Akaza is one of the primary antagonists in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, serving as Upper Rank Three of the Twelve Kizuki—an elite group of demons who serve directly under Muzan Kibutsuji, the Demon King. Akaza is known for his brutal martial arts-based combat style, exceptional speed, and unwavering desire to challenge and defeat the strong. His encounters with the Demon Slayer Corps leave a significant impact on the story, particularly during the Mugen Train Arc and the Infinity Castle Arc. Despite his monstrous deeds, Akaza is one of the most tragic and humanized demons in the series, with a deeply emotional backstory that reveals a life marked by suffering, loss, and an unfulfilled longing for connection.
Appearance[]
- As a Human (Hakuji): Before becoming a demon, Akaza was known as Hakuji. As a human, he had a lean but muscular build, short spiky hair, and intense blue eyes. His body was often covered in scars and bruises due to frequent street fights and punishments for theft. Despite his rough appearance, his love for his adoptive father and fiancée gave him a softer, more earnest presence. His eyes carried both pain and resilience, symbolizing his struggle to protect those he loved.
- As a Demon (Akaza): After his transformation into a demon, Akaza took on a striking and fearsome form. His skin turned pale with intricate, pink-blue markings resembling tattoos covering his entire body in symmetrical patterns. His short hair became salmon-pink, and his eyes transformed into vivid golden irises with the kanji for "Upper Rank Three" (上弦の参) etched into them. He often appears shirtless, showcasing his muscular physique and the markings that radiate from his core. Despite his fearsome appearance, there’s a sorrowful, almost haunted look in his eyes—hinting at the humanity buried deep within.
Personality[]
Akaza is a complex character, combining a warrior’s pride with a deeply buried sorrow. As a demon, he exhibits a deep-seated disdain for weakness and an almost obsessive respect for strength. He is driven by an overwhelming desire to fight and defeat powerful opponents, offering them the chance to become demons like himself so they can spar for eternity. He loathes those he considers weak or cowardly and reacts violently when reminded of his human past—especially when others speak of love, family, or the people he once cherished.
Beneath his bloodlust and aggression, Akaza retains faint traces of the man he once was. His rejection of fighting women—refusing to harm them under any circumstance—stems from a subconscious respect for his late fiancée, Koyuki. His fierce desire to protect and improve himself, once a noble goal, was twisted into a demonic thirst for power. Akaza's tragedy lies in his inability to remember what he lost as a human, and the anger and emptiness that arose from that forgotten pain. In the final moments of his life, his humanity resurfaces, making him one of the most emotionally resonant antagonists in the series.
Story[]
- Backstory (As Hakuji): Akaza was born as Hakuji, a poor boy in Edo. His father was gravely ill, and Hakuji would steal medicine to help him survive, despite being caught and beaten repeatedly. After one such arrest, he was told that his father had hanged himself, leaving a note saying he didn't want to be a burden. Devastated, Hakuji's life spiraled into violence as he became known for his bare-handed street fighting and tattoos, earning him the nickname “Demon Child.” Hakuji’s life changed when he met Keizo, a kind martial artist who took him in and introduced him to his sickly daughter, Koyuki. As Hakuji trained and cared for Koyuki, he found peace and a purpose beyond violence. Eventually, he was to inherit Keizo’s dojo and marry Koyuki—finally given a chance at a happy, honorable life. But fate was cruel. A rival dojo poisoned their well, killing Keizo and Koyuki. In a fit of uncontrollable rage, Hakuji slaughtered all 67 members of the rival dojo with his bare hands, an act that drew Muzan’s attention. Broken and hollow, Hakuji accepted the offer to become a demon, losing his memories but retaining his martial skill and hatred of weakness.
- During the Events of Demon Slayer: Akaza first appears during the Mugen Train Arc, arriving immediately after the death of Lower Rank One, Enmu. There, he confronts Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira. The battle between them is one of the most iconic and emotionally charged in the series. Akaza is impressed by Rengoku's strength and repeatedly urges him to become a demon so they can fight for eternity. Rengoku refuses, citing his duty to protect humanity and uphold his values. Despite Akaza’s overwhelming regenerative abilities and power, Rengoku’s resilience forces the demon to retreat at dawn. Akaza escapes, but not without being visibly shaken by the battle and Rengoku’s unwavering spirit. This encounter sets the stage for Akaza’s internal conflict. Although he tries to dismiss his emotions, Rengoku’s words begin to chip away at his hardened soul. Later, during the Infinity Castle Arc, Akaza faces Giyu Tomioka and Tanjiro Kamado in a fierce confrontation. In this climactic battle, Tanjiro’s indomitable will and the memory of Rengoku continue to haunt Akaza. As the fight reaches its peak, Akaza’s memories as Hakuji begin to return, and he experiences overwhelming guilt for his past actions and for forgetting the people he once loved. In a final act of redemption, Akaza chooses not to regenerate. He resists Muzan’s control and allows his body to disintegrate. In his final moments, he envisions Keizo and Koyuki waiting for him, finally freed from the torment of his existence. This act of willful self-destruction makes Akaza one of the few demons in the series to die with dignity and redemption, having found peace with himself at last.
Powers and Abilities[]
Akaza, as Upper Rank Three of the Twelve Kizuki, is one of the most powerful demons in Demon Slayer, surpassed only by the top two Upper Moons and Muzan Kibutsuji himself. His combat prowess stems from both his human life as a martial artist and the supernatural abilities he gained after becoming a demon. Akaza’s abilities focus primarily on close-quarters combat, with an emphasis on physical strength, speed, regeneration, and a unique technique known as Destructive Death.
1. Enhanced Physical Abilities[]
- Superhuman Strength: Akaza’s raw physical power is staggering. He can destroy the terrain around him with punches and shatter weapons with his bare hands. His strikes are lethal, precise, and capable of overwhelming even the most powerful Hashira in hand-to-hand combat. In his battle with Rengoku, his blows could create shockwaves and severely damage the surroundings.
- Incredible Speed and Reflexes: Akaza’s speed allows him to move faster than the human eye can track. He is capable of dodging high-speed sword strikes and countering with devastating blows almost instantaneously. His movements are fluid and instinctual, honed from years of martial training and supernatural enhancement.
- Limitless Stamina and Endurance: As a demon, Akaza does not tire, allowing him to fight for extended periods without fatigue. His endurance is so immense that even after taking fatal blows or having limbs severed, he continues fighting without hesitation.
2. Regeneration[]
Akaza possesses some of the most advanced regenerative abilities among the demons. He can heal from deep wounds, severed limbs, and crushed organs almost instantly. His regeneration is so rapid that it outpaces many Demon Slayers’ ability to land fatal strikes. This power makes him a relentless opponent, as he can recover faster than most enemies can damage him.
Even when beheaded—typically fatal for demons—Akaza resists death by forcibly regenerating his head. This ability is linked to his powerful will to fight and his connection to Muzan’s blood, making him extremely difficult to kill through conventional means.
3. Destructive Death (破壊殺, Hakaishatsu)[]
Akaza’s unique Blood Demon Art, Destructive Death, fuses his martial arts mastery with explosive shockwave-based techniques. It allows him to enhance his physical attacks with kinetic force, extending the impact radius and making even glancing blows devastating.
Key techniques include:
- Compass Needle (羅針, Rashin): Akaza creates a mental grid based on his opponent's battle spirit. By sensing their killing intent, strength, and emotions, he can predict movements with extreme accuracy, making his dodges and counters almost preternatural. This technique is passive but extremely effective, especially against emotionally charged opponents.
- Leg Type Techniques (e.g., Crown Splitter and Air Type): Akaza uses rapid spinning kicks or shockwave bursts from his legs to attack from a distance or break through defenses. These moves are agile, brutal, and difficult to read.
- Annihilation Type Techniques (e.g., Annihilation Type: Raging Tiger): High-impact strikes that combine strength, precision, and explosive shockwaves, often launched from his fists. These attacks are designed to destroy both the opponent and the terrain around them.
- Technique Development – Final Form: Style of the Supreme Destruction (最終形態・破壊殺・滅式, Saishū Keitai: Hakaishatsu: Metsu-shiki): In a last-ditch effort, Akaza unleashes his full fighting style, combining all previous techniques into a high-speed, high-power barrage. This ultimate form pushes his body to the brink and is nearly unstoppable without intervention or emotional disruption.
4. Resistance to Sunlight (Temporarily Overcome)[]
Like all demons, Akaza is vulnerable to sunlight and can be killed by exposure. However, due to his willpower and strength, he resists death even after his head is cut off—something few demons can accomplish. It isn’t until he willingly stops regenerating and recalls his human past that his body finally disintegrates under the natural laws that govern demon death.
5. Willpower and Instinct[]
Perhaps Akaza’s most terrifying ability is his sheer force of will. His body continues to fight long after receiving fatal damage, driven by his instinct to challenge and defeat the strong. Even without memories of his human life, this fighting instinct becomes a twisted echo of his former desire to protect those he loved. It is only when that instinct is overwhelmed by his regained humanity that Akaza finds peace and allows himself to die.