Top 30 Demon Slayer Fights

We may be stretching the definition of “fight” with this one - it’s honestly more of a slaughter! Kibutsuji Muzan summons the lower ranks of the 12 Demon Moons after the loss of one of their number. Unsatisfied with their relatively high turnover rate, Muzan proceeds to kill and devour them one by one. Some beg for their lives. Others attempt to fly through the Infinity Castle. Yet, all but one of them die by Muzan’s monstrous, mutated hands. It may not be much of a fight, but it’s still a terrifyingly effective display of the power and cruelty of the series’ main villain.

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Twelve_Kizuki

S01E26 “New Mission”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0_UJ7SibKs (Killing them all)

Sometimes anime original material can be awesome! While training the lower-ranked members of the Demon Slayer Corps, Hashiras Shinazugawa Sanemi and Iguro Obanai spar with each other to get their own training in. They’re soon joined by Tokito Muichiro, leading to a threeway duel between the trio. Each of their distinct Breathing Styles are rendered beautifully, and the rapid movement soon becomes too quick to follow. We may not get to see the duel’s outcome, but this “friendly spar” tears holes in the ground and leaves all three of them winded. It’s just awesome seeing the Hashira in action, no matter how briefly.

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_59

S04E04 “To Bring a Smile to One's Face”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW5bjUOoNec (Sparring)

When the Wind and Snake Hashiras are called out to investigate a woman who vanished in the area, they stumble into a whole nest of demons in an abandoned castle. Sanemi and Obanai leave their subordinates behind and chase after the kidnapped woman as the demon carrying her tries desperately to escape. The duo cut through dozens of demons using their signature styles in their pursuit of the hostage, even venturing out onto the castle’s roof. Eventually, the demon escapes into the other dimension of the Infinity Castle, leaving the Hashira behind. This battle may technically be filler, but it’s fantastic nonetheless!

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_56

S04E01 “To Defeat Muzan Kibutsuji”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hOBFT5NmaM (Infinity Castle prelude)

The first Demon Slayer Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko meet is Tomioka Giyu. Unfortunately, it’s after Nezuko has already been turned into a demon. Giyu tries to kill Nezuko, only for Tanjiro to risk his life to save her. Giyu is puzzled by the boy defending a demon, even if it’s his sister. His attempts to dissuade Tanjiro while holding Nezuko at swordpoint are unsuccessful too. Ultimately, Tanjiro makes a rush for Giyu, making a surprisingly strategic axe throw. Although Giyu knocks him out, he’s impressed by the boy’s clearheadedness, and by Nezuko’s willingness to protect her brother, despite being a demon. It’s the show’s first fight, yet it already shows the potential of not only these siblings, but the series too.

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_1?so=search

S01E01 “Cruelty”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmG69smxht0 (That ax throw though!)

The Demon Slayers’ investigation into the disappearances in the Entertainment District eventually leads Inosuke into an underground chamber. There, he discovers the “larder” of Daki, the Sixth Upper Rank demon. She keeps her prey trapped in her living obi until she eats them. However, the obi is unable to lay a blow on Inosuke, whose bestial spatial awareness has him dodging every attack and shredding the living stomach wrap until he’s freed many of the captive women. He also manages to free a sleeping Zenitsu, who promptly cuts through most of the obi in a flash. Tengen soon joins them and slices the rest. It’s mainly a prelude to the bigger fights that follow, but it still “wraps” up nicely.

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_38

S02E12 “Things Are Gonna Get Real Flashy!!”
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cgL4Pl9wT9M (AMV short, only footage of Inosuke I could find)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKzCbzTle-E (Zenitsu joins the fray)
>Tengen finishes it off clip

When Tanjiro goes to the Water Hashira’s place for training, he finds Giyu engaging in a sparring session with Sanemi. The hotblooded Wind Hashira makes for a perfect contrast to the cool, calm, and collected Giyu. Their attacks fly fast and furious, but Tanjiro still manages to observe their moves despite how fast they are. The duel between Hashiras doesn’t last long, and ultimately results in a draw, since they both break their wooden swords. Even so, it’s a thrilling fight for what it is. It’s just too bad Sanemi was so embarrassed about loving red bean mochi. Chill out, man!


https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Episode_62

S04E07 “Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbNDqrfy75c (So brief, yet so beautiful)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJok6InSnBE (You like red bean mochi?)

This golden-haired Demon Slayer doesn’t exactly inspire confidence when we first meet him. Even while trying to protect young Shoichi, Zenitsu is both figuratively and literally shaking at the knees. Though, we’ll grant that the long-tongued demon chasing them is pretty terrifying. Eventually the demon makes a threat so disgusting, that Zenitsu passes out. However, this turns out to be the best thing for them, since with his inhibitions no longer a problem, Zenitsu cuts through the demon’s tongue in a flash. He then does the same to the creature’s head. Zenitsu’s first on screen battle may start rough, but he comes in clutch when it counts.

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Zenitsu_Agatsuma_vs_Tongue_Demon

S01E12 “The Boar Bares Its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4zrJ100naw (Fast-tongued)

The battles against the Spider Family are action-packed, and see the Demon Slayers battle a whole gaggle of arachnid themed demons. The massive so-called “patriarch” of the group is confronted initially by Tanjiro and Inosuke. Both of them struggle to pierce Father’s hardened skin. Despite some inventive moves from Tanjiro, he’s flung a great distance away, forcing Inosuke to fight alone. It’s a great opportunity to see the wild Slayer confront not only his fear, but also bits of his past. Plus, it showcases his bullheaded (and boar headed) fighting style. Giyu then swoops in to save the day, and reveals not only how strong he is, but also how far our heroes have to go.

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Tanjiro_Kamado_and_Inosuke_Hashibira_vs_Spider_Demon_(Father)

S01E18 “A Forged Bond”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIJnk7bTKsc (AMV)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkvNZAVFLxM (Giyu defeats it in one shot)

Sometimes the best way to make friends is through an exchange of punches! Inosuke makes his debut trying to kill Nezuko, as he doesn’t know her circumstances. Although Zenitsu protects her initially, Tanjiro takes over once he arrives on the scene. He then engages Inosuke in a fistfight. Inosuke immediately displays his incredible flexibility and fierceness in battle. Nevertheless, Tanjiro is no slouch either, and manages to knock out even someone as hard headed as Inosuke with a headbutt. Most fights in the series involve swords, which makes this barehanded brawl a fun change of pace, and a great introduction to Inosuke and his surprisingly gorgeous face.

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Tanjiro_Kamado_vs_Inosuke_Hashibira

S01E14 “The House with the Wisteria Family Crest”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMS_kmLxeo8 (Right from the jump, Inosuke’s weird)

After centuries of fighting, the Demon Slayers finally make their strike against Muzan. After their leader Ubuyashiki’s fiery sacrifice leaves Muzan painfully regenerating, Tamayo reveals herself by using a Blood Demon Art to impale Muzan and has him absorb a drug to turn him human again. Himejima Gyomei then arrives and beheads Muzan with his mace. While decapitation proves frustratingly ineffective, the other Hashiras and Tanjiro arrive on the scene too, each preparing to use their Breathing Styles. Unfortunately, even cornered, Muzan has a plan. He teleports them all to the Infinity Castle. While it's mostly an introduction to the larger battle, this opening salvo is still sheer, unadulterated hype!

https://kimetsu-no-yaiba.fandom.com/wiki/Demon_Slayers_vs_Muzan_Kibutsuji:_Part_1

S04E08 “The Hashira Unite”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJpQljzMlgk (SO FREAKING HYPE!)

You could say that this demon really marches to the beat of his own drum. So, given the musicality of it all, it’s not too surprising that this is less of a fight and more of a dance. The shifting walls force Tanjiro to keep pace with Kyogai’s beat, or risk succumbing to it. It’s a riveting back-and-forth, especially because it requires Tanjiro to use both his head and his sword. But, of course, all that build-up means nothing without a clutch ending. Here, Kyogai’s stirring performance gets silenced by a truly mesmerizing ballet of Tanjiro’s Water Breathing. Yeah, talk about dropping the beat.

Tanjiro put up a good fight and all, but he still was just an appetizer to the main course. That being Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka in all his glory. He was a bit late to the party, but he quickly made up for lost time by showing Rui the wrong side of a Dead Calm attack. Emphasis on the “Dead” part. It tore through the Lower Five’s threads, pride, and neck in a single, effortless stroke. Rui didn’t even have time to react, let alone block. As a result, this might just go down as the quickest victory in “Demon Slayer” history. And it was against a Kizuki, no less.

When these slayers went in for the kill, they discovered there were a few strings attached. Namely, a whole lot of actual strings controlling the bodies of their comrades. But, Tanjiro and Inosuke took that as a challenge, and proceeded to slice-and-dice their way right to the puppeteer’s main body. And yet, it’s not quite right to call this a slaying. The Spider Mother feared Rui more than death, and as such, she practically begged Tanjiro to put her out of her misery. Her reign ends on a surprising emotional note, but at the very least, Tanjiro’s gentle beheading is the closest thing to mercy a demon can get.

Tanjiro’s first mission truly threw him into the deep end. On the hunt for a demon kidnapping and devouring innocent maidens, he soon finds himself treading water against three identical demons, all capable of sinking into their own swamp world at will. While watching Tanjiro slice up the horned fiends on their home turf thanks to his Water Breathing Techniques is all kinds of awesome, the real stand out is seeing Nezuko step up to the plate. With her demon blood now granting her enough strength to kick a demon’s head clean off, it was clear she was no longer just a victim inside a box.

An unexpected training partner, a brutal teacher, the ghost of a dead child, a bolder? The masked fox boy turned out to be all of these. Appearing before Tanjiro in order to help take his sword training to the next level, the two proceed to duel day after day until pain and defeat mould the wannabe Demon Slayer into a superior fighter. Their final confrontation may be brief, but it’s an essential step on Tanjiro’s journey, bringing things to a close with a single, almost beautiful slash.

She may be all smiles, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a savage dispenser of demons. Encountering the last member of Rui’s spider clan, Shinobu quickly demonstrates why it's unwise to underestimate a Hashira. With but a few pricks of her sword, along with a vibrant, metaphorical burst of butterflies, she’s able to bring down the treacherous spider thanks to the poison laced along her blade. Some would say it’s a worse fate than getting your head chopped off, but Shinobu is just hardcore like that.

While far from reaching the heights of the Twelve Demon Moons, these two enforcers of Kibutsuji’s will still made for quite a challenge. With one able to launch temari balls at such speed it can render flesh, and the other able to send a person flying with invisible arrows, both Tanjiro and Nezuko are put through their paces. However, Tanjiro’s versatility in the face of overwhelming pain eventually gets the better of the arrow-spammer, leaving Nezuko free to show her aptitude for kicking balls into oblivion. Watch out Zenitsu.

Loud, obnoxious, and just a tad too desperate to get with a girl before he meets an untimely death, Zenitsu certainly seemed like a poor fit for the Demon Slayer Corps. At least until he proved he did have the skills…so long as he’s unconscious at the time. These were put on full display when he found himself set upon by the insidious and oh so creepy older brother of Rui’s fake family. Turns out that even if you poison and overwhelm them with spiders, there’s not much that can stop a living lightning bolt.

How does one cut the neck of a demon the size of a train and layered with hypnosis-inducing eyes? Easy, just partner up with your best boar buddy and run wild. Coordinating their strikes together in order to finally bring an end to Enmu, both Tanjiro and Inosuke bring their varying swordsmanship to the forefront as they launch one hell of a combo. While Inosuke carves up every eye in sight with his unorthodox duel-wielding, Tanjiro follows it up with a breath-taking demonstration of the Hinokami!

Man, if looks could kill. From her glorious entrance down to her Love Breathing attacks, Mitsuri single handedly proved that Hashira don’t have to choose between beauty or brawn. Look no further than her fight with Zohakuten. Mitsuri’s whip-like sword practically shredded him into wood-chips, and she looked stylish as hell while doing it. But, leave it to the Love Hashira to fill this fight with a ton of heart, too. Watching Mitsuri overcome her personal struggles elevates this fight from simply dazzling into downright breathtaking. While she doesn’t clinch the win on her own, it’s safe to say there’s still a whole lot to “love” here.

The first true test of Tanjiro’s skills; the Final Selection not only had him taking on lesser demons in a test of survival, but also brought him face to face with a monstrous glutton. As the one responsible for killing the rest of Urokodaki’s students, Sabito and Makomo included, it falls to Tanjiro to get revenge. Turns out all that boulder cutting came in handy, since in spite of its tough exterior and never-ending surge of hands, the hulky demon wasn’t prepared for Tanjiro’s first foray into Water Breathing.

At the end of this beatdown, the Mist Hashira has done more damage to Gyokko’s ego than his body. Considering the demon loses his head, that’s really saying something. Rest assured, Muichiro isn’t all talk, though. Once he reignites his will to fight, he gives Gyokko a pulse-pounding duel that has to be seen to be believed. The exquisite production values convey so much strength and speed that it’s almost hard to keep up with. And that’s a compliment. After all that, it’s no wonder that Gyokko doesn’t leave Muichiro’s mist alive. The Hashira passes out before he can celebrate the win, but all things considered, he deserves a good nap.

This doesn’t stay a three-on-one for very long. Soon enough, Hantengu splits in two. Then, he does it again. The multiplying enemies keep upping the ante until, eventually, the whole thing is a no-holds-barred battle royale. Thankfully, Tanjiro has an ace up his sleeve called Hinokami Kagura. With a boost from Nezuko’s Blood Demon Art, the Kamado siblings show Hantengu’s four bodies what a real slayer looks like. Spoiler alert: it consists of top-rate animation, stellar choreography, and fights so intense, you’ll never want to look away. Then, right when you think it’s over, Hantengu brings out a secret, fifth body, just for good measure. This truly is the fight that keeps on giving.

If you’re looking for a good, old-fashioned fight to the finish, it doesn’t get any better than this. Daki’s an Upper Rank Six Kizuki, but Tanjiro? He’s just got Hinokami Kagura, and the guts to use it. Even if it costs him his breathing. It’s not exactly a recommended tactic, but the results are undeniable. On both a visual and plot level, watching him cut Daki into ribbons is nothing short of exhilarating. Especially since, if it weren’t for her quick thinking, Tanjiro could have taken Daki’s head right then and there. Suffice it to say, by the time all is said and done, Tanjiro’s not the only one who’s forgotten to breathe.

With a Blood Demon Art capable of sending a person into the deepest of dreams with a single command, Enmu proved himself to be a cut above the rest of its demon brethren. At least until he made the fatal mistake of toying with memories of Tanjiro’s family. By taking his own life within the dreamscape over and over again, Tanjiro is able to consistently break Enmu’s hold over him. Even when show hellish visions of his slaughtered family, it only furthers to steel his resolve. And que the water dragon.

Setting both swords and the internet on fire, Tanjiro’s clash with the spidery Lower Moon pushed him further than any demon has so far. Even with his sword and most of his body broken, Tanjiro refuses to surrender, risking it all to save Nezuko’s from Rui’s webs. You’d think him unleashing the latent power of Hinokami would be the ultimate showstopper, but then along comes Nezuko with her own Blood Demon Art to really kick things into high gear. Who knew watching someone get their head cleaved off could be so artful?

Even for a demon, this is pretty brutal. Daki made the fatal mistake of messing with Tanjiro, and in return, Nezuko taught her a lesson she’ll never forget. Mostly via some very vicious kicks. The worst part? To Nezuko and her newly-awakened powers, this isn’t even a fight. It’s a game; one where Daki’s head is the ball. To be fair, the Kizuki totally had this coming. But, that doesn’t make the one-sided beatdown any easier to stomach. Nezuko’s transformation is so overwhelming that, at a certain point, it’s hard to decide whether you should cheer or be afraid. Either way, this is certainly a fight to remember, for better, or for worse.

Tanjiro and Nezuko have been the soul of some of “Demon’s Slayer’s” most iconic moments, and this one is no different. The sun is rising, Hantengu’s on the loose, and there’s a choice to be made: Save Nezuko, or rescue the villagers. Understandably, Tanjiro can’t decide. So, his sister chooses for him. After such an emotional gutpunch, Hantengu’s actual death feels like a bit of an afterthought. Sure, that final strike is as cool as they come, but it’s nothing without the impact of Nezuko’s sacrifice. Tanjiro’s the one who swung the sword, but this is as much a win for her as it is for her brother.

Outburning and outdoing what everyone thought possible, the Flame Hashira’s last stand against one of the Upper Demon Moons defied all expectations. Even with Akaza’s instant regeneration and unholy strength slowly chipping away at him, Rengoku refuses to abandon his duty or his apprentice Demon Slayers. The entire bout is an onslaught of staggering visuals, all held together by Rengoku’s unfathomable drive to do what he must, unleashing a torrent of Flame Breathing Techniques more stunning than the last. It may have ended in tragedy, but you couldn’t have asked for a greater testament to such a larger-than-life character.

With not just one, but two Kizuki to take down, “Demon Slayer” brought out all the stops for a bonafide internet-melting climax. Although, at this point, is anyone surprised? After all, there’s more hype moments in this one episode than most series get in a whole season. You’ve got Tengen’s flashy moves, Inosuke’s clutch entrance, Tanjiro growing his mark, and so much more. It all culminates into an adrenaline-fueled finisher that’s all-but guaranteed to leave your jaw on the floor. We could keep going for a while, but for now, we’ll just leave it at this: If Daki and Gyutaro’s end isn’t “Demon Slayer” at its absolute best, we don’t know what is.



Is there a “Demon Slayer” fight we forgot? Don’t lose your heads - tell us your favorites in the comments!

S04E08 “The Hashira Unite”
https://youtu.be/lh1rmuu8F5I?si=2kqKJsCQ8v3c0Nb1&t=52 (Muzan loses his head)