Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained

Key Takeaways

  • Total Concentration Breathing in Demon Slayer enhances swordsmanship to superhuman levels for epic battles against Demons.
  • Offshoot breathing styles like Flower, Insect, and Serpent Breathing offer unique advantages and powerful techniques in combat.
  • Demon Slayers like Kanao, Shinobu, and Obanai utilize specialized breathing styles to defeat formidable enemies with agility and precision.

As a seasoned anime enthusiast with over two decades of dedication to this captivating art form, I find myself utterly enamored by the unique and exhilarating styles showcased in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. The Beast Breathing technique, wielded by the tenacious Inosuke Hashibira, is a testament to raw power and unpredictable ferocity that leaves audiences on the edge of their seats. On the other hand, Tengen Uzui’s Sound Breathing style, with its blinding speed and musical flair, showcases an entirely different approach to combat – one that emphasizes strategy and foresight.


The central combat method employed by the protagonists in Demon Slayer relies on a technique called Total Concentration Breathing. This involves demon slayers channeling all their energy and attention into their breathing, which enhances their martial arts skills to an extraordinary degree and allows them to engage in battles on equal terms with demons. To an ordinary observer, the mastery of Total Concentration Breathing in swordsmanship appears almost otherworldly.

In the world of Demon Slayer, the power system is intricate, as mastering this fighting style allows characters to uncover their full potential and unique combat advantages. These abilities are expressed through one of five fundamental elements, but exceptional Demon Slayers can adapt these styles to leverage their personal strengths, resulting in distinct sub-styles. Let’s explore each of these offshoots and understand why they are so powerful!

Flower Breathing

Original Style: Water Breathing

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained
First Appearance Demon Slayer, Chapter 143, “Wrath”
Debut Arc Infinity Castle Arc
Users Kanao Tsuyuri, Kanae Kocho

A variant of one of the initial five Breathing Styles is called Flower Breathing. This style shares many similarities with its root style, Water Breathing, particularly in its focus on elegance rather than raw power when inflicting damage. The name derives from the way it mimics the fluidity and grace of flowers and plant life in its movements. Notable techniques within this style may temporarily enhance the user’s vision, although prolonged use can potentially harm their eyesight.

This girl could actually be more powerful than the pillar girl I just ate!

  • Total Forms: 7
  • Specialty: Agile and quick movements
  • Greatest Feat: Kanae used this style to help defeat Upper Rank 2, Douma

Insect Breathing

Original Style: Flower Breathing – Water Breathing

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained
First Appearance Demon Slayer, Episode 20, “Pretend Family”
Debut Date August 17, 2019
Users Shinobu Kocho

Instead of other breathing techniques, Insect Breathing is derived from a branch of a branch. This is because it’s incredibly customized for its creator, Shinobu, who, being smaller and weaker than most slayers, primarily stabs her sword rather than cuts or slices due to her limited strength. To maximize the effectiveness of this fighting style, Shinobu stores a powerful Wisteria venom in her blade, releasing it through her stabbing movements, effectively poisoning Demons and causing them to die internally!

Among all the pillars, I might be the one and only swordswoman who can’t decapitate a demon. However, anyone capable of concocting a potion lethal to demons could truly be extraordinary.

  • Total Forms: 4
  • Specialty: Quick, jabbing attacks with poison damage
  • Greatest Feat: Shinobu used this style to incredible effect in the Mount Natagumo arc, killing many powerful demons

Serpent Breathing

Original Style: Water Breathing

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained
First Appearance Demon Slayer, Episode 56, “To Defeat Muzan Kibutsuji”
Debut Date May 12, 2024
Users Obanai Iguro

Obanai’s unique Water Breathing technique, known as Serpent Breathing, was developed by him and employs his pet snake for enhanced vision. The movements of this method mimic a serpent’s slither, granting Obanai exceptional agility and flexibility in his attacks. This is evident throughout the style, as its forms and techniques require swift, undulating motions from the user’s arm or sword. This serpentine style is also demonstrated in Obanai’s special Nichirin Blade.

Stay away from Kanroji you scum!

  • Total Forms: 5
  • Specialty: Confusing and slithering motions with unpredictable strikes
  • Greatest Feat: Obanai’s style was instrumental in keeping Nakime’s powers at bay during the Infinity Castle arc

Love Breathing

Original Style: Flame Breathing

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained
First Appearance Demon Slayer, Episode 49, “Bright Red Blade”
Debut Date May 7, 2023
Users Mitsuri Kanroji

Mitsuri is the sole practitioner of an exceptional Breathing Technique, as it stems from the Flame Breathing style. This connection is reflected in its focus on intense attacks, demonstrating Mitsuri’s extraordinary power that borders on the superhuman. Yet, mastery of this technique demands remarkable agility and acrobatic prowess. Mitsuri’s unusual whip-sword, with a versatile blade, mimics traditional ribbon dancing in its performance, showcasing her exceptional dexterity and acrobatic finesse. By harnessing her strength and inherent agility, she fully exploits the potential of this impressive Breathing Technique.

I will fight for justice, not just for myself but for those who can’t fight for themselves.

  • Total Forms: 6
  • Specialty: Agile and acrobatic movements with powerful strikes
  • Greatest Feat: Love Breathing was incredibly useful in the Swordsmith Village arc and against Nakime in the Infinity Castle arc

Mist Breathing

Original Style: Wind Breathing

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained
First Appearance Demon Slayer, Episode 47, “A Sword from Over 300 Years Ago”
Debut Date April 23, 2023
Users Muichiro Tokito

Mist Breathing is an offshoot of Wind Breathing. This style focuses on the mist itself, with its most powerful and common techniques being those that seek to obscure the user, allowing them to strike from the blind spots of their enemies. These strikes are also quite powerful and those that do not emphasize killing blows seek to disorient the opponent, perfectly mirroring the same way that mist tends to obscure one’s vision. Muichiro even wears baggy clothes that cover most of his body, perhaps replicating the same properties of mist.

Even the strongest attacks are pointless if they don’t hit!

  • Total Forms: 7
  • Specialty: Disorienting attacks that confuse the opponent and striking from the shadows
  • Greatest Feat: Muichiro used this style to singlehandedly defeat Gyokko, who was the Upper Moon 5 during the Swordsmith Village arc

Beast Breathing

Original Style: Wind Breathing

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained
First Appearance Demon Slayer, Episode 12, “The Boar Bares Its Fangs, Zenitsu Sleeps”
Debut Date June 22, 2019
Users Inosuke Hashibira

Beast Breathing is a distinct form of combat, emphasizing raw power and fierce slashing over agility and swiftness, as opposed to Wind Breathing. This style embodies the untamed aggression of beasts, evident in its erratic, violent maneuvers and wild attacks that might seem straightforward but pack quite a punch. Interestingly, this style also demands a high level of spatial awareness, enabling users to perceive enemy movements from afar, which is one of its techniques.

If hell doesn’t exist, I’ll create it for you!

  • Total Forms: 11
  • Specialty: Powerful and erratic attacks to overpower the opponent
  • Greatest Feat: Beast Breathing was instrumental in defeating Upper Moon 2, Douma

Sound Breathing

Original Style: Thunder Breathing

Demon Slayer: Offshoot Breathing Styles, Explained
First Appearance Demon Slayer, Episode 38, “Things Are Gonna Get Real Flashy!!”
Debut Date January 2, 2022
Users Tengen Uzui

Similar to Thunder Breathing, Sound Breathing enables Uzui to fight at astonishing speeds. However, unlike Thunder Breathing, Uzui’s personal style prioritizes speed above everything because it leverages his exceptional ability to create a musical score during combat, which gives him insights into how the battle might unfold. Furthermore, this style stands out due to its integration of explosives in various techniques, making it one of the rare styles that employs weapons other than Nichirin Blades.

I’ve finished my musical score technique! We’re going for the win!

  • Total Forms: 5
  • Specialty: Blinding speed to pummel enemies as well as using sound to deconstruct enemies’ movements
  • Greatest Feat : Uzui used this in his amazing one-on-one fight against Upper Moon 6, Gyutaro

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba can be streamed on Amazon Prime and Netflix.

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2024-08-29 22:06