All 14 Most Powerful Demon Slayer Breathing Styles

An anime already renowned for its genuinely breathtaking visuals, Demon Slayer’s Breathing Styles came to particularly brilliant life courtesy of Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga. They feature brilliant, esoteric fighting styles honed by its principal fighting force in the series, and if the box office numbers have anything to show for it, fans will come in droves to see these techniques on the big screen with no hesitation.

There are 14 Breathing Styles in Demon Slayer, with each of their users fittingly embodying their central motifs across the elements, nature, the cosmos, and even abstract notions like love. Given their varying uses in combat and corresponding raw power, the central characters must hone their abilities while bringing transformative potential to bring these Breathing Styles to their natural limits and beyond.

14

Insect Breathing: Created and Practiced by Shinobu Kocho

Insect Breathing is a unique style, derived from Flower Breathing, which is practiced only by Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho. Because Shinobu isn’t physically capable of decapitating most demons due to her size, this style relies heavily on poisons, mostly created from the wisteria that demons hate. Insect Breathing only has four known forms, limiting the options Shinobu has during battle.

Given how little time Shinobu is given in battle, her efficiency is mixed. The technique is mostly reduced to stabbing motions to inject poison within her opponents, diminishing her versatility by a significant margin. Her sheath allows her to mix potions in the midst of battle to increase their strength, but even the strongest still requires time to take effect.

13

Flower Breathing: Practiced by Kanae Kocho and Kanao Tsuyuri

Flowering Breathing doesn’t get nearly enough attention in Demon Slayer, despite having two users for the technique. Kanae Kocho, the former Flower Hashira and Shinobu’s older sister, passed away before the audience was ever allowed to see how she would have fought in battle. But it is believed that Kanae was still stronger than her sister when confronting demons.

Said to be derived from Water Breathing, Flower Breathing shares common traits with it. Out of the seven forms that are presumed to exist, only five are actually used in the manga. The style prides itself on its versatility and agility, requiring intense focus from its user that can often result in blindness, especially in the Seventh and Final Form.

12

Water Breathing: Practiced by Tanjiro Kamado, Giyu Tomioka, and Sakonji Urokodaki

Water Breathing is one of the five basic elemental styles, and is practiced by many characters in the series, most notably the Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka and Tanjiro himself. It’s considered the easiest style to learn, although “easy” is a very relative term. While it banks on its fluidity in battle, the same is required of its user.

Tanjiro showcases this best in battle, displaying a wide range of movements that he’s able to flip between, though it proves to be physically demanding. So while Water Breathing seems easy to pick up, it requires incredible discipline. Consisting of 10 known forms, plus a special one created by Tomioka, Water Breathing is indeed versatile, but the techniques lack power.

11

Beast Breathing: Created and Practiced by Inosuke Hashibira

Beast Breathing is a bizarre style that was invented by the boar-headed Inosuke Hashibira, and is a distant relative of Wind Breathing. It’s an unusual style in that Inosuke uses two Nichirin Swords, which most demon slayers don’t have access to, that he purposely damages in order to gain that serrated edge.

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It has 10 forms, but given that they’re all developed by Inosuke with minimal training, it’s arguable whether they formally count. Beast Breathing surprisingly does have some non-combat applications, most notably his seventh form, Spatial Awareness, which lets him sense movement even miles away. Beast Breathing is not a sophisticated style, but it does have raw power.

10

Love Breathing: Created and Practiced by Mitsuri Kanroji

Love Breathing is a style practiced exclusively by Demon Slayer’s Mitsuri Kanroji, and was created during one of her earlier battles that isn’t shown in the anime as an adaptation of Flame Breathing, which she was learning under Kanroji. Love Breathing has the look of an elegant, graceful dance, complete with lots of acrobatics.

It has six forms, with only five shown, with one defensive and four offensive techniques. This style is designed for someone with Mitsuri’s unnaturally strong body, and makes use of a whip-like sword, making it unlikely that anyone else could even learn it. Mitsuri fares pretty well in battle over most of the series, which helps showcase her style’s power.

9

Serpent Breathing: Created and Practiced by Obanai Iguro

Serpent Breathing is a style original to Obanai Iguro, descended from Water Breathing. The style is meant to copy the slithering and coiling movements of a snake. Serpent Breathing has five forms that are all offensive. The Fifth Form stands out as it’s capable of decapitating multiple demons with a single swipe.

Because Obanai’s techniques require that same demanding versatility as Water Breathing, his sword helps in adapting the movements that Serpent Breathing utilizes. His sword also has an unusual shape with a wavy shape that resembles a slithering snake that actually helps with the mobility and unpredictability of his attacks in a fight.

8

Thunder Breathing: Practiced by Zenitsu Agatsuma, Jigoro Kuwajima, and Kaigaku

Thunder Breathing is one of the basic elemental styles, practiced most notably by Zenitsu Agatsuma and his former fellow student, Kaigaku. This Breathing Style emulates the speed of a lightning strike, allowing for rapid movement. Zenitsu only knows one form, but there are actually at least six, plus an original one that Zenitsu created.

The sheer speed of Thunder Breathing is one of its biggest assets, and Zenitsu has proven it’s possible to push that speed to the limit, getting in a dozen or more attacks in one movement. It’s difficult to defend against, making it one of the more powerful styles.

7

Flame Breathing: Practiced by Kyojuro Rengoku, Shinjuro Rengoku, and Mitsuri Kanroji

Flame Breathing is another basic elemental style and is most notably practiced by the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. Flame Breathing involves emulating the flickering, burning nature of fire, and has at least nine forms, although only six are seen, and the ninth is allegedly exclusive to Kyojuro’s family.

As a style, Flame Breathing has some powerful attacks but doesn’t seem particularly versatile, with none of the forms having use outside of battle. The technique is given very little screentime in the anime; however, it is recorded that Rengoku was a powerful opponent against demons and was responsible for many kills in Demon Slayer.

6

Sound Breathing: Created and Practiced by Tengen Uzui

Having derived from Thunder Breathing, Sound Breathing is a style adapted by Tengen Uzui, who uses his techniques to disorient his opponents and create explosions that can buy him a few valuable seconds in a fight. Only three forms of Sound Breathing are known, with only one having defensive use, making it surprisingly well-rounded.

Unlike many of the other demon slayers, Tengen uses a large array of weaponry in addition to his Nichiirin Cleavers, like standard ninja weaponry and bombs that are capable of damaging demons. Although stouter than the standard blade, his sword is capable of some serious damage, proving effective against every opponent he’s faced.

5

Wind Breathing: Practiced by Sanemi Shinazugawa and Masachika Kumeno

Wind Breathing is another basic elemental style, with its main practitioner being the Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa. It uses swirling and rotating motions, like those of a cyclone, adding extra power and speed to attacks. It has nine forms, with the most offensive in nature, although at least one has defensive applications.

It’s a surprisingly aggressive style which is befitting of a battle-crazed slayer like Sanemi. Sound Breathing Style is designed around taking opponents out quickly, so it’s fantastically powerful when used by an expert.