The Demon Slayer Corps' most talented swordsmen are the Hashira in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Even the toughest of Muzan Kibutsuji's Upper-Rank demons are no match for these nine warriors, who possess superhuman strength. Although not always equal in strength, all Hashira are equal in title.
Some, like Muichiro Tokito and Gyomei Himejima, are so powerful that other Hashira are in awe of them. A few of these swordsmen, meanwhile, are actually not very strong, at least not by Hashira's standards. Here are three Hashira who, although being tremendously strong Demon Slayers, are the least skilled swordsmen to have ever held the illustrious title.
The Excellent Meat Shield Mitsuri Kanroji
The protégé of the late Kyojuro Rengoku, Mitsuri Kanroji is poised to enter the spotlight in the anime's upcoming "Swordsmith Village" arc. The Love Hashira, Kanroji developed her signature Love-Breathing during her time as Rengoku's Tsuguko (apprentice) when she realized that the more traditional Flame-Breathing did not suit her. Her muscle density is eight times higher than the average human, meaning her slender frame still possesses more strength than even the most muscular warrior imaginable. While Kanroji is a great swordswoman with her unique, whip-like katana, it's her toughness that makes her Hashira-worthy, even if she failed to accomplish much throughout the series.
During the "Swordsmith Village" arc, Kanroji arrived just in time as Tanjiro Kamado, his sister Nezuko, and Genya Shinazugawa were being overwhelmed by Hantengu, Upper-Rank Four of the Twelve Kizuki. Kanroji fought off his most powerful form singlehandedly, with even Hantengu expressing astonishment that she'd survived his most powerful attack at point-blank range.
Fighting Upper-Rank Four without dying or being permanently disfigured is no small feat, but Kanroji didn't do much other than stall for time, as her durable body still took a savage beating while Tanjiro delivered the final blow elsewhere on Hantengu's main body. During the manga's final arc, "Sunrise Countdown," Kanroji was one of the last Hashira standing to face Muzan but was mortally wounded almost immediately, ultimately contributing very little to the final battle against Muzan and the Upper-Ranks.
The Self-Assessment of Tengen Uzui Is Tough but Right
During the "Entertainment District" arc, the Sound Hashira laughed off the idea that he was naturally gifted, proclaiming that Gyutaro (Upper Six) needed to get out more if he thought Tengen was special. While Tengen Uzui certainly did have self-esteem issues, his battle against Upper-Rank Six supported his claim that he's nothing compared to some of the other Hashira.
Iguro Obanai, the Serpent Hashira, backhandedly complimented Tengen for defeating the "lowly" Upper-Six, indicating that a stronger Hashira would have fared much better against Gyutaro and Daki. Mitsuri Kanroji and Muichiro Tokito fought Upper-Ranks Four and Five respectively and recovered to full strength in a few days, while Tengen was permanently disfigured and forced into retirement after battling Upper-Rank Six, who was so much weaker than the other Upper-Ranks that even Muzan wasn't surprised upon learning of his death.
The Most Frail Hashira Is Shinobu Kocho
A demon of any rank, even the smallest in Japan, cannot be physically decapitated by The Insect Hashira, Shinobu due to her small stature. All nine Hashira in Demon Slayer encountered an Upper-Rank at some point in the series. Rengoku, Shinobu, and Tokito were the three Hashira who were killed by Upper-Ranks; Shinobu was the only one who was killed almost immediately when she came into contact with Doma, Upper-Rank Two. The most heartbreaking aspect of Shinobu's tragedy was that even Doma recognized she would have easily defeated him if she had the strength to chop off his head.
In Shinobu's defense, the poison she used to weaken Doma worked, allowing Inosuke Hashibira and Kanao Tsuyuri to cut off his head. A flashback revealed that Doma had 37 kilograms of wisteria poison coursing through her when she consumed Shinobu, and she had intended to be eaten by him. Shinobu Kocho was very weak by Hashira standards, though, given that she believed that a kamikaze strategy was her only chance to destroy an Upper-Rank demon—something that Gyomei, Sanemi, Muichiro, Tanjiro, and even Zenitsu managed to do without dying.
