Every year a lot of new anime are released, yet only a handful catch the eyes of fans around the world, and even less attract the non-fans. Ranking as one of the top anime immediately after the first release is something not all anime are capable of, but only a select few have managed to do that, and Kimetsu no Yaiba is one of them.
Kimetsu no Yaiba is the anime that broke records and attracted many people in the first season. Its reach further increased after the release of its latest movie, Mugen Train. The anime series showed only a sneak peek of how powerful the Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillars can be and didn’t demonstrate any special abilities they possess. On the other hand, Mugen train did an incredible job in beautifully showcasing the powers of the Flame Pillar, Kyojuro Rengoku.
Now fans are wondering just how strong the Pillars are, and what are the requirements for becoming one? There’s a lot of misconception regarding this, as the anime has provided little to no information regarding the whole process of becoming a Pillar. However, in this blog post, we will be discussing all the requirements and steps for becoming a Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillar, so keep on reading then!
History of Demon Slayer Corps
Before we get into the actual requirements for becoming a Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillar, it’s crucial to understand the foundation of the organization that houses such incredibly powerful Demon Slayers.
So, the question stands, how did all of this start? And who laid the foundation for Demon Slayer Corps?
We are all aware that the Demon King Muzan has been alive for a good 1000 years, correct? What we didn’t know was that the current head of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki belongs from the same family as the Demon King. Kagaya mentioned how the birth of Muzan cursed the bloodline of their family in a way that all of the children were born extremely weak. Additionally, the life expectancy of the members was incredibly reduced, making it understandable why Kagaya dies at such an early age. However, to tackle the curse properly, a priest advised them to defeat Muzan and so, that’s how the Demon Slayer Corps was formed.
Road to becoming a Kimetsu No Yaiba Pillar
Now that we are aware of the history of the Demon Slayer Corps, let’s go back to the initial question; How does one become a Pillar? The Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillars are a very influential and powerful group of people in the Demon Slayer Corps. The group of Elites is only second to the leader himself due to their immense strength and dignified rank. The Pillars being the strongest have a duty to protect all the people from the demons, especially the twelve Kizuki. In fact, the Pillars are strong enough to defeat the Upper Moon demons as well!
Therefore, becoming a Pillar must be no small feat, right? What’s more, you can’t join the group whenever you want to, and however you want to. The general idea that anime fans have regarding Pillars is that you have to defeat one of the twelve Kizuki to become a Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillar – which is not wrong, but not entirely correct either. I mean – if it were like that then Tanjirou would have already become a Pillar in the anime, right? Leading us to believe that there are certain requirements to be fulfilled, steps to be followed in order to become a Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillar – and these are briefly explained down below.
1. Joining the Demon Slayer Corps
The very first step towards becoming a Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillar is actually joining the Demon Slayer Corps – sounds like a pretty straightforward thing, right? It’s not as simple as it appears to be. If you recall the intense training Tanjirou had to go through to barely make it in the final selection for demon slayers, you will realize that it’s probably the most troublesome thing you will ever do. The exam arc was scary as heck, an eye-opener at the very least! Even after all that training, we really thought that Tanjirou became extremely powerful, yet he was the weakest amongst the rest of the selected demon slayers.
However, the important thing to note about Tanjirou’s training is that he was trained to learn the most critical thing and that is a breathing technique. Therefore, in order to join the Demon Slayer Corps, the lowest possible requirement is to pass the exam and learn one of the fourteen breathing styles. On that note, let’s talk about the beautiful demonstration of the Breath of Flames in Mugen Train. If you were just as impressed by Rengoku’s technique as I was, then you have to check out our shop for all his merch – and specifically – the Rengoku Action figure. Trust me – you will be equally mesmerized by it as you were with Rengoku’s flame breathing technique.
2. Training with the Kimetsu No Yaiba Pillars
The second step is to become stronger by actually training with the Pillars. I know what you’re thinking – the Pillars are extremely busy with important tasks, how can the members even get their attention? Well, It’s not as hard as it looks to be. The Demon Slayer Corps has made it mandatory for all Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillars to train the lower rank Demon Slayers. The Hashira or Pillar training sessions are divided between all the Pillars, each offering a different set of skills to be learned, and I’ll explain how it goes:
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The first training session is held by Uzui Tengen, the Sound Pillar, which focuses on stamina training of the Demon Slayers.
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The second training session is conducted by Kanroji Mitsuri, the Love Pillar, which offers flexibility training.
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Next, Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Pillar, greatly improves the movement of the demon slayers
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Obanai Iguro, the Snake Pillar, specializes in improving the sword skills of the members.
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The Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shiazugawa, then further instructs on pounding and strength.
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Lastly, Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Pillar and the strongest amongst all Pillars trains the Demon Slayers on further strengthening their muscles
The training sessions are actually hell, but our fellow protagonist Tanjirou and his friend Inosuke greatly enjoy it. Furthermore, the most critical detail about the training sessions is that the Pillars are encouraged to join the sessions and further improve their skills.
3. Reaching the top Rank
After the intense training arc, the next step is to increase your rank in the Demon Slayer Corps. How do you do that? Let me explain:
The Demon Slayer Corps has a ranking system excluding the Pillars, and it involves ten ranks. When you first join the organization, your rank will be the lowest, Mizunoto, and the furthest you can be from becoming a Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillar in the Demon Slayer Corps. The main goal for a person who wants to join the Pillars is to reach the top rank, Kinoe. The members can increase their position by defeating an impressive amount of demons and completing a wide variety of missions.
In short, the process can be arduous and long – unless you successfully defeat the twelve Kizuki on your own, which is considerably harder than doing the missions. What’s more, the ranks are written on the hand of the member with Wisteria Flower, and they can check their status by mentioning a certain password.
4. Getting acknowledged by a Pillar
Last but not least, the only obstacle left in your path is being acknowledged by a Pillar. Why is this step so important? You could be one of the most powerful characters in the Demon Slayer universe and still couldn’t join the Hashiras if not even one of the Pillar recognizes your strength.
So, how does one get acknowledged by the Pillars?
The Pillars are merely human beings that won’t be alive for 1000 years like the Demons – meaning they require a successor. The training sessions are a fantastic way for the Pillars to judge the strength of the demon slayers and scout them when the time comes close. If a Pillar acknowledges your power, you will be scouted to become a Tsuguko; An exceptionally talented Demon Slayer and successor to the particular Pillar. Furthermore, you can also apply to become a Tsuguko for a particular Pillar as well, and if you get accepted you will take the Pillar’s position once they die or retire.
Final Verdict:
Becoming a Kimetsu no Yaiba Pillar is no trivial thing and is certainly not an easy task to achieve. In the anime, we have yet to see Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke go through the steps mentioned above, and that would definitely be a sight to see – especially the training sessions with the Pillars.
So, what do you think? If you had the chance to join the Demon Slayer universe and become a Pillar, would you go through all the steps mentioned above? Let us know in the comment section down below.
