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Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba character guide

Kyojuro Rengoku.

Kyojuro Rengoku is the Flame Hashira, one of the nine strongest swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, and the head of a family of Flame Hashira. He appears in the Mugen Train arc as the senior slayer who joins Tanjiro and his friends.

  • Flame Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps
  • Verified October 29, 2026

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Quick facts

BirthdayConfirmed
May 10
AgeConfirmed
20
HeightConfirmed
177 cm (5 ft 9¾ in)
WeightConfirmed
72 kg
RankConfirmed
Flame HashiraCh. 45
DebutConfirmed
Manga chapter 44; anime episode 21
FamilyConfirmed
Father Shinjuro (previous Flame Hashira); younger brother SenjuroCh. 54
Voice actorsConfirmed
Satoshi Hino (Japanese); Mark Whitten (English)

Confirmed: stated in the manga, anime or official guidebooks. Estimate: approximate or derived. Unknown: not revealed.

Kyojuro Rengoku’s biography

A Hashira from a line of Hashira

Rengoku inherits the Flame Hashira role from his father Shinjuro, and the Rengoku family has produced generations of Flame Hashira. He masters Flame Breathing partly by reading the instruction books left by earlier holders of the role. Before he took his father’s place he had already avenged nine demon slayers lost to the Flute Demon. (Ch. 45)

Spoiler: The Mugen TrainSeason 1 (episodes 1–26)

The Mugen Train

In the Mugen Train arc Rengoku boards the train where demon slayers have disappeared, and joins Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke. He fights Enmu, the Lower Rank One demon behind the disappearances, and recognises that, whatever form a demon takes, it always has a weak spot. (Ep. 33 · ch. 63)

Spoiler: Akaza and Rengoku’s deathMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

Akaza and Rengoku’s death

After the train is saved, the Upper Rank Three demon Akaza attacks. Rengoku holds on against overwhelming attacks, keeping a promise he made to his late mother, but he dies in chapter 66 (anime episode 33). His last words have a profound effect on Tanjiro. (Ep. 33 · ch. 66)

Spoiler: After RengokuInfinity Castle, film Part 1 and its chapters

After Rengoku

Akaza acknowledges Rengoku’s abilities, and Tanjiro recognises Akaza in the Infinity Castle and charges at him screaming the demon’s name. (Ch. 148)

Personality, motivations and development

Loud, warm and sure of himself

Rengoku is cheerful, direct and tireless. He tells his younger brother that, unlike him, Senjuro has an older brother who believes in him. (Ch. 54)

Spoiler: Duty to the weakMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

Duty to the weak

He treats his strength as something owed to people who cannot protect themselves, a view that comes from a promise he made to his late mother. (Ch. 64)

What drives Kyojuro Rengoku

  • Protecting people who cannot protect themselves.
  • Living up to his mother’s promise.
  • Training the next generation of slayers.
Spoiler: A senior figure placed to be lostMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

A senior figure placed to be lost

Rengoku is built to be the model Tanjiro measures himself against, and the story uses his loss at the end of the arc to give Tanjiro a goal that outlasts it.

Kyojuro Rengoku’s abilities

Open an entry for its strengths, limits and where it appears. Entries describe what the story shows; they are not a power ranking.

Abilities and techniques

Flame Breathing炎の呼吸

TechniqueConfirmed

The style passed down the Rengoku line, taught to him by his father and mastered through the books left by earlier Flame Hashira.

Strengths
  • Powerful forms with high-speed dashes.
Limits and weaknesses
  • Relies on aggressive offence.
Shown in

Ch. 45 · part of Breathing Styles

Spoiler abilityMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

Ninth Form: Rengoku

TechniqueConfirmed

The most powerful Flame Breathing technique: a high stance followed by an extremely high-speed dash at the target.

Strengths
  • Used in his final fight in the Mugen Train arc.
Limits and weaknesses
  • A single, committed strike.
Shown in

Ep. 33 · ch. 64 · part of Breathing Styles

Master swordsmanship

SkillConfirmed

Even before he became Hashira, Rengoku was an exceptional fighter, with speed and reflexes that Tanjiro and Inosuke could not follow.

Strengths
  • Speed and reflexes beyond most slayers.
Limits and weaknesses
  • Cannot match a higher-ranked demon’s regeneration.
Shown in

Ch. 45

Kyojuro Rengoku’s relationships

Every named connection is listed here. Open a card to see how the relationship changes over the story.

Open Kyojuro Rengoku in the Demon Slayer family tree.

Tanjiro Kamado

Mentor / student · junior

Rengoku fights alongside Tanjiro on the Mugen Train, and his example stays with him.

  1. Spoiler: later developmentMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)
    On the train. Rengoku’s fight at the end of the arc has a deep effect on Tanjiro, who keeps pushing on through whatever he faces.(Ep. 33 · ch. 66)
  2. Spoiler: later developmentInfinity Castle, film Part 1 and its chapters
    Facing the same demon. In the Infinity Castle, Tanjiro recognises the demon who killed Rengoku and charges him screaming his name.(Ch. 148)
Spoiler: connection to AkazaMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

Akaza

Enemy · upper rank

Akaza, Upper Rank Three, is the demon who fights Rengoku at the end of the Mugen Train arc.

  1. Spoiler: later developmentMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)
    The fight. Akaza overwhelms Rengoku with powerful attacks while Rengoku holds on and refuses to give up.(Ch. 64)
  2. Spoiler: later developmentMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)
    His respect. Akaza acknowledges Rengoku’s abilities.(Ch. 81)

Senjuro Rengoku

Family · younger brother

Senjuro is Kyojuro Rengoku’s younger brother.

  1. A brother’s belief. Rengoku tells Senjuro that he is different from him because he has a big brother who believes in him.(Ch. 54)

Shinjuro Rengoku

Family · father

Shinjuro Rengoku, the previous Flame Hashira, is Kyojuro’s father.

  1. The inheritance. Kyojuro inherits the Flame Hashira role from his father.(Ch. 45)

Major battles

Spoiler: battleSeason 1 (episodes 1–26)

Rengoku vs. Enmu

Result: Rengoku defeats Enmu. (Ch. 63)

Rengoku works out that Enmu has a weak spot, however he disguises himself.

Spoiler: battleMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

Rengoku vs. Akaza

Result: Rengoku is killed. (Ep. 33 · ch. 64)

Upper Rank Three Akaza overwhelms Rengoku, who refuses to give up. See it on the timeline.

Kyojuro Rengoku timeline

  1. Before the Mugen Train

    Rengoku appears

    The Flame Hashira first appears in the story.

    Anime ep. 21Manga ch. 44Kyojuro Rengoku
  2. Taisho era
    Hidden eventSeason 1 (episodes 1–26)

    The Mugen Train arc

    Tanjiro and his friends board a train where passengers are going missing, together with the Flame Hashira.

    Anime ep. 27Manga ch. 54Mugen TrainTanjiro KamadoKyojuro Rengoku
  3. The Mugen Train arc
    Hidden eventMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

    Rengoku dies fighting Akaza

    After defeating Enmu, Rengoku faces Upper Rank Three, Akaza, and dies in the fight.

    Anime ep. 33Manga ch. 66Mugen TrainKyojuro RengokuTanjiro Kamado
  4. The Infinity Castle arc
    Hidden eventInfinity Castle, film Part 1 and its chapters

    Tanjiro faces Akaza in the Infinity Castle

    Tanjiro recognises the demon who killed Rengoku and charges at him.

    Not animatedManga ch. 148Tanjiro KamadoKyojuro Rengoku

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Status tracker: is Kyojuro Rengoku alive?

Status can differ between the anime and the manga, and it can change: characters are sealed, revived or used by others. Each event below has its own spoiler protection and verified references.

Spoiler: Kyojuro Rengoku’s current statusMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)
In the manga
Deceased
In the anime so far
Deceased (episode 33 and the Mugen Train film)

Rengoku dies in the Mugen Train arc, in manga chapter 66 and anime episode 33. He is not revived.

  1. Spoiler: status eventMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

    DeathKilled by Akaza

    Cause
    Wounds from the fight with Upper Rank Three Akaza.
    What happens
    After defeating Enmu, Rengoku fights Akaza and holds on despite overwhelming attacks, dying in chapter 66.
    Why it matters
    It shapes Tanjiro’s later fights with Akaza and the Hashira’s view of the Upper Ranks.
    Verified at
    Anime ep. 33 · Manga ch. 66
    Anime vs. manga
    The death is the same in the Mugen Train film and the TV arc.

Anime and manga differences

Spoiler: adaptation differenceMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)

Film and TV versions. Anime: The arc exists as a film and as a seven-episode TV edition. Rengoku’s fight ends the same way in both. Manga: Chapters 54–66.

Not confirmed by the story

  • His birthday and height are stated by the author, but the story does not give any other personal statistics.

Anime and manga appearances

MediumTitleRole
MangaDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no YaibaDebut in chapter 44; killed in chapter 66.
AnimeDemon Slayer: Kimetsu no YaibaEpisodes 21–33
FilmDemon Slayer: Mugen TrainThe 2020 film of the arc.

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Kyojuro Rengoku FAQ

What does a Flame Hashira do?

It is one of the nine top-ranking swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps. Rengoku holds the Flame rank, inherited from his father.

Spoiler questionMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)
Which chapter does Rengoku die in?

Manga chapter 66, anime episode 33 (the Mugen Train arc).

Spoiler questionMugen Train arc (episodes 27–33)
Who kills Rengoku?

Akaza, the Upper Rank Three demon.

How this profile was checked

Last verified October 29, 2026. Covers Manga chapters 1–205 and anime episodes 1–63. Details are written by AnimeSparks from the manga and anime themselves, and cross-checked against the references below. Where something isn’t confirmed, the page says so.