Demon Slayerhas taken over the whole world by storm and has established itself asone of the biggest anime of all time. Tanjiro started as a fledglingDemon Slayerand is now poised for great heights. After his introduction to the renowned Hashira and the adventures he went on with these powerful figures, it’s easy to see whyDemon Slayer’s protagonist will reach great heights by the end of this series' run.
The Hashira themselves are legendary in their own right, with each Hashira featuring a wide bevy of talents coupled with a sharp mind that lets them read situations in the blink of an eye. Of course, the intelligence of each Hashira varies, so some fans may be interested to see how the Hashira compare against each other from a purely intellectual perspective.
Updated on Jul 16, 2025, by Ritwik Mitra:Demon Slayer’s Hashira Training arc has drawn to a close, ending on a cliffhanger that sets the stage for the finale. Fans love Ufotable going all out to animate some of the best fights in recent history, with the Hashira reaching new levels of power and showing off just how effective their Breathing Style attacks really are. While these master swordsmen need a ton of strength to battle against their opponents, the inherent advantage demons have means that the Hashira also need to be as smart as they come, adapting to battles on the fly and utilizing strategies that can make up for the limitations of the human body.
13Sanemi Shinazugawa
Has A Tendency To Think Before He Acts
Sanemi is one of the most headstrong individuals inDemon Slayer. He has a tendency to jump into the fray without tactically analyzing the situation first, putting him at an avoidable disadvantage at times. The way he aimed to kill Nezuko when he was introduced without even trying to understand her is a huge indication of how his intelligence may not be his strongest suit.
His strength makes up for his lack of tactical awareness, with his vast array of moves helping him weather early onslaughts before unleashing erratic counterattacks of his own. He’s a strong Hashira, albeit not the brightest of the lot.
12Shinjuro Rengoku
A Short Temper And A Downfall For Grace Doesn’t Do Him Any Favors
The Rengoku family is full of fiery individuals who love to jump headfirst into battle. One such person who personifies this statement is Shinjuro Rengoku, the father of the deceased Kyojuro Rengoku. Emotional intelligence is just as important as other metrics that govern how smart someone is, and his immature reaction to his son’s death makes it clear that regularly hitting the booze has dulled his senses somewhat.
He is a pretty short-tempered person who hatedthe idea of his Flame Breathing techniquebeing surpassed in power by a style that looks quite similar to it — Sun Breathing. However, underneath his hardened exterior is a pretty emotional man who eventually lamented the loss of his son.
11Mitsuri Kanroji
Can Be A Bit Airheaded, Even If Her Combat Skills Are Excellent
Given that Mitsuri Kanroji is the Love Hashira, it would be easy to predict where her flaws lie. She is an intensely emotional person, whose critical thinking is bound to be affected by this inclination. The Swordsmith Village arc shows her lack of awareness at times, especially when she had no idea that she’d unconsciously awakened her Demon Slayer Mark.
That being said, Mitsuru is ruthless in combat and never fails to identify the enemy as a threat. However, her natural disposition does make her one of the more gullible characters in the show.
10Kanae Kocho
Not A Lot Is Known About Shinobu’s Sister
The former Flower Hashira was a force to be reckoned with, if accounts are to be believed. It’s a shame thatviewers never got to see the true extent of her powersince she met her end at the hands of Doma before the events ofDemon Slayer. It’s hard to gauge how smart this Hashira was since fans rarely get to see her character, but Shinobu’s intelligence can help people make an educated guess that this brainpower runs in the family.
However, given how she motivated Shinobu during her fight against her sister’s murderer, it’s easy to see that she was an inspiration to everyone around her. Not many people are capable of that, and this more than makes up for the supposed drawbacks of her intelligence.
9Kyojuro Rengoku
Identified Akaza’s Threat And Used His Body To Prevent The Other Demon Slayers From Perishing
Kyojuro was easily one of the most charismatic and enjoyable characters on the show. It’s a shame that he never really got the time to really have his character explored, with his life coming to an end at the hand of Akaza.
Rengoku showed great will and determination during this battle, but his efforts ultimately ended with his demise. However, he still managed to protect those around him, even though it was at the cost of his own life. The situational awareness he had to gauge the danger of this Upper Rank Demon and how the sun was the only way to dispose of this threat makes it clear that Rengoku was pretty smart, and it’s a shame that his life ended before he could display more of his intelligence.
8Muichiro Tokito
Relies More On Instinct But Is Pretty Intelligent Too
Muichiro doesn’t really give off a great first impression. Most people wouldn’t be faulted for writing him off as an airhead who doesn’t really pay attention to things around him — something that is akin to a death sentence in the savage world ofDemon Slayer.
However, it doesn’t take long for Muichiro to show what he’s all about in battle. He’s definitely a force to be reckoned with, and he slowly grows into his own after regaining his memories and becoming more empathetic. The way he turned the tide against Gyokko and correctly gauged how his powers worked made it clear that his mind was sharp as ever in the face of danger.
7Obanai Iguro
Cold, Cruel, And Calculating
Most people would expect the Serpent Hashira to be a smart and wily fighter who will stop at nothing to get what they want.Obanai Iguro certainly doesn’t disappoint in this regard, with his cold and calculating personality adding further weight to his title.
Of course, Obanai can be too apathetic at times, which is also a problem. However, this is a minor gripe, since his intelligence in battle makes it clear that Obanai’s mind is as sharp as it should be. In a way, being emotionally detached helps him analyze a situation from an objective lens, which is imperative in a world where demons run amok and a single mistake can lead to one’s demise.
6Gyomei Himejima
His Battle Focus Is Unparalleled
The Stone Hashira is one of the most powerful Hashira inDemon Slayer. However, this is not just due to physical prowess —Gyomei also boasts a sharp mindthat stays focused in the heat of battle.
This mix of brains and brawn has helped him become one of the most valuable Hashira in the group. After all, his tactical awareness helped spot Muzan’s weakness, which was a headscratcher that most Demon Slayers were trying to figure out for the longest time.
5Tengen Uzui
Displayed Immense Tactical Awareness During His Fight Against Daki And Gyutaro
After their expedition with the Flame Hashira,Tanjiro and Co. accompanied the Sound Hashira for another grueling adventure. During this arc, Tengen showed why he’s one of the sharpest Hashira inDemon Slayer.
The battles he participated in were absolutely brutal and took a ton out of him. However, he never gave up and maintained an unwavering focus throughout these encounters, with his keen tactical awareness being key to helping him figure out how to defeat both Daki and Gyutaro.
4Jigoro Kuwajima
Smart Enough To Identify Zenitsu’s Potential, Which Is No Easy Feat
It takes a smart Demon Slayer to master a particular technique. However, it takes a true genius to learn their respective Breathing Style so thoroughly that they can impart this wisdom down to other aspiring Demon Slayers as well.
For what it’s worth, Jigoro did make the fatal flaw of teachingthe facets of Thunder Breathingto someone despicable like Kaigaku, who misused his teachings for his selfish gain. Thankfully, he also taught Zenitsu, who is an absolute prodigy and could only achieve this greatness under the guidance of an intelligent and patient sensei.
