Demon Slayercan be a pretty disheartening and grim series due to its distressing premise. Since the characters devote so much of their time and energy to fighting demons and saving humanity, friendships, romantic relationships, and happy moments are not the focal point of the series. In spite of this, there are a fewgenuinely positive and mutually fulfilling bonds showcased in the story.
Friendship is a key theme inDemon Slayer,because fighting bloodthirsty villains is not a task that can be easily accomplished alone. Not only do the Hashira and other demon slayers band together as colleagues out of necessity, they form genuinebonds of friendship and trust that go far beyond their jobs.Demon Slayer’sfriendships add joy to an otherwise despondent series, giving viewers hope too that perhaps the heroes will succeed after all.
10Shinobu and Giyu
Giyu Does Not Trust Many People Due to His Past, but He Opens up to Shinobu
Giyu Tomioka is the quietest and most reclusive Hashira,preferring to kill demons completely on his own. Because of past trauma and losing his sister and best friend, he is reluctant to let others close to him in any capacity. The one person in the Hashira that he has allowed himself to form a relationship with is the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho.
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Shinobu is also a more soft-spoken and mature character like Giyu, so the pair enjoy having conversations together. Although they don’t have many direct on-screen interactions, theDemon Slayercharacter book confirmed their canon friendship. Other than Tanjiro, Shinobu is the only character who truly convinced Giyu to open up to her emotionally, which was no easy feat.
9Nezuko and Zenitsu
The Pair Went From Friends to Lovers, Protecting One Another From Danger During Battles
From the moment he first laid eyes on Nezuko, Zenitsu fell for her. Tanjiro was unhappy with his obsession, since he felt protective over his sister, but Zenitsu and Nezuko eventually built a friendship. They both began carefully protecting one another from threats and eventually,their purely platonic bond blossomed into something more.
Way later in the series,Nezuko and Zenitsu became loversand got married. This beautiful romance would never have been possible without the strong friendship the duo established first. The pair certainly representsone of the most adorable friendships inDemon Slayer.
8Sanemi and Obanai
These Two Hashira Trained Together Constantly and Faced Challenges Side by Side
Sanemi Shinazugawa and Obanai Iguro are nearly inseparable friends inDemon Slayer.Their relationship wasshowcased heavily in the recently releasedTo The Hashira Training arc, as the pair trained together and prepared to take on Lord Muzan. One of their favorite activities to do together is duel to increase their physical strength and battle preparedness.
Tragically, after the final battles with Lord Muzan that resulted in Obanai’s death,Sanemi was crushed by the loss of his friend.He mourned deeply and made sure Obanai’s snake, Kaburamaru, found a loving home with Kanao, proof of the touching bond between the two Hashira. Both Sanemi and Obanai can be angry, blunt people, but their love for one another is always extremely evident.
7Mitsuri and Rengoku
Rengoku Was Mitsuri’s Mentor, Inspiring Her to Design Her Very Own Love Breathing Style
A little-knownDemon Slayerfact is thatKyojuro Rengoku wasMitsuri Kanroji’s mentor.He taught her everything she knows and helped her become one of the strongest, most skilled Hashira of all time. Mitsuri even went on to invent her own one of a kind Love Breathing style that utilizes components of Rengoku’s Flame Breathing.
The relationship between Mitsuri and Rengoku is not just professional though, the duo genuinely have fun together as friends. Rengoku changed Mitsuri’s life for the better,helping her discover her Breathing Style and overcome insecuritiesinstilled in her by years of bullying. An intriguingDemon Slayerspin-off manga,Rengoku Kyojuro Gaiden,explores the friendship between the two Hashira that is often overlooked in the series itself.
6Tanjiro and Giyu
One Important Conversation Between the Two Sparked an Unlikely but Amiable Friendship
Tanjiro and Giyu did not interact very often until theTo The Hashira Training arc, in whichTanjiro had to intervene when Giyu isolated himself.Giyu refused to participate in the Hashira training, but Tanjiro was able to change his mind by continually urging and sharing his own trauma with Giyu. The two relate to one another in a tragic way: Giyu lost his best friend and sister to demons, while Tanjiro lost his entire family.
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Giyu finally began to share his traumatic past with Tanjiro, something he had not done often before, and Tanjiro confided in him as well. After this pivotal scene, Giyu and Tanjiro’s friendship was strengthened, as the pair shared meals, trained, and had more conversations together. Although their overall outlooks are very different, since Tanjiro is more positive and outgoing and Giyu is more reserved, they always manage to find common ground and confide in one another.
5Giyu and Sabito
Sabito Gave up His Life To Save Giyu, and Giyu Continues To Keep His Memory Alive
Sabito and Giyu had one ofDemon Slayer’sbest friendships, buttheir relationship ended in tragedy.They trained together for years under Sakonji Urokodaki, growing closer during the grueling teachings. During the Final Selection, the Hand Demon endangered their lives, and only one of them survived.
Sabito gave up his life for Giyu, dying so his friend could continue living. This heartbreaking sacrifice proves how much Sabito loved Giyu, and Giyu felt the same way. Years after Sabito’s death, Giyu continues to wear a haori that is a mix of fabric from his late sister’s haori and fabric from Sabito’s haori, keeping the memories of the two people he loves most with him always.
4Tanjiro and Kanao
Tanjiro’s Patience and Kanao’s Loyalty Make This a Beautiful Friendship That Eventually Shifted Into Romance
Kanao has one of the most upsetting backstories inDemon Slayer.She was abused, neglected, and eventually sold, but thankfully,Kanae Kocho and Shinobu Kocho rescued her.When Tanjiro met her, she was still very suspicious of people and preferred to keep to herself.
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Despite her shyness and skepticism, Tanjiro was very patient with her, showing her unconditional kindness that she was not used to. Eventually, she grew to trust him, so much so that when Tanjiro was in a coma, she visited him constantly. After the events of the story,Kanao and Tanjiro became a couple, a testament to how deeply they love and understand one another.
3Kanae, Kanao, and Shinobu
The Sister Trio Was Inseparable and After Kanae’s Death, the Remaining Sisters Fought Relentlessly To Avenge Her
Kanae, Kanao, and Shinobu arean absolutely inseparable sister trio. Shinobu and Kanae saved Kanao from a life of slavery and pain, bringing her into their family with open arms. The trio spent every moment together, until Doma, the Upper Rank Two demon,violently ended Kanae’s lifeand left the two remaining sisters brokenhearted.
Kanao and Shinobu fought ruthlessly to avenge Kanae’s horrific death, tracking down the demon responsible for her murder. Kanao, Shinobu, and Inosuke killed Doma eventually, butShinobu sadly did not survive the encounter.Kanao carries on the legacy of her sisters and even wears pieces of their demon slayer uniforms to honor the two women who protected her when she most needed help.
2Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke
Despite Their Differing Personalities, They Work Together Well and Have Saved One Another’s Lives Countless Times
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke areDemon Slayer’smost iconic trioby far. Even people unfamiliar with the series have likely seen these three demon slayers together and recognize their hilarious and heartwarming bond. Their personalities are quite different: Tanjiro is optimistic and hardworking, Zenitsu is anxious but strong, and Inosuke is bold and fearless, but at the end of the day, they fight towards the same goal by working together despite these differences.
Although they are dissimilar in some ways, the trio works very well as friends, offering unwavering support, learning from each other, andsaving each other’s lives when it is necessary.This trio is also responsible for some ofDemon Slayer’smost laughter-inducing moments, including Inosuke mispronouncing Tanjiro’s name and Zenitsu and Inosuke bickering humorously. Their friendship stayed strong throughoutDemon Slayer,and thankfully, no demon or human ever managed to tear this group apart.
1Tanjiro and Nezuko
Tanjiro and Nezuko Are the Most Loving Siblings in Anime With a Bond That Can Never Be Broken
No relationship inDemon Slayeris more admirable than the one between Tanjiro and Nezuko. Although they are siblings and connected by blood, the pair are best friends. Furthermore,Tanjiro’s entire reason for becoming a demon slayer was to save Nezukoand turn her human again.
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Tanjirou and Nezuko Kamado’s sibling bond is the heart of the show, and they always have each other’s backs.
Nezuko shares this same unshakable love for her brother, fighting at full force with her demon powers anytime anyone threatens his life. Tanjiro refuses to let her out of his sight because he is so concerned for her safety, and constantly promises that he will bring back her humanity, no matter what it takes. The pair fight enemies astoundingly well together too, because of the connection between them. In so many ways,Tanjiro and Nezuko are perfectly in sync, and their deep love for one another is at the core ofDemon Slayer’sstory, inspiring them to never give up the fight.
Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaibais a wildly popular anime and manga franchise created by Koyoharu Gotouge. Set in Taishō-era Japan, it follows Tanjiro Kamado as he battles demons and seeks a cure for his sister, Nezuko, who was turned into one. The franchise includes a manga, anime TV series, films, video games, and spin-offs. Known for its stunning animation and gripping storyline,Demon Slayeris one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
