Ranking the Strongest & Weakest Demons in Demon Slayer (2024)

In a very short amount of time, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba became the shōnen medium's latest phenomenon. The anime adapts Koyoharu Gotouge's best-selling manga series and tells a passionate story about a budding demon slayer who wants to rescue his sister from a cursed fate. The narrative revolves mainly around Tanjiro, but numerous characters enter and leave the story at different points — including numerous demons.

Demon Slayer is exceptional for many reasons, and the hit feature film Mugen Train helped generate a dedicated fanbase, but it's the demons in the show that generate a lot of chatter. They're incredible creatures that truly put Tanjiro as well as the Hashira to the test, demonstrating just how ridiculously overpowered some of them are. As such, many fans are left wondering which of Demon Slayer's demons are among the series' strongest.

Updated on July 16, 2024, by Ajay Aravind: With the Hashira Training arc in full swing, Demon Slayer has never been more popular. This incredible anime has already accumulated universal praise and a franchise worth billions of dollars. Given the sheer importance of demonic characters in the story, we've updated this list with some more relevant information.

Where Did The Demons Come From?

Muzan Created Every Demon In Existence

The beginnings of Demon Slayer are rooted in the Heian era, a millennium in the past and long before the birth of any major character — except Muzan. The man who would later become the Demon King was initially human, a sick child constantly on the verge of death. At one point, an experimental doctor fed him a medical potion with the Blue Spider Lily as the major ingredient. Muzan was consequently transformed, obtaining exceptional powers in the process. Unfortunately, there was still the problem of the Sun's harmful rays.

Muzan continued to search for the Blue Spider Lily while attempting various experiments that would theoretically protect him from the deleterious effects of sunlight, but none of his plans worked. Muzan then decided to create demons using his own blood, hoping that he would eventually stumble across one who could survive under the Sun. Every demon in Demon Slayer exists because Muzan wants to excise his last remaining weakness. Now that Nezuko has become that special demon, Muzan already has his eyes set on her.

Strongest Demons In Demon Slayer

Tamayo Has Rejected The Violence Of Demonkind In Favor Of Pacifism

Despite her lack of combat experience, Tamayo is one of the most intelligent demons in Demon Slayer. Her Blood Demon Art incorporates a range of techniques, including Flesh Seeds, Visual Dream, Magical Aroma of Daylight, and Blood Bewitchment. Tamayo's knowledge about Demon Transformation is arguably on par with Muzan's, but she uses her research to help humans rather than hurt them.

Tamayo is best known for her accomplishments in medicine, creating a drug capable of counteracting Muzan's seemingly invulnerable physiology. This alone makes her worthy of being one of the strongest demons in the story. That said, she's probably the weakest of the powerful demons because Tamayo doesn't have a lot of combat expertise and her pacifist attitude would ensure that she's defeated in any serious battle.

Daki Holds The Upper Rank 6 Position Alongside Her Brother

Daki is the younger sister of Gyutaro and the holder of the Upper Rank 6 position alongside her brother. Her attacks are coordinated with her sibling's, and her true defeat can only happen once both she and Gyutaro are decapitated at the same time. Daki is still incredibly powerful on her own thanks to her deadly amorphous sashes. These sentient sashes have amazing versatility, but she's also blessed with other formidable Upper Demon powers, like regeneration.

Daki can also control the movements of her hair, exploiting her tresses for both offensive and defensive purposes. More interestingly, she's one of the very few characters capable of levitation, a power that might be related to her sashes. Daki lacks some of her brother's confidence, but she's a vicious force to be reckoned with. In fact, she's easily able to take on Tanjiro, Inosuke, Zenitsu, Nezuko, and Tengen Uzui.

Gyutaro's Blood Demon Art Is Bolstered By His Remarkable Regeneration

The Entertainment District Arc presents Tanjiro and company with more dangerous demons than ever before, and Gyutaro, who holds the Upper Rank Six position with Daki, is the arc's main villain. Gyutaro has taken out over 15 Hashira in the past and his Blood Demon Art initially overwhelms Tanjiro, Tengen, Inosuke, and Zenitsu's tag team attack.

Gyutaro is known for his Blood Manipulation, which means that he can use his own blood during combat. He mostly manifests a solid blood sickle, but he has also been seen protecting himself with a blood barrier. Gyutaro is also blessed with advanced regeneration abilities and the key to his death involves the neutralization of his sister. Both siblings are among the strongest Demon Slayer demons Tanjiro has ever faced, but Gyutaro is the mastermind of this joint operation.

Gyokko Is One Of The Most Disturbingly Cruel Demons In The Story

Gyokko is certainly one of the most disturbing Demon Slayer demons of the Twelve Kizuki, partly due to his bizarre appearance and presentation. His odd visual design almost looks like a bunch of spare doll parts were just arbitrarily crammed together, explaining why he has mouths, eyes, and limbs located in unorthodox positions on his body.

Gyokko has mastery over water and the creatures of the sea, but these skills also allow him to teleport through vases, regenerate limbs, and transform cells. Gyokko is highly dangerous, especially when he casts his Porcelain Vase Spells. He nearly kills the young Mist Hashira by attempting to drown him, but Muichiro Tokito manages to awaken his Demon Slayer Mark in the process. After this point, Gyokko doesn't stand a chance against the Mist Hashira, who swiftly defeats the Upper Moon 5 demon.

Hantengu Is A Coward Whose Emotional Manifestations Fight For Him

Hantengu is another deceptively strong Upper Demon Moon. However, he likes to hide behind emotions and play the victim, making him the cowardliest character in Demon Slayer — even more than Zenitsu Agatsuma. However, this is essential to Hantengu's Blood Demon Art, which allows him to split up into multiple versions of himself, each reflecting his various emotions.

Hantengu's most incendiary and intense personality, known as Zohakuten, eventually absorbs the others, which gives him a major boost in strength. The Upper Moon 4 likes to complain a lot, but his ingenious and overpowered tactics allow him to hold off four Demon Slayers at once. It takes the combined efforts of Genya, Nezuko, Tanjiro, and Mitsuri to defeat Hantengu, and even then it takes a considerable amount of time. In the end, it is Tanjiro who slices the Upper Moon 4's head off.

Nakime Becomes The Upper Moon 4 Following Hantengu's Demise

Nakime, a member of the Upper Kizuki, largely remains a mystery during the beginning of Demon Slayer because her abilities intentionally keep her hidden. In fact, Muzan only makes her the next Upper Moon 4 after Hantengu's death, so some of her peers likely had no idea about her powers. All things considered, Nakime is one of the strongest demons in Demon Slayer because she's all about good defense.

Nakime's Blood Demon Art skills aren't overpowered, but the real challenge is making contact with her. Her primary technique involves reconstructing the layout of her Dimensional Infinity Fortress by playing her musical instrument. Nakime can repeatedly do this to escape her opponent or leave them stranded and confused. She can also generate portals, a tactic that comes in handy when she eventually fights the Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji.

Kaigaku Initially Studied Thunder Breathing Along With Zenitsu

Kaigaku is a terrifying demon with one of the most harrowing backstories in the series, and he absolutely deserves more attention. He's a member of the Upper Demon Moons, but Kaigaku starts as a trusted member of the Demon Slayer Corps and an ally of Zenitsu. Interestingly, Kaigaku is first shown in Season 1's 17th episode, when Zenitsu reminisces about his past during a battle.

Zenitsu and Kaigaku both trained to be the Thunder Hashira, but Zenitsu edged him out. Kaigaku turned to Muzan Kibutsuji as a quick fix to grow stronger. Instead, Kaigaku became a deadly demon with an enduring grudge. To make matters worse for the heroes, Kaigaku also knows how to perform many Thunder Breathing Techniques, but his Electrokinesis Blood Demon Art makes him exceptionally dangerous. As a result, he becomes the Upper Moon 6 after Gyutaro & Daki are slain.

Nezuko Kamado Has Achieved Muzan's Millennium-Long Dream

Nezuko Kamado is a true anomaly because she's likely one of the very few demons in the series Tanjiro doesn't have to worry about attacking him. Nezuko is Tanjiro's younger sister, which is something he never forgets, even after Muzan Kibutsuji turns her into a demon. This injustice is a major motivator for Tanjiro for his demon-slaying duties. Because Nezuko is a demon, Tanjiro works to suppress her abilities as much as possible.

That being said, the few times Nezuko has contributed in battle reveal just how much demonic strength she possesses. She can manipulate her blood like Gyutaro, although her Combustible Blood technique produces flames that damage only demons and nothing else. More importantly, Nezuko turns out to be the first demon with immunity to sunlight, making her one of the strongest Demon Slayer characters.

Akaza Manages To Kill The Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku

Despite his frivolous attitude, Akaza is a highly dangerous combatant. Although he spends a lot of time in the shadows, this demon shouldn't be underestimated. Akaza excels in several impressive ways, whether it's his proficient skills in hand-to-hand combat or his capacity for handling elemental attacks. The 12 Kizuki also follow a strict hierarchy, with Akaza near the top as Upper Moon 3. As a result, he holds a lot of authority above other Demon Slayer demons.

In the final arc, Tanjiro and Giyu attack Akaza at once, and he's still able to overwhelm both of them. As a talented martial artist, the Upper Moon 3 constructs his Blood Demon Art from his knowledge and expertise of the Soryu Style. Known as Destructive Death, this technique proves to be strong enough to defeat even the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku.

Doma Is A Vicious Monster, Despite His Goofball Personality

Doma acts like a casual goofball whenever he's not in combat, and the other Upper Moons find him annoying — most of all his bitter rival Akaza. That said, the Upper Moon 2 is still a vicious monster at heart and nothing fazes him, not even having his head slashed apart. Doma is highly adept at combat. He's been able to eliminate many Hashira and has earned quite a reputation for himself.

Similar to Akaza, Doma relies on the Japanese martial art of Tessenjutsu. That said, there are very few abilities in Demon Slayer capable of countering his Blood Demon Art, Cryokinesis. The ability to manifest freezing temperatures and various forms of ice makes him a truly formidable opponent. Further, one of Doma's greatest talents lies in neutralizing the deadly demon poison extracted from wisteria flowers. This gives him a distinct, significant advantage over other Demon Slayer demons.

Kokushibo Is The Strongest Of Muzan's Twelve Demon Moons

Only one demon in Demon Slayer can be said to be more dangerous than Kokushibo, the strongest member of the 12 Demon Moons. He spent literally hundreds of years warring against demon slayers, learning their tricks, and perfecting his strategy. Kokushibo is an expert in battle, but if all of this weren't enough, he's also a rare exception who can wield the breathing techniques of the Hashira.

As a former practitioner of Moon Breathing, Kokushibo blends this fighting style into his Crescent Moon Blades technique. His powers, knowledge, experience, skills, and formidable strength are capable of overwhelming practically every Hashira. This combination of diverse skills helps Kokushibo to supersede the vast majority of his opponents in Demon Slayer, including the Stone Pillar Gyomei Himejima.

Muzan Kibutsuji Is Arguably The Most Powerful Character In Demon Slayer

Many of the 12 Demon Moons employed by Muzan Kibutsuji to take out the various Hashira are all exceptional threats. Despite his minions' unquestionable talents, Muzan Kibutsuji himself is on a whole other level because he's a "pure" demon. Muzan's purity means that he's practically invincible, and even decapitation is ultimately useless against him.

Surviving a duel with Muzan is difficult, but demon slayers are still trying to determine the best strategy to eliminate the Demon King. He remains a mysterious wild card whose full powers have yet to be seen, though Muzan has consistently proven to be the single most powerful character in Demon Slayer. Although Muzan certainly has flaws that can be taken advantage of, it's very difficult for anyone to seize this opportunity during battle.

Weakest Demons In Demon Slayer

Susamaru's Hiasobi Temari Isn't Enough To Defeat Tanjiro

Susamaru may look innocent at first glance, but her gleeful attitude towards combat and violence makes her especially disturbing. She seems to experience immense pleasure in the damage that she does, which gives her a dangerously inflated ego. That being said, Susamaru possesses the raw strength required to destroy walls and dismember her opponents, including Yushiro and Nezuko.

Susamaru's childlike nature is due to Muzan turning her into a demon at a young age. She may be newer to the demon game, but she fights with a ferocious style and can grow extra arms to help her out in battle if she really wants to mess with her opponent's heads. Susamaru's Blood Demon Art is known as Hiasobi Temari — "Temari" refers to the multicolored handballs that she uses to attack her enemies. Strangely enough, these handballs seemingly have a will of their own.

Yahaba Can Transplant His Eyes And Use Koketsu Arrows

One of the first demons to attack Tanjiro in Demon Slayer, Yahaba is immensely devoted to his master, desiring nothing other than to become a member of the Twelve Kizuki. He is significantly more mature than his partner, Susamaru, as seen when he chides the latter for her immature behavior. This Demon Slayer demon wields his Koketsu Arrow with stunning precision, forcing Tanjiro to go on the defensive during their duel.

While Yahaba's Blood Demon Art is impressive by itself, his powers are vastly augmented when used with Susamaru's Hiasobi Temari. In addition, he often moves his eyes onto his palms, giving him a greater viewing angle for long-range attacks. Nevertheless, Yahaba was ultimately killed by Tanjiro's Second Form: Improved, Lateral Water Wheel, suggesting that he wasn't all that powerful after all.

Slasher Might Be Supersonic, But Kyojuro Rengoku's Attack Is Faster

Slasher may be one of the several inconsequential Demon Slayer demons, but he's more than capable of intimidating an entire village. His name is derived from his violently savage mode of killing. Slasher hacks, carves, and lacerates his victims before invariably losing interest and moving on to his next target. He also exploits humans by using them as human shields, like when he tries to escape the Flame Hashira.

However, Slasher doesn't seem to comprehend the power difference between lowly demons and adept Demon Slayers, which is why he foolishly underestimates Kyojuro Rengoku's agility. Slasher is clearly proud of his Blood Demon Art, called Speed Augmentation, which is self-explanatory. And yet, Slasher's supersonic agility proves slower than the Flame Hashira's final attack, leading to the demon's demise.

The Swamp Demon Gleefully Abducts And Devours Teenage Girls

Although a relatively minor antagonist in Season 1, the Swamp Demon nearly overwhelms the inexperienced Tanjiro in battle. This creature manifests in three distinct forms with unique personality traits. The Swamp Demon only consumes teenage girls because he believes "the taste of [their] flesh will get worse" as they age. This makes him particularly despicable, as even Akaza refuses to harm children.

The Swamp Demon captures his hapless victims using his Swamp Domain, a pocket dimension that is considerably bigger than it appears on the surface. He can freely move through this domain and attack from any point on the surface, making it somewhat difficult to locate him when he's underground. However, Tanjiro eventually kills the Swamp Demon by using the Sixth Form: Whirlpool technique.

Yushiro's Childish Temperament Belies His Impressive Powers

Yushiro's cantankerous personality is legendary. He turns grumpy whenever his precious Tamayo stops paying attention to him, partly explaining his rude behavior towards Nezuko and Tanjiro. With that said, it's obvious that Yushiro's childishness disguises his incredible combat prowess, a factor that often works to his advantage.

Yushiro's Blood Demon Art, aptly named Blindfold, is a remarkable cloaking ability. He can render multiple targets invisible while allowing them to perceive one another. Further, Muzan considers this "young" Demon Slayer demon a serious threat after Yushiro displays his Mind Control. This secondary technique necessitates the activation of Blindfold but allows Yushiro to consequently take charge of his opponents, both physically and mentally.

Rui's Spider Family Are Linked To Each Other With Fabricated Familial Labels

Rui's Spider family includes a group of demons with fabricated kinship labels. The Father Spider Demon molts into stronger versions of himself using his Metamorphosis. Mother's Puppetry allows her to physically manipulate her targets. Son's Poison Conversion transforms his victims into arachnid beasts. Daughter's Blood Demon Art is based on Acid Control. Together, they're a dangerous group to tackle singlehandedly.

This is why the Demon Slayer Corps separates each member before attacking them. This very existence of the Spider Family flies against demon logic, since demons are unlikely to form familial bonds with each other. In fact, the only reason they accept Rui's bizarre system is because they're terrified of being killed by Demon Slayers. By the end of the Mount Nagatumo Arc, everyone in the Spider Family has been defeated and killed.

Rokuro Begs Muzan For Power, Only To Be Killed On The Spot

Rokuro fills out the Lower Ranks of the 12 Demon Moons, so he exhibits a good deal of respect for Muzan Kibutsuji. After Muzan flippantly exterminates most of the Lower Ranks of Dragon Slayer demons, Rokuro finds himself even more vulnerable than ever. Despite his status as the Lower Rank 2, Rokuro's exact strength remains ambiguous. Rokuro isn’t the most dangerous of the 12 Demon Moons, but it's probably not a wise idea to insult his cracked complexion.

On the other hand, Rokuro's fear of Muzan forces him to stay silent while the other Lower Moons are being massacred. He is desperate to be stronger and begs Muzan for more of his demon blood so that he can improve. An infuriated Muzan treats the genuine request like a spiteful command and decides to murder Rokuro on the spot.

Wakuraba Tries To Escape Muzan But Is Brutally Decapitated

Yet another one of Muzan's minions who never gets the opportunity to showcase his deadly talents, Wakuraba holds the position of Lower Rank 3. Fans wish he had fought the heroes in the early stages, preferably before Enmu entered the picture; currently, even his Blood Demain Art remains unknown.

In fact, the only details available about Wakuraba are minimal, as he's quickly dispatched by the Demon King himself. Wakuraba at least tries to escape his fate while Muzan is busy consuming the remnants of Mukago. Nevertheless, the Demon King decapitates him before he even realizes his own death. Wakuraba might be speedy, but that's certainly not enough to rank Wakuraba among the strongest demons in Demon Slayer.

Mukago Is Killed By Muzan Because She Doesn't Want To Fight The Hashira

Mukago holds the position of Lower Rank 4 within Muzan Kibutsuji’s 12 Demon Moons. When Muzan reads Mukago's mind, he learns just how terrified she is at the prospect of battle. The Demon King is enraged to discover that Mukago intends to flee if she ever encounters the Demon Slayer Corps, but she also tries to explain her terror. She also tries to prove her loyalty to the Demon King, but he bluntly refuses to take her seriously.

Mukago, like Lower Moons 2 and 3, is also killed and eaten by Muzan. Mukago arguably has talent behind her cowardice, but she doesn't get many opportunities to demonstrate her Blood Demon Art. However, it's still fair to consider her stronger than the typical demon and the other members of the Lower Ranks that she technically outclasses, such as Rui.

Kyogai's Death Marks Tanjiro's First Victory Against One Of The Twelve Kizuki

As a former member of Muzan's Twelve Demon Moons, Kyogai used to be the Lower Rank 6 before his fall from grace. As such, he spends every moment dreaming about being welcomed back into the group. However, Muzan considers Kyogai a lost cause and not powerful enough to be one of the Kizuki. Kyogai is covered with drums, and his Blood Demon Art incorporates these instruments in powerful ways.

Each of the drums on this Demon Slayer demon affects the architecture of his home, turning the abode into a tricky deathtrap. It's a unique skill set that provides a welcome change of pace to demon-slaying, forcing Tanjiro to push himself to the limits. However, it eventually becomes clear that Tanjiro is going to win the battle and kill Kyogai, marking the young protagonist's first victory over a member of the Twelve Kizuki.

Rui Would Have Killed Tanjiro & Nezuko If Not For Giyu

Rui may technically be ranked on the weaker scale when it comes to the 12 Demon Moons, but he still makes a considerable impression on both Tanjiro and Nezuko during their journey to Mount Natagumo. Rui takes his design cues from the arachnid family and possesses a remarkable level of control over the razor-sharp threads that simulate spider webbing.

These abilities, along with the demon blood Muzan provides Rui, are substantial. The Lower Rank 5 seems to be an undefeatable opponent, even after Nezuko uses her Combustible Blood and Tanjiro unleashes the Hinokami Kagura. It takes the timely arrival of Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka and his Eleventh Form: Dead Calm to bring an end to Rui's rampage. However, the demon's tragic past and his complicated relationship opinions on family hold him back in the Demon Slayer demon ranks.

Enmu's Admittedly Impressive Powers Aren't Enough To Save His Life

Enmu tops the Lower Ranks of the Twelve Demon Moons, but he's more important in the sense that he survives Muzan Kibutsuji's massive culling of the herd and gets a sizable power boost in the process. Enmu is energized by the confidence Muzan puts in him, and he uses this momentum to terrorize Tanjiro and company during the events of the Mugen Train movie.

Enmu attacks his opponents with a crafty Demon Blood Art that allows him to enter people's dreams and subconsciously prey upon them. He can blend himself into objects as enormous as a whole train, effectively trapping all the passengers with his Sleep Inducement technique. Enmu is also able to target many individuals at once, but his defeat at Tanjiro's hands shows that he still sits fairly low in the Demon Slayer demon hierarchy.

Demon Slayer

TV-MA

Anime

Action

Adventure

When Tanjiro Kamado returns home to find his family was attacked and killed by demons, he discovers his younger sister Nezuko was the only survivor. As Nezuko slowly becomes a demon, Tanjiro sets out to find a cure for her and become a demon slayer so he can avenge his family.

Release Date

April 6, 2019

Cast

Natsuki Hanae , Zach Aguilar , Abby Trott , Yosh*tsugu Matsuoka

Studio

ufotable

Creator

Koyoharu Gotouge

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll , Hulu , Amazon Prime Video , Netflix