Demon Slayerhas quickly risen in popularity to become one of themost watched and beloved anime of all time. Ufotable deserves all the credit for animating a beautiful show that has become the driving force behind the manga’s popularity. The fact thatDemon Slayer: Mugen Trainhas gone on to become the highest-grossing Japanese movie release of all time is a testament to how beloved this series is. The is showing no sign of stopping, with the Hashira Training arc wrapping up in spectacular fashion and stoking the flames of hype for this amazing series once again.
A big part ofwhat makesDemon Slayersuch a beloved showis its fight scenes. The breathing styles that these slayers use in battle make for some beautiful visual spectacles as they engage in some truly high-octane battles. Flame Breathing is one such technique that is beautiful to witness, with Kyojuro displaying the effectiveness of this technique during the Mugen Train arc. He’s easily one of the most powerful swordsmen in the series and could’ve reached great heights had he managed to awaken his Demon Slayer Mark during a climactic battle for the ages against Akaza, the Upper Rank Three.All forms of Flame Breathingare powerful in their own way, but some are arguably a bit more impressive than others.
Updated on Jun 08, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:Withthe Hashira Training arcdrawing to a close on a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers, fans can’t wait to see how the final battle against Muzan plays out. The Demon King and his Upper Rank Kizuki have wreaked havoc in the series time and time again, ruining the lives of many innocent people who didn’t deserve the atrocities that they had to endure. These villains have taken a ton of precious lives, too, with Rengoku’s heroic sacrifice showing just how palpable the threat of these demons is as they thrust humanity into a pit of despair over and over again. However, till the very end, Rengoku never gave up and tried to use sunlight to take Akaza out, even if he failed. His breathing style was a joy to witness, with the Hashira whipping outall forms of Flame Breathingover the course of the Mugen Train arc.
All Flame Breathing Techniques in Demon Slayer
A total of six Flame Breathing techniques have been shown inDemon Slayer, all of them being pretty effective and memorable in their own right. While only fiveforms of Flame Breathingwere shown in the manga, Ufotable decided to flex their creative muscles in the movie with an additional form that further cemented Rengoku’s status as one of the bravest andmost powerful Hashira around.
One thing that fans may have noticed is that there’s a noticeable gap between the fifth and ninth forms of Flame Breathing, with the final form serving as the most powerful technique in this short-lived breathing style. It’s clear that this moniker was given to Rengoku’s attack to make this move feel all the more formidable, even if he was unable to turn the tide of battle against Akaza. Unfortunately, with Rengoku’s death and the distinct lack of any other users of this breathing style, it seems that the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth forms of Flame Breathing will remain a mystery.
First Form
Unknowing Fire
The user dashes towards the target and unleashes a horizontal slash to decapitate enemies
Second Form
Rising Scorching Sun
An arcing vertical slash in an upward motion that’s usually unleashed from a tail guard
A downwards slash, usually unleashed from a high guard
Fourth Form
Blooming Flame Undulation
Multiple slashes unleashed in a fluid circular motion that can be used to combine defensive and offensive maneuvers
Fifth Form
Flame Tiger
The user charges forward, unleashing numerous sword slashes from a high guard stance that make it seem like a flaming tiger is charging at the enemy
Ninth Form
Rengoku
From a high stance, the user dashes towards the enemy at a blindingly fast pace, enveloped in the aura of a flame dragon as they unleash a slash so powerful that it destroys the ground from where the attack is carried out
6First Form: Unknowing Fire
The User Dashes Towards The Target And Unleashes A Horizontal Slash To Decapitate Enemies
Flame Breathing is a ferocious techniquethat uses a mix of power and skill to decimate any enemy that might be standing in a person’s way.All Flame Breathing formsare meant to communicate the sheer force of power that accompanies every strike in this breathing style. Kyojuro shows just how much patience and expertise one needs to pull off most of these techniques, with even his first form being powerful and effective at incapacitating most enemies.
The first form itself is as brutal as it is dazzlingly beautiful. It’s the simplest technique, where the user simply charges towards the enemy and tries to behead them with the swiftest and cleanest strike. However, a technique that sounds so basic ends up taking a form of its own with the power of Flame Breathing. It showcases that this technique is not to be trifled with in the slightest.
5Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun
An Arcing Vertical Slash In An Upward Motion, Usually Unleashed From A Tail Guard
The second form of Flame Breathing is an effective technique that uses the upward trajectory of a sword slash to great effect. Users of Flame Breathing who manage to get their breathing under control can unleash an extremely powerful upward slash that rises in a near-perfect arc and decapitates any enemy that might be unlucky enough to get caught in this technique.
It’s beautiful in the adaptation, with the rising arc and the trail of flames looking especially gorgeous. The Rising Scorching Sun is another simple yet powerful technique thatmost Flame Breathing usersshould be familiar with if they want to call themselves the master of this particular breathing style. Given Kyojuro’s experience, it’s easy to see why he could pull off this technique multiple times without even breaking into a sweat.
Unfortunately, it was clear that these techniques wouldn’t be enough to take care of a powerful demon like Akaza. Kyojuro had to throw everything but the kitchen sink into this battle to even stand a chance of winning, and he certainly proved his dedication to the fight by showing all the advanced styles of Flame Breathing.
4Third Form: Blazing Universe
A Downwards Slash, Usually Unleashed From A High Guard
Flame Breathing’s third form is pretty much the opposite of the second form. Instead of swinging their blade upward, the user strikes downward with as much power as possible. Most lesser demons would be incapacitated in one go with this technique, although it’s obvious thatsomeone like Akazawould require way more effort to be taken care of with this technique. That being said, Kyojuro certainly can’t be faulted for using this technique, given how powerful and effective it is in any other situation.
While Blazing Universe might not have been all that effective inDemon Slayer, there’s no denying that this move still boasts a lot of power. It’s one of the better techniques present in this Breathing style and can serve as a valuable addition to anyone’s arsenal. After all, the momentum of a downward swing is going to be pretty powerful anyway, and coupling this with the inherent power of Flame Breathing makes it even more effective at taking down enemies.
One interesting thing to note about this technique is that the manga didn’t feature it at all. Rather, it was Ufotable that decided to dazzle viewers with another addition to Rengoku’s arsenal that was smoothly integrated in the arc and showed why any lesser demon should’ve fearedall forms of Flame Breathingwhen unleashed by a Hashira as powerful as Rengoku.
3Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation
Multiple Slashes Unleashed In A Fluid Circular Motion
Certain moves in a breathing style end up being incredibly useful due to how reliable they can be in battle. This applies to Blooming Flame Undulation, which allows Flame Breathing users to mount both a great attack and defense at the same time due to the practical nature of the technique. As would be expected, this technique is incredibly complex, with only the most powerful Flame Breathing users having the capacity to carry out such an impressive move.
The explanation makes this technique seem rather simple, with the userspinning their blade around in a circular motionat rapid speeds. However, it’s the application of this technique that makes it so useful in battle. It allows users to block and deflect projectiles when at long range and is particularly devastating at close range against groups of demons. If this technique is carried out to the letter, then it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that multiple enemies could easily be beheaded with it.
2Fifth Form: Flame Tiger
The User Charges Forward, Unleashing Numerous Sword Slashes While Taking On The Form Of A Flaming Tiger
Sometimes, a single attack isn’t enough totake down a hardy demon. In such an event, the user needs to carry out multiple attacks with pinpoint precision to expose defenses and hopefully land a mortal blow. Flame Breathing’s fifth form is meant to accommodate this requirement, with Flame Tiger being one of its best moves. It helps that this move is visually spectacular as well, letting enemies bask in its gloriousness before being absolutely annihilated by its massive power.
This technique involves the user using multiple sword slashes to whittle away at their opponent, with the aura of their attacks being so strong and overpowering that they take on the form of a tiger that’s covered in flames. Suffice it to say, any lesser enemy who is unlucky enough to be caught in this technique will find themselves departing from the world sooner rather than later. At the very least, they would be able to appreciate some great visuals before being whisked away to the afterlife.
1Ninth Form: Rengoku
A Flaming Dragon Envelops The User As They Charge At High Speeds And Unleash A Devastating Sword Slash
Onlythe legendary Rengoku familywould have the gall to jump straight to a ninth form after learning the five established forms of Flame Breathing. This original form is one of the most powerful attacks in Flame Breathing’s repertoire, with a destructive capacity that is breathtaking to behold.
Similar to the first form, Rengoku is a slashing attack employed by the user after dashing toward an opponent. However, its destructive capacity is so immense that it can leave a full-blown crater at the point of impact. To hammer in justhow destructive this technique is, the adaptation ofDemon Slayeralso features a dragon wreathed in flames that are generated while dashing toward the opponent at high speed. It’s easily one of the most powerful techniques in the entire show.
Unfortunately, this technique also showed the gulf of power between the Hashira and the Twelve Kizuki. Even after taking on the full brunt of this technique’s damage, Akaza still managed to survive while landing a fatal blow on his opponent in the process. It’s a heartbreaking moment, showing that there’s still a long way to go for the Demon Slayers before they even stand a chance against such powerful opposition.
