Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an incredibly well-written manga that targets the shonen demographic — giving it a focus on action-based elements throughout the story. Fans of the Manga and the anime series will be familiar with the Demon Slayer Corp, but might not fully grasp how the series' ranking system works, or how it has affected the flow of the story.

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The ranking system provided helps demonstrate how far the protagonist Tanjiro has come, and how much stronger his skills are compared to other members of the organization.

Updated on August 13, 2024 by Chad Thesen: This article has been updated for the purpose of adding additional information and restructuring the order of this article's various sections. This new structure provides a much better experience for readers by helping to transition to the next section of the article. New information has been added in the form of a list of active Hashira, as well as a list of former Hashira — along with detailing additional information for each of the former Hashira.

What Are The Demon Slayer Corps Ranks?

And How Does A Corps Member Climb Them?

There have been many grand achievements made by the Demon Slayer Corps, and this can be accredited to the skill and dedication of its members. There are 10 ranks within the Demon Slayer Corps, each of which is named after a Heavenly Stem. The first rank of Mizunoto is granted after an individual has successfully completed the Final Selection. The 10 ranks, from lowest to highest, are as follows:

Mizunoto
Mizunoe
Kanoto
Kanoe
Tsuchinoto
Tsuchinoe
Hinoto
Hinoe
Kinoto
Kinoe

After achieving Mizunoto, the individual will be a full-fledged member of the Demon Slayer Corps. As they complete the missions assigned to them, and slay any demons they cross paths with, they will work their way up the ranks set by the organization. The reason for these 10 rankings is that the threat of demons varies dramatically. This ranking system allows the Demon Slayer Corps to send out members of a relevant skill level so that higher-ranked members will still be available should a more dangerous threat appear.

This also helps newer members hone their skills against threats that are less likely to kill or permanently injure them. The higher a Demon Slayer Corps member ranks in the organization will also affect how much they will earn, making climbing the ranks a worthwhile endeavor for those seeking financial gain.

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What Are The Heavenly Stems

An Ancient System Of Time-Keeping

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc trailer

The Heavenly Stems is a numeral system from the Shang Dynasty. It was used to represent and count the 10 days that fell under the Shang week. Over time, the Heaven Stems lost their purpose of counting days in a 10-day system, and instead, they were used alongside the Earthly Branches to develop a new dating system that could count 60 years — this is a vastly different system from the one we use today.

The order of the Demon Slayer Corps ranks matches the structure of the Heavenly Stems. Each prefix correlates to one of the Five Phases (Wuxing) with "Mizu" meaning Water, "Ka" meaning Metal, "Tsuchi" meaning Earth, "Hi" meaning Fire, and "Ki" meaning Wood. In Chinese Philosophy, there are 2 opposing forces to everything. The names of ranks ending in "noe" represent the "yang" side, while ranks ending with "noto" represent the "yin."

What Rank Is Tanjiro In Demon Slayer

Tanjiro Climbed Ranks Without Even Meaning To

Before Tanjiro joined the Demon Slayer Corps, he trained under a retired member of the Demon Slayer Corps, Sakonji Urokodaki — who previously held the title of Water Hashira. Once Tanjiro was ready, he took part in the Final Selection. Upon successfully completing the Final Selection, Tanjiro obtained the rank of Mizunoto.

Entertainment District Arc

Tanjiro would discover that his time at the Demon Slayer Corps had been bearing fruit, and that he had unknowingly been moving up the ranks within the organization. He becomes aware that he, along with his allies Inouske and Zenitsu, had achieved the rank of Kanoe (the fourth rank of the Demon Slayer Corp).

Infinity Castle Arc

During this Arc, it is revealed that Tanjiro had climbed up the ranks even further, obtaining the rank of Hinoe (the eighth rank of the Demon Slayer Corp). The arcs that reveal Tanjiro's promotions throughout the series are spaced far between, with no mention of the exact times he achieved each rank, or if he skipped ranks between promotions.

Who Are The Hashira In Demon Slayer

The Best Of The Best

Demon Slayer - All The Hashira Bowing To Ubuyashiki

The Hashira are a very select few within the Demon Slayer Corps that possess a special rank that transcends the usual 10. They represent the very best the Demon Slayer Corps has to offer, and there are strict requirements that one must meet before becoming a candidate for this rank. The first option is to have obtained the rank of Kinoe, and to have slain over 50 demons while at this rank. The second option is to have slain one of the 12 Demon Moons.

The Hashira operate directly under the Demon Slayer Corps leader, Kagaya Ubuyashiki. After obtaining the rank of Hashira, the member is granted many special privileges to ensure they have all the tools and resources that they need to carry out their missions at any cost.

Some Hashira have dedicated members of the Corps who will act as their successors should they fall in battle or retire. These successors are known as Tsuguko.

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List Of Known Hashira In Demon Slayer

There are many Hashira featured in the Demon Slayer franchise, but not all of them are active members of the core. Some Hashira have not fallen in the line of duty, but still retire due to factors such as age or injury.

Active Hashira

Giyu Tomioka, the current Water Hashira
Gyomei Himejima, the current Stone Hashira
Sanemi Shinazugawa, the current Wind Hashira
Obanai Iguro, the current Serpent Hashira
Muichiro Tokito, the current Mist Hashira
Shinobu Kocho, the current Insect Hashira
Mitsuri Kanroji, the current Love Hashira

Former Hashira

Sakonji Urokodaki, a former Water Hashria
Jigoro Kuwajima, a former Thunder Hashira
Kyojuro Rengoku, a former Flame Hashira
Shinjuro Rengoku, a former Flame Hashira
Tengen Uzui, a former Sound Hashira
Kanae Kocho, a former Flower Hashira

Sakonji Urokodaki and Jigoro Kuwajima both retired due to old age, and acted as the teachers of two of the story’s main protagonists, Tanjuro Kamado and Zenitsu Agatsuma. Kyojuro Rengoku was introduced into the story as the current Flame Hashira, but gave his life for the cause during the Mugen Train Arc. Shinjuro Rengoku is the father of the late Kyojuro Rengoku, who left the Demon Slayer core after losing his wife.

Just like Kyojuro, Tengen Uzui is introduced as an active Hashira, but suffers severe injuries preventing him from continuing to be a Hashira. Despite this, he participates in the Hashira Training Arc as one of the trainers. Kanae Kocho was the sister to the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kochu, who was killed by a demon named Doma.

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