Demon Slayer: 6 Strongest Characters Without the Mark, Ranked

The Demon Slayer mark surely gives an incredible power boost to the characters. We have seen that happen with Tanjiro when he got his mark while fighting against Gyutaro. And sure, the mark is impressive and has its benefits, but not every character in the anime needs a mark to be extraordinary.

There are several characters who became strong enough to stand against anyone because of their natural abilities and, of course, their training. And in this list, we’ll rank the six strongest characters from the series who prove that a mark isn’t necessary to become a terrifying warrior.

6 Inosuke Hashibira’s Wild Fighting Style Makes Him Hard to Predict

In Demon Slayer, Inosuke doesn’t get a mark like his peer Tanjiro, but he’s still one of the most formidable fighters in the series. Thanks to his Beast Breathing style, Inosuke fights in a completely unpredictable way. Not only is he incredibly strong, but he’s also fast and flexible.

On top of that, Inosuke can shift the position of his internal organs, which can help him survive any attack and can even catch his opponent off guard. While still impressive, Inosuke still lacks the experience of other characters on this list. Most of all, Inosuke’s fighting style is rather reckless, which can sometimes work against him.

5 Zenitsu Agatsuma Can Unleash Devastating Attacks Without the Mark

Sure, Zenitsu never awakened a Demon Slayer mark, and his anxious nature might have something to do with it. Still, it never stopped Zenitsu from becoming an exceptional swordsman and one of the fastest characters. His Thunder Breathing is truly exceptional and helps him end a battle at lightning-fast speed.

Zenitsu’s speed and swordmanship make him an extraordinary fighter and prove that he doesn’t need a mark to get better. But while he is still slightly better than Inosuke, he lacks the versatility of characters above him. He relies heavily on Thunder Breathing and has few other fighting techniques to overpower an opponent.

4 Kanae Kocho Was an Exceptional Hashira Without Ever Awakening the Mark

We don’t see much of Kocho in Demon Slayer, but we know that she was the Flower Hashira before her death. Kocho was a Hashira, and unlike several other Hashiras, she achieved that rank without ever awakening a mark. That is enough proof that Kocho was an incredibly talented and powerful character.

Kocho lost her life after fighting Doma, a very powerful Upper-Moon. And while she couldn’t defeat Doma, she did fight him until sunrise and forced him to flee because of the sunlight. However, it’s safe to say that while she was still very powerful, Kocho was still weaker than her fellow Hashiras without the mark.

3 Shinobu Kocho Proves You Don’t Need the Mark to Become a Deadly Hashira

Shinobu not only lacked a Demon Slayer Mark but also the physical prowess of other Hashiras. But despite that, she became one of the most dangerous Hashiras, all thanks to her intelligence.

Even though Shinobu didn’t defeat Doma in a direct fight, she was ultimately the reason for his downfall. Shinobu knew that she couldn’t defeat Doma with brute strength. So, she filled her body with enormous amounts of poison before getting devoured by Doma. It was Shinobu’s sacrifice that ultimately gave Kanao and Inosuke the opening they needed to defeat the Upper Moon Two. However, she still lacked the strength needed to defeat an Upper Moon by herself.

2 Tengen Uzui’s Physical Prowess Makes Him a Beast Without the Mark

Tengen is definitely the most physically capable Hashira in the anime despite not awakening a mark. His incredible speed and reflexes make him a terrifying close-range fighter and a force to be reckoned with.

Tengen’s physical training and sheer will made him strong enough to stand against Gyutaro, an Upper Moon. Sure, he defeated the demon with Tanjiro’s help, but Tengen truly took the lead in that battle. Also, it was Tengen’s fighting style that made his battle with the Upper Moon so visually stunning. However, the fact that he needed Tanjiro’s help against Gyutaro makes him somewhat weaker than the character above him.

1 Kyojuro Rengoku Proved He Could Rival the Strongest Without the Mark

Just like other characters on this list, Rengoku also never awakened a Demon Slayer Mark. However, his Flame Breathing style and his dedication to protecting his loved ones make him one of the strongest characters.

Even without the mark, Rengoku managed to fight toe-to-toe against Akaza, the Upper Rank Three demon. He pushed beyond his limits and didn’t let Akaza kill even a single human on the scene. Rengoku even managed to hold Akaza in place despite sustaining several injuries, and that’s something very few characters could have done against Akaza. Without a doubt, Rengoku has delivered the best performance in the anime as a Hashira without the mark, earning him the first spot.

Which Demon Slayer character do you think is the strongest even without the mark? Do let us know in the comments!

Demon Slayer is currently available for streaming on Crunchyroll in the U.S.