The Hashira are the most respected demon killers in Koyoharu Gotouge’sDemon Slayeruniverse. So far, the anime has explored the lives of a few Hashira, namely Kyōjurō Rengoku and Tengen Uzui. The highly anticipated third season will also focus on Muichiro Tokito and Mitsuri Kanroji, two more members of the current Hashira corps.
While these elite fighters are the current crop of Hashira, the anime has also briefly touched on previous Hashira, such asSakonji Urokodakiand Shinjuro Rengoku, former Water and Flame Hashira, respectively. Another of these seasoned demon slayers is Jigoro Kuwajima, the Roaring Hashira.
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Who is Jigoro Kuwajima?
Jigoro was a former Hashira who practiced Thunder Breathing, which ended up giving him the title of “Roaring Hashira”. Naturally, he was a very powerful demon slayer who successfully killed many demons. Unfortunately, he retired at the age of 35, when he lost his right leg in a fight with a demon. Since then, he devoted his time to teaching the next generation of demon slayers, most notably,Zenitsu Agatsuma, who lovingly called him “grandpa”.
Master of Thunder Breath
Thunder Breathing is a direct derivative fromSun Breathing, along with Flame, Water, Stone and Wind Breathing. Thunder Breath has been the base for other styles of Breathing, such as Sound, praticed by Tengen Uzui.
Thunder Breath is rooted in the legs. It is surprisingly hard to grasp the concept of knowing the muscles in the body, but Jigoro says that “once you grasp it, you can go into ‘full focus’ mode”. The trick is to get as much air as possible into every vessel and fibre of the body, put all power into the legs and then an explosion will happen in a second “like lightning ripping through the air”. This is evident inZenitsu’s lightning-fast attacks.
Jigoro & Zenitsu
We first see Jigoro in a memory of a scared Zenitsu during the Mount Natagumo storyline while he fights the Son Spider Demon. WhenZenitsu was younger, black-haired and still very scared, he hid in a tree to escape demon slayer training with his master Jigoro. Where a snivelling Zenitsu was convinced he would die if he continued his training, Jigoro angrily tried to tell him that would not be his fate.
It was Jigoro that saved Zenitsu from crushing debt and decided to raise him as a swordsman. Zenitsu was convinced that he was not worthy of Jigoro’s training. He sobbed from his tree, telling him that he practices so hard but has not yielded any improvement. Just as Jigoro tells him that he has talent, Zenitsu wasstruck by lightning. Zenitsu at this point can only use the FirstForm of Thunder Breath, Thunderclap and Flash. Jigoro reassured him that he will be fine if he uses one technique. He advised that if he can only use the one, he must use it as much as possible, repeating and polishing the technique until he can’t anymore.
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Jigoro admittedly put Zenitsu through a hellish training regimen every day. He would hit and scold Zenitsu on a daily basis in an attempt to make him stronger than the forces exerted on to him, something Zenitsu understands in the fight against the SonSpider Demon. The words of Jigoro echo in his mind, “go the distance”. No matter how much Zenitsu cries or runs away, he must not give up. After enduring tough training under Jigoro’s tutelage, Zenitsu heard and remembers his encouragement, as well. Jigoro believes in him, he knows he will be rewarded for all his hard work and that he must become the strongest sword, striking until his maximum.
During the Infinity Castle storyline of the manga, Zenitsu briefly reunites with Jigoro in theafterlife before returning to the living world. Zentisu emotionally tells him that all he wanted was to make him proud and become a Hashira while he was still alive. Jigoro, with tears welling in his eyes, tells him that he is his pride and joy.
Jigoro’s Tragic Death
Sadly, Jigoro’s death was not at the hand of old age, illness, or battle, but of his own. Another of Jigoro’s students was Kaigaku, who we briefly saw in the anime. He scolded Zenitsu for wasting Jigoro’s time as a wimpy student and threw a peach at his head. Kaigaku was a prized pupil of Jigoro’s and was poised to acquire Thunder Breath. Jigoro wanted to make Kaigaku and Zenitsu his joint successors, which Kaigaku disapproved of. According to Kaigaku, he did not want to be aligned with “scum” like Zenitsu. In the middle of fighting Kokushibo, Upper Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki, Kaigaku surrendered. In turn, he voluntarily became a demon, ultimatelyrising to be Upper Rank Six.
Jigoro was absolutely heartbroken that one of his star students became a demon. Out of immense grief, shame and disappointment, Jigoro committedseppuku.Seppukuis a grisly ritual killing by Japanesesamurai, who would cut their bellies open. Normally, a “second” would behead thesamuraiin question so that they don’t suffer a slow death. However, Jigoro did not request for a “second”. He did not want the reason for his death to be known, for it was disgraceful that a wielder of Thunder Breath produced a demon.
