Demon Slayer relays the story of demons dwelling in the darkness of the night and eating humans. It’s the responsibility of the members of the Demon Slayer Corps to protect humans from the terrifying demons. And nobody does this better than the Hashira, the nine strongest members of the corps. Today’s discussion focuses on a hypothetical face-off between two such Hashira: Mitsuri vs. Tengen.
Mitsuri Kanroji is the Love Hashira while Tengen Uzui is the Sound Hashira. Both of them have mastered their respective Breathing Styles and are among the strongest characters in the series. Their similar position in the Corp indicates the same power level for the two, but there are some intricate aspects that proves that one is indeed stronger than the other.
Let’s find out who wins in a Mitsuri vs Tengen fight. But before we proceed, let us issue a spoiler alert for those who haven’t read the complete manga yet or are following only the anime. Proceed with caution.
Table of Contents
Character Profiles
I. Mitsuri Kanroji
The sweetest and bubbliest Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji is not just a pretty face. Having killed hundreds of demons, she has also invented a special Breathing Style for herself that makes the most of her abilities. She’s also one of the only two female Hashira, along with Shinobu Kocho, after the death of the former Flower Hashira, Kanae Kocho.
Mitsuri plays a significant role in both the Swordsmith Village Arc and the Final Battle Arc, where she fights the strongest version of the Upper Moon Four demon, Zohakuten, and the new Upper Moon Four, Nakime. In both cases, she shows amazing powers and abilities. Mitsuri is one of the first Hashira to awaken her demon slayer mark.
Breathing Technique
The Love Hashira is a master of Love Breathing, a specialized form of Flame Breathing. In this Breathing Style, she uses her superior flexibility to its utmost peak and pairs it with the unique shape of her Nichirin Sword to create several forms.
She initially trained in Flame Breathing under the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. But when she couldn’t master it, she invented a specialized form from it. To use her innate physical abilities in the best way, Mitsuri uses a special kind of Nichirin Sword where the blade is long and curved, and looks like a whip.
Love Breathing has six forms, all of which were invented by the Love Hashira herself. The forms are:
- First Form: Shivers of First Love
- Second Form: Love Pangs
- Third Form: Catlove Shower
- Fourth Form
- Fifth Form: Swaying Love, Wildclaw
- Sixth Form: Cat-Legged Winds of Love
Abilities
- Mitsuri’s biggest advantage is her flexibility. She can move and bend herself in unbelievable ways, and that becomes her biggest USP in battles. It makes her movements smooth and unpredictable, not to mention enchanting.
- She’s the slowest runner out of the Hashira, but her attacks are the fastest. Mitsuri’s attacks are so fast that it precedes the speed of the attacks of the Sound Hashira, the fastest-running Hashira.
- Mitsuri is also physically very strong, and after awakening her demon slayer mark, she becomes more powerful and unleashes her complete potential.
Weakness
- Mitsuri’s Love Breathing is powerful, but against strong enemies like Muzan and Kokushibo, it has little chance of affecting them.
II. Tengen Uzui
The second contender of the Mitsuri vs Tengen fight is the flashiest Hashia, Tengen Uzui. Tengen is the Sound Hashira, having invented and mastered the specialized Sound Breathing. He is originally a ninja, and later becomes a demon slayer.
Tengen plays a significant role in the Entertainment District Arc where he fights the Upper Moon Six demon Gyutaro and his sister Daki. He loses his arm in the fight, and later retires from the Demon Slayer Corps to live peacefully with his three wives.
Breathing Technique
Tengen’s Breathing Style is an amalgamation of the Total Concentration Breathing, his enhanced hearing, and his shinobi skills. Sound Breathing originated from Thunder Breathing, and it shows in the speed of its techniques. To implement his Sound Breathing, Tengen uses dual Nichirin Cleavers, along with anti-demon bombs.
Tengen’s use of Nichirin Cleavers also makes him one of the two known demon slayers who use not one, but two Nichirin weapons. The other demon slayer is Inosuke Hashibira who uses Beast Breathing.
Tengen’s Sound Breathing has at least five forms, three of which he uses in his battle against the Upper Moon Six demon, Gyutaro. The forms are as it follows:
- First Form: Roar
- Second Form
- Third Form
- Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes
- Fifth Form: String Performance
Abilities
- What makes Tengen such a formidable force is his effortless use of his shinobi skills coupled with his swordsmanship. Along with that, his enhanced hearing contributes the most to his strength.
- With the help of his superhuman hearing, Tengen can use echolocation.
- He uses his hearing and Breathing Style to create a technique called Musical Score in which he observes and breaks the patterns of his opponent’s movements into rhythms to gain understanding. It is so keen that it almost feels as if a music sheet is being read as he reacts to his opponent’s movements.
- Tengen is also the fastest runner out of the Hashira, and in arm-wrestling, he lost only to the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima.
Weakness
- Tengen’s Sound Breathing is not as effective as the other Breathing Styles featured in the story.
Mitsuri vs. Tengen
If Mitsuri and Tengen were to clash, people might think Tengen would win based on how they appear. However, Mitsuri is, in fact, the stronger Hashira, and she has her accomplishments to prove it. For starters, Tengen never manages to awaken his demon slayer mark while Mitsuri has done so.
Another clear proof that Mitsuri is stronger is their opponents and how they defeat them. Tengen fights the Upper Moon Six demon Gyutaro and his sister Daki with the help of Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke. On the other hand, Mitsuri fights against the Upper Moon Four demon’s strongest clone, Zohakuten.
They both struggle in their fights but Mitsuri’s opponent was a lot stronger and she fights him more efficiently than Tengen.
It’s also important that despite Tengen being fast on the feet, Mitsuri’s attacks are ultimately faster than him. So, without a doubt, she wins the Mitsuri vs Tengen fight.
Conclusion
We’re all the way down to conclusion, and we conclude that the Love Hashira is stronger in this Mitsuri vs Tengen debate. That’s not to say Tengen is weak; being a Hashira automatically proves that he’s extremely strong, but in front of Mitsuri, he doesn’t stand a chance at winning.
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