When a Demon Slayer is the best that they can be, they earn the title of a Hashira.

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While they make up the backbone of the hit anime series Demon Slayer, there are currently only nine characters that hold the title of Hashira, with a further four as former Hashira.

First airing in 2019, the show follows a young boy called Tanjiro, who is the sole surviving member of his family after being hit by a demon attack. His sister Nezuko has been transformed into a demon, and Tanjiro makes it his mission to find and save her.

With season 3 still being released, some fans have been left questioning who is actually the strongest Hashira of them all. Here’s everything we know about which Hashira is strong enough to beat the rest.

Who is the strongest Hashira in Demon Slayer?

Shinobu

Shinobu in Demon Slayer with purple hair and purple eyes
Shinobu in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

The weakest out of the current Hashira slayers is arguably Shinobu. So far in the series, she’s been unable to successfully cut off a demon’s head and possibly hasn’t saved up enough blood in Upper Moon 2 to be able to do so.

If she did have the right amount of blood in her, there’s no reason why Shinobu wouldn’t be able to completely poison an Upper Moon if they were able to absorb her.

Tengen

Tengen in Demon Slayer with her hand to her temple
Tengen in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

When Tengen fought against the Upper Rank 6, he quickly found that he could defeat Daki but not Gyutaro. Most of his opponents have been too quick and too strong for Tengen to handle by himself.

In most battle situations, Tengen has required the help of Zenitsu, Inosuke and Tanjiro, which then also has extended to his wives. However, Tengen did assist Tanjiro when he was trying to kill Gyutaro, which he did successfully.

Mitsuri

Mitsuri in Demon Slayer with pink hair and green eyes
Mitsuri in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

Mitsuri is known for putting in some solid effort when she took on the Upper Rank 4s in battle. She also faired pretty well against Muzan and was able to stay strong enough against Zohakuten in order for Tanjiro to successfully kill Hantengu’s real body.

However, Mitsuri also needed the help of both Obanai and Yushiro during the infamous fight scene with Nakime.

Rengoku

Rengoku in Demon Slayer with yellow and red hair and yellow and red eyes
Rengoku in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

Though Rengoku might be a popular choice for being one of the strongest Hashira slayers, his experience arguably works against him.

While trying to use the Flame Breathing 5th during a battle with the Upper Rank 3s, Rengoku was unable to hold off an attack. Even so, he did manage to restrain Upper Moon 3 later on while severely injured.

According to the manga, this fight packs less of a punch because Upper Moon 3 was purposely toying with Rengoku, suggesting their full power wasn’t being utilised. The battle also only lasts for a mere two chapters.

Giyu

Giyu in Demon Slayer with black hair and blue eyes
Giyu in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

Unlike Rengoku, Giyu fares better at holding off Upper Moon 3 without any help. In the initial battle we see between the two, Giyu does end up needing Tanjiro’s help, but also was able to land plenty of nasty attacks on them.

In a later fight with Muzan, Giyu is also able to show off his chops as an accomplished fighter on his own merit. His reserved personality suggests that he shouldn’t be one of the strongest Hashiras, yet seems to keep his abilities quietly to himself.

Muichiro

Muichiro in Demon Slayer with black hair and green-blue eyes
Muichiro in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

The first in this list to excel in solo battle, Muichiro’s outing against Upper Moon 5 was nothing short of outstanding. The same can be said for her final fight against Upper Moon 1 later on.

Muichiro has also received the big three demon slayer perks, which are Mark, See Through World and Red Blade. Despite her physical appearance seemingly making her weaker, Muichiro’s craft and skill show that he often has more to her than meets the eye.

Obanai

Obanai in Demon Slayer with black hair and a white snake on their shoulder
Obanai in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

While other Hashiras like Giyu and Muichiro are often considered to be stronger than him, Obani’s one of the only slayers that can hold his own without help or a well-positioned background.

Obanai is always able to keep up with Muzan well, being widely thought of as a powerful and skilled swordsman. His snake-like movements also set him apart from the crowd, while also occasionally using his snake to help him during battle.

Sanemi

Sanemi in Demon Slayer with white hair and bloodshot eyes
Sanemi in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

It’s not only the fact that Sanemi can confidently battle on his own that makes him one of the strongest Hashiras, it’s also down to his unique skillset.

Though viewers have seen him battle Upper Moon 1 with great success, Sanemi can also manipulate his muscles to seal up wounds and utilise his blood to intoxicate demon opponents. With this in mind, it should be almost impossible to defeat Sanemi during a fight.

Gyomei

Gyomei in Demon Slayer, crying and praying
Gyomei in Demon Slayer. NA ‎Viz Media‎

There’s nothing like a Hashira flat-out telling us that he is the strongest, and Gyomei does exactly that from the beginning.

He has the greatest level of physical strength out of the rest of the group, and is able to easily lift and swing almost anything he touches.

Coming from the Tsugikuni lineage, he is able to maximise his control through his often painful memories.

The combination of his brain and brawn makes him an all-around formidable fighter, able to use his uniqueness to his advantage.

You can catch Demon Slayer on Crunchyroll. Sign up to Crunchyroll from $7.99 per month with a 14-day free trial.

Check out more of our anime coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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