Demon Slayer: Every Member Of The Hashira, Ranked In Terms Of Intelligence

Demon Slayer has taken over the whole world by storm and has established itself as one of the biggest anime of all time. Tanjiro started as a fledgling Demon Slayer and is now poised for great heights. After his introduction to the renowned Hashira and the adventures he went on with these powerful figures, it’s easy to see why Demon Slayer‘s protagonist will reach great heights by the end of this series’ run.

The Hashira themselves are legendary in their own right, with each Hashira featuring a wide bevy of talents coupled with a sharp mind that lets them read situations in the blink of an eye. Of course, the intelligence of each Hashira varies, so some fans may be interested to see how the Hashira compare against each other from a purely intellectual perspective.

Updated on July 5, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Demon Slayer’s Hashira Training arc has drawn to a close, ending on a cliffhanger that sets the stage for the finale. Fans love Ufotable going all out to animate some of the best fights in recent history, with the Hashira reaching new levels of power and showing off just how effective their Breathing Style attacks really are. While these master swordsmen need a ton of strength to battle against their opponents, the inherent advantage demons have means that the Hashira also need to be as smart as they come, adapting to battles on the fly and utilizing strategies that can make up for the limitations of the human body.

13 Sanemi Shinazugawa

Has A Tendency To Think Before He Acts

Sanemi is one of the most headstrong individuals in Demon Slayer. He has a tendency to jump into the fray without tactically analyzing the situation first, putting him at an avoidable disadvantage at times. The way he aimed to kill Nezuko when he was introduced without even trying to understand her is a huge indication of how his intelligence may not be his strongest suit.

His strength makes up for his lack of tactical awareness, with his vast array of moves helping him weather early onslaughts before unleashing erratic counterattacks of his own. He’s a strong Hashira, albeit not the brightest of the lot.

12 Shinjuro Rengoku

A Short Temper And A Downfall For Grace Doesn’t Do Him Any Favors

The Rengoku family is full of fiery individuals who love to jump headfirst into battle. One such person who personifies this statement is Shinjuro Rengoku, the father of the deceased Kyojuro Rengoku. Emotional intelligence is just as important as other metrics that govern how smart someone is, and his immature reaction to his son’s death makes it clear that regularly hitting the booze has dulled his senses somewhat.

He is a pretty short-tempered person who hated the idea of his Flame Breathing technique being surpassed in power by a style that looks quite similar to it — Sun Breathing. However, underneath his hardened exterior is a pretty emotional man who eventually lamented the loss of his son.

11 Mitsuri Kanroji

Can Be A Bit Airheaded, Even If Her Combat Skills Are Excellent

Given that Mitsuri Kanroji is the Love Hashira, it would be easy to predict where her flaws lie. She is an intensely emotional person, whose critical thinking is bound to be affected by this inclination. The Swordsmith Village arc shows her lack of awareness at times, especially when she had no idea that she’d unconsciously awakened her Demon Slayer Mark.

That being said, Mitsuru is ruthless in combat and never fails to identify the enemy as a threat. However, her natural disposition does make her one of the more gullible characters in the show.

10 Kanae Kocho

Not A Lot Is Known About Shinobu’s Sister

• The Former Flower Hashira

The former Flower Hashira was a force to be reckoned with, if accounts are to be believed. It’s a shame that viewers never got to see the true extent of her power since she met her end at the hands of Doma before the events of Demon Slayer. It’s hard to gauge how smart this Hashira was since fans rarely get to see her character, but Shinobu’s intelligence can help people make an educated guess that this brainpower runs in the family.

However, given how she motivated Shinobu during her fight against her sister’s murderer, it’s easy to see that she was an inspiration to everyone around her. Not many people are capable of that, and this more than makes up for the supposed drawbacks of her intelligence.

9 Kyojuro Rengoku

Identified Akaza’s Threat And Used His Body To Prevent The Other Demon Slayers From Perishing

Kyojuro was easily one of the most charismatic and enjoyable characters on the show. It’s a shame that he never really got the time to really have his character explored, with his life coming to an end at the hand of Akaza.

Rengoku showed great will and determination during this battle, but his efforts ultimately ended with his demise. However, he still managed to protect those around him, even though it was at the cost of his own life. The situational awareness he had to gauge the danger of this Upper Rank Demon and how the sun was the only way to dispose of this threat makes it clear that Rengoku was pretty smart, and it’s a shame that his life ended before he could display more of his intelligence.

8 Muichiro Tokito

Relies More On Instinct But Is Pretty Intelligent Too

Muichiro doesn’t really give off a great first impression. Most people wouldn’t be faulted for writing him off as an airhead who doesn’t really pay attention to things around him — something that is akin to a death sentence in the savage world of Demon Slayer.

However, it doesn’t take long for Muichiro to show what he’s all about in battle. He’s definitely a force to be reckoned with, and he slowly grows into his own after regaining his memories and becoming more empathetic. The way he turned the tide against Gyokko and correctly gauged how his powers worked made it clear that his mind was sharp as ever in the face of danger.

7 Obanai Iguro

Cold, Cruel, And Calculating

Most people would expect the Serpent Hashira to be a smart and wily fighter who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Obanai Iguro certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard, with his cold and calculating personality adding further weight to his title.

Of course, Obanai can be too apathetic at times, which is also a problem. However, this is a minor gripe, since his intelligence in battle makes it clear that Obanai’s mind is as sharp as it should be. In a way, being emotionally detached helps him analyze a situation from an objective lens, which is imperative in a world where demons run amok and a single mistake can lead to one’s demise.

6 Gyomei Himejima

His Battle Focus Is Unparalleled

The Stone Hashira is one of the most powerful Hashira in Demon Slayer. However, this is not just due to physical prowess — Gyomei also boasts a sharp mind that stays focused in the heat of battle.

This mix of brains and brawn has helped him become one of the most valuable Hashira in the group. After all, his tactical awareness helped spot Muzan’s weakness, which was a headscratcher that most Demon Slayers were trying to figure out for the longest time.

5 Tengen Uzui

Displayed Immense Tactical Awareness During His Fight Against Daki And Gyutaro

After their expedition with the Flame Hashira, Tanjiro and Co. accompanied the Sound Hashira for another grueling adventure. During this arc, Tengen showed why he’s one of the sharpest Hashira in Demon Slayer.

The battles he participated in were absolutely brutal and took a ton out of him. However, he never gave up and maintained an unwavering focus throughout these encounters, with his keen tactical awareness being key to helping him figure out how to defeat both Daki and Gyutaro.

4 Jigoro Kuwajima

Smart Enough To Identify Zenitsu’s Potential, Which Is No Easy Feat

• The Former Thunder Hashira

It takes a smart Demon Slayer to master a particular technique. However, it takes a true genius to learn their respective Breathing Style so thoroughly that they can impart this wisdom down to other aspiring Demon Slayers as well.

For what it’s worth, Jigoro did make the fatal flaw of teaching the facets of Thunder Breathing to someone despicable like Kaigaku, who misused his teachings for his selfish gain. Thankfully, he also taught Zenitsu, who is an absolute prodigy and could only achieve this greatness under the guidance of an intelligent and patient sensei.

3 Shinobu Kocho

Lack Of Strength Means That Shinobu Must Be Tactical In Her Use Of Poison

Being the Insect Hashira is not an easy task in the slightest. Given the lack of physically powerful moves in this style, the user needs to rely on their brains and understand how to make the best of their potent yet risky techniques.

Poisoning someone is hard enough as is, but trying to poison them in the middle of battle is even harder. However, not only can Shinobu make these decisions in what feels like the blink of an eye, but she also manages to do this with what seems like little to no effort.

2 Giyu Tomioka

A Composed Fighter Who Can Read A Battlefield With Relative Ease

The Water Hashira is the first member of this elite group to make their appearance in Demon Slayer. From the very start, the manner in which he presents himself in the show makes it abundantly clear that he’s extremely sharp and calculating.

The most important thing about Giyu is that he’s almost always calm and never loses his cool. It takes a strong force to even unnerve him, and even then he wastes no time in calming himself and tactically analyzing the situation once again. Despite facing his fair share of adversities in the early going, Giyu grew into a wise person who is as perceptive as they come. From the very moment he’s introduced, the fact that he sees through Tanjiro’s deceptive strategy makes it clear that he never switches off.

1 Sakonji Urokodaki

His Intelligence Helped Tanjiro Become An Adept Water Breathing User Despite His Limitations

The former Water Hashira is known for teaching two of the most powerful demon slayers about the tricks of the trade — namely, Giyu Tomioka and Tanjiro Kamado. Given how talented both demon slayers are, it’s clear that there was a really powerful and intelligent teacher who molded them into such effective swordsmen.

Viewers can only wish that they could witness Sakonji’s greatness in his prime. Thankfully, his intellect has made up for the years that have caught up to him, and it was more than enough to safeguard the world against the massive threat of the demon slayers.