Summary
Demon Slayeris filled with a number of experienced fighters who relentlessly slay demons every chance they get. From the overpowered Hashira to the protagonist Tanjiro himself, the series is rife with strong heroes for fans to admire. However, some viewers may be unaware ofthe legacy ofYoriichi Tsugikuni,Demon Slayer’sstrongest hero.
Yoriichi was the original demon slayer, who all others descended from.Without him, Breathing Styles would not exist, and Tanjiro’s story would have turned out differently. Yoriichi’s past is riddled with action, terrifying demon encounters, and unbelievable skill on the battlefield.
He has appeared in the series a few times, such as in theEntertainment District Arcin a flashback. In this flashback, demon Daki suddenly receives a mental image of Yoriichi, but realizesit is Muzan’s memory of his early days as a demon. A lot of Yoriichi’s presence in the story occurs through flashbacks, but there is a lot more to this important demon slayer’s story.
Yoriichi Was Born A Prodigy, with Inherent Abilities from His First Day
The hero was even born with a Demon Slayer Mark, indicating his power
Yoriichi’s impact on the series is long-lasting and evenfive centuries after his death, his legacy lives on. He is undoubtedly the most talented and mighty demon slayer to ever walk the earth, and he paved the way for every demon slayer who follows in his footsteps. He was a true prodigy, gifted from birth.Born with innate abilities, includinga Demon Slayer Mark, top-notch sword skills, and inherent fighting talent, it was immediately clear that Yoriichi was not just an average person. His Demon Slayer Mark since birth is especially interesting, since usually slayers do not develop these until much later in their journey.
Other characters, even Hashira, do not develop Demon Slayer Marks for many years, and often fight thousands of demons before the mark ever manifests. Yoriichi’s mark since birth wasan early sign that he was truly something special.The Demon Slayer Mark usually causes those who have it to die young, but Yoriichi miraculously lived until 85. Aside from the mark, once Yoriichi actually began training, his built-in gifts grew to even stronger levels as he harnessed his natural aptitude. Not only was he known to be very physically strong, his intelligence and wisdom were also unmatched by anyone else.
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Yoriichi Invented Breathing Styles, Which Are Crucial toDemon Slayer
He mastered Sun Breathing as well, which Tanjiro later utilized
Throughout Yoriichi’s life, the list of skills he obtained is quite long, including physical might, speed, agility, and all the other basic talents necessary for becoming an accomplished demon slayer. However, he honed these fairly average abilities to their absolute peak, becoming nearly godlike. He was also a masterwith a Nichirin Sword, effortlessly cutting down demons. His most remarkable talent of all though, was his Sun Breathing style. Yoriichi not only became an expert in this Hinokami Kagura style of breathing,he was the first to invent Breathing Styles, which are crucial to the story ofDemon Slayer.
Sun Breathing is not an easy style to harness and takes a tremendous amount of effort. Tanjiro himself was not able to use it until he fought the Spider Son Demon, Rui. Even after much practice,no one is better atusing Sun Breathingthan Yoriichi, the master and original user himself. This is just another reason he is the most important and integral demon slayer, because without his invention of Breathing Styles, the demon slayers would not be as well-equipped to fight their enemies.His contribution changed the entire profession of demon slayingfor the better.
Muzan Was Almost Killed by Yoriichi
The demon narrowly escaped death at Yoriichi’s hand
Another crucial aspect of Yoriichi’s character arc that makes him so incredible ishis reputation among the demons themselves. Most demons fear demon slayers, and rightfully so, as they pose a dangerous threat to them. However, the fear Yoriichi instills in these creatures goes far beyond the terror they feel when faced with an average demon slayer. As evidenced by Daki’s flashback, demons are frightened by Yoriichi on a cellular level, even if they have never encountered the infamous demon slayer. Daki had never met him, but through Muzan’s memories, felt a horrible sense of dread at the thought of him.
Yoriichi was the only one who was ever able to genuinely scare Muzan and even almost kill the villain, something no other demon slayer came close to accomplishing for centuries after his death. He and Muzan battled and although the demon did narrowly escape,the encounter left the demon forever fearful of the great demon slayer, to such an extent that all of Muzan’s followers and fellow demons were ingrained with this fright too. This explains why other demons sometimes get confusing and unsettling memories of Yoriichi, causing them to be petrified by someone they have never even met.
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Yoriichi’s Impact on the Series Is Undeniable, Even After His Death
His efforts paved the way for Tanjiro and the Hashira to achieve success
Yoriichi was murdered by the Upper Rank One demon, Kokushibo, at 85. It was an incredibly close battle, in which Yoriichi nearly prevailed. The fact that he was able to hold his own against an Upper Rank demon even in his old age is truly remarkable. Although Yoriichi is no longer alive, he is integral to the series, as the original creator of Breathing Styles themselves and Sun Breathing. Without his influence,Tanjiro would never have grown into the powerful demon slayer he is today, Muzan would continue wreaking havoc, andDemon Slayeras fans know it would be markedly different.
