Demon Slayer: Mist Breathing, Explained

The Breathing Style used by Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Hashira, relies on speed and misdirection, evoking clouds of mist.

The signature Breathing Style of Muichiro Tokito, Mist Breathing in Demon Slayer, evokes the concealing properties of mist, misdirecting opponents and giving them little to no time to observe and analyze any attacks against them. It is hypothesized to have been derived from Wind Breathing, which in turn has its roots in Sun Breathing, the origin of all Breathing Styles. Mist Breathing users visualize themselves channeling and manipulating mist, through quick, unpredictable attacks that obscure an opponent's perception. Muichiro, the strongest Mist Breathing user of the current generation is said to have learned the style from a cultivator. He achieved such a high level of mastery with it in next to time, that he rose to the rank of Hashira in only two months, a feat that has only been matched by Gyomei Himejima, the current Stone Hashira and the strongest fighter in the Demon Slayer Corps.

In the Swordsmith Village Arc of Demon Slayer, Muichiro's swordsmanship and proficiency at Mist Breathing is enough to go toe-to-toe with the Yoriichi Type Zero, a six-armed mechanical battle doll modeled on Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a legendary Demon Slayer and the one who invented Breathing Styles. When shown in the anime, Muichiro's use of Mist Breathing is portrayed through the manifestation of dense clouds of mist which spread throughout whatever environment he occupies, followed by swift, decisive attacks that dispatch opponents instantly. Speed, deception, and adaptability are central to this Breathing Style, and Muichiro is excellently equipped to make use of all three qualities, where his small and lean frame makes him an extremely difficult target to spot and hit.

RELATED: Demon Slayer: All Serpent Breathing Techniques, Explained

Closely related to Wind Breathing, all Mist Breathing techniques feature quick movements and rapid strikes delivered in unique ways which are meant to misdirect opponents and leave them disoriented. The techniques themselves make opponents feel as if they are trapped in a haze, where the stage for their confrontation with the Mist Breathing user seems to be enveloped in mist. Quite a few of the forms are centred on arcing slashes, much like its predecessor Wind Breathing, although they are not as violent and aggressive in their execution. Nevertheless, Muichiro's use of the Breathing Style has earned him much praise from his comrades as well as his adversaries, and his incredible growth rate is also a point to note, being able to outclass older Demon Slayers such as Tanjiro despite his relatively small stature and slim frame.

An observable aspect of Muichiro's use of Mist Breathing is his chosen attire. Perpetually garbed in a turquoise tinged version of the standard Demon Slayer Corps uniform, Muichiro's clothing is much baggier than most of his peers within the current crop of Hashira, signifying that it may be an important part of his fighting style. In effect, the loose, flowing uniform he dons is more reminiscent of a kimono than the clothing of most members of the corps, and aids in obscuring his very movements to augment his use of Mist Breathing. Another vital point in his fighting style is the sword he wields. Muichiro uses a standard Nichirin Sword with a white blade, as opposed to some of the other Hashira who use specialized Breathing Styles that demand unique weapons to access their full potential.

There are seven know forms of Mist Breathing, of which the seventh and final one was created solely by Muichiro, and he is the only one known to use it in Demon Slayer. Kicking them off, the First Form of Mist Breathing titled Low Clouds, Distant Haze, is a forceful thrust where the user visualizes their blade augmented with clouds of mist to enhance the forcefulness of its forward motion.

Next, the Second Form is named Eight-Layered Mist and features a series of forward slashes, delivered in quick succession. The Third Form: Scattering Mist Splash, is a potent circular slash that can deflect projectiles and break them down into bits. For the Fourth Form: Shfting Flow Slash, the user darts towards their adversary after unleashing their sword in a way that resembles quick draw techniques, and the final slash is quickly delivered from below the target.

A flurry of slashes defines the Fifth Form: Sea of Clouds and Haze, where a flurry of slashes is dealt after the user dashes forward towards their opponent. The slashes cover a broad area, which completely hides the user's movements from any observers. Perhaps the most acrobatic of the bunch, the Sixth Form: Lunar Dispersing Mist sees the user perform a back flip and deliver innumerable downward slashes, each one powerful enough to destroy dozens of targets in one fell swoop. Finally, the Seventh Form, which is Muichiro's own creation is named Obscuring Clouds, and harnesses the obscuring properties of mist to devastating effect. Drastic changes in the rhythm of a user's movements serve to bewilder opponents, visualized as clouds of mist that take over a large area. Within this space, the user seems to move quite slowly on appearing through the clouds, but their speed increases exponentially when hidden behind them, leaving opponents with no idea of what might hit them next. This is essentially the culmination of all of Mist Breathing's unique properties, signifying Muichiro's unmatched prowess with this Breathing Style.

MORE: Demon Slayer: All Sound Breathing Techniques, Explained

All About Art, Architecture, Anime, Alt Rock, and Alliterations.