Water Breathing

The 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 Water Breathing mimics the element of water, specifically the flow and flexibility of the liquid and infuses it with the users swordsmanship.

This 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 current 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 the current Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka.

Breathing Style Relationship Chart

Sun

Water

Flower

Serpent

Insect

Techniques

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

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.
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]
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 their blade at his opponent in a way that mimics the movement of waves on the surface of water.
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.
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.
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 their 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 hack his surrounding, conjuring a twisting, swirling, vicious flow of water to redirect projectiles from multiple angles.
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, capable of reducing the impact of a moving target. The fastest form of this Breathing 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 minimize the impact of a moving target.
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.
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^?)^[14]
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^?)^[15] - The most powerful Water Breathing technique. A continuous flowing attack which takes a form of a water dragon that increases in strength and power with each rotation.
Eleventh Form: Dead Calm (拾 (じゅう) 壱 (いち) ノ型 (かた) 凪 (なぎ) , Jū Ichi no Kata: Nagi^?)^[16] - An extremely powerful defensive technique and the personal creation of the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka. Giyu ceases all body movements and enters a state of complete tranquility, 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 and Former Hashira)	Giyu Tomioka (Current Hashira)	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