'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQf/2gAIAQEAAAAACmv/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAAC//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAEDEAAAAFP/xAAeEAACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMFABEEBgcTov/aAAgBAQABPwDufjiuq3juYtPRzxJOvA2Qye0M6n5bF4VXIodUnCsNgHRz/8QAGREBAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgADAQQF/9oACAECAQE/AOPYrNQp5n//xAAZEQABBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAEDBCH/2gAIAQMBAT8AuiwyYv/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Humans without proper training in the Demon Slayer universe are doomed if they come into contact with a demon. So, people who protect the masses from such bloodthirsty creatures have to hone their swordsmanship and build up their skills in a particular breathing technique known as "Total Concentration Breathing".
Doing so greatly increases their physical abilities, which evens their odds of slaying the demons in question. So far, a lot of breathing styles have been taught by the Demon Slayer Corps, but some styles may often prove their superiority in terms of swordsmanship styles.
So stick with us as we determine the power disparity between these techniques and their users and rank them accordingly.
Wind Breathing and 9 other breathing styles in Demon Slayer as well as their users, ranked
10) Sound Breathing - Tengen Uzui
Inspired and derived from Thunder Breathing, Tengen uses his skills as a ninja and advanced techniques like Echolocation and Musical Score to execute Sound Breathing flawlessly. This style mimics the way sound works and takes advantage of tools and Tengen's superior agility to deal massive damage to demons.
Tengen's skills do not require questioning as he faced the likes of Gyutaro and Daki while nearly being on par with them. He also used explosives and nun-chucks to incorporate them in battles while developing Sound Breathing.
Tengen struggled a lot and got his arm severed in his fight against Gyutaro and Daki. Thus, Tengen and his Sound Breathing are considered to be weaker than other Hashiras who accomplished much more.
9) Serpent Breathing - Obanai Iguro
Drawing inspiration from the slithering movements and cunning survivability of snakes, Serpent Breathing replicates it within the swordsmanship of Obanai. To carry out his duties as the Serpent Hashira, he uses his twisted sword in the motion of a slithering snake.
Serpent Breathing carries several perks which correspond well with the smooth-flowing nature of Water Breathing and is also derived from the same. All five confirmed forms of Serpent Breathing were showcased in the manga, and it seems like the forms are free-flowing and indirect. However, this breathing technique has the offputting potential to slow attack speed.
8) Mist Breathing - Muichiro Tokito
The swift and unique forms of Mist Breathing mimic the obscuring nature of mist and replicate it within its one and only known user, Muichiro Tokito. He uses quick and efficient strikes to obscure his opponent's surroundings, making them feel like they are engulfed in the confusion of Mist.
Talent flows in Muichiro's veins as he is the direct descendent of Upper Rank One, Kokushibo. He had enough talent to become a hashira within two months of holding a sword.
Not only has he mastered Mist Breathing completely, but he has also contributed a form of his own to it. While he tends to be quite straightforward and self-concerned due to a harsh childhood, his skill as a swordsman is where he shines.
7) Wind Breathing - Sanemi Shinazugawa
Blowing torrents and whirlwinds have inspired the 9 known forms of Wind Breathing. Utilizing the air around them to attack opponents is also one of the few perks of using the Wind Breathing technique. However, most forms of this technique are offensive, and the swordsman must compensate for it by being quick on his feet.
Sanemi is a hot-blooded and impulsive swordsman who does not slack when it comes to beheading demons. His incredible speed and reflexes make him an expert in the art of Wind Breathing.
While Sanemi did survive the final battle, Wind Breathing's lack of defense makes it weaker when compared to other Breathing styles.
6) Thunder Breathing - Zenitsu Agatsuma
The core of Thunder Breathing would be exactly as it sounds, being extremely swift with one's movement and attacks. It utilizes the user's lightning speed to instantly overwhelm enemies and destroy them in seconds.
One of the most remarkable users of Thunder Breathing is Zenitsu, the cowardly demon slayer who becomes an absolute menace when unconscious. Zenitsu goes on to develop a 7th form for Thunder Breathing to take on his former senior, Kaigaku, who brought him and his master shame by joining forces with Muzan.
Due to its logically complex nature and lack of forms, Thunder Breathing can probably be countered when fighting a skilled opponent.
5) Flame Breathing - Kyojuro Rengoku
Flame Breathing uses the unpredictable and fierce nature of flames to cut through enemies. Being one of the closest techniques to Sun Breathing, its potency against demons cannot be questioned.
Rengoku's potential as the Flame Hashira is immense as he also perfected the ninth form of Flame Breathing, which is exclusive to his family. Rengoku kept up with Akaza using this fierce technique, but due to the mortal nature of his body, he succumbed to his injuries without knowing the glory of victory.
Demons will always have the upper hand at night, and if Akaza had been a tad bit late, the fight between them could've been completely different. However, it is a fact that Akaza's strength and regeneration ability overwhelmed Rengoku's mastery of Flame Breathing.
4) Water Breathing - Giyu Tomioka
The flexibility, fluidity, and adaptability of water greatly contribute to the development of Water Breathing. Swordsmen would have to be agile and flexible to use their swords in a fluid motion. Adaptibility comes into play as Water Breathing has 10 forms and another 11th developed by Giyu.
Giyu, closely followed by Urokodaki, one of the most skilled users of Water Breathing. His incredible speed, endurance, and strength even surprised and impressed the likes of Akaza.
While Giyu did a good job in his fight against Akaza, fans have estimated his potential to be a bit lower than what they expected. Tanjiro pretty much did the heavy-lifting during his battle with Akaza, which left Giyu in the shadows.
3) Stone Breathing - Gyomei Himejima
Stone Breathing is known for making use of the ground beneath the swordsman as well as his surroundings. This results in powerful blows and solid strikes that are equally effective on offense and defense.
Himejima is referred to as the toughest Hashira among the nine. His physical prowess is such that he was able to keep a demon at bay till sunrise using only his brute strength. His weapon is also unique and could be described as an Ax connected to a flail by a chain. Despite being blind since birth, his accomplishments and reputation speak for themselves.
Himejima played an immense role in defeating Kokushibo, and while he did his best, he could not keep up with Muzan's might and succumbed to his injuries.
2) Moon Breathing - Kokushibo
The shape of a crescent moon is the only constant in Moon Breathing and all of its 16 forms follow it. Being as close to Sun Breathing as possible, its potential can only be challenged by the likes of a few living beings in the Demon Slayer universe, like Yoiriichi.
Kokushibo is the older twin brother of the legendary Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the strongest Demon Slayer in history. He was always envious of his brother, who seemed to have a natural talent for swordsmanship. When he couldn't master Sun Breathing, he went on with his own form of battle tactics and developed Moon Breathing.
Kokushibo and his powerful Moon Breathing technique kept up with three immensely powerful Hashiras, like the Stone, Mist, and Wind Hashira.
1) Sun Breathing - Yoriichi Tsugikuni
Sun Breathing is known to be the first breathing technique to ever exist and the strongest of them all. If the swordsman masters this breathing technique completely, it cannot be challenged.
Sun Breathing has no specific pattern and can be extremely complicated to master. All the other techniques have come into existence, thanks to Yoriichi altering Sun Breathing to suit his students' strengths and weaknesses.
Thus, one can only imagine what a beast Yoriichi was in his prime. He defeated Muzan once, which is a huge accomplishment in itself. He is regarded as the perfect swordsman, and his feats are nothing short of legendary.
Final Thoughts
As the release date of Season 3 of Demon Slayer approaches, the hype surrounding the anime's lore and characters has reached new heights. Characters with diverse personalities and the anime's overall mood shift from goofy to dead serious. While it is still unclear which character or breathing style is superior to the other, fans continue to debate among themselves. These discussions are entertaining, and the community would genuinely appreciate more of them.
Note: The poster in the tweet is fan-made. The list is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer.
