Summary
Demon Slayeris a manga series that has some of the best characters in all of modern shonen. Following a tried and true tradition, the main heroes of the story are structured into a trio system, withDemon Slayerbeing spearheaded by Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke. These three,along with Nezuko, are the main focusof the whole story and they eventually grow to be some of the strongest in the series.
However, a point of contention among many fans is the power-scaling of this group itself. While there is no question thatTanjiro tops this list by the end of the series, many still argue with the placement of his lovable sidekicks within the tiers of power of theDemon Slayerstory. So, in this article, let’s take a look at who the stronger Demon Slayer is; Inosuke or Zenitsu.
Inosuke’s Strength & Natural Talent Make HIm A Force To Be Reckoned With
Inosuke Hashibira is the strangest character in the entire series due to his intriguing backstory, hilarious antics, and brash personality. Ever since his introduction, he was shown to be very careless and impulsive as hedecided to take on a very powerful demon all by himselfbut just happened to come across Tanjiro and the others. Though he could not defeat the demon alone, his skills proved to be invaluable in doing so.
Fast-forward to the Entertainment District arc, where the main cast helped the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, in fighting off and killing theUpper Moon 6 Demons, Gyutaro and Daki. This would be where Uzui and Tanjiro would team up to kill Gyutaro, but since he could only be put down by being beheaded at the same time as his sister, both Inosuke and Zenitsu would team up and use their special skills to properly deal with Daki.
The Infinity Castle arc would be the final arc in the story and would also be the one where Inosuke would show off his true skill and power. In a final confrontation against Upper Rank 2, Doma,Inosuke would team up with Shinobu and Kanaoto fight the monster in a battle that saw them using all their power in an epic clash. Inosuke is defined by his ferocity, stamina and agility, things that come into great use in the battle against Doma.
Though this battle had 2 people fighting against a severely poisoned Doma, it should still be noted that Doma himself was Upper Rank 2, meaning that there were only 2 other demons more powerful than he was in the entire world. Though there were many moments where the fight could have gone in the demons' favor, the heroes eventually came out on top withKanao and Shinobu’s strategic planningand Inosuke’s immense speed and strength.
He is also the only character in the main cast to have completely invented his own breathing style as well, due to his lack of formal training and his honed strength and tenacity. Growing up in the mountains and being raised by boars gave Inosuke the basis to formBeast Breathing, an offshoot of Wind Breathingand one that he has perfectly tailored to his natural affinities to suit him best.
Zenitsu Fights Like a Completely Different Person When He’s Sleeping
Despite being the single most annoying character in the entireDemon Slayerfranchise, Zenitsu is a true powerhouse when he needs to be. Starting as someone who wouldprobably be scared of his own shadow, Zenitsu was originally taught Thunder Breathing from a very young age by his Grandfather, who used to be a Thunder Hashira himself.
His true prowess was seen in the Mugen Train arc, where it was shown that despite him being a total coward while awake, he could tap into great strength and speed when he was asleep. In his sleep, he gains access to thefirst form of Thunder Breathing, Thunderclap, and Flash, and can further augment the speed of it by using the Godspeed ability. He uses this to save Nezuko.
In the Entertainment District arc, Zenitsu uses this move again on top of regular attacks with his Thunder Breathing. It is here that Zenitsu reveals Godspeed, a powerful move that can only be used twice before the user’s legs break down due to the sheer force required to meet the speed.Zenitsu and his usage of Godspeed were instrumentalin the fight against Upper Moon 6, where he and Inosuke teamed up to behead Daki.
In the Infinity Castle arc, Zenitsu’s character changed. During everyone else’s battles in the Castle, Zenitsu faced off against the new Upper Moon 6, his former peer, Kaigaku, alone. This was a tough battle for him as Kaigaku underwent the same tutelage but, unlike Zenitsu, he had access to all forms of Thunder Breathing, except for the first form, theonly one that Zenitsu had mastered.
However, due to his mastery over Godspeed, Zenitsu was able to face off against Kaigaku on equal footing at the start of the fight. Toward the end, Zenitsu used his mastery over the style to invent an entirely new form of Thunder Breathing, something which Kaigaku simply couldn’t compete against, leading to his swift death at the hands of his junior.
So Who’s Stronger Between the Two?
While taking on Upper Moon 2 is incredibly impressive in any situation, Zenitsu is one of the only 2 characters in all ofDemon Slayerto have defeated anUpper Moon Demon in a one-on-one fight, a feat that puts him well above even most Hashira. Inosuke was able to inflict great damage on Doma, but the fact remains that he may not have been able to do this had it not been for Kanao herself having been there as well as Shinobu’s poison doing the damage that it did.
It should be noted that when it comes to overall strength and stamina, Inosuke’s abilities are far more impressive than those of Zenitsu, as was best seenin the final battle against Muzanwhere he got up against the Demon King far more times. However, Zenitsu’s strength comes from his speed, something that even Muzan Could not react to. Godspeed is one of the most powerful moves in the entire series and one that could kill Inosuke in just one hit.
While Inosukeinventing his own Breathing Style is very impressiveand makes him a total wildcard, Thunder Breathing remains one of the 5 direct offshoots of Sun Breathing, due to which the overall strength of the style is far superior and refined. Alongside the lightning-fast speed of the Breathing Style, Zenitsu’s ability to create a brand-new form on the spot gives him an amazing edge in battle.
