Demon Slayer

Demon Slayers (鬼狩り, Oni kari^?) are members of the Demon Slayer Corps whose main job is to hunt and slay demons.

Overview[]

Joining[]

In order to become a Demon Slayer, an individual must pass Final Selection, a test used as an entrance exam to join the Demon Slayer Corps. During this selection, examinees must survive for seven days on the mountain top of Mount Fujikasane, a perilous domain infested with demons. The examinees must rely solely on the skills they have developed in training. The majority of candidates participating in the Final Selection have undergone extensive training under the guidance of a cultivator of a Breathing Style. Only when these candidates have reached a satisfactory level of skill and competence, are they entrusted by their Cultivator to partake in the selection. However, there is one exceptional case of a Demon Slayer who entered on their own volition without previous training.

Candidates who complete the Final Selection are issued the standard uniform, as well as being given the opportunity to choose the ore for their Nichirin Sword, which is designed to eliminate demons efficiently. Each new Demon Slayer is also assigned a rare species of talking bird known as the Kasugai Crows for communication purposes.

Salary[]

Mizunoto are roughly paid around 20,000 yen^[2] whereas Hashira are paid as much as they want.^[2]

Ranks[]

Members of the Demon Slayer Corps are separated into ten different ranks. From lowest rank to highest, these ranks are:^[3]

Mizunoto → Mizunoe → Kanoto → Kanoe → Tsuchinoto → Tsuchinoe → Hinoto → Hinoe → Kinoto → Kinoe 　癸 (みずのと) 　 →　 壬 (みずのえ) 　 →　 辛 (かのと) 　→　 庚 (かのえ) 　 →　己 (つちのと) 　→　 戊 (つちのえ) 　 →　 丁 (ひのと) 　 →　 丙 (ひのえ) 　 →　乙 (きのと) →　甲 (きのえ)

Once a Demon Slayer successfully passes the Final Selection and becomes an official member of the Corps, they are initially classified as Mizunoto, the lowest rank within the organization.^[3] By undertaking various missions and proving their skills and dedication, they can ascend the ranks and ultimately rise to the highest Demon Slayer position, known as Kinoe.

During the onboarding following the Final Selection, each swordsman has their rank inscribed on Mount Fujikasane, an area adorned with Wisteria flowers. The engraving takes place through a technology called "Wisteria Engraving" and may cause an itchy or tickling sensation on the swordsman's hand. As the swordsman progresses in their Demon Slayer career, they have a means to check their current rank. By uttering a password and clenching their fist, the symbol of their rank will swell up on the back of their hand as the muscles expand.^[4] It is worth noting that for the Hashira, instead of the rank symbol, their distinguished title is revealed, reflecting their elevated status within the Corps.^[2]

Hashira[]

Within the Demon Slayer Corps, there is a group of elites known as the Hashira. This group consists of the most powerful combatants in the organization.

The Hashira, revered for their great strength, are the most highly ranked members of the Corps, second only to the leader of the organization.

In order to become eligible to join the Hashira, a Demon Slayer must either successfully kill 50 demons or a member of the Twelve Kizuki as a Kinoe.^[5]

Once a Demon Slayer manages to join the Hashira, the words Destroyer of Demons (惡 (あっ) 鬼 (き) 滅 (めっ) 殺 (さつ) , Akki Messatsu^?) will be engraved on their blade, symbolizing their rank.

Tsuguko[]

A Tsuguko is a very talented Demon Slayer that has been designated as the successor to one of the Hashira, should that Hashira retire or die. In order to become a Tsuguko, a Demon Slayer can either apply and get accepted, or get scouted by one of the current Hashira.

Abilities & Techniques[]

Total Concentration Breathing[]

Main article: Total Concentration Breathing

Breathing Styles[]

Main article: Breathing Styles

Sensory Abilities[]

Higher-level Demon Slayers have extremely keen senses, sometimes even bordering on extrasensory perception. Some Demon Slayers have greatly innately enhanced sensory abilities, like the 5 main senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch and/or taste. They usually use this in combat or incorporate it into their Breathing Styles.

Sense of	No.	Known Users
Hearing	3	Zenitsu Agatsuma, Gyomei Himejima, Tengen Uzui
Smell	2	Tanjiro Kamado, Sakonji Urokodaki
Touch	1	Inosuke Hashibira
Sight	1	Kanao Tsuyuri
Taste	1	Genya Shinazugawa

Extrasensory Perception[]

Main article: Extrasensory Perception

Demon Slayer Mark[]

Main article: Demon Slayer Mark

Repetitive Action[]

Main article: Repetitive Action

Equipment[]

Uniform[]

A Demon Slayer wears a uniform that is highly durable and light-weight, they are also water-resistant and non-flammable. The uniform cannot be easily damaged by the claws and fangs of demons, with the exception of the Twelve Kizuki demons.^[6][7] They sport their uniforms with a white belt and hakama pants, also wearing a white long-sleeved collared shirt under the uniform.

The Demon Slayer uniform appears remarkably similar to a Gakuran uniform, consisting of a buttoned shirt with a white framed collar having the kanji for Destroy (滅 (めつ) , Metsu^?) engraved on the back, a shirt pocket on top of the left breast and white undershirt. It also consists of long, saggy tattsuke-hakama pants strapped by a white buckled belt that can be optionally tucked in with any kind of Kyahan that extends into tabi socks.

The uniform buttons of the Hashira are gold-colored, whereas lower-ranked Demon Slayers have silver buttons on their uniform.

Nichirin Sword[]

Nichirin Swords are special blades used by and made specifically for the Slayers to slay demons. They are forged from a unique ore that constantly absorbs sunlight, one of the only major weaknesses of demons. Therefore, decapitation by Nichirin Sword is one of the only ways a human can kill a demon, the other being the use of a Wisteria-poison coated weapon.^[8]

Nichirin Swords take on a distinct color when first drawn by its owner, which is why they are also referred to as "Color Changing Katanas".^[9] However, the holder is required to have a certain amount of skill, or the blade will not change color.

Kasugai Crows[]

Upon passing the entrance exam, each new Slayer is also assigned a Kasugai Crow. These crows posses the ability to speak in full sentences, though their speech is very loud and somewhat limited.

It is the job of these birds to deliver missions to their designated Demon Slayer.

Known Demon Slayers[]

Trivia[]

• Michikatsu Tsugikuni and Kaigaku are the only known Demon Slayers to have willingly defected to the demon's side by becoming one.
• While all Demon Slayers are assigned a Kasugai crow, Zenitsu was assigned a sparrow. The reason for this is unknown, but oddly enough, Zenitsu is still able to understand the sparrow and receive accurate messages and commands from it.
• Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Kanao and Genya's final rank in the series is only divulged in the second fanbook, the former three all rose up to Hinoe, the latter two rose up to Hinoto.
• The Ranks are named after the Ten Heavenly Stems.
• Demon Slayers during the Sengoku period and prior don traditional kimonos as part of their attire. However, with the advent of the Meiji era and the widespread adoption of Western clothing in Japan, it is likely that the style of the current Demon Slayer uniform was developed and implemented to align with the standardization of Western fashion trends.

References[]