Inosuke, not Tanjiro, had the most potential as a Demon Slayer

With the rise in popularity of the Demon Slayer series, fans have gathered around their thoughts about several major characters as they await the climax. Although Tanjiro, as the main protagonist, clearly demonstrates significant growth, another character has also displayed impressive potential that others may have overshadowed.

The character discussed here is Inosuke Hashibira, one of the major Demon Slayer characters and part of the leading protagonist group. While at first he may come off as brash and hasty, his several feats throughout the series prove how far he has come in terms of character development.

Disclaimer: This article contains speculative theory and reflects the author's opinions.

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Inosuke's overlooked potential in the Demon Slayer series

One of the significant achievements of Inosuke Hashibira in Demon Slayer is that he is the only person, apart from Yoriichi, to discover a breathing style. What is more impressive is that Inosuke created it from scratch, all by himself, without prior knowledge of the Demon Slayer core or other Breathing Forms.

While there were some debates in the fandom regarding the origin of his Beast Breathing, which is derived from Wind Breathing, it does not change the fact that Inosuke achieved it at the age of 15, whereas the Hashira took years to master their pre-existing Breathing Forms.

When it comes to flexibility, Inosuke's flexibility can be compared to that of the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji. During the Tsuzumi Mansion arc, Inosuke showed how efficient he was with maneuverability by attacking swiftly and effectively from every angle. Because of his immense agility and battle awareness, Inosuke's counterattacks were swift, with almost zero reaction time.

To add to his impressive physiology, Inosuke's ability to switch and move the position of his internal organs is both inhuman and impressive. In the Entertainment District arc, while he was stabbed in the chest, everyone thought Inosuke had died. However, he later reappears with a gaping hole in his chest, exclaiming he shifted the position of his heart.

Inosuke is still able to fight after being stabbed in the chest by Gyutaro in Demon Slayer (Image via Ufotable)

The aforementioned physical attribute extends to his joints and limbs as well. Insouke can contort and dislocate his limbs freely to fit into tight spots, a trait that can be credited to both his flexibility and his unusual organ-shifting ability, which he exclaimed was child's play during his confrontation with the Upper Moon demons in the Entertainment District arc.

He has also shown impressive resistance to poisons, attributed to his upbringing in the mountains and exposure to several natural elements and objects. While he had no prior exposure to the Upper Moon 6 demon Gyutaro's poison, he could still resist it during the fight and hold off the effects long enough to eventually pull through and clutch his battle against the demon.

While he shows traits of being brash and short-tempered, Inosuke is very analytical in battle. During the Mount Natagumo arc, Inosuke could analyze the father spider demon and knew when to run, which can be seen from his inner monologues during the sequence.

Inosuke also has exhibited unworldly instincts and surrounding awareness, which can again be credited to his upbringing as a loner among boars in the mountains.

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Final thoughts

Inosuke shows extreme potential and has achieved impressive feats as a demon slayer. While other characters, like Tanjiro, may have overshadowed his achievements as per the narrative, he is still undoubtedly one of the toughest and most resilient characters in the entire series, placing him in the group among other characters who have accomplished incredible feats.

With the Demon Slayer anime moving forward toward the climax of the series, with the upcoming Infinity Castle arc, fans await in anticipation as Inosuke, alongside other Slayers and the Hashira, enters Nakime's domain to fight against Muzan and the Upper Moon demons.

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