Mysterious, powerful, and elite. These three words perfectly describe the Hashiras. They began as seldom-seen characters and gradually graduated to participate in major arcs. Many became key players in some story arcs as well. These sword-wielders can tremble the Twelve Kizuki’s Lower Ranks and command respect from the Upper Ranks as well.
Basically, they form the highest order in the Demon Slaying Corps, and their existence sustains the organization. There are nine of them, and each one is tasked with a specific region.
They handle the threats that ordinary slayers cannot. All nine of them play important roles in the fight against Mizuki and the Twelve Kizuki. However, even with their sharpened skills, not every Hashira survived in the end.
After all, Demon slaying isn’t an easy affair. With the anime still chugging along, it will be quite some time before we get to see the fate of all the Hashiras on-screen in all of its animated glory.
But since the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga by Koyoharu Gotouge is complete, the fate of every Hashira- Flame, Serpent, Sound, Love, Stone, Wind, Water, Insect, and Mist, has been written in stone. So how did they fare?
Spoiler Warning: This article discusses the ending of The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga
Out of the nine Hashiras, only one lived a full life- Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira. Others suffered gruesome and pitiful deaths. The Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, was killed by Akaza while the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, was kicked out of hell by his father and died before turning 25 due to the Mark. The Mark and other injuries also consumed Gyomei Himejima and Giyu Tomioka, the Stone and Water Hashira eventually.
However, Giyu and Sanemi still made it to the final meeting of the Demon Slayer Corps, where they saw it being disbanded. Iguro, Mitsuri, and Shinobu Kocho- the Serpent, Love, and Insect Hashiras died gruesome deaths on the battlefield. But perhaps the most bone-chilling death was of Muichiro Tokito, the limbless Mist Hashira.
Flame Hashira – Kyojuro Rengoku (Dead)
The very first Hashira viewers and readers were introduced to was Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira. He saved 200 people stranded on the Mugen Train after the locomotive was derailed as a result of Tanjiro cutting the head of Enmu. Later on, Kyojuro was finished off by Akaza.
But in the manga, his legacy is still alive. The spirit of the character is lit in Tojuro Rengoku, a descendant of the younger brother of Kyojuro- Senjuro Rengoku. Also, Tojuro is a close friend of Tanjiro’s descendant, Sumihiko Kamado.
Serpent and Love Hashira – Iguro and Mitsuri (Dead)
Iguro and Mitsuri, the Serpent, and Love Hashira generally operated as a team during the Infinity Castle story arc. They joined the fight once Muzan finished off Nakime. Mitsuri was almost immediately injured, and Iguro checked on her before rejoining the battle. The Serpent Hashira lasted for a long time against Muzan.
Once Muzan was killed, Iguro and Mitsuri held each other as both lay dying. They professed their feelings for each other and died together. In the final chapter, a bakery is shown to be operated by Chef Iguro and hostess Mitsuri. Thus, indicating that they indeed found the other in their next incarnation.
Wind Hashira – Sanemi Shinazugawa (Alive)
Sanemi Shinazugawa did survive the Infinity Castle story arc, but it came with a ticking time bomb. He lost some fingers in the fight against Kokushibo with Gyomei and Genya. However, he was able to deal the death blow to Kokushibo with Gyomei before falling unconscious. He woke up only to witness Genya disintegrate. The Wind Hashira survived the Muzan battle but only barely.
He refused to join his siblings in Heaven and instead wanted to join his mom in Hell, as she had finished off several of her kids after becoming a demon. But Sanemi couldn’t do so because his father’s spirit kicked him back to the living world from Hell.
Later on, he manifested the Mark. This meant he was going to die by 25 years of age. In the final chapter, there’s a police officer who seems to be a reincarnation or descendant of Sanemi. His partner is Genya.
Mist Hashira – Muichiro Tokito (Dead)
Muichiro Tokito suffered a gruesome death during the Infinity Castle story arc. During the battle against Upper-Rank One Kokushibo, Muichiro was able to use his katana to inflict a killing wound.
Thus, Gyomei and Sanemi were able to finish the job. Muichiro was able to deal the lethal blow even when the Moon-Breathing dragon had destroyed his arms and legs and stabbed him straight through the chest.
The knowledge that Muichiro was his descendant did nothing to stop the demon. So, in the end, all that was left of the Mist Hashira was a head on a gory limbless torso. However, in the final chapter of the manga, he and his brother Yuichiro get reincarnated as infant twins.
Stone Hashira – Gyomei Himejima (Dead)
Gyomei Himejima was a force to be reckoned with in the story. He wanted to be more than what he was capable of, so he began training before the final battle with the Upper Ranks and Muzan to become a Marked One. These Marks would vastly increase his stamina and strength, but there’s a tradeoff- every Marked One dies before their 25th birthday.
Since Himejima’s mark manifested when he was 27, this meant he wouldn’t live to see the next day. But Gyomei still defeated Kokushibo and took on Muzan.
But Muzan took out his left leg, and after the fight, Gyomei died from his injuries as well as the Mark. He died peacefully with his foster kids’ ghosts looking over him. In the final chapter, he got reincarnated as a teacher trying to wrangle his students.
Water Hashira – Giyu Tomioka (Alive)
Giyu fought beside Tanjiro with everything he had in the Infinity Castle story arc. Even though Muzan took his arm and Akaza snapped his sword, he still soldiered on. In the battle, his Mark manifested too. The Water Hashira even prevented Tanjiro from killing anyone after he became a demon so that his soul won’t get tainted.
In the end, Giyu lived to attend, along with Sanemi, the last Hashira meeting. The Corps was then disbanded. But Giyu’s Mark ensured that he would die by the age of 25. In the last chapter, a reincarnation or descendant of Giyu goes to school with his sister Tsutako Tamioka and friend Sabito.
Sound Hashira – Tengen Uzui (Alive)
During the Entertainment District story arc, Tengen Uzui, the Sound Hashira, came into focus while fighting off against Gyutaro and Daki, the Upper-Rank demon siblings. Tengen barely scrapes by alive from this encounter. In fact, he would have died from the Blood Sickles of Gyutaro if Nezuko hadn’t used her Blood Demon ability to save him.
But he doesn’t come out intact. He loses an eye and an arm. So Tengen announces, while being surrounded by his several wives, that he wants to retire permanently from the demon-slaying job and corps.
After all, he can’t fight effectively with just one eye and one arm. In the final arc of the manga, Tenma Uzui, Tengen’s descendant, becomes a gymnastics expert, earning an Olympic gold medal.
Insect Hashira – Shinobu Kocho (Dead)
Shinobu Kocho had one of the most interesting deaths and revenge stories in the manga. The Insect Hashira was overpowered and swiftly consumed by Doma, Upper-Rank Two, during the Infinity Castle story arc. While Inosuke Hashibara and Kamal Tsuyuri fought on, they found themselves losing till something surprising happened.
Doma’s body began to melt since Shinobu had poison coursing through her veins, and not just any poison, it was Wisteria poison, and she had 37 kilograms of it in her body. By consuming her, Doma had ingested every drop of it. The effect of it was so intense that even Upper-Two failed to overcome it. So Inosuke and Kanao beheaded Doma.
In the final chapter of the manga, the successors of Nezuko Kamado and Zenitsu Agatsuma pass the reincarnations of the sisters Kanae and Shinobu Kocho.
The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga is available through Viz Media in English.
What are your thoughts? Did so many of them deserve to die? Or is it a disguised blessing as they were able to reincarnate as ordinary people?
Let us know your thoughts below.
