Ever wanted to know who is the strongest Hashira in Demon Slayer? Of course you have, and this list ranks the strongest Hashira from the manga and the anime!
The Hashira instantly made an impression from the first time they were introduced. And despite being relatively new with little known about each of their backgrounds, they have become some of the most popular and most talked-about characters from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.
There is no doubting that each Hashira is incredibly powerful. After all, they have all been specially handpicked for their insane fighting skills and badass abilities.

But Which Hashira Is The Strongest?
In this list, we rank the Hashira from weakest to strongest. Find out who is the strongest Hashira and how your favorite Hashira measures up against the rest!
Who Are The Hashira?
Hashira means pillar in Japanese. And in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, the Hashira are the nine most powerful demon slayers tasked to rid the world of evil demons.
Within the entire organization of the Demon Slayer Corps, the Hashira – or pillars – are elite-level fighters that top the rest, each boasting unmatched combat skills, physical abilities, and unique, signature powers.
The Hashira were introduced in the 45th chapter of the manga series and episode 23 of the anime. One of the nine Hashira, Rengoku, was also a main character in the blockbuster anime film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: Mugen Train.
Alongside their abilities and powers – all of which are unique and unquestionably epic – each Hashira has a distinct personality and appearance!
Ranking The Strongest Hashira In Demon Slayer
Below, we have listed the strongest Hashira in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, ranked on their combat prowess, special abilities, and the power of their individual breathing styles.
This list descends from weakest to strongest, and includes the nine “main” Hashira from both the manga and the anime. So, let’s get started!
9. Shinobu Kocho
First on our list is Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira. Shinobu is not weak by any means but simply not as strong as her fellow pillars. She is 18 years old, recognizable by her purple hair and green, white, and pink kimono.
While Shinobu’s powers include enhanced speed and reflexes, she lacks physical strength as the smallest Hashira. Despite this, her breathing style, Insect Breathing, allows her to generate a unique poison with her katana that is fatal to demons.
8. Tengen Uzui
Tengen Uzui comes in as the second-weakest Hashira. He loves flamboyance and generally talking flamboyance, which he displays in the jewels and beads he wears on his forehead.
Tengen, the Sound Hashira, is no doubt one of the strongest pillars. He is well-built with enhanced stamina, strength, and hearing, and displays incredible ability with a sword.
Despite that, Tengen struggled to beat Gyutaro (Upper Moon 6), one of the Twelve Kizuki. He suffered major injuries and, due to that, was forced to retire.
7. Mitsuri Kanroji
Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira, is one of two female pillars and the strongest female fighter in Demon Slayer. From her first appearance, she is eccentric, soft-spoken, and compassionate, recognizable by her pink and green hair.
Mitsuri uses a whip-like Nichirin Sword, displaying immense flexibility, agility, and endurance. Love Breathing, her signature breathing style, gives her the ability to dazzle demons with blinding attacks in quick succession.
6. Giyu Tomioka
Giyu is one of the first Hashira to be seen in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, in which he saves main characters Tanjiro and Inosuke from Rui, Lower Moon Five. In fact, Giyu takes him out with hardly any effort.
Giyu, the quiet Water Hashira, displays outstanding swordsmanship and incredible strength. His breathing style, Water Breathing, gives him the power to perform water-infused attacks such as Sixth Form: Whirlpool.
Due to his indifference and lack of faith in himself, however, Giyu ranks midway among his fellow Hashira.
5. Kyojuro Rengoku
Kyojuro Rengoku, the Fire Hashira, is the most famous of the Hashira due to his appearance in Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. In the movie, he single-handedly saves hundreds of passengers from the train while fighting off demons, showing his skill, heroism, and good judgment.
Even Akaza, Upper Moon Three, complimented Rengoku on his fighting prowess midway through the fight. It was not enough, however, and Akaza was able to flee as Rengoku suffered grave injuries.
4. Muichiro Tokito
Muichiro Tokito is the youngest Hashira at 14 years old. But, despite that, he is one of the strongest. As the Mist Hashira, he has the power to harness Mist Breathing, giving him insane power, reflexes, and speed.
In fact, Muichiro’s fighting talents have impressed some of the most powerful of the Twelve Kizuki, including Kokushibo, Upper Moon One, and Gyokku, Upper Moon Five, who Muichiro took down on his own, without any help.
3. Obanai Iguro
Obanai Iguro is the Snake/Serpent Hashira, recognizable by his white and black kimono and green and yellow eyes. Like Muichiro, Obanai possesses a Bright Red Nichirin Sword due to having the Demon Slayer Mark, which not all the Hashira have.
Obanai’s special breathing style is Serpent Breathing, which allows him to attack demons with lightning-fast, snake-like agility. In addition, he possesses enhanced strength, stamina, and endurance.
2. Sanemi Shinazugawa
Sanemi Shinazugawa is brash, outspoken, and unwelcoming, evident in his first appearance when the Hashira decide what to do with Tanjiro. He is recognizable by his bloodshot eyes and white spiky hair.
But Sanemi’s aggressive nature serves him well in combat. He is strong, fast, and powerful, with superhuman recovery abilities that help him survive the most fatal of wounds.
As the Wind Hashira, Sanemi’s breathing style, Wind Breathing, makes him a formidable opponent to fight, boasting mighty attacks infused with tornados, whirlwinds, and torrents of wind.
1. Gyomei Himejima
Gyomei Himejima, the Rock Hashira, is widely considered to be the most powerful Hashira, despite being blind. Gyomei uses solid brute force to overwhelm his enemies, wielding a weapon that has an axe and morning star on either side of a long chain.
Gyomei was a natural fighter from birth and has spent all his life honing his talents. Even Kokoshibo was intimidated by his power when he met Gyomei, and it’s safe to say that the Demon Slayer Corps are going to need him in their final fight against Muzan.
Conclusion
Despite our ranking, it does not have to be said that each Hashira is a force to be reckoned with. Not only has each Hashira undergone Final Selection, but proved themselves to be formidable opponents, even when pitted against the Twelve Kizuki (Twelve Demon Moons).
Still, the above Hashira remain far more powerful than all the other demon slayers that exist in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba!
We hope you enjoyed this list and learned more about the illustrious pillars along the way. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is far from done, so we can only look forward to seeing more of the Hashira in action and learning more about them as the story continues to unfold.