In Demon Slayer, Hashiras are humanity’s last line of defense. Despite being the most skilled combatants, they are not infallible. In order to protect humanity and everything they treasure, the Hashiras have sacrificed themselves throughout the story of Demon Slayer.
Not all losses hit the same, and while some linger in the background like a bitter taste in the mouth, others feel like a punch to the gut. This article ranks the Hashira deaths in Demon Slayer from least to most heartbreaking. A total of eight Hashiras have been counted and ranked.
8. Kanae Kocho: Flower Hashira
Kanae is the older sister of Shinobu Kocho and was slain several years prior to the present story by Doma, the Upper Rank Two demon. However, just because Kanae died beforehand does not mean that her death holds no value in Demon Slayer. Both Kanae and Shinobu became Demon Slayers after a traumatic incident.
One day, when Kanae ran into Doma, she became fatally wounded and was forced to flee before he could devour her. As she took her last breaths in Shinobu’s arms, she tried to convince Shinobu to leave the Demon Slayer Corps to lead a normal life. Yet, Shinobu became dead set on avenging her, and Kanae became the motivation for Shinobu.
7. Jigoro Kuwajima: Rumble Hashira
Jigoro, formerly the Rumble Hashira, was the man who trained Zenitsu and Kaigaku. He was devoted to being a strong mentor and had an unwavering dedication to raising the next generation of Hashiras. Jigoro never gave up on Zenitsu, but when he found out that Kaigaku had betrayed the Demon Slayer Corps to become a demon and join the Twelve Kizuki, Jigoro could not resist the hurt.
The plot reveals that Jigoro had committed seppuku sometime before or during the Hashira Training arc after learning about Kaigaku’s defection. However, his death was slow and agonizing since no one could provide him with quick relief while he bled out.
6. Gyomei Himejima: Stone Hashira
Gyomei is the gentle giant in Demon Slayer. He might look intimidating, but he is sensitive and soft-spoken. He is the strongest amongst the Hashiras when it comes to physical prowess. During the Infinity Castle arc, Gyomei’s strength was a major tool for the Corps, and it even made Muzan desperate for a win during the battle’s finale.
However, like his peers, he is also heavily injured during the battle. He suffered heavy blood loss, fatigue, and was even missing limbs. He silently passed away in Demon Slayer, but the impact of his contributions will always remain.
5. Mitsuri Kanroji: Love Hashira
The Love Hashira won every Demon Slayer fan over with her emotional, passionate, and jovial personality. She is a kind and caring person, but also shows no mercy in the face of demons. During the Infinity Castle arc, Mitsuri and Obanai came across Nakime, the biwa player demon. They also fought against Muzan in the final battle.
However, Mitsuri was gravely injured even before the final battle, and afterwards, she succumbed to the excessive blood loss and fatal wounds. Her arms were ripped off, and she succumbed to her injuries in Obanai’s arms.
4. Obanai Iguro: Serpent Hashira
Obanai, the harsh demon slayer and Hashira, was infamous for his merciless personality, but he deeply cared about Mitsuri. He fought against Nakime along with Mitsuri and even helped Tanjiro defeat Muzan. However, like Mitsuri, he was also deeply wounded.
He passed away briefly after Mitsuri did. He swore to get married and have a better life with Mitsuri if they were granted another life. This emotional scene of the two quiet lovers’ deaths was heartbreaking to say the least. Thankfully, they did find another after they were reborn.
3. Muichiro Tokito: Mist Hashira
Muichiro dies during the Infinity Castle arc of Demon Slayer. In his final battle, he faces off against Kokushibo, the Upper Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki. It was a long and drawn-out battle during which Tokito fought with everything he had. However, he received a slow and painful death.
During the battle, Kokushibo slowly cut off his limbs. The demon even cut off the lower half of Muichiro’s body. By the time the Mist Hashira’s last limb is taken to, the Hashira’s lifeless body slumps to the ground.
2. Shinobu Kocho: Insect Hashira
Shinobu died battling the same demon who killed her sister. She came face-to-face with Doma inside the Infinity Castle, and both of them engaged in a fierce battle. Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that Shinobu’s poison would not work on the rapidly healing demon. She passes her knowledge of Doma’s abilities with her dying breaths, after which the demon crushed the Hashira’s spine and then absorbed her body into himself.
However, Shinobu had anticipated this for a long time and had been absorbing wisteria poison regularly for over a year. Thus, when Doma absorbed her, he also took on 37 kg worth of the poison, which is 700x the lethal dose. Shinobu had been preparing to sacrifice herself for an entire year, without anyone knowing about it, making her death an emotional one.
1. Kyojuro Rengoku: Flame Hashira
Rengoku’s is probably the most infamous Hashira death in the entire Demon Slayer franchise. He died during the Mugen Train arc, and his final sacrificial act has been enshrined in the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Mugen Train movie. The arc shows how selfless, strong-willed, and kind the Flame Hashira was. His entire existence was dedicated to seeking strength so that he could battle injustice and protect peace.
So, it doesn’t come as a surprise when he used Flame Breathing: Ninth Form and summoned the last of his strength to swing his sword at Akaza. After battling Enmu, Rengoku was already running low on strength, and his encounter with Akaza proved to be life-threatening. Rengoku’s final chat with Tanjiro will always be memorable and bring tears to the eyes of fans.
Here is a table consisting of all the Hashiras who have died in Demon Slayer, including the causes:
What do you think about the brave sacrifices of these Hashiras? Which death do you think was the most impactful? Let us know in the comments below.
Demon Slayer anime is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
