Get ready for an epic countdown of the most intense and jaw-dropping battles from the world of Demon Slayer! We'll dive into the most heart-pounding, breathtaking fights that showcase the incredible skills of Tanjiro, Nezuko, and the other Demon Slayers as they battle against terrifying demons.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the best fight scenes from
00:12Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba.
00:25Number 30, Muzan vs Lower Demon Moons.
00:28We may be stretching the definition of fight with this one, it's honestly more of a slaughter.
00:40Kibutsuji Muzan summons the lower ranks of the 12 Demon Moons after the loss of one of
00:46their number.
00:47Unsatisfied with their relatively high turnover rate, Muzan proceeds to kill and devour them
00:52one by one.
01:02Some beg for their lives, others attempt to flee through the Infinity Castle, yet all
01:07but one of them die by Muzan's monstrous, mutated hands.
01:11It may not be much of a fight, but it's still a terrifyingly effective display of
01:15the power and cruelty of the series' main villain.
01:28Number 29, Sanami vs Obanai vs Muichiro.
01:33Sometimes anime original material can be awesome.
01:36While training the lower-ranked members of the Demon Slayer Corps, Ashiro, Sanami and
01:41Obanai spar with each other to get their own training in.
01:45They're soon joined by Muichiro, leading to a three-way duel between the trio.
02:01Each of their distinct breathing styles are rendered beautifully, and the rapid movement
02:05soon becomes too quick to follow.
02:08We may not get to see the duel's outcome, but this friendly spar tears holes in the
02:12ground and leaves all three of them winded.
02:21It's just awesome seeing the Hashira in action, no matter how briefly.
02:25Number 28, Sanami and Obanai vs Castle Demons.
02:30When the Wind and Snake Hashiras are called out to investigate a woman who vanished in
02:35the area, they stumble into a whole nest of demons in an abandoned castle.
02:43The two leave their subordinates behind and chase after the kidnapped woman, as the demon
02:48carrying her tries desperately to escape.
02:51The duo cut through dozens of demons using their signature styles in their pursuit of
02:55the hostage, even venturing out onto the castle's roof.
03:01Eventually, the demon escapes into the other dimension of the Infinity Castle, leaving
03:06the Hashira behind.
03:07This battle may technically be filler, but it's fantastic nonetheless.
03:21Number 27, Tanjiro and Nezuko vs Giyuu.
03:25The first demon slayer Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko meets is Tomioka Giyuu.
03:30Unfortunately, it's after Nezuko has already been turned into a demon.
03:45Giyuu tries to kill Nezuko, only for Tanjiro to risk his life to save her.
03:50Giyuu is puzzled by the boy defending a demon, even if it is his sister.
03:55His attempts to dissuade Tanjiro while holding Nezuko at sword point are unsuccessful too.
04:01Ultimately, Tanjiro makes a rush for Giyuu, making a surprisingly strategic axe throw.
04:14Although Giyuu knocks him out, he's impressed by the boy's clear-headedness and by Nezuko's
04:19willingness to protect her brother, despite being a demon.
04:23It's the show's first fight, yet it already shows the potential of not only the siblings,
04:28but the series too.
04:37Number 26, Inosuke, Zenitsu and Tengen vs Daki's Obi.
04:43The demon slayer's investigation into the disappearances in the Entertainment District
04:47eventually leads Inosuke into an underground chamber.
04:51There he discovers the larder of Daki, the sixth upper-ranked demon.
05:06She keeps her prey trapped in the living Obi until she eats them.
05:10However, the Obi is unable to lay a blow on Inosuke, whose bestial spatial awareness has
05:16him dodging every attack and shredding the living stomach wrap until he's freed many
05:21of the captive women.
05:30He also manages to free a sleeping Zenitsu, who promptly cuts through most of the Obi
05:35in a flash.
05:36Tengen soon joins them and slices the rest.
05:46It's mainly a prelude to the bigger fights that follow, but it still wraps up nicely.
05:51Number 25, Giyu vs Sanami.
05:54When Tanjiro goes to the Watahashira's place for training, he finds Giyu engaging in a
05:59sparring session with Sanami.
06:09The hot-blooded Wind Hashira makes for a perfect contrast to the cool, calm and collected Giyu.
06:15Their attacks fly fast and furious, but Tanjiro still manages to observe their moves despite
06:21how fast they are.
06:35The duel between Hashiras doesn't last long and ultimately results in a draw, since they
06:40both break their wooden swords.
06:42Even so, it's a thrilling fight for what it is.
06:45It's Just Too Bad Sanami is so embarrassed about loving Red Bean Mochi.
06:50Chill out, man.
07:00Number 24, Zenitsu vs Tongue Demon.
07:03This golden-haired demon slayer doesn't exactly inspire confidence when we first meet
07:08him.
07:09Even while trying to protect young Shoichi, Zenitsu is both figuratively and literally
07:13shaking at the knees.
07:26Though we'll grant that the long-tongued demon chasing them is pretty terrifying.
07:31Eventually, the demon makes a threat so disgusting that Zenitsu passes out.
07:36However, this turns out to be the best thing for them, since with his inhibitions no longer
07:41a problem, Zenitsu cuts through the demon's tongue in a flash.
07:45He then does the same thing to the creature's head.
07:53Zenitsu's first on-screen battle may start rough, but he comes in clutch when it counts.
08:02Number 23, Tanjiro, Inosuke and Giyu vs Spider Father.
08:07The battles against the Spider Family are action-packed, and see the demon slayers battle
08:12a whole gaggle of arachnid-themed demons.
08:24The massive so-called patriarch of the group is confronted initially by Tanjiro and Inosuke.
08:30Both of them struggle to pierce Father's hardened skin.
08:33Despite some inventive moves from Tanjiro, he's flung a great distance away, forcing
08:38Inosuke to fight alone.
08:49It's a great opportunity to see the wild slayer confront not only his fear, but also bits
08:54of his past.
08:55Plus, it showcases his ball-headed and boar-headed fighting style.
09:00Giyu then swoops in to save the day, and reveals not only how strong he is, but also
09:05how far our heroes have to go.
09:22Number 22, Tanjiro vs Inosuke.
09:26Sometimes the best way to make friends is through an exchange of punches.
09:30Inosuke makes his debut trying to kill Nezuko, as he doesn't know her circumstances.
09:44Although Zenitsu protects her initially, Tanjiro takes over once he arrives on the scene.
09:49He then engages Inosuke in a fistfight.
09:52Inosuke immediately displays his incredible flexibility and fierceness in battle.
09:58Nevertheless, Tanjiro is no slouch either, and manages to knock out even someone as hard-headed
10:03as Inosuke with a headbutt.
10:14Most fights in the series involve swords, which makes this bare-handed brawl a fun change
10:18of pace, and a great introduction to Inosuke and his surprisingly gorgeous face.
10:31Number 21, Demon Slayers vs Muzan, Round 1.
10:35After centuries of fighting, the Demon Slayers finally make their strike against Muzan.
10:52After their leader Ubyoshiki's fiery sacrifice leaves Muzan painfully regenerating, Tamayo
10:58reveals herself by using a blood demon art to impale Muzan, and has him absorb a drug
11:04to turn him human again.
11:06Himeshima Gyomei then arrives and beheads Muzan with his mace.
11:15While decapitation proves frustratingly ineffective, the other Hashiras and Tanjiro arrive on the
11:20scene too, each preparing to use their breathing styles.
11:24Unfortunately, even cornered, Muzan has a plan.
11:28He teleports them all to the Infinity Castle.
11:35While it's mostly an introduction to the larger battle, this opening cell though is
11:39still sheer unadulterated hype.
11:56Number 20, Tanjiro vs Kyogai.
11:59You could say that this demon really marches to the beat of his own drum, so given the
12:04musicality of it all, it's not too surprising that this is less of a fight and more of a
12:10dance.
12:11These shifting walls force Tanjiro to keep pace with Kyogai's beat, or risk succumbing
12:15to it.
12:16It's a riveting back and forth, especially because it requires Tanjiro to use both his
12:25head and his sword.
12:27But of course, all that build-up means nothing without a clutch ending.
12:31Here, Kyogai's stirring performance gets silenced by a truly mesmerizing ballet of
12:36Tanjiro's water-breathing.
12:37Yeah, talk about dropping the beat.
12:45Number 19, Kiyo vs Rui.
12:48Tanjiro put up a good fight and all, but he was still just an appetizer to the main course.
12:53That main course being Water Hashira Kiyo Tomioka, in all his glory.
13:05He was a bit late to the party, but he quickly made up for lost time by showing Rui the wrong
13:09side of a dead-calm attack.
13:12Emphasis on the dead part.
13:14It tore through the lower five's threads, pride and neck in a single effortless stroke.
13:20Rui didn't even have the time to react, let alone block.
13:24As a result, this might go down as the quickest victory in Demon Slayer history.
13:28And it was against Akizuki, no less.
13:37Number 18, Tanjiro and Inosuke vs Spider Mother.
13:42When these three Slayers went in for the kill, they discovered there were a few strings attached.
13:47Namely, a whole lot of actual strings controlling the bodies of their comrades.
13:51But Tanjiro and Inosuke took that as a challenge, and proceeded to slice and dice their way
13:58right to the puppeteer's main body.
14:04Then yet, it's not quite right to call this a slaying.
14:07The Spider Mother feared Rui more than death, and as such, she practically begged Tanjiro
14:13to put her out of her misery.
14:15Her reign ends on a surprisingly emotional note, but at the very least, Tanjiro's gentle
14:21beheading is the closest thing to mercy a demon can get.
14:28Number 17, Tanjiro and Nezuko vs Swamp Demon.
14:32Tanjiro's first mission truly threw him into the deep end.
14:38On the hunt for a demon kidnapping and devouring innocent maidens, he soon finds himself treading
14:44water against three identical demons, all capable of sinking into their own swamp world
14:50at will.
14:51While watching Tanjiro slice up the horned fiends on their home turf, thanks to his water
14:56breathing techniques, is all kinds of awesome, the real standout is seeing Nezuko step up
15:03to the plate.
15:04With her demon blood now granting her enough strength to kick a demon's head clean off,
15:09it was clear she was no longer just a victim inside a box.
15:14Number 16, Tanjiro vs Sabito.
15:24An unexpected training partner, a brutal teacher, the ghost of a dead child, a boulder?
15:30The masked fox boy turned out to be all of these.
15:33Appearing before Tanjiro in order to help take his sword training to the next level,
15:38the two proceed to duel day after day, until pain and defeat mold the wannabe demon slayer
15:44into a superior fighter.
15:52Their final confrontation may be brief, but it's an essential part of the showdown.
15:58Their final confrontation may be brief, but it's an essential step on Tanjiro's journey,
16:05bringing things to a close with a single, almost beautiful slash.
16:20Number 15, Shinobu vs Spider Sister.
16:24She may be all smiles, but that doesn't mean she isn't a savage dispenser of demons.
16:31Encountering the last member of Rui's spider clan,
16:35Shinobu quickly demonstrates why it's unwise to underestimate a Hashira.
16:39With but a few pricks of her sword, along with a vibrant, metaphorical burst of butterflies,
16:45she's able to bring down the treacherous spider thanks to the poison laced along her blade.
16:53Some would say it's a worse fate than getting your head chopped off,
17:01but Shinobu is just hardcore like that.
17:12Number 14, Tanjiro and Nezuko vs Yahaba and Suzuru Maru.
17:17Far from reaching the heights of the 12 demon moons,
17:20these twin forces of Kibutsuji's will still made for quite a challenge.
17:25With one able to launch tamari balls at such speed it can render flesh,
17:29and the other able to send a person flying with invisible arrows,
17:33both Tanjiro and Nezuko are put through their paces.
17:43However, Tanjiro's versatility in the face of overwhelming pain
17:47eventually gets the better of the arrow spammer,
17:56leaving Nezuko free to show her aptitude for kicking balls into oblivion. Watch out, Zenitsu.
18:07Number 13, Zenitsu vs Spider Brother.
18:11Loud, obnoxious, and just a tad too desperate to get with a girl
18:15before he meets an untimely death,
18:18Zenitsu certainly seemed like a poor fit for the Demon Slayer core.
18:28At least until he proved he did have the skills, so long as he's unconscious at the time.
18:33These were put on full display when he found himself set upon by the insidious
18:37and oh-so-creepy older brother of Rui's fake family.
18:41Turns out that even if you poison and overwhelm them with spiders,
18:45there's not much that can stop a living lightning bolt.
18:57Number 12, Tanjiro and Inosuke vs Mugen Train.
19:01How does one cut the neck of a demon the size of a train,
19:05and lay it with hypnosis-inducing eyes?
19:08Easy, just partner up with your best board buddy and run wild.
19:19Coordinating their strikes together in order to finally bring an end to Enmuu,
19:24both Tanjiro and Inosuke bring their varying swordsmanship to the forefront
19:28as they launch one hell of a combo.
19:31While Inosuke carves up every eye and sight with his unorthodox dual-wielding,
19:35Tanjiro follows it up with a breathtaking demonstration of the Hinokami.
19:46Number 11, Mitsuri vs Zouhakuten.
19:49Man, if looks could kill.
19:51From her glorious entrance down to her love-breathing attacks,
19:54Mitsuri single-handedly proved that high-level fighting is a way to go.
20:01Don't have to choose between beauty or brawn,
20:04look no further than her fight with Zouhakuten.
20:10Her whip-like sword practically shredded him into wood chips,
20:14and she looked stylish as hell while doing it.
20:17But leave it to the love Hashira to fill this fight with a ton of heart too.
20:21Watching her overcome her personal struggles
20:24elevates this fight from simply dazzling to downright breathtaking.
20:31While she doesn't clinch the win on her own,
20:35it's safe to say there's still a whole lot to love here.
20:39Number 10, Tanjiro vs Hand Demon.
20:42The first true test of Tanjiro's skills,
20:45the final selection not only had him taking on lesser demons in a test of survival,
20:49but also brought him face-to-face with a monstrous glutton.
20:57As the one responsible for killing the rest of Arokodaki's students,
21:01Sabito and Makumo included, it falls to Tanjiro to get revenge.
21:13Turns out all that boulder-cutting came in handy,
21:16since in spite of its tough exterior and never-ending surge of hands,
21:20the honky demon wasn't prepared for Tanjiro's first foray into water-breathing.
21:25Number 9, Muichiro vs Gyokou.
21:31At the end of this beatdown,
21:35the missed Hashira has done more damage to Gyokou's ego than his body.
21:40Considering the demon loses his head, that's really saying something.
21:44Rest assured, Muichiro isn't all talk though.
21:47Once he reignites his will to fight,
21:49he gives Gyokou a pulse-pounding duel that has to be seen to be believed.
21:53The exquisite production values convey so much strength and speed
21:58that it's almost hard to keep up with.
22:00And that is a compliment.
22:17After all that, it's no wonder Gyokou doesn't leave his opponent's mist alive.
22:21The Hashira passes out before he can celebrate the win,
22:25but all things considered, he deserves a good nap.
22:28Number 8, Muichiro, Tanjiro, and Nezuko vs Hantengu.
22:33This doesn't stay a three-on-one for very long.
22:36Soon enough, Hantengu splits in two.
22:39Then he does it again.
22:41The multiplying enemies keep upping the ante until,
22:44eventually, the whole thing is a no-holds-barred battle royale.
22:49Thankfully, Tanjiro has an ace up his sleeve called Hinokami Kagura.
22:53With a boost from Nezuko's blood-demon art,
22:56the Kamuro siblings show Hantengu's four bodies what a real slayer looks like.
23:07Spoiler alert, it consists of top-rate animation,
23:11stellar choreography, and fight scenes.
23:14It consists of top-rate animation, stellar choreography,
23:17and fights so intense you'll never want to look away.
23:20Then, right when you think it's over,
23:22Hantengu brings out a secret fifth body just for good measure.
23:27This truly is the fight that keeps on giving.
23:31Number 7, Tanjiro vs Daki.
23:33If you're looking for a good old-fashioned fight to the finish,
23:36he doesn't get any better than this.
23:39Daki's an upper-ranked six-kizuki,
23:41but Tanjiro, he's just got Hinokami Kagura and the guts to use it,
23:46even if it costs him his breathing.
23:53It's not exactly a recommended tactic, but the results are undeniable.
23:58On both a visual and plot level,
24:00watching him cut Daki into ribbons is nothing short of exhilarating.
24:05Especially since, if it weren't for her quick thinking,
24:08Tanjiro could have taken Daki's head right then and there.
24:17Suffice it to say, by the time all is said and done,
24:20Tanjiro's not the only one who's forgotten to breathe.
24:24Number 6, Tanjiro vs Enmu.
24:27With a blood demon arc capable of sending a person into the deepest of dreams
24:31with a single command,
24:33Enmu proved himself to be a cut above the rest of his demon brethren.
24:38At least, until he made the fatal mistake of toying with memories of Tanjiro's family.
24:48By taking his own life within the dreamscape over and over again,
24:52Tanjiro is able to consistently break Enmu's hold over him.
24:56Even when shown hellish visions of his slaughtered family,
25:00it only further steals his resolve.
25:02And cue the water dragon.
25:09Number 5, Tanjiro and Nezuko vs Rui.
25:12Setting both swords and the internet on fire,
25:15Tanjiro's clash with the spidery lower moon
25:18pushed him further than any demon has so far.
25:21Even with his sword and most of his body broken,
25:23Tanjiro refuses to surrender,
25:26risking it all to save Nezuko.
25:29You'd think him unleashing the latent power of Hinokami
25:32would be the ultimate showstopper,
25:34but then along comes Nezuko with her own blood demon art
25:37to really kick things into high gear.
25:44Who knew watching someone get their head in the dirt
25:47would be so much fun?
25:48Tanjiro, however, is a bit of a pain in the ass.
25:51He's got to be careful not to let his guard down.
25:55Who knew watching someone get their head cleaved off
25:59could be so artful?
26:08Number 4, Nezuko vs Daki.
26:11Even for a demon, this is pretty brutal.
26:14Daki made the fatal mistake of messing with Tanjiro,
26:17and in return, Nezuko taught her a lesson she'll never forget.
26:22Mostly via some very vicious kicks.
26:32The worst part?
26:33To Nezuko and her newly awakened powers,
26:36this isn't even a fight, it's a game.
26:38One where Daki's head is the ball.
26:41To be fair, the Kizuki totally had this coming,
26:44but that doesn't make the one-sided beatdown
26:46any easier to stomach.
26:48Nezuko's transformation is so overwhelming that,
26:51at a certain point, it's hard to decide
26:53whether you should cheer or be afraid.
27:00Either way, this is certainly a fight to remember,
27:03for better or for worse.
27:05Number 3, Tanjiro and Nezuko vs Hantengu.
27:09Tanjiro and Nezuko have been the soul
27:11of some of Demon Slayer's most iconic moments,
27:14and this one is no different.
27:16The sun rising, Hantengu's on the loose,
27:19and there's a choice to be made.
27:21Save Nezuko, or rescue the villagers?
27:24Understandably, Tanjiro can't decide,
27:27so his sister chooses for him.
27:29After such an emotional gut punch,
27:32Hantengu's actual death feels like a bit of an afterthought.
27:40Sure, that final strike is as cool as they come,
27:43but it's nothing without the impact
27:45of Nezuko's sacrifice.
27:47Tanjiro's the one who swung the sword,
27:50but this is as much a win for her
27:52as it is for her brother.
27:59Number 2, Rengoku vs Akaza.
28:02Outburning and outdoing whatever on thought possible,
28:05the Flame Hashira's last stand
28:07against one of the upper demon moons
28:09defied all expectations.
28:15Even with Akaza's instant regeneration,
28:18and unholy strength slowly chipping away at him,
28:21Rengoku refuses to abandon his duty
28:24or his apprentice demon slayers.
28:32The entire bout is an onslaught of staggering visuals,
28:36all held together by Rengoku's unfathomable drive
28:39to do what he must,
28:41unleashing a torrent of flame-breathing techniques
28:44more stunning than the last.
28:45It may have ended in tragedy,
28:47but you couldn't have asked for a greater testament
28:50to such a larger-than-life character.
29:18With not just one, but two Kizuki to take down,
29:22Demon Slayer brought out all the staffs
29:24for a bonafide internet-melting climax.
29:36Although at this point, is anyone surprised?
29:39After all, there's more hype moments in one episode
29:42than most series get in a whole season.
29:44You've got Tengen's flashy moves,
29:47Inosuke's clutch entrance,
29:49Tanjiro growing his mark,
29:51and so much more.
29:53It all culminates into an adrenaline-fueled finisher
29:56that's all but guaranteed to leave your jaw on the floor.
30:04We could keep going for a while,
30:05but for now, we'll just leave it at this.
30:07If Darkian Gyutaro's end isn't Demon Slayer at its absolute best,
30:12we don't know what is.
30:13Is there a Demon Slayer fight we forgot?
30:16Don't lose your heads,
30:17tell us your favourites in those comments below.