Warning: This article contains spoilers for Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc

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We’ve finally stepped into 2024 (pretend you’re excited about it), and if you call yourself a dark fantasy weeb, we know where all your focus is— Demon Slayer season 4. After wrapping up the Swordsmith Village Arc, the upcoming full feature-length adventure drops this Spring. But behold, February is bringing something exciting before that.

A much-awaited compilation film, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training, is set to hit the screens this February. The one-hour special’s obvious goal is to raise anticipation for the following season to new heights. But you might wonder, how? To the Hashira Training will combine Demon Slayer Season 3 episode 11 (from the Swordsmith Village arc) with Season 4, episode 1, providing an early glimpse into the adaptation of the show’s 10th arc— the Hashira Training Arc.

Though the plot of the Hashira Training Arc is almost self-explanatory for fans religiously following Tanjiro’s story thus far, we’re here to explain it for the newbies (we won’t judge if you just want spoilers either). Simply put, Demon Slayer Season 4 will follow Tanjiro training with several Hashira to finally meet the Stone Hashira, Himejima, and training to become a Hashira—a high-ranking member of the Demon Slayer Corps.

What is Hashira in Demon Slayer?

Starting where it all began, the Demon Slayer Corps, which forms the core of the story, was founded following Muzan Kibutsuji’s transformation into the first demon. Despite not being recognized by the government, the organization operates methodically and upholds a hierarchy of power inside it.

Most obviously, the members of the organization are called Demon Slayers, who are talented and committed individuals who have accepted the honorable task of locating and vanquishing demons. The leader of the Demon Slayer Corps is revered as Oyakata-sama. The leader supervises the Final Selection of prospective Demon Slayers and is customarily a member of the Ubuyashiki family.

Based on their competencies, the organization’s Demon Slayers are also ranked. To put it in a sentence, the highest-ranked Demon Slayers are known as the Hashira. The word “Hashira” directly translates to “Pillars” in Japanese, mirroring their role in The Demon Slayer Corps. They are the second-highest authority in the organization after Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the Corps leader, and Kiriya Ubuyashiki, who followed him.

Who are the current Hashiras in Demon Slayer?

The Hashira possess extraordinary skills and specialize in a specific Breathing Style. Each Hashira is tasked with patrolling a certain territory to learn more about the demons living in that area, and to hone their swordsmanship. The current Demon Slayer world features 9 Hashira:

• Water Hashira- Giyu Tomioka
• Love Hashira- Mitsuri Kanroji
• Serpent Hashira- Obanai Iguro
• Wind Hashira- Sanemi Shinazugawa
• Stone Hashira- Gyomei Himejima
• Mist Hashira- Muichiro Tokito
• Insect Hashira- Shinobu Kocho
• Flame Hashira- Kyojuro Rengoku
• Flower Hashira- Kanae Kocho

A demon slayer must either kill one of the Twelve Kizuki or achieve a demon kill a total of at least 50 while rated as a Kinoe to become a Hashira. But there is another way for powerful swordsmen to become a Hashira, and that is by becoming a Tsuguko of a Hashira.

Tsuguko is the term for a Hashira’s disciple who has the potential to become a Hashira in the future. A Tsuguko can only be someone who has been trained directly by a current or previous Hashira. A Tsuguko also needs to be capable of mastering a breathing technique. The phrase initially surfaced in season 2 of Demon Slayer when Tengen Uzui, the erstwhile Sound Hashira, referred to Tanjiro, Inouske, and Zenitsu as “excellent Tsugukos.”

Now is Tanjiro is a Tsuguko? Yes. He is a Tsuguko of Sakonji Urokodaki (Former Water Hashira) and Giyu Tomioka (Current Water Hashira). But Demon Slayer season 4 is widening the possibilities for all Demon Slayers to train to become a Hashira. A session known as “Hashira Training” will begin in the upcoming season to strengthen the demon slayers.

Will Tanjiro become a Hashira?

In chapter 130 of the original manga, the narrator explains that this particular Hashira training session is unique as Hashira usually exclusively trained their heirs. Tanjiro also gets to train to become a Hashira in this sequence. He requests Giyu to train him, which Giyu initially refuses. However, Tanjiro manages to convince him, and by the end of chapter 133, reaches the Stone Hashira’s training ground.

While Tanjiro works hard to complete training at Himejima’s training place and increases his strength and abilities significantly, the Hashira training session is cut short for all Demon Slayers when Muzan comes to visit Kagaya. The Hashira Training arc then ends with chapter 136, with the story entering into its final arc— the Final Battle arc.

Despite Tanjiro’s diligent efforts to finish training at Himejima’s training facility and greatly enhance his strength and talents, the Hashira training session is interrupted for all Demon Slayers when Muzan visits Kagaya. Chapter 136 marks the conclusion of the Hashira Training arc and the start of the Final Battle arc, the story’s last arc.

Towards the end of chapter 137, an emergency summon is sent to all the Hashiras and demon hunters alerting them of Muzan’s attacks on the Ubuyashiki estate. The final, much-awaited confrontation of the demon slayers with the demon king Muzan happens before Tanjiro can attain the title of Hashira. Thus, throughout his narrative arc, our hero is unable to formally become a Hashira.