The hit shonen anime series Demon Slayer may have a smaller cast of characters than competitors like One Piece and My Hero Academia, but it makes up for that with the sheer charm and unique designs of those characters. Demon Slayer's cast may be clearly divided between human heroes and demon villains, but there's still plenty of room for diverse and colorful character designs within that simple framework.
Throughout three anime seasons, Demon Slayer ushered in a delightful variety of characters for shonen fans to meet, from scrappy underdog heroes to cool, confident demon slayers to terrifying, memorable antagonists who haunt the night. Before Demon Slayer returns in the Spring 2024 anime season, fans are welcome to review all the best characters in the anime and remember who they are, what they've done, and what they stand for.
Tanjiro Kamado and His Friends and Family
Tanjiro Kamado is the shonen protagonist of Demon Slayer, an ordinary civilian who pushed himself to the limit so he could become a demon slayer in just two years. Tanjiro is the oldest of six and is highly protective of his family, most of all, his sister Nezuko, the second-oldest. Tanjiro also has a strong sense of smell to detect demons and spot their openings in battle, giving him a unique advantage in battle. Tanjiro learned Water Breathing first, then harnessed the power of Hinokami Kagura to take on the Upper Moons. Tanjiro is also highly empathetic toward most demon foes, openly weeping for the likes of the Hand Demon as they crumble away in defeat. Tanjiro has a hard head, too, which is ideal for headbutting.
Nezuko Kamado is the second-oldest child in the Kamado family, and she was the only survivor when Muzan slaughtered the Kamados. Nezuko may be a demon, but she still has a human heart and won't allow herself to harm or eat people. Nezuko soon adopted the role of Tanjiro's sidekick in battle, using her claws, blood demon arts, and kicks to demolish her fellow demons without mercy. She can also change size from either her "smol" form to hide or her adult form to boost her power in battle. However, Nezuko's adult form makes her go berserk in battle, which isn't palatable to a kind girl like her.
Inosuke Hashibira is the sole wielder of the Beast Breathing form, having invented it himself while living a feral lifestyle in Japan's wilderness. His mother abandoned him when he was an infant, so he had a mother boar raise him instead, hence his helmet. Inosuke is also highly competitive and has a shonen rivalry with his new friend Tanjiro Kamado. Inosuke may be a rough tsundere on the outside, but inside, he is fond of his friends and is thrilled anytime he gets praise from Tanjiro.
Zenitsu Agatsuma is a fearful blond boy who passed the final selection, only to refuse to fight any demons until he met Tanjiro Kamado. Like his mentor before him, Zenitsu can use Thunder Breathing, an ultra-quick fighting style that allows him to rush forth like a lightning bolt to behead demons. Zenitsu nurses a strong crush on Nezuko and even dreamed about being together with her while under the effects of Enmu's sleep attack in the Mugen Train animated movie.
Tanjuro Kamado only appears in flashbacks, being Tanjiro's late father and the husband of Kie Kamado. He was known to perform the Kagura ritual dance, a subtle preview of Tanjuro's son's later use of Hinokami Kagura. He also wore the hanafuda earrings that Tanjiro now wears.
Sakonji Urokodaki is a retired Hashira who practiced water breathing, just like Giyu Tomioka and Tanjiro Kamado. Sakonji became Tanjiro's primary mentor in the story, using tough mountain training to get Tanjiro ready for the battles that lay ahead. Curiously, Tanjiro hasn't really needed a mentor since then, implying that Sakonji's training was thorough and high-quality. Sakonji has never been seen without his mask on.
Tamayo is one of only a few benevolent demons seen in the series, working as a doctor in Taisho-era Tokyo for any patient who needs her. Early in the story, Tamayo becomes a key ally of the Kamados, promising to help Tanjiro find a cure for Nezuko's demonic condition if enough blood samples can be gathered.
Yushiro is Tamayo's travel companion and a fellow demon. In fact, Tamayo turned him into a demon herself when Yushiro was dying, which clearly inspired Yushiro's adoring and protective feelings for Tamayo. He has a tsundere personality and is standoffish even around the good-hearted Kamados.
The Butterfly Estate
Shinobu Kocho is the current Insect Hashira and is an associate of the Butterfly Estate, as her butterfly hairpiece and outfit would suggest. Shinobu may share her late sister's positivity on the outside as a carefree, supportive person, but deep down, she is seething with vengeful rage and longs to kill the demon who slew her sister. She is also one of the few Slayers who doesn't use beheading to kill demons, instead "stinging" them with her slender, wisteria-coated sword.
Aoi Kanzaki is a member of the Butterfly Estate, a tough tsundere who helped train Tanjiro and his friends after the Mount Natagumo battle and before the Mugen Train arc. Aoi qualified to become a Demon Slayer but has not yet become a proper member.
Kanao Tsuyuri is the quiet demon slayer whom Tanjiro met at the Butterfly Estate. She uses flower breathing, just like Kanae Kocho before her, though she has not yet been seen fighting anyone seriously in the Demon Slayer anime. She was once a slave until Kanae rescued her, so Kanao owes much to the Kocho sisters. She tends to flip coins to make decisions.
Kanae Kocho was the late elder sister of Shinobu, a cheerful and good-hearted Demon Slayer who couldn't let an innocent girl like Kanao suffer any longer. She died at the hands of Doma, prompting her little sister's quest for revenge.
The Demon Slayer Corps
Kagaya Ubuyashiki is the overall leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, no matter his illness, and he exudes paternal warmth that can make any Demon Slayer feel at ease. He also accepted Nezuko as Tanjiro's sanctioned ally, unwilling to kill an innocent demon as a matter of course. Unlike his nemesis Muzan, Kagaya is a leader who values all his followers rather than punish them for failure.
Kyojuro Rengoku is the Flame Hashira, an energetic and confident demon slayer who's popular among his fellows. Unlike his father Shinjuro, the previous Flame Hashira, Kyojuro is optimistic about the Demon Slayer Corps and has faith in his duty. He is also a mentor figure for Tanjiro's team, leading by example in the Mugen Train arc while fighting Enmu and Akaza. He also has a younger brother named Senjuro.
Tengen Uzui is the Sound Hashira and is the only Hashira to have received ninja training. Tengen relies on stealth and speed to fight, as seen in the Entertainment District story arc, and he has his three wives — Suma, Hinatsuru, and Makio — to support him. His three kunoichi wives aren't just tools for his use; Tengen values them deeply as his friends, inspiring the three of them to fight that much harder for his sake. Tengen is also resistant to poison thanks to his ninja training.
Obanai Iguro is the Serpent Hashira and an associate of Mitsuri Kanroji's, and he sometimes gives her gifts, such as socks. Obanai has not said or done much of note so far in the Demon Slayer anime, though fans can clearly see his aloof, detached nature as a Hashira who's not too sentimental.
Mitsuri Kanroji is the Love Hashira, known for her superhuman strength even compared to the other Hashira. Mitsuri also stands out thanks to her long, whip-like Nichrin sword, which gives her more reach in battle. In her girlhood, Mitsuri was insecure about her un-ladylike appetite and strength and even tried to hide it, but she later learned to embrace who she was, and she has been happy ever since. Mitsuri is also like a big sister to Nezuko, so the two girls are quite close.
Sanemi Shinazugawa is the Wind Hashira, and he has a hotheaded, unforgiving attitude toward his family and strangers alike. He didn't accept Nezuko at first and even tried to bait her into attacking him, only for Nezuko to refuse with sheer willpower. He is Genya's older brother, the stronger and more talented slayer between the two.
Muichiro Tokito is the Mist Mashira and is the youngest Hashira in the current story, at age 14. Muichiro had a rough childhood after losing first his parents, then his brother Yuichiro, leaving him with nothing until he joined the Demon Slayer Corps. Amusingly, Muichiro is a quiet himbo, an airheaded boy who lets his actions do the talking. So far in the anime, he is one of only a few characters seen awakening their demon slayer mark, with Mitsuri being another.
Gyomei Himejima is the huge, quiet Stone Hashira who is usually seen praying while silently crying. He has not said or done anything of note so far in Demon Slayer's anime, but that may change in the upcoming Hashira training arc.
Giyu Tomioka is the current Water Hashira and was the first Hashira ever seen in the story. Fans adore Giyu because of his kuudere personality, with Giyu being a quiet, aloof slayer who just wants friends but hardly has any at all, aside from Shinobu Kocho.
Genya Shinazugawa is a demon slayer who cannot use any conventional breathing styles, so instead, Genya became a half-other by using a battle chant to gain demonic attributes and power up. He can even eat demon flesh to heal himself, and he is known to use not just a sword, but also a double-barreled shotgun in battle, loaded with anti-demon ammo.
Muzan Kibutsuji and the Demon Horde
Muzan Kibutsuji is the demon king and the first demon to ever exist, having obtained his demonic powers several centuries ago. Despite his immense power, Muzan actually despises his own nature, desperate to walk in the sun once again — and he will exploit or harm anyone he must to conquer the sun. Muzan is also the only demon who can create more of his kind, and he can do so with just a light scratch on a human. Most recently in the anime, Muzan has taken an interest in Nezuko Kamado, the first known demon who is immune to the sun's rays.
Rui is the Lower Moon 5, but it's been suggested that if he wanted to, Rui could have a higher rank than that. Rui is also a rarity among demons because he actually wants the company of other demons, while most demons are solitary predators. He gathered more demons to form a found family in Mount Natagumo's forest, including two parents and several siblings, all to recreate the family he once had as a sicky human child.
Kyogai was once the Lower Moon 6 until he was kicked out of the Twelve Demon Moons/Kizuki. Kyogai appears early in Demon Slayer as the master of his mansion, and Tanjiro sympathizes with Kyogai's failed career as a writer. Kyogai can tap tsuzumi drums on his body to perform attacks and even rotate the room in which he's standing.
Enmu is the Lower Moon 1 and the only survivor of Muzan's purge of the Lower Moons. He can use highly unusual techniques to fight demon slayers, such as assassinating them in their dreams and even morphing into the Mugen Train. Enmu is also willing to recruit human assistants, usually coercing vulnerable people to do his bidding.
Daki shares the rank of Upper Moon 6 with her brother Gyutaro, though Muzan only considers Gyutaro the true Upper Moon 6. Daki is a classic himedere anime character, a haughty wannabe princess who acts lofty and special to run away from her own insecurities. She grew up in poverty and hardship until she became a demon, and now Daki revels in her own power and influence. She uses a sharp-edged cloth belt to attack her enemies and can even survive Gyutaro's decapitation.
Gyutaro is the official Upper Moon 6, sharing that rank with his younger sister Daki to form a deadly duo hiding in plain sight. Gyutaro uses blood scythes and deadly poisons in battle, and like Daki, he can survive decapitation unless his sibling is beheaded at the same time. Fans might also say that Gyutaro and Daki are a dark mirror of Tanjiro and Nezuko, with Tanjiro and Gyutaro being powerful protective older brothers with a younger sister to look after.
Gyokko is the Upper Moon 5, a downright alien creature with no known backstory as a former human. Despite his monstrous, bizarre appearance, Gyokko fancies himself an artist who loves beautiful things, most of all his vases. He also has a true form as an aquatic warrior, one with hard scales and immense strength. He is also Muzan's favorite, since his vases can be sold for money.
Hantengu is the Upper Moon 4 who is far more than the tearful coward he presents himself to be. Hantengu is a vicious creature that can split up into several bodies, each representing a different emotion, while the tiny main body hides. All that makes Hantengu practically impossible to finish off in battle.
Akaza is the Upper Moon 3, a melee-oriented demon who personally defeated Kyojuro Rengoku and now has a rivalry and grudge with Tanjiro Kamado. Akaza enjoys having powerful rivals to keep him entertained, hence his offer to turn Kyojuro into a demon so they can spar together for all time.
Doma is the Upper Moon 2, and it was he who offered to turn the humans Gyutaro and Ume into Gyutaro and Daki the demons. He has a laid-back attitude and annoys Akaza just by being there. He carries fans into battle.
Kokushibo is the Upper Moon 1, and unlike his fellow Moons, he carries around a sword, making him look like a Demon Slayer. He also bears a strong physical resemblance to the Yorichii Type Zero training robot.
Susamaru is a demon who attacked the Kamados in Tokyo, using her temari balls to attack from a medium distance. When Susamaru gets serious, she has six arms for throwing even more balls around. She also spoke Muzan's name by accident and was destroyed — a gruesome example of Muzan's curse.
Yahaba is a demon who uses the eyes on his palms to move objects around in those arrows' directions, which he can use in conjunction with Susamaru's temari balls. He was slain in the Tokyo battle.
