Tengen Uzui, he has it all: flash, strength, a great backstory, be the face of an arc and of course 3 waifus. Everything that would constitute a great character, he embodies. If at the very least, the “Entertainment District Arc,” is your favorite arc, then Tengen Uzui has to be in the forefront as the character that shined the most.

Tengen Uzui, The Sound Hashira

If you are reading this post, you are either curious as to why Tengen Uzui is the best Demon Slayer character or you are here to join the gang of peeps that agree. Let’s take a deeper look into this special hero.

A flashy ex-shinobi with a personality that clearly makes us question the “ex” part of ex-shinobi. His powers as “The Sound Hashira” makes a lot of sense and doesn’t at the same time. The contrast of his ex-life versus who he is now, is intriguing and makes for a very appealing contrast of personality. Tengen is a character that most guys want to be and most girls adore. In episode 2, while discussing their strategy and situation, Tanjiro points out “how much his wives keep saying to not stand out.” This further hints at the funny juxtaposition between his personality and past life as a shinobi.

Thank you Koyoharu Gotouge (吾峠 呼世晴)!

Writer, Koyoharu Gotouge, builds his characters off of opposite ends of the spectrum, in terms of design. For example, he uses Inosuke as being the brute, but cute feminine face; Zenitsu as annoyingly scared, while being awake—and then being cool, calm and collected while asleep. He uses this literary ‘contrast-ment’ heavily in the “Entertainment District Arc.” Gyutaro, the envious older brother and Daki, the beautiful little sister. Uzui, was made to be the perfect hero to fight these demons, as he is portrayed to be very physically gifted, along with having a harem of wives.

Too Short-Lived?

Let’s start off by addressing probably the biggest question mark about the character. He just didn’t last that long..

Just because your character arc began and ended, essentially in one arc, doesn’t mean that you can’t be the most interesting. Tengen Uzui, at the prime of his strength and character arc, came out on top, while check-marking every hero attribute. How can you argue against this: A terrific character design that any gender would love, multiple incredible jaw-dropping scenes in displays of strength, a relatable backstory that isn’t just plain ninja stuff, an appealing personality that uplifts the audience and LEADS the main characters! These qualities that he displayed throughout the show, are on the high-end of the barometer for what makes a character epic.

Taming 3 Wives

Out of all the abilities Uzui has, this is arguably his best. Being able to have coherent family of 4 with 3 other women has to be one of the most uniquely specific qualities to his character. Now when someone asks about a character with 3 wives, the first name will always be “Tengen Uzui.” To an added special quality outside of the ‘make-believe’ world, he has managed to not get completed cancelled. Being able to have a family of 4 and dealing with 3 women, in a day and age, where Winnie the Pooh can be banned and cancelled, transcends his profile to an epic stratosphere.

Let’s just list some of the moments that made him shine

• At the beginning of the arc, he goes in by giving us one of the most meme-able introductions by slapping that booty!

What better way to get introduced into the arc, other than by doing something that can get you cancelled? Tengen Uzui has slapped the booty out of those social justice warriors.

• ‘Ninju’ mice

How in the hell did they make mice cool? In other shows, you have characters that use insects and plants. In this show, Tengen Uzui made mice look like the cool thing to have as pets.

• Being admired by all the ladies

Tengen Uzui represents the true alpha all guys refuse to admit, they want to be. A character that all the ladies will admire and the guys can hate, but still has to respect. In the show, there is no other character like him.

• Beheading an Upper Level Demon like it was nothing

Nonchalantly, Uzui cuts off Daki’s head like it was nothing and has back to her; while attending to Tanjiro and Nezuko. This display of strength and straight disrespect to what everyone thought was the main Upper Rank Demon at the time, was one of the most bad**s scenes I ever witnessed.

• An epic speech that boosts our heroes’ morale

In an incredible display of leadership, Uzui being poisoned, he still maintained form. What does a great leader do? He has the ability to boost the morale of everyone around him and uplifts the even most proudest of warriors like Inosuke to respect him. Tanjiro recognizes how similar he is to Kyojuro. A great character has this quality.

• Eating self-inflicted kunai like it was nothing

Are you kidding me? Uzui takes self-inflicted damage from the kunai that Hinatsuru shoots at Gyutaro. He never wavers, never doubts himself and stayed strong to the very end!

• How many times can you save the main character’s butt?!

I couldn’t stop myself from laughter at how many times Uzui just kicks or throws Tanjiro out of the way. Just looking at the way he goes about doing subtle actions, goes a long way, in how amazing a scene can be viewed. Hilarious and fun.

• Coming back from the dead

Coming back from being looked as dead, isn’t something new in any show or anime. But coming back from being severely poisoned and missing an arm, while saving our main hero, yet again—Uzui is just messing with us at this point..

We even get a 1st person look from Gyutaro’s point-of-view like what the f*** happened? Uzui flips his weapon like nun-chucks and proceeds to give us the last epic fighting scene of the arc. By the way, he loses an eye in the middle of it.. Truly astounding!

• Incredible abilities

Uzui’s full array of abilities were all shown from his weaponry, “Sound Breathing, Musical Score,” and his ability to hear beyond normality.

This is just a fraction of the overall picture that is painted in Uzui’s “Mona Lisa. ” Not once, did our perception of Uzui waned. Not once did he fail to enhance a scene he was a part of. Uzui, being in this arc, helped elevate something that would have been another typical shonen arc, to being the poster-child of possibly the best shonen arc ever!

Never once, did anyone doubt Uzui’s cunning and confidence

When faced with the arc’s biggest adversary, not once did Uzui show any fear. He faced the duo of “Upper Demon Rank 6,” Gyutaro and Daki, head on. He beheaded Daki, not once, but twice like it was nothing. By the time Inosuke and Zenitsu arrived, he already figured out how to defeat them—cut both of their necks off at the same time. With the help of Tanjiro, backing him up, he ultimately led the way to Gyutaro’s demise. At any point in the arc, was there ever a scene with him, that disappointed? No.

The ending to his arc can’t be any better

Any character that finishes their story by literally saving a whole village from complete abomination, including the main characters is going to be at the top of the list. While he isn’t the strongest character, although he was levels stronger than our main heroes. He was our Kakashi and Goku, that lead our boys to a victory like a true hero would.

I even love the metaphors that I can come up for him. An epitome of a person’s prime coming to an end, this is how most guys would want their lives to go; putting in the work, saving a bunch of lives and being rewarded by coming back home to 3 women, that you get along with, that loves you. Tengen Uzui wins in the end, and that is winning life. With one eye and one arm left, he would still be considered one of the strongest characters left in the show, if he didn’t retire. By the arc’s end, we felt the butterflies and goosebumps for all the good guys. But the smiles and jubilation hit hardest for my guy Tengen Uzui!

A VERY SMALL SPOILER, if you want to pass on this next paragraph

If you read the manga, then you realize he is basically retired. By the time the story gets to the finale arc, he is actually used as a bodyguard, along with Kyojuro’s dad, Shinjuro. Although, he won’t ever be highlighted as a major character again, characters that stay in the spot light too long become overly saturated fat goop in the minds fans ala. Luffy, Goku, Detective Conan, etc..

When a fan base is left wanting more, you might be in that special place of having a very popular character and story that just ended so perfectly. For example, old shows like Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop and even Bastard!! left me wanting more. Bastard!! is getting a Netflix reboot by the way! Sometimes, when you give the fans what they want by showing more, it can become quite the dud. Who knows, maybe the anime will give us some epic anime-only scenes of Shinjuro and one-arm, one-eye Uzui!

Comparing the Hashiras up until the end of the “Entertainment District Arc.”

We’ve seen Kocho, Tomioka, Kyojuro and now Uzui. Shinobu Kocho has one of the most quotable and cool entrances in the show. Cute, physically weak, but incredibly deadly with her poisons, she is definitely a fan favorite. What she lacks is a major moment beyond taking down the “Spider Demon” girl.

Giyuu Tomioka is the original Hashira that gets introduced to us in the very first episode of the series. His character profile is going to continue to grow in a very positive way, so I can see people becoming more and more of a fan of him. What Tomioka lacks is the charisma of a leader. Portrayed as a quiet loner, he doesn’t carry that charismatic flashy leadership that Uzui and Kyojuro has.

Rengoku Kyojuro. Everything about him is typical and is basically an avatar for every other fire-type of character. From the design of the flames, his fire abilities and the typical shonen-type of personality, he just seems like “just another flame guy.” The only way to make Kyojuro stand out, would be how the “Mugen Train Arc” played out. While, he helped save everyone, he couldn’t save himself. That is the contrasting bummer element to his character that makes him fall short of what I think of Uzui as.

Last Thoughts

Everything that Uzui accomplished in this arc, is iconic. From the look, the attitude, the number of flashy abilities, the waifus, all the way down to the ability to command buff mice(ninjus); Uzui will forever go down as my favorite Hashira and favorite character in Demon Slayer!

Do you guys agree? Disagree? Let me know!