Demons have always been scary, powerful monsters in nearly every work of fiction, from ancient epics to modern horror movies. The demons found in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, however, are some of the most nightmarish. Their unpredictable Blood Demon Arts, twisted worldviews, and grotesque aesthetics are enough to terrify even the most experienced slayers.
The strongest demons in Demon Slayer are handpicked by Muzan Kibutsuji and gain considerable strength by drinking his blood. They're the twelve Demon Moons, comprising six Upper Ranks and six Lower Ranks. Each of them is wickedly powerful, forcing even the most powerful Hashira into defense mode.
Updated on September 22, 2023, by Ajay Aravind: Demon Slayer's recent anime arc,subtitled "Swordsmith Village," was released alongside a compilation film. Both the anime and the movie adaptations have exceeded expectations on every front, from critical to financial. As such, we've revamped this list with some more information from the latest arc as well as the manga.
12 Kyogai
Lower Moon 6
Major Abilities:
Kyogai used to be the Lower Rank 6 Moon. He was excommunicated for his weakness but showed more combat prowess than most of the other Lower Ranks. Kyogai could use the drums embedded in his body to rotate the room he was in, thereby disorienting his opponents. Additionally, his drums could create lightning-fast slashing attacks and even teleport anyone in the mansion to a different room. Kyogai's innate skills gave him a home-field advantage, making him one of the toughest demons that Tanjiro and the gang went up against.
11 Rui
Lower Moon 5
Major Abilities:
Rui was the first official member of Muzan's 12 Kizuki to make an appearance in Demon Slayer's Mount Natagumo arc. With his Blood Demon Art, Rui trapped other low-level demons in his magical web on the mountain. That said, he only saved their lives in exchange for them becoming his family. A minuscule amount of Rui's blood gave weaker demons more power and allowed his makeshift family to endlessly slaughter dozens of slayers. As the Lower Rank 5 in the Kizuki, Rui caused a good bit of trouble for Tanjiro and Nezuko, so much so that their latent abilities were drawn out. Further, if Giyu had never arrived on the scene, the heroes would have been defeated.
10 Rokuro, Wakuraba, And Mukago
Lower Moons 2, 3, And 4
Major Abilities:
Despite their overwhelming strength, Rokuro, Wakuraba, and Mukago were nothing but ants in front of their nigh-omnipotent creator. After Rui's defeat and death, Muzan ordered these three Lower Rank demons back to his secret lair, where he accused them of being useless pawns. Lower Rank 3 Wakuraba was the first to meet his end at Muzan's hands, immediately followed by Lower Rank 2 Rokuro and, finally, Lower Rank 4 Mukago. Their deaths shocked fans to the core, as they highlighted just how overpowered Muzan Kibutsuji was. These three positions were never refilled for the rest of Demon Slayer.
9 Enmu
Lower Moon 1
Major Abilities:
The only demon who survived Muzan's brutal layoff of the Lower Rank demons was Enmu, who pleaded for mercy and actually got it. He was the Lower Rank 1 demon, and Muzan figured that he would give him a chance to prove that he was worthy of receiving more of his blood. Enmu's Demon Blood Art stole the show during Mugen Train. He put everybody on the train to sleep and guided a group of insomniacs into the slayers' dreams, hoping to kill them by destroying their spiritual core. He was arguably the strongest Lower Rank demon, and it took multiple slayers working together to protect the passengers.
8 Kaigaku
Upper Moon 6
Major Abilities:
Although not as powerful as the other Upper Rank demons, Kaigaku was nevertheless a force of nature. That said, he used to be Zenitsu's former classmate, having studied together under Jigoro Kuwajima. Kaigaku was bitter that they were both chosen as Jigoro's successors, as he wanted all the praise for himself. Kaigaku could perform all of the Thunder Breathing Techniques except the first style. Since he was never given the Hashira title, he accepted being turned into a demon to boost his power. Though he's inexperienced with his Blood Demon Art, he was so strong that Muzan Kibutsuji gave him a place among Demon Slayer's Upper Moons.
7 Gyutaro & Daki
Upper Moon 6
Major Abilities:
Gyutaro and Daki shared the lowest tier of the Upper Moon ranking system, living as one after becoming demons. Their poignant backstory was highlighted during the Entertainment District arc. Daki and Gyutaro impressed the audience with their sheer strength as a formidable brother/sister demon duo. As Gyutaro and Daki were so powerful, it made viewers wonder how strong the rest of the Upper Ranks were. It took the combined efforts of the main trio, Nezuko, Tengen Uzui, and all three of his wives to take them down. There's no doubt that Gyutaro was the stronger of the Upper Moon 6 duo, but Daki's abilities were nothing to scoff at.
6 Gyokko
Upper Moon 5
Major Abilities:
Gyokko was #5 among Muzan's elite Upper Moons. A bizarre creature with mouths for eyes and an eyeball for a mouth, Gyokko's appearance was almost as terrifying as Muzan's power. He had some pretty flashy abilities and always put a creative spin on all of his attacks. He seemed obsessed with arts and crafts, often working these "talents" into his combat style. Gyokko could teleport between handmade decorative pots, summon fish-like demons, and even use water to trap his opponents. He nearly got the best of Muichiro, the young Mist Hashira. Luckily, the slayer dispatched the demon quickly and decisively after activating his Demon Slayer Mark.
5 Hantengu
Upper Moon 4
Major Abilities:
Hantengu is the Upper Moon 4 in the 12 Kizuki. At first glance, it might be difficult to understand why such a miserable wretch was appointed to this esteemed position. However, he subsequently proved himself one of the most formidable opponents in Demon Slayer. The Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji, Tanjiro, Nezuko, and the gun-toting Genya had a tough time taking this foe down. Hantengu was a coward, but spinelessness somehow fueled his power — his Blood Demon Art divided him into his primal emotions. When Hantengu's weaknesses were attacked, his hatred would take over and attack his opponents.
4 Nakime
Upper Moon 4
Major Abilities:
Nakime was rewarded with the Upper Moon 4 position after Hantengu's defeat. When she strums her biwa, she can rearrange the Infinity Castle and instantly teleport herself all over the place while also retaining the ability to teleport anyone else. Trying to find where Nakime was proved to be nearly impossible. She was effortlessly able to avoid the sun, robbing the demon slayers of their most powerful weapon. Nakime's Blood Demon Art wasn't particularly dangerous, but she could send her opponents anywhere she wanted, including a location full of hungry demons.
3 Akaza
Upper Moon 3
Major Abilities:
As the Upper Moon 3 demon, Akaza was strong enough to win a duel to the death against the formidable Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. He also claimed to have personally killed at least one other Hashira. Akaza was one of the most dangerous opponents in all of Demon Slayer. His debut at the end of Mugen Train was unnerving enough, but the final battle against him proved even more challenging. Akaza also had one of Demon Slayer's most tragic backstories, which many anime-only fans may not know about him. Before Muzan Kibutsuji found him, he labeled Akaza a demon solely because he was strong enough to kill hundreds of trained fighters with his bare hands.
2 Doma
Upper Moon 2
Major Abilities:
Doma was by far the most wicked demon among the Upper Moons. As the Upper Moon 2, no strategy was too extreme for him, and he would do anything to win. His jaw was blasted to oblivion by Akaza, and his body fell apart after a heavy dose of Wisteria poison, but nothing fazed him. Doma seemed to enjoy every moment of his demonic life. He was also responsible for the deaths of a few people dear to the Corps, including Kanae Kocho and Inosuke Hashibira's mother. Doma's death required teamwork and careful planning on the heroes' part because he was effectively unbeatable in a one-on-one fight.
1 Kokushibo
Upper Moon 1
Major Abilities:
Kokushibo was a demon slayer during the Sengoku Era. He became a demon and retained much of his swordsmanship skills. He combined his Breathing Techniques with Blood Demon Art, earning him the Upper Moon 1 position among the twelve Kizuki. Kokushibo admitted that he became a demon because he wanted to outlive his expected lifespan after activating his Flame Mark. Surprisingly, Kokushibo is also distantly related to Muichiro, the Mist Hashira. All things considered, Kokushibo was unquestionably the strongest of the Upper Rank demons.
