Summary
In theDemon Slayeruniverse, death is a constant and inescapable reality that frequently claims the lives of humans more often than demons. Living a long life in a world festered with ever-present threats is an exception and not the rule.
Demons, gifted with superhuman powers and strength, are therefore better equipped to survive, as their near-immortal nature allows them to endure even the most devastating injuries. It should not come as a surprise, then, thatthe oldest characters in the seriesare demons, having lived for centuries and impacting the human-demon universe in profound ways.
Biological and chronological age are not the same. In order to ensure that there is a fixed standard to rank the characters, the latter has been used. There seems to be no clear clarification about the age of some characters. In those cases, the manga has been used as a source to estimate it.
7Gyutaro
Daki’s Dangerous Brother
Muzan Kibutsuji had always believed that Gyutaro was much stronger than what his rank represented and felt that he would have been better off without his sister, Daki. But for someone like him, who had protected his sibling all his life, Gyutaro could never bring himself to abandon her.
The sufferings of my past were lessons on what to do to others as revenge! If I don’t cause misery equal to my own unhappiness, I’ll never balance the scales! That’s how it was when you’re a demon! And we kill anyone who tries to tell us otherwise.
Gyutaro was just 13 years oldwhen he was left for dead after trying to stand up for his sister in a dysfunctional society. He went on to become one of the most feared demons in existence. At the time of Gyutaro’s transformation, Doma was already a member of the Twelve Kizuki, and since he turned into a demon after Akaza, he was undoubtedly younger than both of them. But it’s noteworthy that Gyutaro was older than Gyokko, the former Upper-Rank Five.
6Doma
The Upper-Rank Two of the Twelve Kizuki
Doma is arguably the most manipulative and malevolent demon alive. Despite being comparatively younger than demons like Hantengu, he has managed to rise through the ranks and establish himself as the strongest member of the Twelve Kizuki after Kokushibo. Doma was 20 years old when he was turned into a demon.
It seems you are mistaken. Heaven and hell do not exist in this world. Those things don’t exist at all. They’re made up. Just human conceits. The reality is that even those who live upright and good lives meet with misfortune while the wicked act as they please.
Doma is also the leader of a dangerous cultknown as the Eternal Paradise Faith. Posing as people’s savior, he earns his followers' trust and uses his authority to secretly eat them to quench his thirst for human blood. Claiming more human victims not only makes the Upper-Rank Two stronger but also helps him feel more youthful.
5Akaza
The Upper-Rank Three of the Twelve Kizuki
Akaza became a demonwhen he was just 18 years old and has been an important member of the Twelve Kizuki for many decades. He is presumably a few years older than Gyutaro, considering the time and age he was turned into a demon.
The Upper Three is much younger than Hantengu but has still managed to surpass him. Akaza can’t stand Doma and is eager to challenge him to rise through the ranks. Presumably just a few years younger than the Upper-Rank Two, Akaza sees Doma as a competitor, whom he must defeat at any cost. Despite being a quite strong demon who can instill fear in his adversaries, the Upper-Rank Three appears to be driven by an unending desire to get better.
4Hantengu
The Prolific Criminal-Turned-Demon
Alive for well over 200 years,Hantengu was a frightening demonwhose bizarre personality and propensity to paint himself as a victim make him a dangerous and unpredictable adversary. Despite being one of the oldest demons alive, he lacked the mental fortitude to confidently assert his dominance and was instead frequently seen resorting to deception and evasion. But once Hantengu used to transform, he was almost impossible to stop.
3Kokushibo
Muzan’s Right-Hand Man
One of the most frightening demons in existence, Kokushibo was once amember of the Demon Slayer Corps. Despite being a skilled swordsman who had awakened his mark, he joined Muzan’s forces, fearing his imminent death. He has served the Demon King for centuries and is perhaps his closest ally.
Since the Sengoku era,Kokushibo has been through countless battlesand vanquished formidable opponents and is undoubtedly the greatest swordsman in existence. His combat experience is unrivaled, and despite being alive for hundreds of years, he still carries the enthusiasm to refine his skills.
2Tamayo
The Demon Who Vowed to Defeat the Demon King
Tamayo is the oldest known demon, second only to Muzan. She harbors a deep-seated hatred for the Demon King and is dedicated to aiding the efforts to bring about his downfall. Having lived since the Sengoku era, she has witnessed the golden age of demon slayers and has religiously studied the physiology of demons to figure out a medicinal cure to turn them back to humans.
I don’t need to be stronger than you to kill you. I can just make you weaker. Just as you’ll do whatever it takes to stay alive, I, no, we, will do whatever it takes to kill you!
Tamayo isclose friends with Tanjiroand has been closely working with the Demon Slayer Corps ever since Ubuyashiki sought her help.
1Muzan Kibutsuji
The Demon King
Over a thousand years ago,Muzan Kibutsuji was just an ordinary human beingstruggling with a terminal illness. The experimental treatment that he tried saved his life but ended up turning him into a demon. Although he gained immense powers in the process, he could no longer tolerate sunlight. With the fear of death imprinted in his subconscious, Kibutsuji sought immortality.
Kibutsuji has been chasing his twisted plans since the Heian Era and has witnessed the rise of demon slayers as he wreaked havoc across generations. One of the few times his reign of terror was threatened was during the Sengoku Era when demon slayers almost succeeded in eradicating demons and Muzan himself. Now, in the Taisho period, he again faces a serious threat to his authority as the new generation of swordsmen has uncovered the secret that was behind the golden age of demon slayers.
