Overview
- Tanjiro has mastered multiple breathing styles, prominently featuring Water Breathing and Sun Breathing techniques.
- Water Breathing is characterized by its versatility and defensive capabilities, while Sun Breathing delivers immense power at a physical cost.
- The combination of Water and Sun Breathing enhances Tanjiro’s combat effectiveness, offsetting the limitations inherent in each style.
In the world of Demon Slayer, the application of breathing styles forms the backbone of martial prowess for members of the Corps. These techniques empower slayers to amplify their physical capabilities, executing powerful attacks inspired by elemental forces, including water, fire, wind, and lightning. Typically, practitioners dedicate their lives to mastering a single style, but Tanjiro demonstrates exceptional versatility by harnessing multiple breathing styles.
This raises an intriguing question: How has Tanjiro become so proficient in several breathing techniques? And how do these styles function uniquely?
Why Tanjiro Can Use Multiple Breathing Styles
Tanjiro’s journey with the Demon Slayer Corps began with intensive training under Urokodaki Sakonji, a former Water Hashira who instilled in him the principles of Water Breathing. This foundational period equipped him with the vital skills necessary for survival in battles against demons.
During a pivotal near-death situation, Tanjiro accessed his family’s ancient Hinokami Kagura—an ancestral ritual dance designed to keep the legacy of Yoriichi alive. This ritual, unbeknownst to Tanjiro initially, was essentially a preservation of the Sun Breathing technique, further marking him as a unique practitioner in this art.
Tanjiro’s Breathing Styles: An In-Depth Analysis
Water Breathing
Water Breathing is the initial style Tanjiro acquires, emphasizing fluidity and adaptability—qualities that parallel water itself. This style is renowned for its defensive attributes and versatility, making it an excellent starting point for novice fighters.
Origins of Water Breathing
Urokodaki’s demanding training not only prepared Tanjiro to meet deadly challenges but also impressed upon him the endurance and precision vital for a demon slayer’s success. Although Tanjiro later emphasizes Sun Breathing, his adeptness in Water Breathing continues to play a critical role in his overall combat strategy.
- First Form: Water Surface Slash – An impactful strike that can swiftly decapitate a demon.
- Sixth Form: Whirlpool – A counterattack producing a vortex that efficiently cuts through foes, especially effective in aquatic environments.
- Tenth Form: Constant Flux – Allows for relentless strikes, forming a water dragon that gains strength with each circular motion; this is Tanjiro’s most formidable Water Breath technique.
While Water Breathing serves as a strong foundation, it doesn’t seamlessly fit Tanjiro’s natural inclinations, prompting his eventual focus on Sun Breathing.
Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura)
Sun Breathing stands distinguished as the original and mightiest of all breathing techniques, forming the basis for subsequent styles. For Tanjiro, this technique emerges as the Hinokami Kagura—a ceremonial dance that has been handed down through his lineage for centuries. Initially, Tanjiro is unaware that this dance itself is a vital form of Sun Breathing, aimed at preserving the art.
Origins of Hinokami Kagura (Sun Breathing)
The awakening of the Hinokami Kagura for Tanjiro occurs during a fierce confrontation with Rui, one of the Lower Moon demons. Memories of his father performing the dance activate his dormant abilities, enabling him to execute devastating techniques. As he progresses, Tanjiro sharpens his Sun Breathing forms through rigorous practice and observing Yoriichi Tsugikuni’s training doll during the Swordsmith Village Arc.
- Dance – A vertical slash that boasts the ability to overpower most adversaries.
- Clear Blue Sky – A comprehensive spinning slash designed to deflect multiple incoming strikes.
- Raging Sun – Horizontal slashes that provide both offensive and defensive capabilities.
- Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance – A flurry of attacks resembling a fiery dragon, effective in decapitating multiple foes.
- Thirteenth Form – An intricate loop that encompasses all twelve Sun Breathing forms, crafted explicitly to challenge Muzan Kibutsuji by targeting his vital organs.
Though Sun Breathing showcases unparalleled strength, it exacts a considerable toll on the user’s body. Initially, Tanjiro faces exhaustion after employing these techniques, frequently collapsing once the battles conclude. However, through unwavering dedication and training, he ultimately uncovers the intricacies of Sun Breathing, rising as a formidable contender within the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps, even if he never ascends to the status of Hashira.
The Benefits of Combining Breathing Styles
A distinguishing feature of Tanjiro’s fighting style is his exceptional ability to integrate various breathing styles into his combat approach. This innovative fusion first manifests during the Entertainment District Arc, where he successfully combines Water Breathing and Sun Breathing to rescue Hinatsuru from Gyutaro’s onslaught. By merging the agility and precision inherent in Water Breathing with the overwhelming strength provided by Sun Breathing, Tanjiro crafts a balanced combat strategy that addresses the shortcomings of each individual style.
This impressive adaptability enables Tanjiro to sustain longer engagements in battle, as the fluidity of Water Breathing alleviates physical strain, while the potency of Sun Breathing ensures he can effectively confront high-ranking demons.
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