Action anime needs resonant emotional stakes to match the predictable physical stakes to be more than a mere excuse to watch people with colorful hair tear into each other. Sure enough, all the best shonen action anime give the heroes and even the villains some personal stakes to fight for, such as trying to redeem a friend, avenge someone’s loss, or simply validate themselves after feeling like a nobody for so long. A famously strong example is the Demon Slayer anime, which puts a lot of heart into each battle.

In the Demon Slayer anime, the emotional stakes are always high because the human characters fight for revenge or to protect their loved ones, while some demons fight to outrun their vulnerable inner selves or to prove that they deserve to be called the strongest. And some fights are heartfelt not just because of the personal stakes, but because of the emotional impact of what happens. One particular story arc in Demon Slayer is famous for this, with that emotional blow practically overshadowing everything else that the arc was doing.

10

Tanjiro vs. the Hand Demon Was a Fight For Someone Else’s Closure

Even if Tanjiro Kamado’s showdown with the bulky Hand Demon ranks last among Demon Slayer‘s most emotional fights, it’s still a stellar example of how much heart this anime puts into its battles. Rarely, if ever, are the demons just monsters to be slain, since they were all once human, too. Every one of them was transformed at the hands of Muzan Kibutsuji, and they didn’t often forget where they came from.

The Hand Demon’s fight had an emotional impact at the end because that monster remembered holding his brother’s hand out of a sense of fraternal unity back in his human days. As for Tanjiro, he fought and slew the Hand Demon to bring closure to the specter of Sabito, the masked boy who lost his life to this very demon. Thus, Tanjiro avenged Sabito and all of Sakonji’s tragic students when he defeated the Hand Demon.

9

Tanjiro & Nezuko vs. Rui Saw the Brother and Sister Unite For Desperate Survival

Some of Tanjiro’s clashes with the strongest demons were just business, such as when he faced off against Hantengu in the swordsmith village. But in other battles against the Twelve Demon Moons, Tanjiro had some emotional stakes on the line, and he refused to give them up. During the fight against Rui in Mt. Natagumo’s forest, Nezuko felt the same way, and that feeling pushed her to new heights.

Tanjiro and Nezuko both had their backs to the wall in the face of Rui’s overwhelming power, so in a moment of desperation and heartfelt determination, the Kamados rallied in a big way. Each was highly driven to protect and aid the other, leading to Nezuko’s blood demon art inspiring Tanjiro’s usage of Hinokami Kagura. Tanjiro felt fiercely protective and empowered as he attacked Rui with that blistering technique, even if he needed Giyu’s aid actually to finish the job.

8

Tanjiro vs. Gyutaro Was a Fight of Protective Brothers

It wasn’t personal at first when Tanjiro and his friends took on Daki and Gyutaro in the entertainment district, but when the fight boiled down to Tanjiro vs. Gyutaro, it was a seriously emotional affair. It wasn’t enough for Tanjiro to feel burning feelings of determination, desperation, and defiance against the true Upper Moon 6. Tanjiro also felt both sympathetic to and disgusted by Gyutaro as his demonic counterpart.

Gyutaro mentioned how he and Tanjiro were almost alike, being strong brothers to little sisters whom they would protect at any cost. Gyutaro was mostly just mocking and taunting Tanjiro with his words, but it still ignited righteous fury in Tanjiro’s heart. With such a personal angle in mind, not to mention his duty, Tanjiro shouted as he turned the tables on Gyutaro and beheaded him with the power of his demon slayer mark.

7

Tanjiro vs. Kyogai Showed Tanjiro’s Respect For Most Demons’ Humanity

Kyogai was the first truly powerful villain whom Tanjiro battled in all of Demon Slayer, with Kyogai being the former Lower Moon 6. In that fight, Tanjiro pushed himself beyond all known limits to stay in the fight, but not even that rugged desperation led to him disrespecting Kyogai. Tanjiro realized Kyogai was a failed writer who valued his works, so Tanjiro took care to never step on the pages in the room.

Kyogai was deeply touched by Tanjiro’s consideration, and it caused him to think back to his days as a struggling author. That added a wonderful personal touch to the fight and made Kyogai more than a mere mini-boss monster to test Tanjiro’s strength at the time. Such an angle was even more interesting than Kyogai’s ability to rotate the room by striking its tsuzumi drums.

6

Genya vs. Sanemi Showed Off the Drama of the Shinazugawa Brothers

One of the most emotional fights in all of Demon Slayer didn’t involve demons, nor was anyone’s life at risk. This particular brawl interrupted the Hashira Training Arc for dramatic reasons, with the Shinazugawa brothers coming to blows. Genya wanted his brother Sanemi to acknowledge him, but Sanemi responded first with intense words, then physical force as he fought barehanded.

At first, it looked like Sanemi was just bullying his younger brother and deeply insulting him. However, there was a personal angle, with Sanemi being determined for Genya to live a peaceful life far away from the dangers of fighting demons for a living. Sanemi couldn’t express that clearly, though, so he felt the need to violently push back as Genya tried to go deeper into this dangerous business.

5

Kanao Tsuyuri vs. Doma Was a Revenge Match For Kanae’s Memory

Shinobu Kocho failed to kill Doma, the Upper Moon 2, so it fell to her trainee Kanao Tsuyuri to take over the fight. It was a personal affair for Kanao, since Kanae Kocho had been her rescuer and first mentor. Kanao owed Kanae everything for empowering her and teaching her Flower Breathing, so it was her grim pleasure to take on Doma and avenge both Kocho sisters.

Kanao finally stopped being timid and quiet as she showed the full wrath of her Flower Breathing on Doma in that fight. It was both terrifying and exciting to see Kanao like that, and then the fight became emotional in a whole new way. Readers saw Shinobu and Doma facing each other in the afterlife, with a repulsed Shinobu rejecting Doma’s overtures of romance as one last bit of defiance against Kanae’s killer.

4

Sanemi & Gyomei vs. Kokushibo Finally Revealed the Upper Moon 1’s Intense Emotions

For a time, the Upper Rank 1 demon, Kokushibo, seemed like a stone-cold villain who only fought out of loyalty to Muzan rather than for any personal reason. All that changed when Kokushibo fought multiple Hashira in the final arc of Demon Slayer, with him showing more and more emotion as he battled the demon slayers. It was personal because Kokushibo once vowed to be a great samurai, but betrayed his brother, humanity, and samurai code by accepting Muzan’s gift.

Kokushibo’s anger felt twice as strong, coming from a normally stoic being like him, and then he died one of the bitterest and most tragic deaths in all of Demon Slayer. Whether or not manga readers pitied Kokushibo in his final moments, they cannot deny how heartbreaking his demise was. Kokushibo was disgusted by what he had become, both on the inside and outside, and implored his long-gone brother Yoriichi to explain why he had ever been born at all. It was a crushing existential crisis that haunted Kokushibo right to the end.

3

Tanjiro & Giyu vs Nezuko Proved That Not All Demons Are Monsters

One of the most emotional fights in Demon Slayer also happens to be the very first one to unfold in the entire story. When Muzan slaughtered the Kamado family, he also turned Nezuko into a demon, but Tanjiro didn’t realize that right away. That allowed Nezuko to ambush her brother, yet even when Nezuko had the upper hand, she couldn’t bring herself to kill him. Nezuko wept out of distress, unable to accept her new bloodlust.

Nezuko was only half in control of herself, if that, so Tanjiro needed the aid of the Water Hashira to survive. Giyu was about to kill Nezuko out of duty, but a panicking and confused Tanjiro didn’t let him, making the emotionally taxing battle even more chaotic and confusing. Tanjiro’s love for his mutated sister was stronger than his survival instinct, which ultimately led him to find a way to save everyone’s lives.

2

Shinobu vs. Doma Saw the Insect Hashira Unleash Her Full Wrath

As soon as Demon Slayer fans met Shinobu Kocho the insect Hashira, they were certain they’d see an emotionally charged fight between her and the object of her wrath. Shinobu lost her beloved sister Kanae Kocho to the Upper Moon 2, Doma, and that fueled Shinobu’s all-consuming rage toward all demon-kind. Sure enough, as manga fans have seen, Shinobu got to face her sister’s killer in the Infinity Castle.

This ranks in the middle among Demon Slayer‘s most emotional fights because Shinobu finally got a chance at revenge. She had nothing but anger and revulsion for the outwardly goofy Doma, and most heartbreakingly of all, Shinobu’s vengeance didn’t even come to fruition. Demon Slayer readers could only stare in shock as Doma absorbed the defeated and slain Shinobu, as though daring other demon slayers to challenge him next.

1

Kyojuro vs. Akaza Was an Iconic Fight That Thrilled Audiences While Breaking Their Hearts

The most emotional fight in all of Demon Slayer actually started off as purely business, with Kyojuro Rengoku fighting Akaza out of duty and to protect Tanjiro’s shonen trio from harm. Then, the personal angle crept in as Akaza tried in vain to convince Kyojuro to become a demon like him. At the risk of his own life, Kyojuro clung to his noble principles, preferring human frailty and honor over the easy route of becoming a demon to gain strength.

Kyojuro’s principled stand cost him everything, much to Tanjiro’s righteous anger, but it was done, and Kyojuro didn’t seem to regret it. Everyone was fighting back tears as Kyojuro shared some inspiring, heartfelt parting words with his new friends as dawn broke, and the emotional roller coaster wasn’t done yet. After the fight, Tanjiro visited the home of the Rengoku family, where Tanjiro’s words and the news of Kyojuro’s death caused even the bitter, jaded Shinjuro Rengoku to break down in tears against all odds.