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Rengoku is the Best Hashira in Demon Slayer and Here’s Why

Aka a character analysis about why Rengoku lives in my head rent free

By SamPublished 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago 8 min read
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LOOK AT HOW MAJESTIC HE IS OH MY GOOOOOD!!!!!!

First of all, massive spoiler alert. If you haven’t seen the Mugen Train arc of Demon Slayer yet, don’t read this yet. Second of all… just hear me out. I don’t mean this seriously, because I literally love all the Hashira now that I’m caught up with the manga. The Hashira are all powerful and unique in their own way, and I like them all for different reasons.

However, Rengoku, the Hashira we knew for the shortest amount of time, is literally the best. In the span of seven episodes, or one movie, depending on which version you watch, he becomes one of the most influential characters in Demon Slayer, and we need to really just sit down and talk about why his small appearance is such a big deal.

Rengoku!! We just had to start out yelling his name in excitement in the same way he yells everything he says. Now that that’s out of the way, let me spin in circles while screaming Rengoku’s praises.

How do I even begin with Rengoku? Everyone who knows me is already rolling their eyes and closing their browser, because I love this fiery man with a burning passion (haha puns). I could go on for hours about this weird-haired, dude, but I don’t want to put anyone through that. So, let’s just look at what kind of person he is.

Rengoku is easily the most passionate, excited, and positive Hashira out of them all. He always has a wide-eyed stare with a smile, and it makes him always appear confident and eager to do his best. He speaks loudly and matter-of-factly, which also adds to that confident demeanor. His super energetic and dynamic personality adds to the incredible flare to his fighting as well. Rengoku’s fiery attacks are bold, bright, and easily the most exciting part of this arc to watch. He’s a total badass as well as a kind and honorable person. He’s a character unlike many others in Demon Slayer, and that’s what makes him so appealing. I mean, what other character screams, “DELICIOUS!” after every bite of food they have? This is a guy who appreciates everything good around him. Overall, he’s one charismatic character.

This is all the surface stuff about his personality, but the Mugen Train arc shows us his motivations and values, and that’s what sets him apart. To be fair, all the protagonists in Demon Slayer have incredible reasons for fighting. They’re all overcoming some trauma to do with demons, but Rengoku is different. The men in his family are known for being the long line of Flame Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps. When we see his backstory, it’s not trauma that puts him on his demon slaying path. It’s a sense of duty and honor that he sticks to from a very young age; his family has protected people from demons because it’s the right thing to do, and he’s ready to do it. This absolute angel of a man knew the values he wanted to uphold as a child. That’s some god tier dedication right there.

So back to the actual train. The funny thing about this is that if you look at Rengoku’s track record on this train, he doesn’t defeat the Lower Moon demon, and then he dies when fighting an Upper Moon demon. Other than the few smaller demons we see him fight throughout the majority of the movie, he doesn’t kill any major villains here. So why is he such a powerful Hashira?

It’s all in that personality and morals that make up his character. He’s eager to help, so he immediately volunteers to train and teach Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke within a few moments of meeting them. He fights off the demons in his path, and win or lose, never lets anyone else die. It’s the way he’s so intent on protecting those around him and nurturing the younger generation of demon slayers that shines more than his ability to kill a high-ranking demon. While the insanely top tier animation shows off how powerful he actually is, it’s the conviction that he fights with that adds to his power. Every time he starts a fight, he has some iconic power poses going for him. He doesn’t get the killing blow on the Lower Moon demon Enmu, but oh boy does he defend the hell out of every passenger on that train with so much speed and dexterity that I might have had a mini heart attack from the sheer awesomeness that was lighting up my screen.

And now, let’s head into that final battle, the one that really shows off that Rengoku is the absolute G.O.A.T. and now I’m seriously considering getting a little tattoo saying, “Set your heart ablaze”. Yep, this is my life now.

Rengoku vs. Akaza is honestly one of the best fights in anime for so many reasons. Of course, it’s visually stunning. Both Rengoku and Akaza come off as being extremely powerful, and you’re holding your breath the whole time to see how it will end up. Unless you were a manga reader when the anime came out, in which case, you already had your tissues ready. While physically, the fight is amazing, and Rengoku shows off remarkable skill and perseverance when fighting the Upper Three demon, the best part of this fight is the ideological battle going on at the same time.

Akaza tries killing Tanjiro and calls him weak. On the flip side, he wants Rengoku to become a demon, because he recognizes the intense fighting spirit in him. As a human, Rengoku will get old and die. He’ll get tired and be easily wounded without demonic powers. If he were a demon, he would avoid all those problems, and be as immortal and resilient as Akaza is now. When faced with such an offer, Rengoku refuses without a doubt in his mind. Those qualities about humans that Akaza looks down on are seen as strengths in the Hashira’s eyes. He sees power not as something to abuse to harm others the way Akaza does. Thanks to some of the final words from his mother back before she passed, Rengoku knows strength should be used to protect those weaker than himself, and to do good in the world. That’s what powers him through this fight. Even after Akaza puts a fist through his abdomen (don’t cry Sammi, don’t cry), Rengoku recalls his mother’s words and fights further.

Let me repeat: this man rallies and holds Akaza’s arm in his stomach, and stops a punch just to stop this demon from escaping the incoming sunlight. Also, his eye is messed up at this point, and he’s exhausted, so let that sink in too.

Despite his efforts though, Akaza gets away and Rengoku dies. That’s the simple version, but this is also the part where the fight solidifies itself as one of the best in anime. Tanjiro screaming after Akaza drives the point home; Akaza physically outmatched him, and to be honest it wasn’t nearly as stressful of a fight for Akaza as it was for Rengoku. However, the reality of the situation is that Rengoku won in the grand scheme of things. Akaza would never get tired as Rengoku would. He would heal his wounds and regenerate limbs in seconds like Rengoku couldn’t. Still, Rengoku gave everything he had with a smile on his face to keep Akaza from killing Tanjiro or anyone else in the vicinity. Rengoku was the one who stood by his morals and ultimately achieved the one thing he set out to do. Akaza, meanwhile, was a little baby and had to run away (I don’t care that it was the practical decision for him, he killed Rengoku and I hate him, and thank you for coming to my TED Talk). It’s such a fantastic angle for an anime fight, and it’s nothing short of inspiring to watch.

Which brings me to the summation of why Rengoku is such an amazing Hashira. If there’s one message Rengoku gets across to Tanjiro and the audience at large, it’s that no matter how down you might feel, you can always pick yourself up and keep going. The moment Rengoku’s father says that he doesn’t care that his son has become a Hashira? Rengoku doesn’t sulk or mope. He spins it around and decides to be strong to inspire his younger brother instead. Akaza kills him? He uses his final moments to impart this wisdom of perseverance and resilience to Tanjiro. He sees Nezuko is protecting humans from demons? He changes his tune from not trusting her to telling Tanjiro that he believes in his sister and accepts her in the Demon Slayer Corps. On a side note, that line he says about Nezuko makes me cry every time, and I just think it’s a super underrated moment.

The point is, even when Rengoku isn’t succeeding at something at face value, he puts on a smile and never loses faith in the morals he believes in. He never gives up on those around him and uses failures and shortcomings as teaching moments to spur on others. Any negatives get spun into a positive, or a new goal to work toward. It’s such a relatable character trait. So often in anime, characters suddenly gain strong abilities mid-fight that make them near god-like, but in the end, Rengoku doesn’t have one of those moments. He unleashes his most powerful attack only to be killed moments after. He falters at times, and he isn’t perfect, and it makes him the one you relate to the most. He’s that light in the dark to propel forward our other protagonists to keep going when they feel hopeless. It’s clear Tanjiro will remember his words for the rest of the series, as will everyone else watching.

Listen, the bottom line is that I’m totally in love with Rengoku. I’m writing this with two Rengoku stickers on my laptop on each side of my mousepad. This guy totally steals the show, and you won’t be able to get enough of him. It’s more than just his physical strength, but his mental strength that makes him such a pivotal character in Demon Slayer, and no doubt a top tier Hashira.

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