Hashira

The Hashira are the highest-ranking Demon Slayers in the Demon Slayer Corps.

Overview
Hashira is the highest rank which Demon Slayers can obtain in the Demon Slayer Corps. The Hashira are regarded as the most skilled and feared combatants in the entire organization, protecting humanity against more dangerous threats that cannot be handled by other Demon Slayers.

The Hashira, in accordance with their great strength, hold the highest authority in the organization, second only to the Corps leader, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, and later, Kiriya Ubuyashiki.

The Hashira are all assigned a specific region that they are required to patrol, usually to gather information about the demons inhabiting said area and to improve their swordsmanship. They are also deployed on missions only if lower-ranking members are unable to complete it.

Each Hashira are masters of a unique Breathing Style, some of which are even created by themselves. Interestingly, swordsmen who can use the Flame Breathing and Water Breathing have become Hashira in every era, with no exceptions thus far.

Joining
To be a member of the Hashira, a Demon Slayer must be among the strongest combatants in the entirety of the Demon Slayer Corps. There are two known methods (both extremely difficult) that allow one to prove that they are worthy of becoming a Hashira: the first method is to accumulate a demon kill count of at least 50 as a Kinoe-ranked Demon Slayer, or slay a member of the Twelve Kizuki. The second method is being a Tsuguko of a Hashira, which requires immense talent. Additionally, Tsuguko can only inherit the rank, if their respective Hashira dies or retires.

The effort required to achieve either of these methods requires almost five years worth of training, though, the talented might take only two or so years to do so. However, there were two cases that were much faster than that; Muichiro Tokito and Gyomei Himejima, who managed to rise to the rank of Hashira just two months after becoming Demon Slayers.

Finding Successors
In some cases, an exceptionally talented Demon Slayer can become the designated successor to one of the Hashira, known as a Tsuguko. To become a Tsuguko, a Demon Slayer can either apply for the position and get accepted, or get scouted by one of the current Hashira.

Hashira Training
In preparation for the final battle, Hashira conducted special training sessions with lower ranked Demon Slayers with the aim to improve all Demon Slayers' physical abilities and overall health and condition. The Hashira also trained among each other to improve their individual strength and their cooperative attack coordination.

List of Known Hashira
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Trivia

 * The character for Hashira consists of nine strokes, which is said to be the reason for there being nine Hashira at the start of the series.
 * All of the Hashira have Destroyer of Demons engraved on their weapons.
 * Shinobu has Evil Demon engraved on the right side of the blade, and Destruction engraved on the left side due to her sword's structure.
 * Although not fully touched upon, it is hinted that a Hashira can retire whenever they want to.
 * As the Hashira are a separate group of elite slayers, they have their own symbol on the back of their hand. These symbols correlate to what Breathing Style they are associated with.
 * Of the nine Hashira, only four of them use a standard Nichirin Katana, those four being Kyojuro Rengoku, Giyu Tomioka, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and Muichiro Tokito.
 * The Hashira with the biggest appetite is Mitsuri Kanroji, and the one with the smallest appetite is Obanai Iguro. Obanai can go about three days without eating.
 * Almost every Hashira of the current generation has awakened their Demon Slayer Mark, the only ones who did not being Kyojuro Rengoku, Tengen Uzui and Shinobu Kocho.

Height
The following is the Hashira ranked in terms of height.

Arm Wrestling
The following is the Hashira ranked in an arm wrestling competition.

Tanjiro Kamado was said to be ranked between Muichiro and Obanai.

Running Speed
The following is the Hashira ranked in terms of running speed.

Openness
The following is the Hashira ranked in terms of openness.

Kindness
The following is the Hashira ranked in terms of how easy they are to talk to.