Top 30 Biggest Flexes in Demon Slayer

#30: Doma’s Dominance

We know Upper Ranks are supposed to be tough, but so are Hashira! Despite that, Doma barely has to get serious to deal with Shinobu. Credit where it’s due, the Insect Hashira tried all sorts of swift techniques and toxic poisons. But, at the end of the day, it was all she could do to keep her head above water. Once Doma decided he was done playing with his food, she was as good as dead. What hurts the most isn’t that Shinobu fell so easily, but that she couldn’t even wipe that creepy smile off of Doma’s face before she went.

#29: Sleepless in Mugen Train

Say what you will about the prodigal slayer, but he’s sure got guts. Trapped in a nightmarish dreamscape that threatens to claim both him and his friends’ lives, Tanjiro realizes he has to stay awake, at all costs. So, he takes matters into his own hands, and starts using his blade. Again, and again, and again. It’s a harrowing sequence that shows, even if he doesn’t have the most raw power, Tanjiro always wins when it comes to willpower. There’s no demon technique capable of stopping him when he’s got his mind set, that much is for sure.

#28: Boom, Boom, Thunderclap

When Zenitsu locks in, no one can compete with the sheer aura. Not even his former colleague and rival. Kaigaku doesn’t make it easy, having become a ruthless demon. But, that only set Zenitsu off, allowing the slayer to finally rouse his courage and fight his issues head on. How does he do it? With a little technique called Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: God of Fire Thunder. Kaigaku’s head hits the floor before he can even grimace in pain. It’s quick, effective, and flashy as well. Here’s hoping we see more of this Zenitsu going forward!

#27: Giyu Shows What Slayers Are Made Of

Remember how we said no one rivals Tanjiro in willpower? Well, as true as that may be, it doesn’t always work out for the best. When he first runs into the Slayer Corp’s own Water Hashira, Giyu makes extremely quick work of the bumbling hero. It’s not too surprising. After all, this is Tanjiro before he had a day of training, trying to outmaneuver a Hashira, and with nothing more than a branch and some spunk. And with nothing more than a hatchet and some spunk. Giyu emphasizes the massive gap in their power with a few blows, establishing just how strong a top-tier slayer can be.

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#26: Ultra Instinct Tanjiro

Akaza may be all-powerful, but not even he can keep up with a slayer at the very top of their game. At least, not this kind. During the corps’ darkest moment, Tanjiro goes further beyond and unlocks a state of ultimate movement that defies description. He becomes fully conscious of every single one of his senses, all the way down the microscopic level, turning the fight with Akaza into a frenzied tornado. Even though he doesn’t get the finishing blow, we have to give Tanjiro major props for pushing the unbeatable demon into a corner.

#25: Akaza Shatters Dead Calm

Giyu Tomioka has a bit of a reputation as being the calm, cool, and collected pinnacle of the Demon Slayer Corp. So, when Akaza broke through one of his trademark techniques, it raised more than a few eyebrows. Giyu’s offense revolves around his Dead Calm counter, which is supposed to be a foolproof shield against enemy attacks. Akaza disagrees though, and pushes through Giyu’s ultimate defense like it’s butter. Giyu’s stunned reaction says it all. If Akaza can demolish a Hashira’s shield, move fast as lightning, and hit hard, how in the world are they supposed to beat him?

#24: You Get a Head & You Get a Head!

Villain transformations are nothing new in anime, but at a certain point, it just feels unfair. Hantengu is originally dispatched pretty fast, courtesy of Muichiro, Tanjiro, and Nezuko. But, instead of disintegrating, he multiplies! Thankfully, Genya shows up and they fend off the clones… only for them to split once again. Every time they think they’ve put one down, it multiplies again, showcasing just how utterly outclassed the human slayers really are. After all, their heads don't grow back! Hantengu may be an emotional wreck, but clearly, he still knows how to show who’s boss.

#23: Akaza Keeps His Head

When they say you should try to keep your head on straight, something tells us they don’t mean literally. We shouldn’t expect anything less from Akaza though! After dragging Tanjiro and Giyu through hell and back, it seems like his reign has finally ended when his throat meets a blade. Just kidding! In a jaw-dropping turn of events, he stubbornly hangs onto life by holding his decapitated head on. When that fails, he somehow continues fighting without a crown at all! We already knew Akaza was tough as nails, but this is just next level.

#22: Gyokko, The Sushi Roll

They don’t call him the mist Hashira for nothing. Even when he’s going through a bit of an identity crisis, Muichiro still knows how to bring the heat. Especially when he’s squaring off against fishy demons! Gyokko’s arrogant monologues made Muichiro’s reversal oh-so satisfying. The way he slipped through the mist is nothing short of epic, and that final, subdued slice? It’s so cool, it makes us wish the fight could have lasted just a little bit longer. But that’s not Muichiro’s style. He faded in, aura farmed all over the place, and promptly returned to normal.

#21: Daki Struts Her Stuff

During the Entertainment District Arc, Tanjiro did what he does best and ran head-first into the Upper Rank Demon, Daki. He put up a pretty good fight, too, until she decided to finally get serious. Yeah, that entire brawl was just a warm-up to her! Once she was done playing around, Daki absorbed all her obi sashes from across the landscape, and powered-up to a whole new level. Poor Tanjiro nearly died against her base form! If the blow to morale didn’t take him out, Daki’s new and improved powers definitely would have. Thankfully, Nezuko had some things to say about that, but it doesn’t take away from this incredibly imposing transformation.

#20: Rengoku’s Train-Track Dash

Have you ever stopped to wonder what a runaway train is actually running away from? Well, apparently, the answer is Kyōjurō Rengoku! The Flame Hashira realizes his target is down the tracks, so he starts running. Then, he picks up speed, and then a little more, and then even more, until he vanishes in a burst of actual fire. Imagine being a demon, feeling nice and cozy inside your speeding train, only to look outside and see a slayer keeping up with you on foot. All we have to say is that someone needs to get Rengoku on a track team, ASAP!

#19: Tanjiro & His Thick Head

Demon or Hashira, it doesn’t matter who you are. If you threaten Nezuko, Tanjiro will tear you down with two hands tied behind his back. That’s not a figure of speech! Beaten, bound, and presented before a jury of Hashira, Tanjiro is helpless as Wind Slayer Sanemi begins torturing poor Nezuko. So, he uses his head. Literally. He charges forward, leaps over a sword slash, and then headbutts one of the highest ranking warriors in the entire Demon Slayer Corp! We don’t know if it’s bold or stupid, but either way, it definitely left an impression.

#18: Muzan Comes Knocking

As the original demon and main antagonist of the series, Muzan practically oozes authority everywhere he goes. But, it’s really put on display when he pays Ubuyashiki’s home a visit. The angles. The atmosphere. The glint of mischief in his eyes. Muzan’s making a whole show of it, and even though he’s a sadistic villain with no redeeming qualities, we have to admit: he looks pretty damn cool! In case you need reminding, he’s literally strolling into the front door of his sworn enemy. A sworn enemy who is also surrounded by an elite team of warriors trained specifically to kill him. Not that Muzan seems to care one bit.

#17: Flexible Inosuke

Always one for dramatics, Inosuke wasn’t content introducing himself with a fight. No, he also had to rub his superiority right in Tanjiro’s face. How? With flexibility, of course! Right as Tanjiro’s recomposing himself, Inosuke leans back… and back… and back, until his head is literally poking out between his legs. No, there’s no practical reason for this. He could’ve at least passed it off as some sort of excessive dodge or eclectic technique. But, that’s not his style. In the end, it’s purely just Inosuke showing off. We’d hold it against him, but truthfully, it is really impressive.

#16: The Bane of Boulders

Man, what is it with Tanjiro and boulders? It’s on sight with those two! Way back in the day, the Slayer wannabe had to slice through one to prove he was up to taking the entrance exam. It took a lot of work, but thanks to some pointers from Sabito and Makomo, Tanjiro turned the stone into sliced bread. Later, in yet another training arc, Tanjiro faced a boulder again - this one, from Stone Hashira Gyomei himself. While pushing it across the finish line took a lot of muscle mass, Tanjiro focused on his family, and did it with aplomb. So much for being tough as a rock!

#15: Muichiro Makes Sushi

Just because someone makes swords doesn’t mean they know how to use them. Just look at Kotetsu! The sniveling kid is a free meal for the fish-demon. In fact, it’s such a done deal, Muichiro even wonders whether it’s worth trying to save him at all. Of course, the Mist Hashira makes the right call. And we’re thankful for it, because it gave us one of the coolest slashes in the franchise. Also, one of the shortest. With a single, breathtaking swing of his sword, Muichiro turns the demon into fish-sticks. There’s no doubt why he’s a Hashira after something like that!

#14: Daki Slaps Zenitsu Senseless

Ah, Zenitsu. Normally the spineless scaredy cat of the Slayer Corp, he mans up enough to save a young girl from Daki’s wrath. As payment, he gets a nice slap across the face - and, for the record, it’s not the kind he’d like. Daki is still maintaining appearances here, but with one flick of her hand, she sends poor Zenitsu all the way to dreamland. Evidently; to her, Zenitsu isn’t even worth a fight. If Daki had decided to get serious, odds are, there wouldn’t have been any of Zenitsu left to save at all.

#13: Muzan Drops Everyone Into Infinity Castle

Ubuyashiki’s gambit was brilliant! He rigged his house with explosives, enlisted a demon friend, and lured Muzan right into the greatest trap in Slayer history. In the aftermath, the Hashira finally unite, ready to use their combined force to bring Muzan down for good. They charge in, blades ready, about to deal the final strike, when - Muzan smirks. And just like that, every Slayer across the mountain is simultaneously dropped right into Infinity Castle. AKA, Muzan’s domain. Even when surrounded by humanity’s best slayers, the progenitor of demonkind still finds a way to come out on top. Worst of all, he does it all with a smile, too.

#12: Tengen’s Flashy Decapitation

Remember how we said Zenitsu wasn’t even worth a fight to Daki? Well, Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui is a different story. Don’t get excited though - this barely qualifies as a fight. After all, Daki doesn’t even realize the match has begun until her head plops over into her arms. For perspective, this is the same demon who one-shotted Zenitsu, ruled over a district for generations, and nearly put Tanjiro into an early grave. What we’re saying is that Daki is no pushover. So, even for a Hashira, this is one flashy finish we won’t be forgetting any time soon.

#11: Mitsuri Makes Her Entrance

Hashira have a thing for dramatic, last-minute saves, and Mitsuri Kanroji is no exception. Right as Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya are about to be crushed by Hantengu’s wooden dragons, the Love Hashira dives into action! With her heart on her sleeve and a whip-sword in hand, she grinds Hantengu into woodchips before our very eyes. This being “Demon Slayer,” it’s all conveyed with brilliant animation, rocking music, and all the dazzling swordplay you could ever want. After all, it’s as they say: love is a battlefield! And, clearly, this is one fight Mitsuri will be winning with style.

#10: Muzan’s Main Street Murder

Most demons are loud and proud about their death tally. But, then again, Muzan Kibutsuji isn’t “most demons.” As the original monster, Muzan doesn’t concern himself with the small fry like Tanjiro. Instead, when he comes face to face with the slayer in the middle of a busy street, Muzan simply slashes his throat. It happens in the blink of an eye, and before anyone can notice, Muzan has already slipped away. Killing a bystander isn’t anything new, but doing it in the middle of a packed street without getting caught is something else entirely. If this is what Muzan can do undercover, there’s no telling what’ll happen when he gets serious.

#9: Bugging Out

Shinobu may look friendly, but trust us, she’s a Hashira for a reason. Case in point; her friendship with the conniving Spider Sister begins and ends in the span of a single sword slash. Of course, Shinobu’s no monster. She gives the demon plenty of options for penance. Like, say, gouging out her eyes, or losing some of her organs. She chooses the hard way though, so Shinobu has no choice but to bring out the butterflies. Spoiler - they aren’t as harmless as they seem. The poor Spider Sister never stood a chance against this poison. Clearly, when Shinobu says she wants to be friends, it’s best to start running the other way.

#8: Organ-ic Victory

A few stab wounds won’t keep this boar down. Although, we can see why Daki was confused. Gyutaro’s attacks would have sliced any other Slayer into finger food. But, Inosuke has a trick up his sleeve; he can literally rearrange his organs at will. Including his heart. The battle implications are insane. Unless you mince him into dust, Inosuke can almost never be fatally wounded. We’d say Daki and Gyutaro won’t make that mistake again, but based on how Inosuke cleaned up this fight, we’d wager they won’t be doing much of anything at all, anymore.

#7: An Emotional Final Form

Sniveling wimp or not, there’s a good reason to be scared of Hantengu - four, to be precise. When the going gets tough, he splits off into a squad of demons each representing the emotions of Joy, Sorrow, Anger, and Pleasure. Together, they smacked around Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Genya like nobody’s business. But, with their main body at risk, they decided to up the ante and show off their real strength. Also known as Zohakuten. While Hantengu was in danger, Zohakuten’s arrival felt like overkill. Based on how quickly he thrashed the main cast, Hantengu’s original emotions could have probably handled this on their own. Evidently, restraint isn’t one of his virtues.

#6: Muzan’s Not Mad, He’s Just Disappointed

Shortly after slaying the Flame Hashira in cold blood, Upper Rank demon Akaza was probably feeling mighty full of himself. However, Muzan wasn’t impressed with his subordinate’s cockiness, especially once he learned Akaza failed to kill the other three slayers at the scene. So, like any good father figure, Muzan doled out some tough love. All you need to know is that Akaza’s smirk vanishes in record time. Keep in mind, he still murdered a Hashira, and that’s no small feat. But, despite it all, Muzan doesn’t pass up the opportunity to assert dominance. It’s a good thing Akaza beat Rengoku at all, else he might not have walked away from this check-in.

#5: A Swordsmith’s Duty

Not even Kizuki can get between a swordsmith and their work. During Gyokko’s attack on the blacksmith village, Haganezuka decides he’s going to finish crafting his sword, and nothing, demon or otherwise, will stand in his way. Gyokko doesn’t make it easy on him. But, Haganezuka doesn’t so much as turn around, even when the demon starts lashing his back. Haganezuka doesn't stop when his mask gets blown off, when he’s hit in the eye, or as the entire building explodes around him. Now that’s some dedicated workmanship - not to mention a smack in the face to Gyokko’s so-called strength.

#4: Demons on Demons on Demons

Upper Ranks just don’t know how to leave well enough alone, do they? And, to think, it all started with Doma putting a hand on his allies shoulder. He failed to realize that Akaza doesn't like to be touched. When Doma doesn’t back down, he finds himself without a jaw. Not that he seems too bothered by it. Although, if we could regenerate as fast as him, we wouldn’t mind, either. Later, Akaza tries again by taking Doma’s whole head. But, all it does is lose Akaza his hand and his pride, courtesy of an appearance by Upper One, Kokushibo. Moral of the story; don’t tick off a demon.

#3: Nezuko Goes Full Blast

Demons, everywhere, be warned: If you mess with Tanjiro, you have Nezuko to speak to. Daki pushed her luck too far, and Tanjiro’s sister positively snapped. We’re talking growing a full horn, biting off her muzzle, and developing a sick new kind of bloodlust. On the bright side, Nezuko used the power to kick the absolute crap out of Daki. Considering the Upper Rank had just swept the floor with the Slayers, Nezuko’s one-sided beatdown is a true, blood-stained sight to behold. The message was loud and clear; there’s only one demon who’s king of the Entertainment District, and her name is Nezuko.

#2: The Water Hashira In Action

In a hard-fought struggle for their very lives, Tanjiro and Nezuko had to give everything they had just to stay standing against Rui. And then, after all that, Giyu swoops in and slashes the demon’s neck in one, clean slice. Just like that. We’d say it’s unnecessary, but this is the same Hashira who sliced the Spider Father to bits without so much as a blink. One-shots are just Giyu’s thing. What’s more, he doesn’t even look all that impressed with himself. It’s one thing to slay a Kizuki in one strike, but another entirely to do it with a straight face. It makes you wonder, what does impress Giyu anymore?

#1: Infinity Castle Massacre

Muzan doesn’t take failure well, especially by his Twelve Kizuki. So, when they keep routinely failing him, he makes the completely rational and level-headed choice to clean house. To sum it up, Infinity Castle becomes a bloodbath. The Lower Moons? Gone. Every single one is left on the cutting room floor. These are supposed to be the best of the best, and Muzan takes them all out within minutes. As if to prove their ruler’s might, some of the Lower Moons don’t even put up a fight. For example, Enmu, who knows resisting Muzan is pointless. With that kind of reputation, it’s no wonder Muzan reigns supreme.

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