What if Giyu, Shinobu, and Rengoku were to join the Hashira training in Demon Slayer?

Before the major Infinity Castle movie, the Demon Slayer series goes through a training arc for the Slayers, featuring every Hashira, popularly known as the Hashira Training arc. While every Hashira was present in the training programme, Giyu Tomioka and Shinobu Kocho had excluded themselves.

In a what-if scenario, let's explore what would have happened if Giyu and Shinobu had decided to participate in the training programme and added their own training routines. Furthermore, what if the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, hadn't died and joined the Hashira training as well?

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

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Demon Slayer what-if: Giyu, Shinobu, and Rengoku join the Hashira training program

In Demon Slayer: Hashira Training arc, the Slayers underwent a course of tough training programs conducted by several Hashira, including the former Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui. However, the Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, and the Insect Hashira, Shinobo Kocho, did not participate in the program for their own reasons.

At that time, Giyu was severely suffering from survivor's guilt, remembering the time when Sabito sacrificed himself to save Giyu and the others. Giyu's self-doubt pulled him back from deeming himself worthy of being a Hashira and partaking in the training routine. On the other hand, Shinobu simply refused to participate as she wanted time to prepare more poison for the final battle.

If Giyu had participated, he would have specialized in training the Slayers how to increase their extrasensory perception and use it tactically as both defence and offence. With him being the creator of Water Breathing 11th Form, Giyu is the perfect Hashira suited for the program. While Giyu did participate later because of Tanjiro's continuous pestering, it was never shown what he did.

Giyu's Water Breathing 11th Form (Image via Ufotable)

Meanwhile, being the master of poison creation, Shinobu would have heavily contributed to the Corps members by teaching them the creation and implementation of Wisteria poison. This could have easily added a new weapon to the Slayer's arsenal rather than keeping it exclusive to only herself. Furthermore, during the training, more hands mean faster production of the poison.

While this one may be far-fetched due to the Demon Slayer series' narrative, what if the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, had not died in the Mugen Train arc and was available to participate in the Hashira training? Unlike Giyu or Shinobu, Rengoku would immediately jump on with the idea of training the Slayers, based on his personality.

Rengoku's training program would be very intense and mainly focused highly on motivation. Flame Breathing is one of the toughest Breathing Forms in the Demon Slayer series, and it is common knowledge that several of Rengoku's students quit in the past because of it. Nevertheless, Rengoku would have taught how to keep oneself motivated even when all possibilities seemed gone and times were tough.

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Final thoughts

Hashira falling into the Infinity Castle (Image via Ufotable)

Unfortunately, the whole training program was cut short in the Demon Slayer series, due to Muzan's sudden appearance and Ubuyashiki's death. Nevertheless, the training programs did come in handy later, as fans see in the Infinity Castle movies, and it would have been great to see Giyu and Shinobu participate in the training programs.

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