Demon Slayer: How can Gyomei Himejima fight if he's blind? His powers and abilities, explored

Modified Mar 25, 2024 08:00 GMT

Understanding how Gyomei fights in the Demon Slayer series (Image via Ufotable)

Gyomei Himejima from the Demon Slayer series is one of the strongest demon hunters of his time. He hasn't received much screen time in the anime at the moment. However, those who have read the manga will know he has pulled off some of the most impressive feats during his time at the Corps.

One of the most notable features of Gyomei is his eyes. Anime-only fans know that he is blind, which raised a couple of eyebrows. Vision is one of, if not the most important aspects of combat. Fighters hone their skills and perfect them by drastically improving their vision. Himejima essentially fights with a massive disadvantage.

With that said, fans seem to have one important question - how can Gyomei Himejima fight if he's blind? Let's take a closer look at this character and some important details from the manga series to better understand his fighting style.

Disclaimer: This article contains massive spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga chapters.

Demon Slayer: Understanding how Gyomei fights in the animanga series

Gyomei Himejima as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

How does Gyomei fight if he's blind? Since he is blind, he managed to sharpen his other senses, mainly smell and hearing, which allows him to react to attacks. He has gotten so efficient with it that he is dubbed the strongest Hashira among the lot.

He is also one of the few members of the Corps who doesn't use a blade. Instead, he wields a weapon that resembles a Kusarigama. There are two spiked balls that are attached to long chains. The sheer control one requires in order to wield this weapon without hurting oneself in the process speaks great volumes about him.

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There were early signs of Gyomei's talents. He was born with a frail body, and people often assumed him to be weak. He was a monk in one of the temples that was under attack. Demons had found a way to enter, and children were under his care.

However, they thought that he was incapable of fighting since he looked frail and he was blind. However, he managed to beat a demon repeatedly with his bare fists until sunrise. He wasn't a part of the Demon Slayer Corps and, therefore, didn't have access to a Nichirin Blade.

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Gyomei was falsely imprisoned, as per the manga. However, the leader of the Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, managed to save him and asked him to join the Corps. Since then, he trained to become the most skilled demon hunter. He became so strong that he played a vital role in defeating the Upper Moon 1 demon.

To add to his already impressive feats, Gyomei immediately fought Muzan and held his ground against the Demon King. His skill saved Sanemi Shinazugawa from dying to Kokushibo. Despite his blindness, he managed to hone his combat skills by heightening his sense of hearing and smell.

Upon activating his Demon Slayer Mark, he also managed to gain access to Transparent World, which helped him predict the demon's movements and plan his attack.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2024 progresses.