Water Breathing

Water Breathing (水 (みず) の呼 (こ) 吸 (きゅう) , Mizu no kokyū^?) is one of the five main Breathing Styles directly derived from the Sun Breathing. The Breathing Style was originally created by one of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's students who attempted to learn the Sun Breathing, but, due to not being as innately talented as Yoriichi, they were instead taught and trained an alternative personalized breathing style that focused on their strengths and weaknesses, eventually becoming the Water Breathing.^[1]

It is said to be the most common Breathing Style among Demon Slayers due to being the easiest to learn for beginners. The primary Cultivator for the Demon Slayer Corps is Sakonji Urokodaki, though there are other Cultivators as well.^[2] The Eleventh Form is an original technique created by Giyu Tomioka.

Breathing Style Relationship Chart

Attacks

There are ten known Forms, with an eleventh one created and exclusively used by Giyu Tomioka.

1. First Form: Water Surface Slash (壱 (いち) ノ型 (かた) 水 (みな) 面 (も) 斬 (ぎ) り, Ichi no kata: Minamo giri^?)^[3] - The swordsman generates enough momentum to create a powerful single concentrated slash.
2. Second Form: Water Wheel (弐 (に) ノ型 (かた) 水 (みず) 車 (ぐるま) , Ni no kata: Mizu guruma^?)^[4] - The swordsman leaps and vertically spins forward in the air while releasing a flowing attack in a circular motion.
   • Second Form: Improved - Lateral Water Wheel (弐 (に) ノ型 (かた) ・改 (かい) 横 (よこ) 水 (みず) 車 (ぐるま) , Ni no kata kai: Yoko mizu guruma^?) - An alternate variation of Second Form: Water Wheel that uses a horizontal spin.^[5]
3. Third Form: Flowing Dance (参 (さん) ノ型 (かた) 流 (りゅう) 流 (りゅう) 舞 (ま) い, San no kata: Ryūryū mai^?) ^[6] - The swordsman swings his blade at his opponent in a way that mimics the movement of waves on the surface of water.
4. Fourth Form: Striking Tide (肆 (し) ノ型 (かた) 打 (う) ち潮 (しお) , Shi no kata: Uchishio^?)^[7] - The swordsman makes multiple consecutive slashes while twisting their body in a flowing fashion similar to a harsh tide.
5. Fifth Form: Blessed Rain After the Drought (伍 (ご) ノ型 (かた) 干 (かん) 天 (てん) の慈 (じ) 雨 (う) , Go no kata: Kanten no jiu^?)^[8] - A "sword strike of kindness" that kills the target with little to no pain. Used when the enemy surrenders.
6. Sixth Form: Whirlpool (陸 (ろく) ノ型 (かた) ねじれ渦 (うず) , Roku no kata: Nejire uzu^?)^[9] - The swordsman fiercely twists his upper and lower body, creating a whirlpool that cuts anything caught in it. It can be used in a place without footing, and if used underwater can generate a large whirlpool that draws in anything nearby in addition to cutting them up like a large blade.
   • Whirlpool: Flow (ねじれ渦 (うず) ・流 (りゅう) 流 (りゅう) , Nejire Uzu - Ryūryū^?)^[10] - A combination of Third Form: Flowing Dance and Sixth Form: Whirlpool. The swordsman combines the footwork from Flowing Dance and the twisting aspect of Whirlpool, resulting in the swordsman to perform an attack around the user and conjure a twisting, swirling, vicious flow of water to redirect projectiles from multiple angles.
7. Seventh Form: Piercing Rain Drop (漆 (しち) ノ型 (かた) 雫 (しずく) 波 (は) 紋 (もん) 突 (づ) き, Shichi no kata: Shizuku hamon tsuki^?): A fast and accurate stab. The fastest Breath of Water technique.
   • Seventh Form: Piercing Rain Drop - Curve (漆 (しち) ノ型 (かた) 雫 (しずく) 波 (は) 紋 (もん) 突 (づ) き・曲 (きょく) , Shichi no kata: Shizuku hamon tsuki - kyoku^?)^[11] (Drop Ripple in English Dub) - A modified strike that hits in an arc from an angle in order to minimise the impact of a moving target.
8. Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin (捌 (はち) ノ型 (かた) 滝 (たき) 壷 (つぼ) , Hachi no kata: Takitsubo^?) ^[12] - The swordsman cuts the target vertically.
9. Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow (玖 (く) ノ型 (かた) 水 (すい) 流 (りゅう) 飛沫 (しぶき) , Ku no kata: Suiryū shibuki^?)^[13]: Minimizes the landing time and surface needed when landing, allowing the user to move without limits. Ideal when fighting in a place with no solid foothold.
   • Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow - Turbulent (玖 (く) ノ型 (かた) 水 (すい) 流 (りゅう) 飛沫 (しぶき) ・乱 (らん) , Ku no kata: Suiryū shibuki - ran^?)
10. Tenth Form: Constant Flux (拾 (じゅう) ノ型 (かた) 生 (せい) 生 (せい) 流 (る) 転 (てん) , Jū no kata: Seisei ruten^?)^[14] - A continuous attack that increases in power with each rotation, creating a strong slash.
11. Eleventh Form: Dead Calm (拾 (じゅう) 壱 (いち) ノ型 (かた) 凪 (なぎ) , Jū Ichi no Kata: Nagi^?)^[15] - Created by the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka. The swordsman ceases any body movements and enters a state of complete defence, deflecting and blocking any incoming attacks with imperceptible speed. However, its effectiveness is limited as fast and numerous attacks can break through.

Users

Users
Sakonji Urokodaki (Cultivator)	Giyu Tomioka	Murata[2]
Sabito	Makomo	Tanjiro Kamado

Demonstrations

Demonstrations
First Form	Second Form	Second Form: Modified	Third Form
Fourth Form	Fifth Form	Sixth Form	Sixth Form & Third Form (Combo)
Seventh Form	Eighth Form	Ninth Form	Tenth Form
Eleventh Form

— Water Breathing — Water Surface Slash Water Wheel Lateral Water Wheel Flowing Dance Striking Tide Blessed Rain After the Drought Whirlpool (Tanjiro) Whirlpool: Flow Drop Ripple Thrust - Curve Waterfall Basin Splashing Water Flow - Turbulent Constant Flux Dead Calm

References