Hashira

Hashira is the top rank a Demon Slayer can reach. Those who hold it are counted among the strongest fighters in the entire organization, with authority outranked only by the head of the Corps, first Kagaya Ubuyashiki and afterward his son Kiriya. Each Hashira is assigned a region to patrol, gathering information on local demons and sharpening their swordsmanship, and they are sent on missions only when lower-ranked members cannot handle them.

Every Hashira commands their own Breathing Style, some of which they create themselves. Across every era of the Corps, swordsmen of Flame Breathing and Water Breathing have always reached the Hashira, without a single exception so far.

Reaching the rank takes one of two demanding paths: killing at least fifty demons as a Kinoe, or defeating a member of the Twelve Kizuki alone. The effort typically demands close to five years of training, though prodigies have managed it faster, and Muichiro Tokito famously rose to Hashira only two months after joining. A second route is to serve as a Tsuguko, a Hashira's chosen successor who inherits the title when their mentor dies or retires.

Ahead of the war with Muzan, Kagaya Ubuyashiki ordered the Hashira to run special training for the rest of the Corps, lifting every slayer's strength and condition while also drilling among themselves to improve their teamwork. Several Hashira awakened the Demon Slayer Mark, a red brand that sharply boosted their power, a phenomenon that had not appeared for nearly four centuries until Tanjiro and then Muichiro and Mitsuri unlocked it.

The Taisho-era Hashira include Gyomei Himejima of Stone Breathing, Giyu Tomioka of Water, Sanemi Shinazugawa of Wind, Kyojuro Rengoku of Flame, Muichiro Tokito of Mist, Mitsuri Kanroji of Love, Obanai Iguro of Serpent, Tengen Uzui of Sound, and Shinobu Kocho of Insect. Several fell during the campaign against Muzan, among them Kyojuro, Shinobu, Muichiro, Mitsuri, Obanai, and Gyomei, while Giyu and Sanemi survived to see the Corps disbanded once the demon threat was finally ended.