Kyojuro Rengoku (煉れん獄ごく 杏きょう寿じゅ郎ろう Rengoku Kyōjurō) was a prominent character in the anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and a central figure in the Mugen Train Arc. He held the prestigious rank of Flame Hashira (炎えん柱ばしら En Bashira) within the Demon Slayer Corps.
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| Kyojuro Rengoku |
Appearance
Kyojuro possessed a commanding presence with his tall, muscular frame. His distinctive appearance included bright yellow hair adorned with red streaks resembling flames, two shoulder-length bangs, and two chin-length bangs framing his face. His eyes, originally golden, would turn red with white pupils when his powers activated. He was renowned for his charismatic and ever-present enthusiastic smile.
Throughout his service as a Hashira, Kyojuro donned a Demon Slayer uniform in a lighter brown hue. His attire included a brown gakuran jacket, a white belt securing his tattsuke-hakama pants, and a haori featuring a white-to-yellow gradient pattern with fiery red accents, reminiscent of the one worn by his father, Shinjuro Rengoku, who had also held the position of Flame Hashira. His ensemble was completed by red kyahan with yellow flames emanating upwards, pale brown tabi socks, and white zōri sandals with red straps.
Personality
Kyojuro exuded boundless enthusiasm and eccentricity in the execution of his duties as a Hashira. He was known for his amiable and kind-hearted nature, coupled with exceptional swordsmanship skills cultivated through rigorous training and discipline. His moral compass was firmly rooted in his mother's teachings, emphasizing the duty of the strong to protect the weak.
Family held immense importance to Kyojuro, and he held deep respect and concern for his father, Shinjuro Rengoku, even as their relationship became strained. He offered unwavering encouragement and optimism to his younger brother, Senjuro Rengoku, believing in his potential and wishing him success. His final words to his father and brother before his death, "take care of your body" and "follow your dreams no matter what," underscored his deep familial bonds.
Beneath his boisterous exterior, Kyojuro possessed keen tactical intelligence, allowing him to act swiftly and decisively in battle, particularly when the lives of others were at stake. He had a knack for recognizing potential in others, even in unlikely candidates like Nezuko Kamado, a demon he had initially sought to eliminate. His sense of foreboding occasionally haunted him, especially regarding the potential demise of cherished friends. Despite his unwavering optimism, Kyojuro struggled against the consuming hatred for demons but ultimately transcended his biases to accept Nezuko into the Demon Slayer Corps.
Abilities
Overall Abilities
As a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kyojuro was a formidable and highly skilled combatant. Prior to inheriting his father's position, Kyojuro had already proven himself as an exceptional fighter. He avenged the deaths of nine Demon Slayers who fell victim to the Flute Demon and singlehandedly defeated Lower Rank Two, Hairo, who acknowledged his swordsmanship skills before his demise. Kyojuro's father, Shinjuro Rengoku, attested that Kyojuro independently trained to become a Hashira by studying the Flame Breathing style from a guidebook consisting of only three volumes.
Akaza, an Upper Rank Three demon and one of the most potent demons known, acknowledged and praised Kyojuro's strength. Akaza even offered to transform him into a demon to transcend his human limits and become stronger, a proposition reserved for swordsmen deemed to have reached the pinnacle of their abilities. Akaza commended Kyojuro's fighting spirit, suggesting that it approached the "Realm of the Highest," implying that he was on the cusp of achieving the Transparent World and the Selfless State.
Indomitable Will
Kyojuro possessed an undaunted spirit and indomitable willpower, leaving a profound impression even on Upper Rank Three, Akaza. He cultivated this unwavering resolve since childhood, driven by a promise to his late mother. When faced with relentless attacks from Akaza, resulting in severe wounds, Kyojuro remained resolute. Despite losing an eye and sustaining internal injuries inflicted by Akaza, he persisted, fervently expressing his unwavering determination to protect innocent lives. A poignant moment occurred when Akaza's strike triggered a memory of his mother, providing the impetus for Kyojuro to ultimately defeat his adversary. Although his efforts were ultimately in vain, his incredible determination inspired Tanjiro and fueled his determination.
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| Kyojuro Rengoku |
Keen Intellect
Kyojuro's lineage as a Flame Hashira granted him access to generations of combat knowledge and tactics, along with instruction from previous Flame Hashira, including his father, Shinjuro Rengoku. He demonstrated remarkable judgment during battles, such as realizing the necessity of close combat to increase the likelihood of decapitating Akaza, who was immune to long-range attacks. When Tanjiro Kamado struggled to discern a way to defeat Enmu, Kyojuro intuitively recognized that all demons possessed inherent weaknesses, regardless of their forms.
His proficiency extended to medical knowledge, as he knew how to treat minor wounds and hemorrhaging using Total Concentration Breathing. He saved Tanjiro from succumbing to blood loss by skillfully plugging a torn blood vessel. Furthermore, Kyojuro swiftly deciphered the sign language used by his allies to communicate the abilities of the Flute Demon, formulating countermeasures even when control over their movements was limited.
Physical Abilities
Kyojuro exhibited superhuman speed and reflexes characteristic of a Hashira, rendering even talented Demon Slayers like Tanjiro and Inosuke unable to perceive his clashes with Akaza. His movements were so swift that he generated ground tremors and nearly derailed a train during high-speed sprints. Kyojuro could move at speeds imperceptible to the human eye, swiftly dispatching demons before they could react. His reflexes allowed him to intercept Akaza's arm moments before it struck Tanjiro. Kyojuro effortlessly matched Akaza's high-speed techniques and agile movements, which surpassed the blink of an eye, occasionally outpacing his opponent. Akaza, impressed and surprised by Kyojuro's abilities, openly acknowledged his skill.
Kyojuro's extraordinary stamina and endurance were evident in his battles throughout the series. Despite rupturing his eardrums in a confrontation with the Flute Demon, he fought on undeterred. In combat against Hairo, he sustained numerous severe wounds from gunshots and explosions but continued to stall until all the planted bombs were disarmed, displaying no signs of pain or fatigue. His resilience left Hairo questioning whether the person he encountered in the past was the same individual he confronted. During his encounter with Enmu, who fused with an entire train, Kyojuro maintained his composure across five different train carts without tiring. Notably, he battled Akaza, one of the most potent demons, beyond his physical and mental limits, enduring multiple fatal injuries, including a shattered eye, fractured ribs, and internal organ damage, without displaying pain or distress.
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| Kyojuro vs Akaza |
Immense Strength
Kyojuro honed his physical strength over years of rigorous training, enabling him to exhibit remarkable power. He wielded his katana at speeds beyond human perception with unwavering accuracy, delivering consecutive slashes in combat. He demonstrated his strength by launching Akaza an astonishing distance into a forest with a single sword swing. Kyojuro's raw power was further evident when he lifted an entire train off its tracks with a swift dash. Even in his early days as a Demon Slayer, he had sufficient strength to rupture his own eardrums by striking his ears with his hands. His incredible grip strength allowed him to restrain Akaza, one of the physically strongest characters in the series, despite his own compromised state due to pierced vital organs. Akaza marveled at Kyojuro's strength, describing it as "unbelievable."
Supernatural Abilities
Kyojuro possessed extraordinarily acute senses, enabling him to sense and perceive the immense presence and demon aura of Akaza. He could detect demonic presences more rapidly and accurately than Tanjiro Kamado, despite Tanjiro's acute sense of smell. Kyojuro identified two demons on a train before anyone else, reflecting his heightened senses. His sensory acuity allowed him to gauge the regenerative capabilities and vulnerabilities of most demons, including Enmu, with precision. Kyojuro also detected malice in Enmu's spells, preventing their incapacitating effects.
Fighting Style
Kyojuro was a master swordsman, one of the most powerful and skilled within the Demon Slayer Corps. He hailed from the illustrious Rengoku family, distinguished by a lineage of formidable swordsmen and Flame Hashira, providing him with a strong foundation for the development and refinement of his swordsmanship. His exceptional swordsmanship prowess was evident through numerous displays of combat excellence.
In his clash against the former Lower Rank Two, Hairo, Kyojuro outmatched the demon's bushido sword style, leading to Hairo's acknowledgment of his swordsmanship. Kyojuro's precise blade work effectively countered Enmu in his fused form, allowing him to elucidate his plan to Tanjiro and Inosuke. However, Kyojuro's mastery of the blade shone most brightly during his battle against Akaza, where he fought on equal footing with the Upper Rank, who had slain countless Demon Slayers and Hashira over the past century. Akaza consistently praised Kyojuro's swordsmanship throughout their intense confrontation.
Breathing Style
Kyojuro practiced the **Flame Breathing** (炎ほのおの呼こ吸きゅう Honō no kokyū), a Breathing Style taught to him by his predecessor, the previous Flame Hashira, Shinjuro Rengoku. Later, Kyojuro further mastered this style by studying instruction books left behind by previous Flame Hashira within the Rengoku family. His prowess in this Breathing Style marked him as the most skilled Flame Breathing user of his generation, achieving remarkable proficiency in its application. Key techniques associated with Flame Breathing include:
1. First Form: Unknowing Fire (壱いちノ型かた 不知火しらぬい Ichi no kata: Shiranui): In this technique, the user charges toward their target at high speeds and delivers a single, precise slash with the aim of decapitating the opponent.
2. Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun (弐にノ型かた 昇のぼり炎えん天てん Ni no kata: Nobori En Ten): This technique involves an upward arching sword slash.
3. Third Form: Blazing Universe (参さんノ型かた 氣き炎えん万ばん象しょう San no kata: Kien Banshō): In this technique, the user executes a sweeping downward sword strike.
4. Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation (肆しノ型かた 盛せい炎えんのうねり Shi no kata: Sei En no Uneri): The user swings their blade in a circular motion, which serves both defensive and offensive purposes. It can defend against incoming attacks or strike multiple targets in a single motion.
5. Fifth Form: Flame Tiger (伍ごノ型かた 炎えん虎こ Go no kata: Enko): This technique involves a series of potent sword slashes that take on the appearance of a flaming tiger.
6. Ninth Form: Rengoku (玖くノ型かた 煉れん獄ごく Ku no kata: Rengoku, lit. Ninth Form: Purgatory): The most powerful technique within Flame Breathing, the user adopts a high stance with their sword and charges forward at great speed. The technique is so powerful that it carves out the ground in its wake, and in the anime adaptation, it manifests as a flaming Japanese dragon enveloping the user during the charge.
Equipment
Kyojuro wielded a standard Nichirin katana featuring a red flame-like pattern on the blade. The words "Destroyer of Demons" (惡あっ鬼き滅めっ殺さつ Akki Messatsu) were engraved on the blade's side. The katana's hilt was wrapped in white material, and its handguard was shaped like a flame with a red core and orange border. He carried the standard sword sheath, which was white and grey in color.
Kyojuro Rengoku's legacy as a Flame Hashira and his memorable role in the Mugen Train Arc left an indelible mark on the Demon Slayer series, endearing him to fans worldwide. His unique personality, exceptional combat abilities, and unwavering determination continue to be celebrated within the Demon Slayer community.
