention that he had help from Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu, and his three wives during this battle. He is formidable and knowledgeable enough to be able to discern that Daki isn’t the proper Upper Moon 6, so it’s clear that he has the brains needed to beat a demon of that caliber. He also shows proficiency in different kinds of weapons which adds versatility to his kit.

However, Tengen appears to lack the technique to beat stronger demons. He relies on speed and strength to beat his opponents, but that alone is not enough. He did survive the battle at the Entertainment District, although it immediately led to his early retirement from the Demon Slayer Corps.

7. Mitsuri Kanroji - The Love Hashira

Mitsuri Kanroji, despite her appearance, is really, really strong. She has an astute observation, easily detecting that the Fish Demons attacking the Swordsmith Village had their weakness on their vases rather than their heads. She also was able to fight the powered up version of Upper Moon 5 to a stalemate, proving that she’s at least on power with an Upper Moon in terms of speed and power. Not to mention that she was able to pass her Final Selection exam merely six months after starting to take up the sword, which was an exceptional feat even for a Hashira.

However, we also have to remember that Love Breathing as a branch of Flame Breathing emerged because Mitsuri could not master the more complicated, and much more powerful style of breathing. This shows that Mitsuri has a ceiling to her capabilities, and the conclusion of the Infinity Castle Arc clearly portrayed this.

6. Giyu Tomioka - The Water Hashira

Despite Giyu’s lack of confidence and self-doubts, he is actually a capable and skillful swordsman, which he showcased in defeating a Lower Moon and an Upper Moon throughout the entire series. His abilities have allowed him to survive even the toughest battles, even if some would consider Water Breathing to have a low ceiling due to its balanced nature. Having mastered what is typically known as the hardest to master breathing style exemplifies Giyu’s skills.

However, Giyu’s indecisiveness could hold him back. He also appears to not be as keen as the other Hashiras when it comes to discovering the main weakness of their enemy, having to rely on Tanjiro against their fight with Akaza to figure out the demon’s true weakness. His skills has brought Giyu this high on this list, but skills alone could only get you so far.

5. Obanai Iguro - The Serpent Hashira

Obanai is one of the hardest to judge among the different Hashira since we only saw him in combat really late into the series. His mysteriousness adds to his mystique, and his ally in Kaburamaru adds to his lethality.

Although he’s using a form of breathing that is not an immediate descendant of Sun Breathing, his skill, speed, and lethal precision makes him a very dangerous foe to fight against. Obanai can make short work of many Lower Demon level enemies, like what we’ve seen in the Infinity Castle.

Obanai’s speed and precision even allowed him to slice off Muzan’s arms during the Final Battle, although as we’d soon learn, this would not be enough. Realizing that he won’t be able to defeat Muzan, he ultimately sacrifices his own life to save Tanjiro, understanding that their fate lies with Tanjiro more than anybody else.

4. Kyojuro Rengoku - The Flame Hashira

Despite being the first Hashira to die in the series, Kyojuro Rengoku is nevertheless powerful and is considered one of the best among the Hashiras. He has the pedigree and the discipline required to master Flame Breathing, notoriously known to be difficult to learn and one of the breathing styles that needed a lot of strength to perform. His reputation as a powerful swordsman caused Tengen to feel self-doubt when learning about his death, remarking that even Rengoku cannot beat an Upper Demon.

It’s worth remembering, however, that Kyojuro had to fight an Upper Demon immediately after fighting off a Lower Demon, which meant he wasn’t at his 100% when he fought Akaza near the Mugen Train. Other stronger Hashiras would have suffered the same fate, and it’s just a testament to the Upper Demons’ power that no single Hashira could defeat them.

Not to mention that Rengoku’s fiery resolve made it almost impossible for him to defeat Akaza, whose strength and abilities are multiplied when fighting an enemy with a strong fighting spirit. It was a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong enemy, rather than a stain on Kyojoru’s martial capabilities.

3. Muichiro Tokito - The Mist Hashira

Muichiro Tokito can be considered as a prodigy. As the youngest of the Hashiras, he’s notable for becoming a Hashira just shortly after passing his Final Selection. His growth was also rapid in the series, becoming one of the deadliest swordsmen after obtaining his mark. He was also shown beating the Yoroichi Fighting Doll, which suggests that Tokito could stand his own against the progenitor of Sun Breathing.

His technical skills and speed belie his short stature. You have to remember as well that, even before becoming a Hashira, he was able to defeat a demon with whatever he could get his hands on at home. His natural prowess was only enhanced by his training.

His calm demeanor even in the face of extreme danger also works very well for him. His calmness is what saved him from certain death during his fight against the Upper Demon 4. He’s also notable for being able to defeat an Upper Demon all by himself, which is something not even the next two Hashiras could claim to have achieved.

2. Sanemi Shinazugawa - The Wind Hashira

Among the Hashiras, Sanemi is the one who can fight with bloodlust, making him a dangerous foe with full intent to kill. He’s relentless and merciless. Through rigorous training that left so many scars throughout his body, Sanemi has strength, speed, reflexes, and skill. Paired with the very versatile Wind Breathing technique which allows Sanemi to attack at long distances from both land and air, Sanemi is a formidable swordsman whose skills allowed him to survive the Final Battle.

It’s also notable that Sanemi was able to defeat and kill a demon on his own as a child, even before his training had began. However, this left him scarred for life, as the demon turned out to be his own mother. This event led him to punish himself through training, which is how he achieved his superhuman abilities.

1. Gyomei Himejima - The Stone Hashira

Gyomei Himejima is widely considered as the strongest Hashira among all of the Hashiras in Demon Slayer, with all of the Hashiras knowing this as fact. He’s a massive person with a very muscular build and stands more than seven feet tall, allowing him to strike enemies with such destructive force. He’s also shown to have high concentration, and he’s able to channel painful memories into powerful attacks. He embodies his breathing technique very well: like stone, Gyomei is hard-hitting and immovable. He has the tenacity needed to brush off even the most powerful attacks of demons.

Being able to last long enough in the fight against Muzan right after dealing with Kokushibo is also a big testament to Gyomei’s power, even though, in the end, he really wasn’t able to survive the final fight.