Top 10 Best Demon Slayer Characters

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has become a cultural phenomenon, captivating audiences worldwide with its stunning animation, gripping storyline, and lovable characters. The anime, which is based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge, follows the journey of a young boy named Tanjiro Kamado, who becomes a demon slayer after his family is brutally slaughtered by demons. With the help of his comrades, Tanjiro embarks on a quest to avenge his family and protect humanity from the demonic threat.

But as much as we love Tanjiro, it's the diverse cast of characters that make Demon Slayer truly special. From fierce demon slayers to terrifying demons, each character brings something unique to the table. Whether it's their personality, their fighting style, or their backstory, there's always something to love about each character.

The Top Ten

Tomioka Giyuu

Giyu is his generation's most skilled Water Breathing user. Giyu has completely mastered this swordsmanship style and has had amazing development! He deserved the top spot for sure!

GIYUU IS THE BEST!
He's the best Hashira, and I'm pretty sure without him, the story of Demon Slayer wouldn't exist.
Besides, Water Breathing is the coolest breathing style of them all, in my opinion. He is also my favorite character. He used to be my second favorite, but now Inosuke is.
I love everything about his character, and I could write an entire essay on why I love this man.
Kamado Nezuko

She is so cute and sweet, yet there are people who say that she is a prop and has no personality.
Demon Slayer would not have happened if there was no Nezuko.

Nezuko is my number one! She is super cute and adorable. I'm a girl too, but Nezuko blew my heart out when I saw her.

Nezuko is amazing, and the bit where Nezuko becomes small and dodges all of Kanao's attacks was pretty cool.
Kamado Tanjiro

Tanjiro Kamado is the literal emotional anchor and brain cell of the main trio, and without him, Inosuke and Zenitsu would have died in a ditch within the first few arcs of Demon Slayer. Tanjiro never screams for attention, never complains about his horrific trauma, and treats every single person, and even dying demons, with profound empathy.

He's the best MC in all of anime! He is always the good boy rather than best boy, and he isn't an idiot. He's very merciful, even to his enemies, despite the fact that he cannot let them live. I also noticed how patient Tanjiro is when it comes to his training.
Agatsuma Zenitsu

Look, guys. Let's get some spunk in this list and make this anime proud. Zenitsu is my favorite Demon Slayer character because I disagree with what people say about him being annoying. Wouldn't you be afraid of blood-thirsty demons chasing you? Yeah, I thought so.
I also relate to how he has low confidence levels and believes he's a loser. He wants to be powerful but just doesn't think he can do it. I think many of us can relate. Not saying that he's extremely powerful and loyal. All the other Demon Slayer characters are wonderful, but this one will always have a special place in my heart.

People think he's annoying, but he's probably one of my favourite anime characters. He's so funny, and his personality adds so much to the show.
Hashibira Inosuke

I LOVE INOSUKE!
He was hilarious and awesome, my second favorite character, and my favorite of the main trio, Kamaboko Squad. You get it.
He feels like such an original anime character, and that's why I love him. Also, the way he dislikes Zenitsu as much as I do is pretty funny.
And it's cool that he created his own breathing style!

Inosuke is my favorite character in Demon Slayer and probably my favorite character ever. Love him!

This crackhead is one of the best. He's funny and insane. We need some of those in our lives, am I right?
Kocho Shinobu

Shinobu's motivation is born from blood, tragedy, and an unshakeable sense of duty. After her sister Kanae was murdered by Doma, Shinobu dedicated every second of her life to destroying demons. Her smile is a mask for a raging, cold fire of justice. She isn't there for personal romance. She is there to execute a military campaign.
Mitsuri may be able to swing a whip-sword with devastating physical power, but Shinobu is the one driving the strategic victories that actually allowed humanity to win the war.

Shinobu is probably the best-written female character just by virtue of having her own character arc. Behind her is Tamayo! She's always smiling. Stern, yet caring. Her need for vengeance is admirable!
Rengoku Kyojuro

Absolutely awesome character. He gave me goosebumps when he was still fighting Akaza after being impaled. He just wouldn't give up. He inspired me and also made me cry a lot.
More than that, he showed me what a kind and compassionate person I should strive to be! The energy he carried was so positive too!!

He is the second-best Hashira!
Also, the fact that he didn't become horrible despite being abused is interesting. He always seems so kind and sweet.
His death might be the only one I've ever cried about in Demon Slayer, but he went out like a badass, saving Tanjiro.
Tsuyuri Kanao

She's cute and quiet, and I relate to her a lot. She's also very strong, and I felt so bad for her after that person (manga readers know who) died.

She's cool, and I kind of relate to the inability to make decisions easily.

Please tell me someone else loves her. She's like my third favorite. She's nice, beautiful, and elegant, and she tries her best. You can tell she is proper. She was trained by a Hashira, after all.
Akaza

He's so well written! As a demon, his memories were wiped by Muzan, leaving only a frantic, relentless instinct to "become stronger." Yet, his deep-seated moral code, like refusing to kill women, proved his humanity was never truly dead.

Akaza had the most emotional death so far in the series, and probably the best demon death of all. He died by his own hands, being a true man.

As much as I am really sad that he killed Rengoku, I still really like him because I think he's such a hottie.
Tokito Muichiro

I love Muichiro so much. I relate to him so much personality-wise and being very skilled despite being young. It was cool seeing his development in the series, and I love his design and breathing style.

He's so cute and cool! He's also very talented. I'm sure if he was alive, he'd become the strongest Hashira over time.

I like this guy, and I still don't know why.

The Newcomers

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Enmu
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Kaigaku

The Contenders

Sabito

I really wish we could have seen more of this character.

His smile melted my heart. He deserves more love.
Kibutsuji Muzan

As the Demon King, the first and the progenitor of his kind, Muzan is the strongest demon in existence. Even after absorbing a drug that was supposed to weaken his powers and turn him back into a human, Muzan effortlessly annihilated close to a hundred Demon Slayers in mere moments.

I love watching him kill demons and humans. He does it so well. Muzan Jackson is one of the coolest villains in anime history. Also hot!
Kanroji Mitsuri

She is so strong and has a unique fighting style, which is why she's one of my favorite characters.

She is super cute, sweet, and kind! I love her personality! Also, she and Iguro are like the best couple ever.
Uzui Tengen

He's so badass! Tengen trained his body in the ruthless shinobi tradition to withstand lethal poisons that would instantly kill normal humans. He can even artificially stop his heart for a short period to slow the circulation of poison through his veins, showcasing elite physiological discipline.
Unlike his father, Tengen chose empathy over clan supremacy. When he realized his surviving brother had inherited their father's cold, unfeeling cruelty, Tengen abandoned the shinobi lifestyle entirely, carrying the heavy weight of his family's sins into the Demon Slayer Corps.
Unlike characters driven by a toxic need for glory, Tengen immediately retires after the Entertainment District arc because he loses an eye and a hand. He knows he can no longer operate at Hashira level, and instead of throwing his life away in a blind charge, he chooses to live, protect what he has left, and mentor the next generation.
Kokushibo

Kokushibo's simply amazing. The sun and moon dynamic with him and Yoriichi will forever remain beautiful. I'll never forget when I first saw him and how badass he looked!
Urokodaki Sakonji
Tsugikuni Yoriichi

I love him! He's just a big, strong man that's also a sweetheart and a caring badass. He reminds me of Hashirama Senju from Naruto!
Iguro Obanai

Obanai's childhood is arguably the most twisted of all the Hashira. He was raised by a cult of thieves as a literal livestock sacrifice for a snake demon. His family kept him in a cage and physically slit his mouth open just to make him look more like the demon they worshipped. He carried an intense, deeply ingrained self-loathing because he felt his bloodline was inherently filthy.
Obanai's true strength was saved for the final battle against Muzan. Despite losing his sight completely, he used his incredible bond with his snake, Kaburamaru, to continue fighting. He saved Tanjiro multiple times, unlocked the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, accessed the Transparent World, and dealt massive damage to Muzan despite being mortally wounded.
Obanai never confessed his love to Mitsuri while they were alive because he genuinely believed he was too corrupted by his past to deserve her. He fought with the intention of dying to cleanse his bloodline, hoping that if he were reincarnated in a peaceful world, he could finally tell her how he felt.
Rui
Shinazugawa Sanemi

He's pretty relatable. His smile is so creepy though. I hated Sanemi at first, but I actually ended up liking him and realizing that personality-wise, we're kinda similar, minus the fact that I would never stab a child.
That's the reason why I hated him in the first place.

He's so tragic and such a complex character!
Kamado Tanjuro
Makomo
Gyutaro

I really like him for some reason. Also, he's a caring big brother.
Douma

Douma's backstory is so sad and underrated, and he deserved better. Douma's lack of empathy, his treatment of Daki and Shinobu, and his twisted view of humanity make him one of Demon Slayer's most interesting characters.

He's incredibly badass, and he's so well written!
Shinazugawa Genya

His entire motivation for joining the Demon Slayer Corps was to apologize to his brother, Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Hashira. Sanemi's harsh, violent rejection of Genya wasn't out of hatred, but a desperate, abusive attempt to force Genya to leave the Corps and stay safe. The tragedy is that Genya never truly got to bond with his brother in peacetime.
In the brutal battle against Upper Moon 1, Kokushibo, Genya plays a pivotal role. Despite being literally cut in half, his demonic powers allow him to use a Blood Demon Art that immobilizes the strongest Upper Moon, creating the opening the Hashira need to win. He dies a human death, crumbling away into dust just like a demon while crying in his brother's arms.