This article contains spoilers for events after the movie Infinity CastleAnime usually stands out with the presence of an all-powerful and terrifying antagonist. Muzan does the exact same thing for Demon Slayer. He is not only the ultimate source of evil but also serves as the final destination of Tanjiro and Nezuko's long and arduous journey.
With what we know right now, there are no other demons that come close to his power. But if there were any characters that could rival or even surpass his role as the ultimate villain of the Demon Slayer, who would they be?
The strongest demons in Demon Slayer
There are several powerful demons in the Demon Slayer anime. These characters are the most dangerous.
Rengoku's immortal spirit could have been mortal
The ending of Mugen Train continues to be one of the most moving fights in anime to date. Rengoku's resilience moved not only Tanjiro and his companions, but Akaza as well. Akaza was so impressed by Rengoku's passion and strength that he was eager to turn him into a demon.
Apparently, it was Rengoku's passion that prevented him from accepting Akaza's offer. But if he did, he would probably become one of the strongest demons. His death had a big impact on Tanjiro, so if he turned into a demon instead, it would have had an even bigger impact on him. If he lasted until the end, having a Hashira as one of the final enemies would have greatly affected the emotions and action.
Kagaya would have broken the demon slayers
Kagaya Ubuyashiki acted as the face of the demon slayers. He radiated a kind and compassionate energy that touched every swordsman and motivated them to work harder towards the goal of bringing down Muzan. Upon meeting Muzan, he described the Demon Slayers as a unique mobile force that has been fighting demons for centuries. He adds that his death would not stop this power and instead fuel it further.
But if Muzan turned Kagaya into a demon, what would become of the Demon Slayers? Kagaya was like a parental figure to many Hashiras, as he saved them from their past lives. Him turning into a demon would have emotionally broken most of them, and it would have taken a while for them to convince themselves to take him down.
Akaza was never defeated
Akaza, who is the Upper Moon Three, was one of the strongest demons in the anime. But his memories never allowed him to reach the depths of evil. Even when he vaguely remembered his past life, he refused to kill or eat women, which is said to make demons stronger. On the other hand, demons like Muzan and Doma didn't hesitate to do so, making them stronger than Akaza.
In an endless battle against Tanjiro and Giyu, Akaza finally got hold of his memories and took his life. Had he not regained his memories, he would have most likely defeated the two. Also, if his human traits didn't hold him back, he could possibly have become a more ruthless villain constantly searching for immense strength.
Doma is easy to hate
One of the essential elements of a good villain is to be hateable. Doma's twisted and sly personality easily makes him one of the most disliked characters in the anime. During his fight against Shinobu, he provoked her by showing disappointment at not being able to eat Kanae earlier. Later, he also provoked Kanao by claiming that she interrupted his meal because she had appeared when he absorbed Shinobu's body.
Even when he was still a human, he failed to understand his own parents and looked down on them. He consumed the followers of his cult, justifying it as saving them from their current sufferings. If he were to survive to the end, his sharp tongue and lack of moral understanding would have made him a strong, hated final enemy.
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Kokushibo is the current second best villain
Being the strongest of the twelve Kizuki places Kokushibo as one of the main contenders for Muzan's place. Like Muzan, he has a history that goes back hundreds of years. During those several centuries, he likely killed many people and also turned quite a few into demons. He also differs from other demons due to his skills with the sword.
Being a skilled demon slayer in his previous life gave him skills like Total Concentration Breathing, Demon Slayer Mark, and his personal breathing style called Moon Breathing. But most importantly, his blood relations and attitude are what would have made him an excellent final antagonist.
As the older twin of Yoriichi, who is considered the strongest character in the series, Kokushibo always had the superior burden of surpassing his sibling. However, regardless of his efforts, he failed to match his brother's skill. This slowly filled him with envy and resentment and also the reason why he eventually turned into a demon.
Had he been the final villain, it would have been a much more substantial story, since he wouldn't just be a demon. But also a former human, a skilled demon slayer and an ancestor of a great character.
Nezuko, as a villain, would have a greater emotional impact
The bond between Nezuko and Tanjiro has been an integral part of Demon Slayer since its inception. Tanjiro's journey began as a way to protect Nezuko, who was just a demon in the eyes of others. Over time, they were able to win the hearts of others, and Nezuko became a beloved character for everyone. Over time, her importance to the story also increased as she became immune to the sun and even helped defeat high-level demons.
During the final arc, when Muzan was finally defeated, he pushed all of his negative emotions into Tanjiro and turned him into a demon. Soon after, Nezuko appeared, but had she gotten there a few moments earlier, she could have been Muzan's target. If that were to happen, it would have created a very complicated and emotional situation for Tanjiro and the other demon slayers.
More than the battle, the emotional conflict with Tanjiro would have made Nezuko a great villain. Earlier, in Season 3, when Tanjiro had to choose between saving others and saving Nezuko, he couldn't make a decision. If he suffered the same fate, what decision would he have made?
Tanjiro, the Demon King
The manga gave us what could have been the strongest and most evil character in the series to date. Even after being defeated, Muzan desperately looked for ways to survive and turned to Tanjiro. He poured his immortal emotions and power into Tanjiro and turned him into the strongest demon. As a blood relative of Nezuko, Tanjiro's demon was already able to conquer the sun and was also able to use Sun Breathing, which Yuriichi previously used to heavily injure Muzan.
Tanjiro would also have known the opposing demon slayers in and out, making him capable of predicting their upcoming moves and techniques. This would have truly made him an unstoppable force. At this point in the manga, the majority of Hashiras had also lost their lives, and those remaining were severely injured to even face the newborn king of demons.
Demon Slayer: The only character that can compete with Muzan
Muzan Kibutsuji was almost unbeatable in Demon Slayer – until a warrior pushed him to the edge like no other before or since.
These seven characters could have given Demon Slayer a drastically different ending than the one we know. Each brings either great levels of destruction or greater emotional consequences.
Demon Slayer is available to watch on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
- Release date
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April 6, 2019
- Network
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Swimming for adults
