Summary
Akaza is one of the most powerful demons introduced in theDemon Slayerseries. Asthe Upper-Rank Three of the Twelve Kizuki, he possesses immense strength and destructive abilities beyond any normal demon. Central to his formidable combat skills is his uniquely developed Blood Demon Art, known as “Destructive Death.” This deadly Blood Demon Art allows Akaza to manipulate shockwaves and thoroughly integrate them into his fighting style.
Through his mastery of the martial art known as Soryu, Akaza has achieved complete synergy between his demonic abilities and hand-to-hand combat techniques. This blend of martial arts and demonic power makes Akaza an extremely challenging opponent for eventhe most elite demon slayers.
Who is Akaza?
The Formidable Upper Rank Three
Over a century ago, Akaza was a human named Hakuji who trained vigorously in martial arts under the Soryu style. Though highly skilled, he was unable to save his loved ones when they required help, filling him with hatred for his human weakness. This drive to protect others would later influence Akaza’s actions and worldview as a demon.
After becoming a demon, Akaza assumed the role of Upper-Rank Three inMuzan’s Twelve Kizukiand earned a reputation for slaughtering numerous Demon Slayers. Akaza takes great joy in battles against strong opponents, relishing every moment of combat. He respects martial warriors for their strength but looks down on weakness, with his skin crawling at the sight of weaklings. Akaza maintains an indomitable will and obsession with evolving his skills to overcome all opponents. His deadly persistence was exhibited when he continued fighting even after being beheaded by Tanjiro’s Blade.
You misunderstand, Tanjiro. I only despise the weak. I only spit on weaklings. Yes. Weaklings make me sick. It is the law of nature that they be weeded out.
Akaza’s Blood Demon Art: Destructive Death
Akaza’s Shockwave Manipulation
Akaza’s Blood Demon Artrevolves around his mastery of martial arts and manipulation of destructive shockwaves. He merges the use of shockwaves with his knowledge of the Soryu-style martial arts he learned as a human. The shockwaves Akaza controls appear as striking blue energies that manifest in various forms, such as invisible air pressure, circular shockwaves, or cannon-shaped spikes.
Akaza can generate these shockwaves at will from any part of his body. In combat, he infuses his attacks like punches and kicks with these shockwaves, enveloping his strikes in a faint blue light and amplifying their power. At the start of battles, Akaza performs a technique called “Technique Development” which involves unique stances from the Soryu Style.
With his Blood Demon Art and martial skills, Akaza launches devastating long-ranged barrages and precise short-ranged strikes. During hisbattle with Kyojuro Rengoku, Akaza kept the Flame Hashira at bay with shockwaves before engaging in close combat, where his skills shone. The explosive power of Akaza’s shockwaves allowed him to smash Kyojuro’s ribs and internal organs. He can also generate numerous shockwaves around his opponents, striking them from all angles simultaneously.
Akaza’s Compass Needle
How Akaza Gains the Upper Hand in Battle
One of Akaza’s most defining abilities is his “Compass Needle”. This technique allows Akaza to manifest a light blue snowflake-shaped compass underneath him with numbers ranging from 1 to 12. Using this compass, Akaza is able to sense an opponent’s “Fighting Spirit”, their will to fight, achieving numerous combat advantages as a result.
Through his Compass Needle, Akaza can determine the strength of anyone with just a glance. It also grants him awareness of his surroundings and instinctive detection of opponents' movements, even from blind spots. This advanced perception enables Akaza to precisely aim for his foes' weaknesses without fail.As Tanjiro observed, it was like Akaza’s attacks were magnetically drawn to their vitals, striking with unparalleled precision even through the slightest of openings.
Perhaps most formidably, Akaza’s Compass Needle progressively adapts to opponents over time. It allows him to reactively learn from and anticipate their attack techniques and forms, gaining the ability to strike back with equal accuracy. The stronger his opponent’s Fighting Spirit, the clearer his detection through the Compass Needle. With its guidance, Akaza demonstrates superhuman feats like finding Tanjiro’s location andoverwhelming Giyu without sight or sound. Through this pinnacle of perception, Akaza pushes the limits of his deadly abilities to peerless heights in battle.
Akaza’s Blood Demon Art Techniques
Akaza’s Arsenal of Deadly Moves
In addition to his Compass Needle technique, Akaza possessesmany other Blood Demon Arttechniques that leverage his superhuman abilities.
Some of Akaza’s most notable Blood Demon Art techniques include:
Through mastery of these devastating techniques, Akaza has proven to be one of the deadliest demonsthe Demon Slayer Corpshas ever faced.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaibacan be streamed onPrime Video.
Demon Slayer
Based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s shonen manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is an action anime set in Japan during the early 20th century. Seeking revenge for the murder of his family while also looking to save his sister, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps as they try to eradicate Demons led by Muzan.
