Inosuke, not Zenitsu, is the weakest among Demon Slayer's main trio

Demon Slayer had an excellent ensemble of major and minor characters. Among its cast, not many were as spellbinding as the Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke trio. While the latter two characters didn’t share the same amount of screen time as Tanjiro, they still dazzled in their way.

Tanjiro was the character who combined will and skill to powerful effect, and Zenitsu was a character with a Jekyll and Hyde element. However, Inosuke was a wild beast who bulldozed his enemies with pure power. Due to how remarkable this trio was, fans still bring them up in conversations. These conversations are usually about who the strongest in the trio is.

While it is universally agreed that Tanjiro is the strongest, many fans struggle to decide who is the second and third strongest. Many claim it is Zenitsu, as he could take an upper moon by himself, and others say Inosuke, as he trained himself to be a Demon Slayer.

The answer is not as straightforward as fans think. While Tanjiro outshines the rest of the trio, the gap between Zenitsu and Inosuke is very small. Zenitsu is stronger than Inosuke, and the final arc of Demon Slayer settles the debate.

Here is the reason why Zenitsu is stronger than Inosuke.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers.

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Why Inosuke is the weakest among the Demon Slayer trio

Inosuke is self-taught, and that is his biggest problem (Image via Ufotable)

Inosuke might not be the strongest in the trio, but he is far from weak. His base human level is high, and even before he received special training from any Hashira, he was strong enough to contest with a member of the demon slayer corps and still come out victorious. This feat is not surprising, as Inosuke was raised by boars in the forest. This attribute is why he seems more animal than human,and why his endurance is sky-high.

Apart from being a blessing, his animal attributes are also why he doesn’t become as strong as Tanjiro or Zenitsu. Inosuke might be human, but he still thinks like he is in the jungle. This flaw makes him emphasize strength more than anything, and in Demon Slayer, intelligence and precision are heavily needed. Tanjiro has been shown to think quickly, even before he became a Demon Slayer. In comparison, Zenitsu transforms into an efficient killing machine once he is unconscious.

Inosuke is unable to defeat any Upper Moon on his own (Image via Ufotable)

Inosuke’s approach to any battle is frenzied, and the proof of this starts from his sword. Whenever he receives his nichirin swords, Inosuke breaks the sharp edges to make his swords more serrated. These swords reflect his wild nature and how he prefers tearing the flesh of his opponents rather than the clean cuts other Demon Slayers prefer.

Inosuke’s breathing form is self-taught, and the lack of a teacher hinders him from being stronger, as teaching refines breathing forms. Tanjiro’s Sun Breathing is a far cry from the original and only becomes perfect once he unlocks the memory of his ancestor. If Inosuke had a tutor or a guardian to refine his techniques, he probably would have been as strong as Zenitsu.

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Final thoughts

At base level, Inosuke is the strongest among the Demon Slayer trio. Due to his being raised in the forest, he has endurance and strength that Tanjiro and Zenitsu can’t surpass.

For most of Demon Slayer, he was on equal footing with Zenitsu, but what changed things was the Infinity Castle Arc. Zenitsu threw away his fear and nihilism that dulled his strength and finally believed in himself. In the Infinity Castle arc, Zenitsu fights against Kaigaku, a member of Muzan’s Twelve Kizuki, and wins alone. This ending battle proves that he and Inosuke are no longer in the same strata.

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