Demon Slayer features a cast that stretches across every arc, with swordsmen, Hashira, and demons shaping the story. The range of characters gives the series its weight and makes each part of the plot feel connected.
Some appear briefly yet leave a lasting mark, while others stay at the center and guide the story forward. Every role, no matter how large or small, adds something memorable.
Male and female slayers fight with their own strengths, giving the Corps variety and depth. The Hashira stand at the highest rank, each one mastering a distinct breathing form that sets them apart. Muzan and the Upper Moons remain the greatest threats, driving the tension higher and forcing every battle to its limits.
Here is the full list.
Male Demon Slayer Characters
Here are the key male characters in Demon Slayer, grouped by their role in the story.
Main Protagonists
- Tanjiro Kamado – The main hero, known for his Water Breathing and later Sun Breathing.
- Zenitsu Agatsuma – Thunder Breathing user, cowardly at first but fierce in combat.
- Inosuke Hashibira – Raised in the mountains, a wild fighter with Beast Breathing.
Hashira (Male Members)
- Kyojuro Rengoku – Flame Hashira, admired for his spirit.
- Giyu Tomioka – Water Hashira, calm and reserved.
- Tengen Uzui – Sound Hashira, flamboyant and tactical.
- Muichiro Tokito – Mist Hashira, prodigy and youngest of the group.
- Sanemi Shinazugawa – Wind Hashira, harsh but loyal.
- Obanai Iguro – Serpent Hashira, strict and devoted.
- Gyomei Himejima – Stone Hashira, the strongest of them all.
Supporting Male Figures
- Kagaya Ubuyashiki – Leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.
- Genya Shinazugawa – Younger brother of Sanemi, fights with a unique demon-absorbing ability.
- Sabito – Disciple of Urokodaki, trained Tanjiro in his early days.
- Yoriichi Tsugikuni – Creator of Sun Breathing, legendary swordsman.
Female Demon Slayer Characters
Female characters in Demon Slayer balance strength, loyalty, and unique roles in the story.
Some are fighters on the front lines, others support from the shadows, but each has a clear place in the plot.
Main Protagonists
- Nezuko Kamado – Tanjiro’s sister, turned into a demon but fights to protect humans.
- Kanao Tsuyuri – Adopted by the Kocho sisters, expert with Flower Breathing.
Hashira (Female Members)
- Shinobu Kocho – Insect Hashira, skilled with poison rather than brute strength.
- Mitsuri Kanroji – Love Hashira, known for her flexibility and powerful sword style.
Supporting Female Figures
- Kanae Kocho – Former Flower Hashira, Shinobu’s older sister.
- Aoi Kanzaki – Works at the Butterfly Mansion, helps with training and recovery.
- Makomo – Disciple of Urokodaki, assisted Tanjiro during training.
- Suma, Makio, Hinatsuru – Tengen Uzui’s wives, each contributes in battles and intelligence gathering.
- Amane Ubuyashiki – Wife of Kagaya, dedicated to supporting the Corps.
- Koyuki – Wife of Upper Moon demon Akaza, central to his tragic backstory.
The Hashira
The Hashira are the top-ranked swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Each one masters a unique breathing style and serves as both a protector and a symbol of strength for the rest of the slayers.
Current Hashira
- Kyojuro Rengoku – Flame Hashira, known for optimism and spirit.
- Giyu Tomioka – Water Hashira, calm and disciplined.
- Tengen Uzui – Sound Hashira, flashy and strategic.
- Muichiro Tokito – Mist Hashira, a prodigy despite his young age.
- Sanemi Shinazugawa – Wind Hashira, fierce and unrelenting.
- Obanai Iguro – Serpent Hashira, loyal and strict.
- Gyomei Himejima – Stone Hashira, respected as the strongest of all.
- Shinobu Kocho – Insect Hashira, relies on speed and poison.
- Mitsuri Kanroji – Love Hashira, combines strength with agility.
Former Hashira
- Kanae Kocho – Flower Hashira, remembered for her kindness.
- Sakonji Urokodaki – Former Water Hashira, later a trainer of new slayers.
- Jigoro Kuwajima – Former Thunder Hashira, mentor to Zenitsu.
Demons and Villains
Demons in the series serve as the main enemies of the Demon Slayer Corps. Each one possesses supernatural strength, regeneration, and unique abilities granted by Muzan Kibutsuji.
Many carry tragic backstories that explain how they fell, but they remain the greatest threat to humanity.
Main Antagonist
- Muzan Kibutsuji – The first demon and the source of all others, feared for his overwhelming power.
Upper Moon Demons
- Kokushibo – Upper Moon One, once a Demon Slayer, now one of Muzan’s strongest.
- Doma – Upper Moon Two, outwardly calm but responsible for countless deaths.
- Akaza – Upper Moon Three, skilled in martial arts with a tragic human past.
- Hantengu – Upper Moon Four, capable of splitting into multiple clones with distinct personalities.
- Gyokko – Upper Moon Five, twisted artist who creates living vases of horror.
- Daki and Gyutaro – Upper Moon Six siblings, infamous for terrorizing Yoshiwara.
- Kaigaku – Replaced Daki and Gyutaro as Upper Moon Six, once a Demon Slayer turned traitor.
Lower Moon Demons
- Rui – Lower Moon Five, spider demon who fought Tanjiro and Nezuko.
- Enmu – Lower Moon One, main enemy in the Mugen Train arc.
- Other Lower Moons – Appear briefly before Muzan eliminates them.
Other Demonic Figures
- Tamayo – A demon who defies Muzan and works to help humans.
- Yushiro – Loyal to Tamayo, provides support with his Blood Demon Art.
- Nakime – Controls the Infinity Castle, later takes the position of Upper Moon Four.
Breathing Styles and Abilities
Breathing styles define the Demon Slayer Corps, shaping how each swordsman fights.
Every style traces back to Sun Breathing, created by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, but has since split into unique forms.
- Water Breathing – Used by Tanjiro Kamado (early on) and Giyu Tomioka. Known for fluid, adaptable techniques.
- Thunder Breathing – Used by Zenitsu Agatsuma. Focused on speed and single-strike power, with Zenitsu mastering the First Form.
- Beast Breathing – Developed by Inosuke Hashibira. Combines instinctive movements with dual-wielded blades.
- Flame Breathing – Used by Kyojuro Rengoku. Emphasizes explosive, direct attacks.
- Sound Breathing – Used by Tengen Uzui. Based on disorienting rhythms and enhanced combat awareness.
- Mist Breathing – Used by Muichiro Tokito. Relies on obscuring vision and swift strikes.
- Wind Breathing – Used by Sanemi Shinazugawa. Wild and unpredictable, matching Sanemi’s personality.
- Serpent Breathing – Used by Obanai Iguro. Fluid and slithering movements, echoing snake-like patterns.
- Stone Breathing – Used by Gyomei Himejima. Heavy, crushing techniques amplified by his strength.
- Insect Breathing – Used by Shinobu Kocho. Focuses on speed and poison-based attacks.
- Love Breathing – Used by Mitsuri Kanroji. Flexible and unpredictable, using her unique sword.
Demons rely on Blood Demon Arts, supernatural abilities linked to their bodies and powers. Muzan can shape-shift and control cells.
Upper Moons like Akaza use martial arts enhanced by demonic energy, while Daki and Gyutaro combine deadly sash whips with poison.
Rui manipulates spider webs, and Enmu manipulates dreams.
Family and Mentor Connections
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Many characters in Demon Slayer are tied through bloodlines or mentorships. These connections give emotional weight to the battles.
- Kamado Siblings – Tanjiro and Nezuko form the central bond of the series.
- Kocho Sisters – Kanae, Shinobu, and Kanao (adopted) show how family carries the Hashira legacy.
- Sanemi and Genya – Brothers whose strained relationship adds tension, but also deep loyalty.
- Zenitsu and Jigoro – Student and master, with Zenitsu inheriting Thunder Breathing.
- Tanjiro and Urokodaki – Mentor and disciple, shaping Tanjiro’s early strength.
- Sabito and Makomo – Urokodaki’s former students, who guide Tanjiro during training.
- Tengen and His Wives (Suma, Makio, Hinatsuru) – A unique family structure tied directly into combat.
- Yoriichi and Michikatsu (Kokushibo) – Twin brothers split by fate, one becoming the strongest slayer, the other the strongest demon.
Tragic Backstories – Human Lives Before Becoming Demons
Many demons in the series are unforgettable because their cruelty is rooted in sorrow. Their backstories reveal how despair turned them into monsters.
- Akaza – Once a human named Hakuji, he lost his fiancée and mentor, leading to despair before Muzan turned him.
- Daki and Gyutaro – Siblings abandoned and abused in Yoshiwara, later offered demonic power to survive.
- Rui – Born weak and sickly, he accepted Muzan’s gift but destroyed his family in the process.
- Kokushibo – Once Michikatsu, twin brother of Yoriichi, consumed by jealousy and fear of mortality.
- Doma – Grew up worshipped in a cult, but his emptiness and lack of empathy pushed him into becoming a demon.
- Kaigaku – Former Demon Slayer who betrayed the Corps to save himself, eventually becoming an Upper Moon.
Timeline of Appearances
Characters enter the story across different arcs, shaping the series step by step.
Final Selection Arc
- Tanjiro Kamado
- Nezuko Kamado
- Sakonji Urokodaki
- Sabito
- Makomo
Mugen Train Arc
- Kyojuro Rengoku
- Enmu (Lower Moon One)
- Akaza (Upper Moon Three)
Entertainment District Arc
- Tengen Uzui
- Suma, Makio, Hinatsuru
- Daki (Upper Moon Six)
- Gyutaro (Upper Moon Six)
Swordsmith Village Arc
- Muichiro Tokito
- Mitsuri Kanroji
- Hantengu (Upper Moon Four)
- Gyokko (Upper Moon Five)
Hashira Training Arc
- All surviving Hashira
- Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Corps members
Final Battle Arc
- Muzan Kibutsuji
- Kokushibo, Doma, Akaza, Nakime
- Ubuyashiki family
- All Hashira
FAQs
Who Is the Strongest Hashira?
Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira, is regarded as the most powerful due to his raw strength, weapon mastery, and use of Stone Breathing.
Who Is the Strongest Demon After Muzan?
Kokushibo, Upper Moon One, once a swordsman himself, ranks just below Muzan in strength.
Does Nezuko Ever Return to Human Form?
Yes. Through her resilience and Tamayo’s research, Nezuko regains her humanity later in the story.
Which Hashira Die in Demon Slayer?
Several Hashira fall in battle, including Rengoku, Muichiro, Shinobu, and others during the final arc.
Who Created the Breathing Techniques?
Yoriichi Tsugikuni developed Sun Breathing, the origin of all other forms.
Why Are Demons Vulnerable to The Sun?
Demons cannot withstand sunlight because Muzan’s curse weakens them at a cellular level, with Nezuko as the only exception.
Bottom Line
Demon Slayer ends up as more than a clash of blades and blood. It is a story carried by people and demons who stay with you once the fight is over.
A brother who never let go, a sister caught between worlds, warriors who gave everything, and villains who remind us of human weakness. Each name in the list adds weight, and together they form a world that feels alive.
That is why the cast deserves to be remembered as more than side notes to battles. They are the reason Demon Slayer keeps its hold long after the final chapter closes.
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