In the Anime of Demon Slayer, there is a character who taught himself breathing techniques all alone – without a master or any other help. He often seems reckless.
Which character is that? Inosuke Hashibira is a muscular young man who fights demons alongside protagonist Tanjiro. He wears a boar’s head as a mask, walks around without a shirt, and charges at enemies wildly when he encounters them. Appropriately, he has two jagged swords, making for an even wilder appearance.
This also fits his character: he is a hothead who often seeks a fight. He considers himself the strongest fighter and wants everyone to know that. Giving up is not an option for him.
And in a way, Inosuke is right. He has one thing that Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and almost all the other demon hunters lack: he taught himself his breathing technique.
Inosuke teaches himself to fight in the wilderness
How did he learn the breathing techniques? Inosuke grew up among boars, which is why at the start of the anime, he has trouble with human interactions. He cannot read or write. However, he has quite a bit of skill in fighting.
In contrast to him, almost all other characters learned the breathing techniques through a trainer. An exception at this point in the anime is the creator of the Sun Breathing, the very first breathing technique from which all other techniques have developed.
Inosuke taught himself the sword fighting with two swords in the wilderness. Since his boar family likely did not help him, he must have learned the techniques on his own. This also explains why he prefers a simple yet direct fighting style.
His unique breathing technique was also developed simply because he had to fight for survival in the mountains. These are fighting techniques that the demon hunters use to attack. Inosuke’s special technique was developed by himself.
What kind of breathing technique does he have? The Beast Breathing stems from the Wind Breathing. It mimics wild animals with wild and unpredictable attacks. This breathing technique can even expand the senses, as shown by Inosuke when he could sense demons spread over an entire mountain.
Somewhat gross: Inosuke can even dislocate the joints of his arms with his breathing technique to increase the range of his attacks.
What’s next for Demon Slayer? Instead of a new season, the final arc of Demon Slayer will be released as a trilogy in cinemas. It starts with the first part, which will arrive in German cinemas on September 18, 2025. If you are a big cinema fan, you might also be interested in the other anime films: All Animes that will hit the cinemas in Germany in 2025
