With its bright, colourful style and lovable characters, it’s no surprise that Koyoharu Gotouge’s Demon Slayer has become one of the best anime series of all time, with one of the best theme songs of all time, too. Let’s take a look at the top 10 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba series characters that helped to make the show so enjoyable.
1. Tanjiro Kamado
Who is he? The most important of all Demon Slayer characters, Tanjiro Kamado, is the main protagonist in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaibo and is a young man with unwavering determination. He was a coal burner like the rest of his family, but after Muzan Kibutsuji slaughtered everyone but his younger sister, he joined the Demon Slayer Corps and swore that he would defeat Muzan so that no one would have to suffer the same fate as him and Nezuko. While on his quest to hunt down Muzan, as well as other violent and malicious demons, Tanjiro is also searching for a cure that will transform his sister back into her human self.
What we like about him: Most of the time, Tanjiro is a very sweet, compassionate, understanding and beloved character (not dissimilar to many other anime protagonists) who will make sure to do everything he can so that he succeeds in his quests and is extremely protective over his sister and others he cares for, one of many traits that places him amongst the strongest characters and most popular characters of the main cast.
He also prides himself on his honesty, so it is very difficult for him to lie without his face immediately giving it away. While he does have compassion for people and is able to empathize with even demons, he has very little patience for those who turn out to be rude and cowardice and is shown to have a deep simmering rage that comes out as cold and sharp violence when he is fighting mercilessly against his enemies.
What are his powers? When fighting demons, Tanjiro uses his genius intellect and enhanced sense to analyze his enemy and their fighting style before taking them out with his incredible speed and the many different techniques used with his Breathing Style. He is also one of few characters in the world of Demon Slayer who often uses a sword (or multiple) and is a skilled swordsman and fighter with great physical strength and combat skills.
At first, he used Water Breathing because it was what was first taught to him, but due to the intense strain it put on his body, he switched to Hinokami Kagura, a fire-based Breathing Style that he remembered during the heat of battle and that his father once taught him. It ended up being much better suited to him. After learning all the techniques in Hinokami Kagura, he realized that the way he fought with it had a number of unnecessary movements. He adjusted his techniques and, in the process, awakened Sun Breathing, a legendary Breathing Style that he doesn’t use very often.
Voice actors: His original voice is by Japanese voice actor Natsuki Hanae, and his dubbed English voice is by American voice actor Zach Aguilar.
2. Nezuko Kamado
Who is she? Nezuko is the younger sister of Tanjiro Kamado, who was turned into a demon by Muzan Kibutsiji after he slaughtered her family. Before she became a demon, she had a very similar personality to her older brother Tanjiro in that she was extremely kind and caring, always putting the needs of others before her own and taking incredibly good care of her younger siblings. Her transformation left her unable to recall memories from her human life, and while this changed her personality slightly, she still retained a lot of her previous traits.
What we like about her: The Demon Slayer character became fiercely protective of the people she cared about. Despite seeming mostly detached from her human emotions, she was still able to experience occasional bouts of sadness and happiness. Tanjiro’s younger sister has a calm demeanour, significantly more so than many demons, and shows a level of restraint and willpower against the consumption of human blood that was previously unseen. Nezuko shows no fear when fighting and doesn’t hesitate to put herself in harm’s way to protect others. This fearlessness and willpower stay with her even after she is transformed back into a human.
She is a character that speaks very little throughout the entire series, which is mostly attributed to the bamboo muzzle she wears to hide her fangs and restrict her if she ever does happen to lose control.
What are her powers? Despite her young age, Nezuko is an incredibly powerful demon who is able to survive without consuming human blood and can eventually walk in the sun (something which is impossible for other demons to do and gains her the name “The Chosen Demon”). She uses her own form of Demon Blood Art (in her case, a pyrokinetic ability which allows her to produce demonic pink flames through thin air and the ignition of her blood) against her enemies. She has regenerative capabilities that match that of an Upper-Rank demon. She also has incredible control over her blood and is able to manipulate it in such a way that she can reattach previously severed limbs.
Voice actors: Her original voice is performed by Japanese voice actress Akari Kito, and her English-dubbed version is performed by voice actress Abby Trott.
3. Zenitsu Agatsuma
Who is he? Zenitsu is one of the main characters and a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. He started out as a travelling companion of Tanjiro and Nezuko and later became their friend. He is a bit of a coward who doesn’t believe in himself despite his enhanced abilities and often claims that he’d prefer to live a normal life.
While he does have a mild womanizing nature, it is occasionally overrun by his open affection for Nezuko (he’s constantly rushing to protect her, often becoming more aggressive when she is in danger) and his moments of respect for women.
What we like about him: Over the course of the show, Zenitsu slowly grows out of his cowardly tendencies and begins to mature, especially in moments of anger. This often surprises people who knew him before.
What are his powers? Zenitsu used the Breathing Style Thunder Breathing, which he learned from Jigoro Kuwajima, but was unable to master any more than the first six forms. This didn’t stop him from making his own modifications to the style and even using different techniques while he was unconscious, which he was able to do thanks to his enhanced hearing.
Voice actors: Japanese voice actor Hiro Shimono performs his original voice, and the English dubbed version of his voice is performed by voice actor Aleks Le.
4. Inosuke Hashibira
Who is he? Inosuke is another of the main Demon Slayer characters. Alongside Zenitsu, he was a travelling companion and later a friend of Tanjiro and Nezuko. He is a Demon Slayer of the Demon Slayer Corps and is most notable for the hollowed-out boar head he wears as a mask, which he wears to honour his adoptive boar mother.
What we like about him: He is extremely short-tempered (a major contrast to Tanjiro and probably a result of his upbringing) and always looking for a fight. He often overestimates his abilities and gets himself into trouble. He doesn’t always understand human interactions and can be unintentionally rude to people, but he is fiercely loyal and protective of those he cares about.
What are his powers? Inosuke uses Beast Breathing, his own Breathing technique similar to Wind Breathing, which he developed through his instinct and upbringing. His fighting techniques make him an unpredictable and formidable opponent in battle, and his enhanced flexibility and speed give him a major advantage in many of his fights.
Voice actors: His original voice is by Japanese voice actor Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, and voice actor Bryce Papenbrook performed the English dubbed version.
5. Giyu Tomioka
Who is he? Giyu is a Demon Slayer who found and recruited Tanjiro and let Nezuko live despite her demon nature. He has a very strong sense of justice and a rather reserved personality, often seen with a stoic expression on his face.
What we like about him: Despite how he holds himself, he actually cares very deeply for those he is closest to, going so far as to wear mementoes of his fallen friends.
What are his powers? He is the Water Hashira (one of the highest-ranking combatants in the Demon Slayer Corps who trains other fellow Demon Slayers so that they will stand a chance against the demons they fight) and suffers from intense survivor’s guilt.
Voice actors: His original voice is performed by the Japanese voice actor Takahiro Sakurai and the English dubbed version of his character in Demon Slayer is performed by voice actor Johnny Yong Bosch.
6. Kyōjurō Rengoku
Who is he? Kyōjurō was a vastly talented Demon slayer who took on the position of Flame Hashira after surpassing his father’s skill by undergoing strict, intensive training and reading the guidebook on Flame Breathing. He was such a skilled warrior that even the demons he fought admired his abilities, and one, Akaza, even offered to turn him into a demon so he could go further than his human limits would allow.
What we like about him: He was an enthusiastic and loud individual with a strong moral code. His mother instilled in him from a very young age that the strong are born strong so that they can protect the weak. He cared deeply for his family, especially his younger brother Senjuro, whom he encouraged to follow his dreams no matter what, up until the day he died.
Despite his overwhelming optimism, this Demon Slayer character did have moments when he felt that there was a chance that the people he trained and believed in would die.
What are his powers? Kyōjurō was very logical when in battle and, thanks to his incredible speed and reflexes, always acted against his enemies in a quick and precise manner that would take them down as fast as possible. He was also very good at picking up on the talent of others.
Voice actors: Japanese voice actor Satoshi Hino performs his original voice, and an English-dubbed version of his character is performed by Mark Whitten.
7. Shinobu Kocho
Who is she? Shinobu Kocho is a major supporting character in both the manga series and the anime television adaptation. Kocho also has an interesting family tree within the series, as she is the younger sister of Kanae Kocho biologically and the older sister of Kanao Tsuyuri adoptively. Tsuyuri is also known as Master Kanao, and she is one of the doctors and support characters as well.
What we like about her: Kocho was a sweet soul who wished that humans and demons could live in peace, sometimes befriending some of her enemies until demons killed her older sister.
What are her powers? She serves as the Insect Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps and is a very skilled teacher in her field, including specialization in poison attacks.
Voice actors: Her original voice is performed by voice actress Saori Hayami, and the English dubbed version of her is performed by voice actress Erika Harlacher.
8. Muzan Kibutsuji
Who is he? Muzan is the King of the Demons who slaughtered the entire Kamado family and turned Nezuko into a demon and is one of the main antagonists of the anime. He is ruthless and shows no care for anyone, mercilessly killing his subordinates when they disappoint him. The only time he has ever shown emotion in the anime is when his vision of perfection moves forward or when the demons under him submit completely to his will.
What we like about him: For all his power and the belief that he is an almost perfect being, Muzan is incredibly cowardly, often running away when Demon Slayers arrive or manipulating his many subordinates into doing his dirty work for him.
What are his powers? In combat, Muzan’s attacks are extremely fast and completely unpredictable, and most Demon Slayers are unable to keep up with him, getting sliced to pieces in their attempts to put an end to him. He morphs and changes his appearance, growing spikey whip-like limbs of various lengths, some of which have mouths on them that he can use to inhale his opponents and slash them to pieces with his incredibly sharp teeth.
He is also able to create demons when they consume his blood, as well as enhance the abilities of pre-existing demons; however, this is usually limited by their ability to assimilate with Muzan’s blood. He has also been known to transfer his memories and consciousness through his blood into a suitable host when on the verge of death.
Voice actors: Japanese voice actor Toshihiko Seki performs Muzan’s original voice, and Greg Chun performs the English dubbed version of his character in Demon Slayer.
9. The Twelve Kizuki
Who are they? The Twelve Kizuki, also known as the Demon Moons, is an organisation of the 12 most powerful demons in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and are all under the command of the Demon King himself, with the upper moon ranks making the higher ranks.
They are divided into the Upper Ranks (the more powerful demons of the group who have killed numerous Demon Slayers and Hashira over the years) and the Lower Ranks (the less powerful demons in the group, many of whom have easily been killed by the Hashira). While the Lower Ranks are constantly being replaced, no one has been able to take out a member of the Upper Ranks for over a century.
They were tasked with destroying the Demon Slayer Corps, specifically the Ubuyashiki Family, who ran the entire operation and finding the Blue Spider Lily (which was used to create the medicine that made Muzan a demon).
What are their powers? Each of them brings their own unique abilities to the table, which are further enhanced by Muzan’s blood.
Who are your favourite Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba characters? Also, check out our list of 20 best white-haired anime characters or 25 best anime moments of all time.
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