Hinokami Kagura (ヒノカミ
Overview[]
The Hinokami Kagura is a Breathing Style that is passed on from father to son in every generation of Kamado Family alongside the Hanafuda earrings. They use it within a ritual ceremony practiced every new year, where the Breathing Style user offers the Fire God a dance from sunset to sunrise to ward off threats and diseases.
The dance is composed of twelve segments repeated throughout the night until dawn.[1] Tanjuro Kamado noted that the breathing technique utilized in this dance allows the user to never exhaust themselves no matter how long they move, making it such that they can seemingly dance forever.[2] The last user of Hinokami Kagura as a swordsman technique is Tanjiro Kamado, who learned the Breathing Style from his father Tanjuro Kamado, and would utilize it to fight various demons.
Yoriichi demonstrates Sun Breathing.
The Hinokami Kagura is later revealed by Shinjuro Rengoku to be a legendary Breathing Style known as Sun Breathing (
Both the Hinokami Kagura and Sun Breathing are Breathing Styles that mimic the sun and replicate it with the user's movements, techniques, and abilities. All techniques and forms are extremely varied and have no set pattern, making it the most versatile and effective against demons. Users of Sun Breathing visualize themselves seemingly manipulating solar flames when unleashing its techniques.
Tanjiro noted that using this style increases his overall power and speed, which may be due to the fact that his body is more suited to Sun Breathing as opposed to Water Breathing.
Upon seeing Yoriichi perform the twelve forms of Sun Breathing through his ancestor's memories, Tanjiro realized that, despite being replicated with a surprising degree of accuracy for hundreds of years and his own mastery of Hinokami Kagura, it had unnecessary movements, such as different wrist angles, footwork and breathing rhythm, compared to the Sun Breathing directly performed by Yoriichi. Removing them enabled him to use the Breathing Style in its purest form, to the point where Muzan Kibutsuji saw Yoriichi's visage overlapping with Tanjiro's own when he was performing the techniques against him.[4]
Following Muzan's defeat, Hinokami Kagura would continue to be passed down, and the Breathing Style survives in the present day. The descendants of Tanjiro and his future wife Kanao Tsuyuri, Kanata and Sumihiko Kamado are both able to perform it, although neither are aware of its combative history. Once a year, Hinokami Kagura is performed in a Shinto Shrine owned by the Ubuyashiki Family.[5]
Breathing Style Relationship Chart[]
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| Moon |
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| Flame |
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| Thunder |
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| Stone |
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| Wind |
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| Flower |
| Serpent |
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| Love |
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| Sound |
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| Beast |
| Mist |
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Known Users[]
| Known Users | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yoriichi Tsugikuni (creator) | Sumiyoshi Kamado | Tanjuro Kamado | Tanjiro Kamado | |||
| Kanata Kamado | Sumihiko Kamado | |||||
Known Techniques[]
Sun Breathing was initially created with 12 techniques all connected to one another by Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Later upon meeting Muzan Kibutsuji, Yoriichi perfected his swordsmanship form, creating a new unnamed thirteenth form. All 12 forms would be demonstrated in the 13th form. An additional, unnamed 14th technique was created and only utilized once by Tanjiro Kamado, although because of this, it is not necessary in the 13th form combining Yoriichi's creations.
- Dance (
円 舞 Enbu?)[6] - The user performs a singular downwards vertical slash in an arcing motion.- Dancing Flash (
円 舞 一 閃 Enbu Issen?)[7] - A modified version of Dance developed and utilized only by Tanjiro Kamado. The user combines the fundamental technique of Thunder Breathing with the high-powered slash of Dance by inhaling huge amounts of oxygen, increasing the pumping of blood through the entire body, focusing it on the legs, and releasing it all to assault the target with a slash.
- Dancing Flash (
- Clear Blue Sky (
碧 羅 の天 Heki-ra no Ten?)[8] - The user spins and twists their upper body in a circular motion, releasing a 360° slash.
- Raging Sun (
烈 日 紅 鏡 Retsujitsu Kōkyō?)[9] - The user unleashes two consecutive horizontal arcing slashes around themselves to strike incoming attacks.
- Burning Bones, Summer Sun (
灼 骨 炎 陽 Shakkotsu En'yō?)[10] - The user performs a singular slash utilizing a spiraling motion which extends in front of themselves to defend from imminent frontal attacks.
- Setting Sun Transformation (
斜 陽 転 身 Shayō Tenshin?)[11] - The user backflips into the air before performing a singular horizontal slash which aims to decapitate the target.
- Solar Heat Haze (
飛 輪 陽 炎 Hirin Kagerō?)[12] - The user rushes forth, now attempting to deliver a horizontal slash seemingly enveloped in a heat-haze, masking the true length and location of the blade to deliver an unexpected strike.
- Beneficent Radiance (
輝 輝 恩 光 Kiki Onkō?)[13] - The user spirals into the air whilst performing a swirling slash upwards to strike the target.
- Sunflower Thrust (
陽 華 突 Yōkatotsu?)[14][15] - The user leaps up and performs a singular, upward thrust utilizing the tip of their blade to strike the target.
- Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance (
日 暈 の龍 ・頭 舞 い Nichiun no Ryū Kaburimai?)[16] - The user assumes a high stance, before unleashing a number of consecutive slashes in a fluid motion in the form of a Japanese dragon made of solar flames. This technique is capable of decapitating multiple targets at once.
- Fire Wheel (
火 車 Kasha?)[17] - The user flips into the air behind the opponent before unleashing a singular vertical slash in a circular motion to swiftly cut the target in half.
- Fake Rainbow* (
幻 日 虹 Gen'nichi Kō?)[18] - The user performs high-speed twists and rotations, creating afterimages that are primarily used for evading attacks. These afterimages are particularly effective against enemies with sharp vision.[19]
- Flame Dance (
炎 舞 Enbu?)[20] - A two-strike combo which starts with a downward vertical slash leading into a horizontal slash right after.
- Thirteenth Form (
拾 参 ノ型 Jū San no kata?)[21] - The user continuously performs all twelve forms of Sun Breathing in repetitive succession to increase the accuracy and agility of its movements, and attacks. This form was created solely for the purpose of killing Muzan Kibutsuji, since the repetition of all twelve forms aims to destroy Muzan's twelve vital organs (seven hearts and five brains) that move freely inside his body.
* Fake Rainbow is the name of the technique in Chapter 77 and the anime. Chapter 147 renames it Mock Sun Rainbow.
Game Exclusive Techniques[]
- Raging Sun, Eternal (
烈 日 紅 鏡 ・久遠 Retsujitsu Kōkyō - Kuon?)[9] - The user delivers a down-right slash, before relentlessly slashing their opponent while advancing forwards and knocking them back a great distance with a vertical strike. The user then dashes towards them while doing a front flip, performing a variant of Raging Sun by creating an infinity sign with their sword.
- Cross Slash (
二 連 袈 裟 斬 り Nirenkesa Giri?)[22] - The user ignites their sword with solar flames and releases two arching flame slashes to their opponent, each individually making an "X" shaped slice.
- Scorching Rush (
早 駆 け斬 り Hayagake Giri?)[22] - The user rushes forward with a flaming sword and performs a 5-move combo as follows: a low-ended strike from the left, a low-ended strike from the right that lifts the user off the ground briefly, a spinning wave attack, a powerful forwards upward slash and finally an overhead downward slash.
- Phoenix Flash (
瞬 転 斬 り Shunten Giri?)[22] - The user disappears in a flash of fire, before reappearing from fire in mid-air either upright, where they perform a massive overhead circular slash, or upside-down where they perform an angled 360° sword slash.
- Fiery Charge (
突 進 斬 り Tosshin Kiri?)[23] - The user attacks the opponent with arc-shaped slashes several times before charging forward with Dancing Flash and spinning around 180° to deliver a powerful and horizontal arched slash.
- Exploding Blood Sword (
爆 血 刀 Bakketsutō?)[23] - An alternative version of Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance by Tanjiro Kamado notable for the collaborative usage of Nezuko Kamado's Blood Demon Art. The siblings coordinate their attacks to strike their opponent with Sun Breathing and combustible blood slashes simultaneously, which combine into the form of a Japanese dragon made of solar flames, so powerful that it looks like the opponent is being eaten. Afterwards, Nezuko cuts her hand on her brother's blade, coating it in her blood and activating her Blood Demon Art. The siblings then lunge at the opponent in sync, and finish with an extremely powerful and Blood Demon Art-amplified version of Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance.
- Friendly Rivalry (
切 磋 琢 磨 する同 期 Sessatakuma-suru Dōki?)[23] - A collaboration between Tanjiro Kamado and his ally Genya Shinazugawa. They both knock their opponent back and coordinate their attacks to slash them with their blades. After Tanjiro slashes their opponent upwards, Genya shoots them point-blank and Tanjiro further elevates them by striking them with Sunflower Thrust. However, as the opponent falls to the ground, Tanjiro irritates Genya with his thanks, causing him to hurl a large boulder. It misses Tanjiro but hits the grounded opponent.
- Hearts Ablaze (
心 を燃 やせ Kokoro o Moyase?)[23] - A collaboration between a Flame Breathing user and a Sun Breathing user. Both coordinate their attacks to simultaneously strike their opponent with arc-shaped slashes from their respective Breathing Styles from opposite sides. The Flame Breather then readies his stance to use Rengoku and the Sun Breather takes a similar stance to use Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance. The result is both charging at the opponent in an attack that takes the form of a flaming Japanese dragon composed of flames from both styles. Both users yell "Set your heart ablaze!", and their attack ends with an X-shaped slash and a fiery tornado.
- Bread and Butter Kagura: Dance (パン
生地 神楽 円舞 Pankiji Kagura - Enbu?)[22] - A technique exclusive to the Kimetsu Academy version of Tanjiro Kamado. Tanjiro uses his skillful baking abilities from his family profession to knead and juggle dough with such speed that he bakes them into baguettes, with the heat burning the opponent.
Demonstrations[]
      .png "Tanjiro beheads Akaza with Setting Sun Transformation (Anime).png (2.32 MB)")   .gif "Sun Halo Dragon Head Dance (Anime).gif (9.83 MB)")    |
          .png "Hinokami Kagura - Fire Wheel (colored).png (512 KB)")    |
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Trivia[]
- The passing of Sun Breathing as a Kagura draws heavily from Shintō mythology. In Japanese folklore, famous tales in volumes of the "Nihon Shoki" (
日 本 書 紀 ?) and "Kojiki/Furukotofumi" (故 事 記 ?) explain that the Kagura ritual originates when Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, retreated into a cave, plunging the world into darkness. In response, Ame-no-Uzume, the goddess of revelry and dawn, danced outside the cave to entice the sun goddess out. From these events, the Kagura was born, a ritualistic dance that honors Kami (Gods and ancestral spirits). Likewise, Sun Breathing was disguised as a Kagura and passed down as the Hinokami Kagura. - The term and technique Fire Wheel (
火 車 Kasha?) is in fact an inspiration from the classic yōkai Kasha, literally meaning "Burning Chariot". Kasha are supernatural beings with the head of a cat or tiger, the body of a man, and fiery tails. They ride on burning chariots around the world, snatching up the bodies of the recently deceased of those who have made heinous sins and take them to hell. - It is implied that the reason Flame Breathing (
炎 の呼 吸 Honō no Kokyū?) should never be referred to as Fire Breathing (火 の呼 吸 Hi no Kokyū?) is because its pronunciation is exactly the same as Sun Breathing (日 の呼 吸 Hi no Kokyū?). - After Tanjiro had witnessed Yoriichi perform all twelve Sun Breathing forms through Sumiyoshi's memories, he noted his own current Hinokami Kagura forms contained wasted movements, and then proceeded to fix those movements once he resumed his battle with Muzan Kibutsuji. Only thereafter does Tanjiro begin referring to his Breathing Style as "Sun Breathing" instead of "Hinokami Kagura".
- When performing their techniques, they visualize themselves creating and manipulating reddish orange-and-yellow solar flames on their weapons, or themselves.
- When combined with Nezuko’s Blood Demon Art, it merges with its solar flames and the flames from Nezuko’s Blood Demon Art to a red, orange, yellow, and pink color flames (occasionally being a pink-and-orange flames).
- Aside from unleashing flaming sword slashes, they can create various styles of solar flames in different forms: Dance forms a long, wide, curved vertical flame slash; Clear Blue Sky forms two flaming rings around them; Raging Sun forms two curved, arcing, crescent-shaped flame slashes; Burning Bones, Summer Sun forms multiple spinning flaming rings; Sunflower Thrust forms spiraling, loop of flames around their sword and body; Fire Wheel forms a circular, spinning, vertical flame wheel; Fake Rainbow leaves a burst of rainbow-colored clouds as they vanish; and Flame Dance forms a curved, wide, crossed flame slashes.
- According to the second databook, the Kamado Family has preserved the Hinokami Kagura as a ceremonial practice all the way to present times. Tanjiro's great-great-grandchildren, Sumihiko and Kanata, are practitioners of it.
- Hinokami Kagura is one of the very few terms to not be localized or translated in English. Its literal meaning, "Dance of the Fire God", was scrapped in favor of its original Japanese name, "Hinokami Kagura".
- Strangely, in the official translation of Chapter 147 by VIZ Media, Fake Rainbow is renamed Mock Sun Rainbow for no apparent reason.
- In Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles, the Entertainment District variant of Tanjiro uses Fake Rainbow as his parry. In addition, before his Swordsmith Village variant had Sunflower Thrust be his Guard Skill, the Hinokami Kagura and Entertainment District variants use a move very similar to it for his Up Combo Finisher.
- Demons' opinion on being slayed by Hinokami Kagura and its wielder is as follows:[5]
- "It was...unpleasant". - Muzan Kibutsuji (Note: Muzan was not killed by Hinokami Kagura, but rather a collective effort of numerous techniques wearing him down until sunrise)
- "You got that right...I couldn't heal fast and it hurt! Those meanies!" - Hantengu
- Hinokami Kagura's first and twelfth forms, Dance and Flame Dance, are pronounced identically. The difference between the two are the first kanji characters at the beginning of their names and the attacks they were performed.
References[]
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 151 (Page 3).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 40 (Page 4).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 178 (Page 7).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 192 (Pages 1-15).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Kimetsu no Yaiba Second Fanbook.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 40 (Page 6) and Episode 19.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 125 (Page 21).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 61 (Page 23).
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 77 (Page 14) and Episode 38.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 81 (Page 16).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 152 (Pages 22-23).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 149 (Page 11).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 191 (Page 18).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 106 (Pages 9-10).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 139 (Page 14).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 113 (Pages 8-9).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 147 (Page 9) and Episode 38.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 77 (Page 18) and Episode 38.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 77 (Page 18).
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 77 (Page 16) and Episode 38.
- ↑ Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 193.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Kimetsu no Yaiba Game: The Hinokami Chronicles.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Kimetsu no Yaiba Game: The Hinokami Chronicles 2.
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