Kyojuro Rengoku: Flame Pillar - Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer)
Kyojuro Rengoku (煉獄 杏寿郎 Rengoku Kyojuro) is part of the Demon Slayer Corps and is the Flame Pillar in the Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer) series. He is also the first Pillar to die, getting killed by Upper Moon Three, Akaza. He uses the Breath of Flames (炎の呼吸 Hono no Kokyu) the same as his father, Shinjuro Rengoku who was the former Flame Pillar. Kyojuro has messy yellow hair with red tips that comes just below his shoulders. His eyes also similar in color are yellow with red irises. He wears the standard black Demon Slayer uniform as well as a white haori with yellow and red flame like patterns along the bottom. He is always seen wearing a serious or an excitable expression. Kyojurou takes his duties responsibly and doesn’t seem to be a character to dwell on any negative feelings.
“There’s no need for a trial here! Protecting demons is clearly a violation of conduct. We can deal with it ourselves! We’ll decapitate every demon!”
—Kyojuro to Pillars, Demon Slayer Chapter 45
Profile
- Age: 20 years
- Height: 177cm
- Weight: 72kg
- Birthdate: May 10
- Favourite Food: Sweet potatoes
- Manga Debut: Chapter 44
- Anime Debut: Episode 21
- Japanese Voice Actor: Satoshi Hino
- Status: Deceased
History
Kyojuro is the oldest son in his family of four; his father, mother Ruka Rengoku, and younger brother Senjuro Rengoku. His family has been a part of the Demon Slayer Corps for a long time, always producing Flame Pillars. His father was the former Flame Pillar but realised that nothing could beat the Sun Breath, the first and original breath, and despaired retiring from his duties. While his father was beating himself up over his incompetence, his mother died due to illness. This caused his father to fall deeper into depression, making his father drown his sorrows with alcohol. Kyojuro not falling into despair instead read through the instruction book of the Flame Breath and trained himself to become a Pillar taking it upon himself to raise and help his younger brother. He cares greatly for his younger brother and doesn’t shy away from telling his brother the hard reality. When their father had told him “It doesn’t matter.” when he reported the fact that he became a Pillar, Kyojuro didn’t become negative. Even though the truth was the opposite to what they had wanted to hear, Kyojuro stayed positive and continues to encourage Senjuro to grow stronger and more passionate.
Personality
Kyojuro is very enthusiastic towards his duties as a Demon Slayer and takes his responsibilities as a Pillar very seriously. During the fight in the train against Lower Moon One, Enmu he was very disappointed in himself due to the fact he didn’t wake up earlier than Tanjiro Kamado who wasn’t a Pillar. He has a strong sense of justice and has a strict sense of right and wrong believing Tanjiro to be in the wrong for protecting a Demon regardless of the fact that Nezuko was his younger sister.
Kyojuro always tries to stay positive and wasn’t disheartened and stayed cheerful even when his father demeaned him stating it was pointless when he became a Pillar. Kyojuro believes that the strong have a duty to protect the weak and uses his strength and knowledge to protect and nurture helpless people and fellow Demon Slayers. His mother taught Kyojuro the importance of life and instilled strong moral values and principles into him.
Skills and Abilities
- Master Swordsman: Kyojuro is the Flame Pillar at the Demon Slayer Corps and is one of the most skilled swordsman in the entire Corps.
- Enhanced Strength: Kyojuro possessed great grip strength that is described as ‘unbelievable’ by Akaza, despite the fact he was gravely injured during that time.
- Enhanced Speed: Kyojuro possessed great speed that even a trained Demon Slayer like Tanjiro Kamado
couldn't see or follow, and could even cause tremors to the ground with it.
Total Concentration Breathing: Breath of Flames
- First Form: Unknowing Fire (壱ノ型 不知火 Ichi no Kata: Shiranui): Kyojuro charges towards his opponent at high speed and decapitates them in one or multiple slashes. This technique had enough force to launch train carriages off the tracks a short distance.
- Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun (弐ノ型 昇り炎天 Ni no Kata: Nobori Enten): An ascending slash.
- Third Form: N/A
- Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation (肆ノ型 盛炎のうねり Shi no Kata: Seien no Uneri): Kyojuro spins his sword in a circular motion, deflecting his enemies attacks.
- Fifth Form: Flame Tiger (伍ノ型 炎虎 Go no Kata: Enko): A series of sword slashes that take on the form of a tiger. Kyojuro used this technique to contest against Akaza's War Style attack.
- Sixth Form: N/A
- Seventh Form: N/A
- ** Eighth Form:** N/A
- Ninth Form: Hell Flame (玖ノ型 煉獄 Ku no Kata: Rengoku): A devastating dashing slash that Kyojuro initiates from a high stance, the technique had enough power to carve a deep impression in the ground where he used it. Before using this technique he remarked to himself about ‘thoroughly hollowing out most of the area’.