Kimetsu no Yaiba Wiki
Kimetsu no Yaiba Wiki

Serpent Breathing ( (へび) () (きゅう) Hebi no kokyū?) is a Breathing Style derived from Water Breathing.

Overview[]

Serpent Breathing is a Breathing Style that mimics serpents/snakes, specifically their slithering motions and fast striking attacks, and replicates it with the user's movements, techniques and abilities. Most, if not all, known techniques and forms focuses on twisting and bending the sword like how a serpent slithers. The attacks are not direct and constantly meander which can ultimately strike anywhere, which can fool opponents and catch them off guard. Users of Serpent Breathing also visualize themselves seemingly manifesting white serpents that accompany them when unleashing its techniques.

Since this technique is currently known to only be utilized by Obanai Iguro, presumably its creator, it can only be used with a twisted blade that is similar in appearance to an Indonesian Kris Dagger or an old-Japanese Dakōken ( () (こう) (けん) Dakōken?), with the sword's shape modeled into the bodily structure of a snake.

Breathing Style Relationship Chart[]

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Sun
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Water
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Flower
   
   
Serpent
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Insect

Known Users[]

Known Users
Obanai Iguro
Obanai Iguro

Known Techniques[]

Serpent Breathing has 5 known techniques and forms at minimum, of which all were demonstrated.

  • First Form: Winding Serpent Slash ( (いち) (かた)   () () () Ichi no kata: Idagiri?)[1] - The user releases a singular frontal horizontal slash aimed at their target in a winding motion.
  • Second Form: Venom Fangs of the Narrow Head ( () (かた)   (きょう) () (どく) () Ni no kata: Kyōzu no Dokuga?)[2] - The user dashes behind their opponent at blinding speed and aims to swiftly slice off their head from behind.
  • Third Form: Coil Choke ( (さん) (かた)   (とぐろ) () San no kata: Toguro Jime?)[3] - The user circles around their opponent while using their sword to slice them from all directions.
  • Fourth Form: Twin-Headed Reptile ( () (かた)   (けい) (じゃ) (そう) (せい) Shi no kata: Keija Sōsei?)[4] - The user leaps forward and performs a horizontal slash that slices through the target.
  • Fifth Form: Slithering Serpent ( () (かた)   (えん) (えん) (ちょう) () Go no kata: En'en Chōda?)[5] - The user charges forth in a twisting and winding motion, curving their sword in multiple directions to strike multiple targets at once. This technique is capable of decapitating multiple enemies at once.

Game Exclusive Techniques[]

  • Fifth Form: Slithering Serpent, Carnage ( () (かた)   (えん) (えん) (ちょう) () () Go no kata: En'en Chōda - Ha?)[6] - The user knocks their opponent back using their sword and charges at them while executing a variant of Slithering Serpent, which is so powerful that it takes the form of a snake predating on the opponent, as the user keeps relentlessly slashing them while “inside” the snake. The snake then coils around into a spiral, with the user exiting through “the head” as the opponent is constricted in its “coils” before falling to the ground.
  • Leaping Viperstrike ( (ちょう) (やく) () Chōyaku Giri?)[6] - The user leaps in the air and attacks the opponent in a twisting and winding slash, and then spirals down on their opponent.
  • Serpentine Slash ( () (こう) () Dakō Giri?)[6] - The user delivers several jagged and twisted slashes, before finishing with a backhand slash of equal distortion.
  • United Front: Wind Serpent ( (ふう) (じゃ) (いっ) (たい) Fūja Ittai?)[6] - A collaboration between a Wind Breathing user and a Serpent Breathing user. The Serpent Breathing user rushes towards their opponent and delivers several bending and winding cuts, before the Wind Breathing user rushes in cyclone-like motion. After attacking once, the Wind Breather turns around and creates an attack remarkably similar to Rising Dust Storm. As the opponent is spinning around the tornado-like attack, the Serpent Breather then enters and slashes them with such a powerful winding momentum that takes the form of a snake predating upon them. As the Serpent Breather pushes their opponent downwards, the Wind Breather joins in to double the force in a violent tornado combining both their Breathing Styles.

Demonstrations[]

Serpent Breathing

Serpent Breathing

Serpent Breathing
Hinokami Chronicles 2

Jumputi Heroes

Trivia[]

  • Obanai, having always been partially blind in his right eye, performed Serpent Breathing with the help of his snake Kaburamaru. Kaburamaru possesses a unique ability which allows him to read and predict a target's attacks and then relay that information to Obanai. However, it is unknown whether Serpent Breathing is performable without Kaburamaru's assistance.
    • Judging by his unique condition, he is presumably the creator of Serpent Breathing, but it has not been explicitly stated.
  • Fourth Form: Twin-Headed Reptile is visualized as a polycephalic snake, which is based on a real-life genetic phenomena where a snake is born with two heads.
  • Whenever the Serpent Breathing user performs their techniques, they visualize themselves manifesting white serpent that are tinted purple hue, accompanying the users.
  • Demons' opinion on being slayed by Serpent Breathing and its wielder is as follows:[7]
    • "It was sorta harsh" - Demon A
    • "And had an odd cross-section." - Demon B
    • "Yeah, the snaky blade is painful. And the things he says! Ouch!" - Demon C
    • "Seriously, I'd prefer Flower Breathing." - Demon D
    • "You said it!" - Demon E

References[]

  1. Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 183 (Pages 9-10).
  2. Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 164 (Page 15).
  3. Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 190 (Page 14) and Episode 56.
  4. Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga: Chapter 199 (Page 17).
  5. Kimetsu no Yaiba Manga and Anime: Chapter 140 (Page 11) and Episode 56.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Kimetsu no Yaiba Game: The Hinokami Chronicles 2.
  7. Kimetsu no Yaiba Second Fanbook.

Navigation[]

[v · e · ?]
Abilities
Demon Slayers: Demon Slayer Mark · Bright Red Nichirin Sword · Transparent World · Selfless State · Extrasensory Perception
Demons: Blood Demon Art · Regeneration · Flesh Manipulation · Extrasensory Perception
Techniques
Breathing: Total Concentration Breathing · Breathing Styles · Recovery Breathing · Repetitive Action · Opening Thread
Breathing Styles: Sun Breathing · Water Breathing · Flame Breathing · Thunder Breathing · Stone Breathing · Wind Breathing · Moon Breathing · Flower Breathing · Insect Breathing · Serpent Breathing · Love Breathing · Sound Breathing · Mist Breathing · Beast Breathing