Demon Slayer: The Strongest Characters The Infinity Castle Movie, Ranked

The first part of *Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle*, titled *Akaza Returns*, is now playing in theaters. This highly anticipated movie continues the story from Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga, bringing the final arc to life with thrilling battles inside the Infinity Castle. Fan-favorite characters face off against Muzan Kibutsuji and his strongest demons.

As a huge fan, I’ve been completely absorbed in the first part of *Demon Slayer*’s final arc! It’s packed with some of the strongest characters we’ve ever seen, both demons and slayers. I’ve been thinking a lot about who truly stands out, and I’ve put together a list of the eight most powerful fighters *in this movie*. Now, it’s important to note I’m only including characters who actually *fight* in this part. While powerhouses like Muzan and Kokushibo are definitely up there overall, they don’t really get involved until the next two films, so they didn’t make the cut for this list!

Kaigaku

The New Upper Rank Six And A Master Of Thunder Breathing

Debut: Chapter 34 (Manga) Episode 17 (Anime)
Blood Demon Art: Electrokinesis
Breathing Style: Thunder Breathing

Fans who only watch the anime recently learned the reason behind Zenitsu’s newfound determination during the Hashira Training Arc: his former teacher, Jigoro Kuwajima, took his own life after discovering his other student, Kaigaku, had become a demon. This sets up a very intense battle between the two swordsmen who use Thunder Breathing, and it’s a major moment in the movie.

Kaigaku, unlike Zenitsu, completely learned all the Thunder Breathing forms except the very first one. This gave him an incredibly fast, aggressive, and unpredictable fighting style. He was even more powerful thanks to a special ability that let him create electricity with his sword, burning anyone he hit. While strong enough to become an Upper Rank Demon, he was actually the weakest of the Twelve Kizuki, which ultimately allowed Zenitsu to win against him.

Zenitsu Agatsuma

The Series’ Comic Relief Finally Got Serious And Showcased A New Technique

Debut: Chapter 6 (Manga) Episode 4 (Anime)
Breathing Style: Thunder Breathing

Throughout much of the story, Zenitsu Agatsuma appeared quite fragile, often acting like a whiny and irritating person. He could only defeat demons while asleep. However, the death of his teacher and his anger towards Kaigaku finally pushed him to take things seriously. He entered the Infinity Castle fully committed and ready to fight his old rival without needing to fall unconscious first.

Zenitsu may only know the basic Thunder Breathing techniques, Thunderclap and Flash, but he used them skillfully during his fight with Kaigaku, landing quick, powerful attacks. The highlight of the fight – and a moment fans who read the manga have been eagerly anticipating – was when he unveiled his own unique seventh form, Flaming Thunder God. With this spectacular attack, Zenitsu defeated Kaigaku and demonstrated he has the potential to become the next Thunder Hashira.

Tanjiro Kamado

The Main Character Unlocked A Useful New Ability In His Fight Against Akaza

Debut: Chapter 1 (Manga) Episode 1 (Anime)
Breathing Styles: Water Breathing and Sun Breathing

Tanjiro Kamado, the hero of *Demon Slayer*, has become much more powerful after training with the Hashiras. Now, in the story’s final arc, he gets to use his new skills against Akaza, a powerful demon who previously killed Kyojuro Rengoku. Along with Giyu Tomioka, Tanjiro has a chance to finally defeat this dangerous foe, as hinted at by the movie’s title.

The battle was incredibly intense, and Tanjiro would have likely been killed multiple times without Giyu’s help. Ultimately, Tanjiro won by unlocking his Transparent World ability, which let him anticipate Akaza’s attacks and defeat him without intending to kill. His compassionate nature also played a crucial role in the outcome. The fight left Tanjiro severely injured and unable to move, but as this is only the first part of a three-part story, he’s sure to face even tougher challenges in the upcoming movies.

Muichiro Tokito

The Mist Hashira Appears Sparely Throughout The Movie, But He Still Got Showcase His Strength

Debut: Chapter 44 (Manga) Episode 21 (Anime)
Breathing Style: Mist Breathing

The Infinity Castle Arc features a large cast of characters, and unfortunately, many didn’t have much screen time in the first movie – this was especially true for most of the Hashira. Luckily, Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Hashira, was an exception. He had a few short but impactful fight scenes with Gyomei Himejima.

Tokito quickly became popular with fans during the Swordsmith Village Arc, and the movie offered a glimpse of his impressive Mist Breathing Style as he fought some weaker demons. While it wasn’t a huge showcase-he’ll have a bigger fight in the second part-it was a good reminder of just how powerful and skilled this young Hashira is.

Giyu Tomioka

The Water Hashira Got His Chance To Shine While Fighting Alongside His Protégé

Debut: Chapter 1 (Manga) Episode 1 (Anime)
Breathing Style: Water Breathing

Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira, often demonstrated his amazing power throughout the series, but he never had a truly challenging fight against a major demon. That changed in the *Infinity Castle – Part 1* arc, when he and Tanjiro were unexpectedly attacked by Akaza, leading to a prolonged and difficult battle.

Although Tanjiro ultimately defeated the demon, Giyu fought against the Upper Rank Three demon for the majority of the battle. He had to use his most powerful Water Breathing skills just to keep up, and even activated his Demon Slayer Mark during the fight. This mark allowed him to withstand Akaza’s incredibly powerful attack and, despite being exhausted, he protected an unconscious Tanjiro from a final blow. This battle firmly established Giyu Tomioka as one of the strongest Hashira, both in the movie and throughout the series.

Akaza

The Upper Rank Three Proved Why He Obtained This Prestigious Title

Debut: Chapter 63 (Manga) Demon Slayer: The Movie – Mugen Train (Anime)
Blood Demon Art: Destructive Death

It’s not surprising that Akaza is the central figure in this movie – his name is even in the title, and all the trailers and promotional content focused on him and his fight with Tanjiro. As one of the strongest demons – Upper Rank Three – and the one responsible for the Flame Hashira’s death, Akaza is a powerful and skilled fighter.

Akaza’s tragic past showed he was a master martial artist for centuries, even before Muzan turned him into a demon. He combines this skill with his Blood Demon Art, Destructive Death, which lets him amplify his attacks using shockwaves and sense opponents’ intentions like an invisible compass. He actually *could* have defeated Tanjiro and Giyu-he even continued fighting after losing his head-but a rush of old memories and his competitive spirit led him to end his own life, resulting in a shocking and deeply emotional climax.

Doma

Upper Rank Two Is A Sadistic Being That Took The Life Of A Beloved Character

Debut: Chapter 98 (Manga) Episode 45 (Anime)
Blood Demon Art: Cryokinesis

The first part of *Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle* starts with a thrilling battle that’s sure to captivate viewers. Early in the film, Shinobu Kocho confronts Doma, a powerful demon and the leader of a dangerous cult, who was responsible for the death of her sister years ago. A fierce fight immediately breaks out, with Shinobu using her powerful Insect Breathing techniques and injecting Doma with deadly poisons.

Shinobu was unfortunately outmatched by Doma, who proved to be overwhelmingly powerful and resilient, easily resisting her poison and fighting without straining himself. His golden war fans were surprisingly effective, and his ability to control ice – his Blood Demon Art called Cryokinesis – let him freeze the battlefield and even cut off opponents’ air supply. Doma’s strength allowed him to kill Shinobu in a particularly shocking moment, leaving her student, Kanao Tsuyuri, to seek revenge and defeat him.

Gyomei Himejima

He’s Known As The Strongest Hashira For A Very Good Reason

Debut: Chapter 44 (Manga) Episode 21 (Anime)
Breathing Style: Stone Breathing

I’ve been watching the Demon Slayer Corps, and it’s clear to me that Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira, is their strongest fighter. Especially in the first part of the *Infinity Castle* arc, he really stands out – the other powerful characters, like Muzan and Kokushibo, don’t actually *do* much fighting in that section. Honestly, it makes sense. Gyomei’s already known throughout the series as the Strongest Hashira, and Kagaya Ubuyashiki specifically trusted him to lead the plan to take down Muzan Kibutsuji.

I’ve seen Gyomei Himejima in action, and he’s truly a force to be reckoned with. His size and years of fighting, combined with that unusual flail and axe weapon, make him incredibly powerful. He uses a unique Stone Breathing style that lets him easily cut through hordes of weaker demons and even demolish parts of the castle. Honestly, what I’ve witnessed is just a glimpse of his full potential, and I expect he’ll really show what he can do in the upcoming *Infinity Castle – Part 2*.

2025-09-22 16:36