Demon Slayer: Are the weapons of Hashiras practical in reality?

Demon Slayer has been one of the most sensational discussions going around the anime community recently. With the release of the Swordsmith Village Arc, we received further insight into two more Hashiras – Love Hashira Mitsuri Kanroji and Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito.

So far, we have encountered four Hashiras in prolonged action – Rengoku, Uzui, Tokito, and Kanroji. But as we encounter more of the Hashiras in action, it is important to understand if their Nichirin weapons are actually practical in nature.

What are the various weapons which the Hashiras wield?

• Every Hashira, or for that matter every Demon Slayer, has a unique Nichirin Blade and a Breathing Style that complements it. The nature of a Nichirin Weapon depends on the powers of its wielder.
• There are normal Nichirin Blades like that of former Flame Hashira Rengoku, Water Hashira Giyu, Wind Hashira Sanemi, and Mist Hashira Tokito.

But, there are also exceptions and distinctions when it comes to Nichirin weapons that the demon slayers carry. We have five weapons that are peculiar in their nature and are unlike any standard blade which the others carry.

These are the Whip Nichirin Katana of the Love Hashira, Dual Nichirin Cleavers of the Sound Hashira, Twisted Nichirin Katana of the Serpent Hashira, Stinger Nichirin Katana of the Insect Hashira, and Nichirin Spiked Flail and Axe of the Stone Hashira.

How special are the peculiar Nichirin weapons of the Hashiras in Demon Slayer?

• Firstly we have the Insect Hashira Shinobu’s Stinger Nichirin Katana. She is the weakest Hashira as she is unable to behead a Demon, but she found a way to poison demons with her stinger blade laced with Wisteria poison.

• Secondly, we have the Twisted Nichirin Katana of the Serpent Hashira Obanai. This sword fits perfectly with his Serpent Breathing Style, which goes well with his slithering motions, and was able to fight easily against a fully powered Muzan during the final battle.

• Thirdly, we have the Dual Nichirin Cleavers of the Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui. The cleavers proved to be an effective weapon in the battle in the Entertainment District Arc against an Upper-Rank demon. It goes well with Uzui’s Sound Breathing Style and his rhythmic attack sequences.

• Fourthly, we have the Love Hashira’s Whip Nichirin Katana which acts like a long whip and goes perfectly with Mitsuri’s flexibility and battle techniques. It can extend and even cut through lightning and sound, making Mitsuri one of the strongest Hashiras of them all.

• Lastly, we have the strongest Hashira in Demon Slayer – Gyomei Himejima’s Nichirin Spiked Flail and Axe. The Stone Hashira is a blind warrior and his weapon is also very difficult to use, making it one of the toughest Nichirin weapons to wield and master.

How practical are these peculiar Nichirin weapons in Demon Slayer?

We have several people on the internet trying out and experimenting with the various weapons of the Hashiras in Demon Slayer.

• A certain Youtuber called Champ Archer tried out Tengen Uzui’s Dual Cleavers and these blades turned out to be practically feasible and useful.
• Moreover, a Youtube store by the name Mini Katana sells Demon Slayer Blades and Swords, and they recently tried out a sharpened Twisted Nichirin Katana of Obanai. This blade turned out to be useful and has practical uses as well.

We have three other peculiar Hashira weapons, from which the Whip Nichirin Katana used by Mitsuri Kanroji in Demon Slayer is originally influenced by a certain weapon called the Urumi which originates in South India. This weapon had long sharp whips, which are similar to the one Mitsuri carries. We have Gyomei Himejima’s Spiked Flail and Axe, which are also practically valid, as they have been influenced by medieval weapons of Europe and were also used by the Vikings and other Nordic clans.

But there is an impractical Nichirin weapon in Demon Slayer which seems to be a bit of a stretch. It is the Insect Hashira’s Stinger Nichirin Blade. The weapon is a good fit into such a fantastical narrative, but it has no practical application and doesn’t have any use as a weapon of war.

The other weapons are also practical only if they are limited in their use, as a storyline like Demon Slayer would definitely exaggerate the supernatural abilities of weapons and abilities. These are also some practical obstacles when it comes to such weapons in reality.

Conclusion

The Demon Slayer storyline is filled with certain supernatural and fantastical elements. But the element of the Nichirin weapons and their usage seems to be the most enchanting of them all. While we discussed the various practical and impractical aspects of the weapons, it is also important to remember that such weapons are suited only for the screens and not for practical usage as such.