The Hashira themselves are legendary in their own right, with each Hashira featuring a wide bevy of talents coupled with a sharp mind that lets them read situations in the blink of an eye. Of course, the intelligence of each Hashira varies, and this list will take a look at all the powerful Hashira and how they compare against each other from a purely intellectual perspective.
Updated on March 13th, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: The Hashira in Demon Slayer are the most elite warriors in the entire series, who can decimate entire waves of demons with their amazing techniques. While their power might not be strong enough to deal with the powerful Upper Kizuki demons with this ease, that doesn’t mean that they don’t stand a chance at all. In fact, what some Hashira might lack in strength, they more than make up for it with their intelligence. Keeping this in mind, here are all the Hashira in Demon Slayer ranked on the basis of how effective they are in combat.
13 Sanemi Shinazugawa
Sanemi is one of the most headstrong individuals on this list. He has a tendency to jump into the fray without tactically analyzing the situation first, putting him at an avoidable disadvantage at times.
His strength makes up for his lack of tactical awareness, with his vast array of moves helping him weather early onslaughts before unleashing erratic counterattacks of his own. He’s a strong Hashira… albeit not the brightest of the lot.
12 Shinjuro Rengoku
The Rengoku family is full of fiery individuals who love to jump headfirst into battle. One such person who personifies this statement is Shinjuro Rengoku, the father of the deceased Kyojuro Rengoku.
He is a pretty short-tempered person who hated the idea of his Flame Breathing technique being surpassed in power by a style that looks quite similar to it, labeled as Sun Breathing. However, underneath his hardened exterior is a pretty emotional man who definitely lamented the loss of his son.
11 Mitsuri Kanroji
Given that Mitsuri Kanroji is the Love Hashira, it would be easy to predict where her flaws lie. She is an intensely emotional person, whose critical thinking is bound to be affected by this inclination.
That being said, Mitsuru is ruthless in combat and never fails to identify the enemy as a threat. However, her natural disposition does make her one of the more gullible characters in the show.
10 Kanae Kocho
The former Flower Hashira was a force to be reckoned with, if accounts are to be believed. It’s a shame that viewers never got to see the true extent of her power, since she met her end at the hands of Doma before the events of Demon Slayer.
However, given how she motivated Shinobu during her fight against her sister’s murderer, it’s easy to see that she was an inspiration to everyone around her. Not many people are capable of that, and this more than makes up for the supposed drawbacks of her intelligence.
9 Kyojuro Rengoku
Kyojuro was easily one of the most charismatic and enjoyable characters on the show. It’s a shame that he never really got the time to really have his character explored, with his life coming to an end at the hand of Akaza.
Rengoku showed great will and determination during this battle, but his efforts ultimately ended with his demise. However, he still managed to protect the around him, even though it was at the cost of his own life.
8 Muichiro Tokito
Muichiro doesn’t really give off a great first impression. Most people wouldn’t be faulted for writing him off as an airhead who doesn’t really pay attention to things around him — something that is akin to a death sentence in the savage world of Demon Slayer.
However, it doesn’t take long for Muichiro to show what he’s all about in battle. He’s definitely a force to be reckoned with, and he slowly grows into own after regaining his memories and becoming more empathetic.
7 Obanai Iguro
Most people would expect the Serpent Hashira to be a smart and wily fighter who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Obanai Iguro certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard, with his cold and calculating personality adding further weight to his title.
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Of course, Obanai can be too apathetic at times, which is also a problem. However, this is a minor gripe, since his intelligence in battle makes it clear that Obanai’s mind is as sharp as it should be.
6 Gyomei Himejima
The Stone Hashira is one of the most powerful Hashira in Demon Slayer. However, this is not just due to physical prowess — Gyomei also boasts a sharp mind that stays focused in the heat of battle.
This mix of brains and brawn have helped him become one of the most valuable Hashira in the group. After all, his tactical awareness helped spot Muzan’s weakness, which was a headscratcher that most Demon Slayers were trying to figure out for the longest time.
5 Tengen Uzui
After their expedition with the Flame Hashira, Tanjiro and Co. accompanied the Sound Hashira for another grueling adventure. During this arc, Tengen showed why he’s one of the sharpest Hashira in Demon Slayer.
The battles he participated in were absolutely brutal and took a ton out of him. However, he never gave up and maintained an unwavering focus throughout these encounters, with his keen tactical awareness being key to help him deal with all the threats that could’ve ended his life.
4 Jigoro Kuwajima
It takes a smart Demon Slayer to master a particular technique. However, it takes a true genius to learn their respective Breathing Style so thoroughly that they can impart this wisdom down to other aspiring Demon Slayers as well.
For what it’s worth, Jigoro did make the fatal flaw of teaching the facets of Thunder Breathing to someone despicable like Kaigaku, who misused his teachings for his own selfish gain. Thankfully, he also taught Zenitsu, who is an absolute prodigy and could only achieve this greatness under the guidance of an intelligent and patient sensei.
3 Shinobu Kocho
Being the Insect Hashira is not an easy task in the slightest. Given the lack of physically powerful moves in this style, the user needs to rely on their brains and understand how to make the best of their potent yet risky techniques.
Poisoning someone is hard enough as is, but trying to poison them in the middle of battle is even harder. However, not only can Shinobu make these decisions in what feels like the blink of an eye, but she also manages to do this with what seems like little to no effort.
2 Giyu Tomioka
The Water Hashira is the first member of this elite group to make their appearance in Demon Slayer. From the very start, the manner in which he presents himself in the show makes it abundantly clear that he’s extremely sharp and calculating.
The most important thing about Giyu is that he’s almost always calm and never loses his cool. It takes a strong force to even unnerve him, and even then he wastes no time in calming himself and tactically analyzing the situation once again.
1 Sakonji Urokodaki
The former Water Hashira is known for teaching two of the most powerful Demon Slayers about the tricks of the trade — namely, Giyu Tomioka and Tanjiro Kamado. Given how talented both Demon Slayers are, it’s clear that there was a really powerful person who molded them into such effective swordsmen.
Viewers can only wish that they could witness Sakonji’s greatness in his prime. Thankfully, his intellect has made up for the years that have caught up to him, and it was more than enough to safeguard the world against the massive threat of the Demon Slayers.
More: Demon Slayer: All Sun Breathing Techniques, Explained
