Demon Slayer: The 10 Most Powerful Breathing Techniques, Ranked

Demon Slayer: The 10 Most Powerful Breathing Techniques, Ranked

Demon Slayer features a wide variety of breathing techniques but which one is considered the strongest?

Considering the popularity of Anime series’ like Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto, it can be said that any good production is guaranteed to have some intense Martial Arts action. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, a story surrounding Tanjiro Kamado and his discovery of the world as a Demon Hunter, shows us life as a swordsman in Japan’s Taisho Era, and the secret to the incredible power of these swordsmen happens to be linked to the Breathing Techniques they employ.

10 Breath Of Thunder First Style: Thunderclap And Flash

As explained by Zenitsu Agatsuma, Thunder Breathing focuses on the user’s leg strength, allowing for a human to reach lightning-quick movement speed. The Thunderclap and Flash technique happens in an instant, beginning and ending with the sword in its scabbard.

This technique is actually basic to Thunder Breathing. Zenitsu, unable to perform any of the other Thunder techniques, mastered the one he was capable of and is able to perform the move consecutively (to the Sixfold, Eightfold, and Godspeed varieties).

9 Breath Of Water Eleventh Style: Dead Calm/Lull

Water Pillar Giyu Tomioka hadn’t thought himself worthy of his position in the Demon Slayer Corps, but he was skilful enough to master the first ten Water Breathing techniques and develop one of his own.

Dead Calm/Lull is a defensive technique expressive of Giyu’s own personality. It allows the user to negate the attacks of the enemy by ceasing their own movements. There is, however, a limit to the number of successive attacks the technique can withstand.

8 Breath Of The Beast Seventh Fang: Spatial Awareness

Having grown up on his own in the mountains, each of the Beast Breathing techniques is improvised and created by Inosuke Hashibira himself.

The Spatial Awareness technique amps up the user’s sense of touch, allowing them to pick up on subtle changes in the area around them. With this move, Inosuke was able to lock in on the location of a demon in the middle of the forest on Mt. Natagumo.

7 Breath Of Mist Seventh Style: Haze (Obscuring Clouds)

Muichiro Tokito, at only 14 years old, is already a master swordsman with enough of a hold on Mist Breathing to create his own technique: Seventh Style: Haze/Obscuring Clouds.

The technique is one that disorients the enemy by using fast movement speed while hidden, and slowed movement out in the open.

6 Breath Of Thunder Seventh Style: Flaming Thunder God (fastest)

This Thunder Breathing technique, developed by Zenitsu after mastering the Thunder Breathing First Style, was likely inspired by Tanjiro’s Dance of the Fire God.

The Flaming Thunder God technique is completed in an instant and is depicted with the head of a dragon striking at the sword hand of the user.

5 Breath Of Water Tenth Style: The Dragon Of Change (The Changes Of Life)/Constant Flux

The tenth and most powerful Water Breathing technique taught by Sakonji Urokodaki, The Dragon of Change/Constant Flux is a move that builds momentum with rotations and consecutive strikes.

In the anime and manga, the other Water Breathing techniques are depicted with splashes of water, but the Tenth Style shows a dragon along the path of the swordsman, with the head of the creature at the sword.

4 Dance Of The Fire God: The Setting Sun

During the battle with Akaza, Tanjiro was able to push past his limits to achieve what the Upper Moon Three demon called the “State of Anatta.” Tanjiro recalls his father Tanjuro’s words within the battle, further unlocking the Breathing Techniques of the Breath of the Sun users — the Breath Style which is the foundation of all the others.


The Setting Sun Technique uses the heightened awareness in which Tanjiro disguises his battle spirit and moves fast enough to dodge, create an after-image, and attack all in one agile swoop.

3 Breath Of Wind Seventh Style: Gale — Sudden Gusts

The agile, almost erratic movements of the Wind Breathing Style represent the Wind Pillar Sanemi Shinazugawa perfectly. The techniques are characterized by many sweeping motions and slashes that appear to be simultaneous.

Gale — Sudden Gusts is performed by twisting and swinging the sword in mid-air, creating a cyclone effect to tear the enemy to shreds.

2 Breath Of Stone Fourth Style: Volcanic Rock — Rapid Conquest

Stone Pillar Gyomei Himejima’s fighting style, different from the other Breathing forms, relies mainly on the meditative techniques he uses to focus his mind and body.

With the Volcanic Rock — Rapid Conquest technique, the user attacks with the spiked ball and flail simultaneously, attacking across a wide area. With this move, Gyomei matched the Upper Moon One demon Kokushibo’s Moon Breathing before activating the Flame Mark.

1 Breath Of The Moon Sixteenth Style: Moonbow — Half-Broken Moon

The Moon Breathing Style used by Upper Moon One demon Kokushibo draws on his expertise as a Demon Slayer in the Sengoku Era, as well as his Blood Demon Art.

The Moonbow — Half-Broken Moon technique is performed with the multi-bladed form of the katana created out of Kokushibo’s flesh. One swing of the sword causes numerous slashes over a wide area, with miniature crescent-shaped blade slices along the sword’s path almost randomly.