Water Breathing (水みずの呼こ吸きゅう Mizu no kokyū?) is one of the five main breathing styles directly derived from Sun Breathing.
Description
Water Breathing is a style of breathing that mimics water, specifically the flow, flexibility, and adaptability of liquid, and replicates it with the user’s movements, techniques, and abilities. Most, if not all, known techniques involve the user bending their body, arm, and weapon in one fluid motion to mimic the motions of flowing water. Users also visualize themselves creating and manipulating water when using their techniques.
This style of breathing was originally created by one of Yoriichi Tsugikuni’s students who had attempted to learn Sun Breathing, but lacking Yoriichi’s innate talent, was taught and training another personalized breathing style that focused on his strengths and weaknesses, eventually becoming water breathing.
This is said to be the most common breathing style among Demon Slayers, as it is the easiest for beginners to learn. Sakonji Urokodaki is a well-known cultivator of Water Breathing in Demon Slayer Bodies, but there are other cultivators as well.
Known users
- Sakonji Urokodaki
- Giyu Tomioka
- Murata
- Sabito
- Makomo
- Tanjiro Kamado
- Aoi Kanzaki
Known techniques
Water Breathing has 10 techniques, including an eleventh created and used exclusively by the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, as well as many modified versions of pre-existing forms.
- First Form: Water Surface Strike (壱いちノ型かた 水みな面も斬ぎり Ichi no kata: Minamo Giri?) – The user generates enough momentum to create a powerful focused strike.
- Second Form: Water Wheel (弐にノ型かた 水みず車ぐるま Ni no kata: Mizu Guruma?) – The user jumps and spins vertically in the air while unleashing a fluid attack in a circular motion.
- Second Form: Improved Side Water Wheel (弐にノ型かた・改かい 横よこ水みず車ぐるま Ni no kata kai: Yoko Mizu Guruma?) – A variation of Second Form: Water Wheel created by Tanjiro Kamado which triggers a horizontal rotation instead of a vertical one.
- Third Form: Flowing Dance (参さんノ型かた 流りゅう流りゅう舞まい San no kata: Ryūryū Mai?) – The user swings and bends their blade in a sinuous motion along their body and dances in a flowing pattern , slicing through everything in its path.
- Fourth Form: Tidal Wave (肆しノ型かた 打うち潮しお Shi no kata: Uchishio?) – The user lands multiple consecutive blows while twisting their body and sword in a fluid fashion to land multiple blows simultaneously .
- Striking Tide: Turbulent (打うち潮しお・乱らん Uchishio – Ran?) – An upgraded version of the fourth form: Striking Tide. The user increases the amount of consecutive strikes and slashes while improving their accuracy in order to contact a specific target during a chaotic situation.
- Fifth Form: Blessed Rain After Drought (伍ごノ型かた 干かん天てんの慈じ雨う Go no kata: Kanten no Jiu?) – User changes the grip of their sword and decapitates their opponent into one smooth typing that causes little or no pain. This is a ‘kindness sword strike’ used when the enemy voluntarily surrenders.
- Sixth Form: Whirlwind (陸ろくノ型かた ねじれ渦うず Roku no kata: Nejire Uzu?) – The user twists their upper and lower body fiercely, creating a whirlwind of air that cuts through anything caught inside. Its effect and effectiveness are increased underwater, where the user can draw water around their weapon to enhance their hits.
- Whirlpool, Flow (ねじれ渦うず・流りゅう流りゅう Nejire Uzu – Ryūryū?) – A combination of Third Form: Flow Dance and Sixth Form: Whirlpool created by Tanjiro Kamado. The user combines the footwork of Flowing Dance and the twisting moves of Whirlpool, resulting in the swordsman performing an attack around the user and conjuring a twisting, swirling, vicious flow of water to redirect projectiles from multiple angles.
- Seventh Form: Wave Thrust (漆しちノ型かた 雫しずく波は紋もん突づき Shichi no kata: Shizuku Hamon Tsuki?) – The user performs a quick and precise stab capable of reducing the impact of a moving target.
- Wave Thrust, Curve (雫しずく波は紋もん突づき・曲きょく Shizuku Hamon Tsuki – Kyoku?) – A modified strike that strikes from a specific angle matching the structure of the sword and nearly negates the impact and momentum of a moving object.
- Eighth Form: Cascade (捌はちノ型かた 滝たき壼つぼ Hachi no kata: Takitsubo?) – The user slashes the target vertically in a smooth motion that is most effective when falling downward.
- Ninth Form: Flowing Water, Turbulent (玖くノ型かた 水すい流りゅう飛沫しぶき・乱らん Ku no kata: Suiryū Shibuki – Ran? ) – The user alters their footwork to minimize time and the surface necessary for landing, which allows him to move without limits. Ideal when fighting in a place without a solid footing.
- Tenth Form: Constant Flow (拾じゅうノ型かた 生せい生せい流る転てん Jū no kata: Seisei Ruten?) – The user performs a continuous flowing attack that appears to take the form of a water dragon whose strength and power increase with each rotation through momentum.
- Eleventh Form: Dead Calm (拾じゅう壱いちノ型かた 凪なぎ Jū Ichi no kata: Nagi?) – The personal creation of the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka. The user ceases all body movement and enters a state of complete tranquility, deflecting, blocking, and cutting through any incoming attacks at imperceptible speed with their blade. However, its effectiveness is limited, as fast and numerous attacks can slip through.
Game exclusivity techniques
- Third Form: Fluid Dance, Shadows of Dawn (参さんノ型かた 流りゅう流りゅう舞まい・朝あさ影かげ San no kata: Ryūryū Mai – Asakage?) – The user covers their blade with water before unleash a series of upward circular blows in a fluid motion from multiple directions before delivering a powerful downward blow.
- Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin, Annihilation (捌はちノ型かた 滝たき壼つぼ・壊かい Hachi no kata: Takistubo – Kai?) – User unleashes a flurry of slashes completely surrounding their enemy until freed multiple gargantuan stunts that pulverize his opponent.
- Ninth Form: Flowing Water, Turbulent Effervescence (玖くノ型かた 水すい流りゅう飛沫しぶき・乱らん発はっ泡ぽう性せい Ku no kata: Suiryūūūō kata user: Ranei Shibūō) rushes forward in a turbulent fashion and unleashes numerous flowing water blasts in all directions while creating levitating bubbles all around his enemy. Then he leaps away from them and bursts all the bubbles, releasing strong water pressure in all directions, inflicting massive damage on his opponent.
- Eleventh Form: Dead Calm, Tidal Wave (拾じゅう壱いちノ型かた 凪なぎ・波な折おり波は濤とう Jū Ichi no kata: Nagi – Naori Hatō?) – The user approaches their opponent and unleashes a barrage of faster water sword slashes that lacerate him completely before summoning multiple towering tidal waves and swooping down on his enemy with tremendous force.
Triviality
The water that Water Breath users imagine themselves handling is very similar to the water or ocean waves depicted in classical Japanese paintings.