Why Gyomei Himejima Is The Strongest Hashira

The Hashira of Demon Slayer are all vastly different when it comes to their abilities, and it can be hard to compare them when their fighting styles vary so much— but when it comes to power, Gyomei Himejima is easily the strongest of the nine. Gyomei Himejima is physically stronger than his fellow Demon Slayer Hashira, wields one of the most impressive Nichirin blades in history, and commands the respect of both Demon Slayers and demons alike — all without his eyesight. While Gyomei hasn't had much screen time so far by the end of Demon Slayer season 2 or its predecessors, he plays a major supporting role in the manga, where examples of his strength are clear. 

The nine Demon Slayer Hashira hold one of the most elite ranks in the Demon Slayer Corps, second only to Corps leader, Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Each Hashira, including Gyomei Himejima, is a master of a distinct Breathing Style, from Love to Stone to Mist. They are all assigned a territory to watch over, keeping an eye out for demons and working to hone their skills even more — some Hashira even take on apprentices to succeed them. Tanjiro Kamado and Zenitsu Agatsuma have both been trained by former Hashira; Sakonji Urokodaki, the former Water Hashira, and Jigoro Kuwajima, the former Thunder Hashira.

Before Gyomei Himejima was a Demon Slayer Hashira he lived in a temple raising nine orphan children, and he has been blind since birth. After an invading demon killed all but one of the children, Gyomei Himejima beat the demon with his bare fists until sunrise. He was falsely imprisoned for murdering the children, but was spared from execution by Ubuyashiki. After, he would become a Demon Slayer and was promoted to the role of Stone Pillar after only two months in the Demon Slayer Corps. From this backstory alone, it's clear that Himejima is a cut above even the more powerful of his Hashira comrades in Demon Slayer.

Why Gyomei Himejima Is The Strongest Hashira In Demon Slayer

In combat, Gyomei Himejima's power is clear, which is part of what makes him Demon Slayer’s most powerful Hashira. Even without a blade, Gyomei was able to keep a demon at bay until sunrise with only brute, physical strength. His Nichirin Blade is unique, as he is the only Demon Slayer Hashira whose blade takes the form of an ax, and is considered to be one of the best-crafted blades in history. His ax is connected to a spiked flail by a long chain; during his training, Gyomei Himejima used his superhuman hearing to adapt and follow the sound of the chain during combat to track his weapon and supplement his lack of vision. Gyomei is also incredibly skilled at tactics and deductive reasoning. This insight eventually allowed him to discover the Transparent World during a fight against an Upper Rank demon, giving him the ability to "see" his opponents as if they were right in front of him. 

The Nine Hashiras In Demon Slayer, Explained

Just as Demon Slayer’s demons get power from Muzan Kibutsuji, each Hashira also possesses unique strengths and abilities, and they are all incredibly powerful. Each Demon Slayer Hashira practices a distinct breathing technique derived from one of the core practices of Stone, Flame, Wind, Water, and Thunder, which in turn all stem from the original Sun Breathing technique. All told, there are nine Hashiras in the Demon Slayer Corps that each practice their own style of breathing and combat. Aside from Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira, there’s Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito, Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji, Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho, Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa, Serpent Hashira Obanai Iguro, Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka, Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui, and Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku. The Demon Slayer anime thus far has highlighted Shinobu and Tomioka as main characters, as well as focusing on Uzui and Rengoku in Demon Slayer season 2 and the Mugen Train Arc, respectively.

Even among such an impressive group of Demon Slayer Hashira, Gyomei Himejima has been recognized as the most powerful Hashira by Demon Slayers and demons alike. While Gyomei has yet to play a leading role in the Demon Slayer anime, in the manga both Tanjiro and Inosuke have declared him to be the strongest Demon Slayer throughout the entire Corps. Likewise, the Upper Rank 1 demon, Kokushibo, has said that Gyomei Himejima's abilities are at their peak and that he is the highest caliber warrior he has encountered in 300 years. Finally, being promoted to the honorous rank of Hashira so quickly — and by the Demon Slayer Corps leader, no less — is also a great testament to Gyomei's strength. 

While other Demon Slayer Hashiras like Giyu Tomioka and Sanemi Shinazugawa might not be far behind Gyomei Himejima in terms of swordsmanship, his stable personality rounds him out more than his counterparts, who can be too volatile or too reserved. In the manga, Gyomei begins to play a major role following the Mugen Train arc, so it is possible audiences will see more of Gyomei Himejima in action in Demon Slayer’s upcoming seasons.

More: Demon Slayer Season 2 Drops A Major Reveal About Tanjiro