Summary
- All breathing techniques in Demon Slayer originate from the Sun Breathing technique, evolving into 14 different forms.
- Sun Breathing is the most versatile technique, giving users immense strength and potential to be the strongest.
- Sun Breathing has 12 forms and a 13th for an all-out attack, making it second only to Moon Breathing in forms known.
In the Demon Slayer world, various members of the Demon Slayers Corp use a range of breathing techniques to combat demons. Each technique comes with its fair share of different forms, strengths, and downsides, allowing members of the Demon Slayers Corp to master and utilize them to their advantage. All known breathing techniques have one thing in common — they were all derived from the Sun Breathing technique long ago.
This would imply that the many breathing techniques in Demon Slayer were not always available to those brave enough to fight evil. Over the years, each breathing technique grew stronger, and many demon slayers learned to strengthen the technique, or add unique twists that would evolve one of the five original techniques. To date, there are 14 different breathing techniques, and one stands out as the most versatile technique.
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The Most-Versatile Technique: Sun Breathing
How Sun Breathing Evolved Over The Years
Almost five centuries before the Taisho Era, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the strongest Demon Slayer in existence, created Sun Breathing, introducing the art of Breathing Styles to fellow Demon Slayers. Despite harnessing incredible powers, none of the Demon Slayers associated with Yoriichi could master the Sun Breathing technique quite like their teacher. This opened the door to alternate techniques, all of which originate from Sun Breathing, but are inferior in power.
- Sun Breathing — The original Breathing Style
- Water Breathing — Created from Sun Breathing
- Moon Breathing — Created from Sun Breathing
- Flame Breathing — Created from Sun Breathing
- Thunder Breathing — Created from Sun Breathing
- Stone Breathing — Created from Sun Breathing
- Wind Breathing — Created from Sun Breathing
- Serpent Breathing — Created from Water Breathing
- Flower Breathing — Created from Water Breathing
- Insect Breathing — Created from Flower Breathing
- Love Breathing — Created from Flame Breathing
- Sound Breathing — Created from Thunder Breathing
- Beast Breathing — Created from Wind Breathing
- Mist Breathing — Created from Wind Breathing
The original Sun Breathing technique introduced its first five spawns; Water Breathing, Moon Breathing, Flame Breathing, Thunder Breathing, Stone Breathing, and Wind Breathing. Some focused on pure offense, while others mixed strength and defensive tactics to serve the more all-rounder Demon Slayers. From these techniques, seven more techniques were born, derivative from the previous six techniques.
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The more a technique deviates from the Sun Breathing technique, the less potent it is in pure power. Fortunately, Demon Slayers have grown stronger over the years, and some have manipulated their techniques to best suit their strengths while masking their flaws. For example, Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho masks her inability to decapitate demons by using her Insect Breathing to inflict poisons from wisteria.
What Makes Sun Breathing Versatile?
It All Comes Down To The User’s Ability To Properly Apply The Technique
Not only is Sun Breathing the progenitor to all other breathing techniques, it also comes with many positives that make the user exponentially stronger. To date, Tanjiro is the only living Demon Slayer capable of using this technique, which gives him the potential to be the strongest in the world. It is also known as the strongest breathing technique in the world, making any Demon Slayer that can master it sought after.
“I Can Do It. I Know I Can Do It.”
Through countless battles, Tanjiro’s Sun Breathing technique is the only technique known to cause permanent damage to demons who are not slain in battle. This ranges from burn marks to scars, indicating that its power is far superior to a demon’s regeneration ability. Sun Breathing was also designed to prevent exhaustion, allowing Tanjiro to move freely and expend as much energy as he wished, for as long as possible.
Sun Breathing Has The Most Forms Known By Humans
Second Only To Moon Breathing, Upper Rank One Demon Kokushibo’s Technique
Sun Breathing has 12 individual forms, and a 13th form which combines all 12 for an all-out attack. This gives Sun Breathing the second-highest number of forms, behind Upper Rank demon Kokushibo’s Moon Breathing technique, which possesses 16. Here are the 13 forms of the Sun Breathing technique.
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Dance — A singular, downwards-vertical slash.
- Dancing Flash — Tanjiro’s modified version of Dance, using Thunder Breathing as a secondary source of power.
- Clear Blue Sky — A 360° slash involving the user spinning their upper body in a circular pattern.
- Raging Sun — A form that launches two horizontal slashes to protect the user from demon attacks.
- Burning Bones, Summer Sun — Similar to Raging Sun, allowing the user to protect themselves from front attacks by performing a slash while in a spiraling pattern.
- Setting Sun Transformation — A decapitation attack involving the user performing a backflip while launching a slashing attack.
- Solar Heat Haze — The user uses heat to mask the position of the blade, allowing a pre-emptive strike.
- Beneficent Radiance — The user performs a spiral slash while launching themselves into the air.
- Sunflower Thrust — The user attacks with the tip of the blade, thrusting it towards the target.
- Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance — The user unleashes many consecutive slashes in the form of a Japanese dragon created from solar flames, capable of decapitating multiple targets.
- Fire Wheel — The user unleashes a circular swing of fire, mimicking a blazing wheel that is capable of cutting the target in half.
- Fake Rainbow — A defense form that creates illusions for the user, allowing them to escape or evade attacks.
- Flame Dance — The user launches one vertical slash, followed by a horizontal slash for a two-swing combination.
- Thirteenth Form — Created for the sole purpose of killing Muzan Kibutsuji, the user performs all twelve Sun Breathing forms, meant to target the seven hearts and five brains of Muzan.
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