How many breathing styles are there in Demon Slayer?

Breathing styles in Demon Slayer are special combat techniques that enhance a Demon Slayer’s strength and speed through controlled breathing.

The 9 main breathing styles in Demon Slayer are Water, Flame, Thunder, Wind, Stone, Beast, Serpent, Insect, and Sun. Each style has its own unique combat philosophy and techniques, and together they form the foundation for all derivative breathing styles.

Derivative breathing styles are unique techniques created by students who adapt the main breathing styles into new, specialized forms like Flower, Mist, Moon, and Haze.

Check out the full KunManga article below to learn how many breathing styles are there in Demon Slayer and explore every technique in detail.

What are breathing styles in Demon Slayer?

Breathing styles are special combat techniques that enhance a Demon Slayer’s physical strength, speed, and awareness. By controlling their breathing, Demon Slayers can:

• Increase oxygen intake
• Sharpen their senses
• Boost physical power
• Unlock unique sword techniques

Each breathing style has multiple forms, and every form is a distinct attack technique used in battles.

How many breathing styles are there in Demon Slayer?

In official Demon Slayer canon, there are 9 main breathing styles that serve as the core foundation of all combat techniques used by the Demon Slayer Corps. These main styles are the original systems taught by master swordsmen and passed down through generations.

From these 9 core styles, several derivative breathing styles were later developed by students who adapted or modified the original techniques to fit their own strengths and fighting philosophies.

9 main Breathing Styles

• Water Breathing: Water Breathing focuses on fluid, flowing movements that mimic water. It emphasizes flexibility and defense, allowing users to adapt quickly to enemy attacks.
• Flame Breathing: Flame Breathing uses explosive, powerful strikes with a fiery rhythm. This style prioritizes speed and strength, making it ideal for aggressive, direct combat.
• Thunder Breathing: Thunder Breathing is based on lightning-fast, precise attacks that overwhelm opponents with speed. It’s built around sudden bursts of power and quick reflexes.
• Wind Breathing: Wind Breathing relies on sharp, cutting movements and wide slashes. It focuses on maintaining distance and using wind-like momentum to control the battlefield.
• Stone Breathing: Stone Breathing emphasizes heavy, strong attacks that break through defenses. This style is rooted in stability and raw physical power.
• Beast Breathing: Beast Breathing is a wild, instinctive style that imitates animal movements. It allows the user to fight without restraint, relying on intuition and raw aggression.
• Serpent Breathing: Serpent Breathing uses flexible, twisting strikes that target weak points. It focuses on precision and control, often using unpredictable angles.
• Insect Breathing: Insect Breathing is based on quick, precise attacks that mimic insect movements. It focuses on agility, speed, and targeting vulnerable areas.
• Sun Breathing: Sun Breathing is the original and most powerful style, combining elements of all other techniques. It is the root of the breathing system and the foundation for derivative styles.

These are the core styles that form the foundation of all other breathing techniques.

Derivative Breathing Styles

In Demon Slayer, some breathing styles are created by students or successors who adapt the original techniques to fit their own body, fighting style, and personality. These are known as derivative breathing styles, and they often have unique forms and philosophies.

Here are the most notable ones:

Flower Breathing (derived from Water Breathing)

Flower Breathing is a derivative of Water Breathing, but it emphasizes grace and precision.

The movements are smooth and elegant, resembling the gentle opening and closing of a flower.

This style focuses on quick, accurate strikes that can overwhelm an opponent with beautiful but deadly flow.

Mist Breathing (derived from Water Breathing)

Mist Breathing is also based on Water Breathing, but it specializes in deception and defense.

The techniques are slow and subtle, making it difficult for enemies to predict attacks. Mist Breathing users often rely on fluid movements and sudden bursts of speed to confuse opponents and strike at the perfect moment.

Moon Breathing (derived from Sun Breathing)

Moon Breathing is a direct derivative of Sun Breathing, but it has a darker and more mysterious nature. It retains the core principles of Sun Breathing while adding a colder, more ruthless edge.

The techniques are elegant and swift, resembling the sharp and unpredictable glow of moonlight, making it one of the most dangerous and unique styles in the series.

Haze Breathing (derived from Water Breathing)

Haze Breathing is another derivative of Water Breathing, but it focuses on speed and confusion. Users move like mist or smoke, making it hard for enemies to track their attacks. The style relies on fast, unpredictable movements and sudden strikes, which can overwhelm opponents who cannot keep up.

Each derivative style has its own unique forms and fighting philosophy.

Why Sun Breathing is the most important?

Sun Breathing is the original breathing style and the first technique ever created, which makes it the source of all other breathing methods in Demon Slayer. Because it was developed before any other style, it contains the purest form of breathing combat, combining speed, power, and precision in a way that no other style can fully replicate.

In the story, Sun Breathing is treated as the “root” of the entire breathing system, meaning that many other styles are derived from it or influenced by its principles.

This is why Sun Breathing is not only the most powerful but also the most central to the plot and the battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, as it connects directly to the origin of demons and the Demon Slayer legacy.

FAQs

If you still have questions about the breathing techniques in Demon Slayer, the FAQs below will help you understand the system better.

Below, you’ll find answers to common queries such as how many breathing styles are there in Demon Slayer and how they relate to the main characters.

What is the strongest breathing style?

Sun Breathing is considered the strongest and the original style.

Is Moon Breathing a main style?

No, Moon Breathing is a derivative style created from Sun Breathing.

Can a Demon Slayer learn more than one breathing style?

Yes, but it’s rare. Most Demon Slayers focus on mastering one style.

Is Beast Breathing a main style?

Yes, Beast Breathing is one of the 9 main styles.

Are there any new breathing styles in the manga?

The main and derivative styles listed above cover all official canon breathing styles.

So, how many breathing styles are there in Demon Slayer? The official canon answer is 13, including 9 main styles and 4 derivative styles. Each style has unique forms, philosophy, and strengths, which makes the world of Demon Slayer rich and diverse.

If you want to read the full Demon Slayer story and see these breathing styles in action, check out the manga on KunManga.