Every Upper Moon in Demon Slayer, Ranked
After the Hashira ranking covered the strongest demon slayers, this post covers the other side of the Demon Slayer power conflict: the Upper Moons. These are Muzan's top six generals, the Twelve Kizuki's apex tier. Across the entire series, nine individual demons held an Upper Moon position at different points, including the famous replacements after Hantengu and the Daki/Gyutaro twins were killed.
This is the ranked roster of every Upper Moon in canon, with each entry covering their blood demon art, their signature appearance, and the Hashira (or Demon Slayer) who finally took them down in the Infinity Castle arc finale.
How the Twelve Kizuki actually work
Muzan Kibutsuji directly appoints the Twelve Kizuki: six Upper Moons (Upper Moon One through Six) and six Lower Moons (Lower Moon One through Six). Upper Moons are dramatically more powerful than Lower Moons. The gap is so significant that Muzan eventually disbanded the Lower Moon ranks entirely after the Mugen Train arc, leaving only Enmu's position (Lower Moon One) survived briefly before he too was killed.
Upper Moons are immortal in the sense that they don't age, regenerate from injuries that would kill humans instantly, and can only be killed by decapitation with a Nichirin blade or sunlight. Each Upper Moon has hundreds of years of combat experience. Kokushibo (Upper Moon One) has been alive since the era when Sun Breathing was first developed roughly 500 years before the series.
When an Upper Moon dies, Muzan promotes a replacement to fill the position. The post-Mugen Train Demon Slayer canon includes two such replacements: Nakime (replaced Hantengu as Upper Moon Four) and Kaigaku (replaced the Daki/Gyutaro twins as Upper Moon Six).
Upper Moon One: Kokushibo
The apex of the Twelve Kizuki and the second-strongest demon in canon behind only Muzan himself.
Kokushibo
The most powerful Upper Moon by a significant margin. Was once Michikatsu Tsugikuni, the older brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni (the original Sun Breathing user and the only demon slayer ever to wound Muzan). Created Moon Breathing as a derivation of Sun Breathing. Wielded a Nichirin blade as a demon, the only Upper Moon to do so. Killed in the Infinity Castle arc by the combined effort of Gyomei, Sanemi, Muichiro, and Genya, with Genya sacrificing himself in the fight.
Upper Moon Two: Doma
The Eternal Paradise cult leader. Considered the most disturbing Upper Moon because of his complete lack of empathy.
Doma
Leader of the Eternal Paradise cult, where he secretly fed on his followers. Uses Blood Demon Art: Crystallised Ice, manipulating frozen blood into devastating ranged attacks. Born without the ability to feel emotions, which the manga treats as the source of his uniquely unsettling personality. Killed in the Infinity Castle arc by Shinobu's wisteria poison absorbing strategy, combined with Kanao and Inosuke delivering the final blows.
Upper Moon Three: Akaza
The series' most thematically important demon. Famously fought and killed Rengoku in the Mugen Train arc.
Akaza
Master of Destructive Death martial arts, the only Upper Moon who refuses to consume women due to lingering memories of his human life. Fought Rengoku to a draw and killed him at dawn in the Mugen Train arc. The most iconic Upper Moon fight in the series. Killed in the Infinity Castle arc by Tanjiro and Giyu, with the cathartic resolution that Akaza's memories returned at the moment of death, revealing his tragic backstory as a human martial artist named Hakuji.
Upper Moon Four (original): Hantengu
The cowardly demon who fragments into specialised duplicates.
Hantengu
Constantly accuses others of being responsible for his actions, a personality quirk that started as a human criminal who blamed his victims. Uses Blood Demon Art: Emotion Manifestation, splitting his body into multiple specialised demons (Sekido, Karaku, Aizetsu, Urogi, and the hidden true form Zohakuten). Each fragment specialises in a different combat style. Killed in the Swordsmith Village arc by Tanjiro (with Nezuko, Genya, and Mitsuri's help), making him the first Upper Moon to die in the series.
Upper Moon Four (replacement): Nakime
The Infinity Castle controller. Took Hantengu's position after his death.
Nakime
Promoted to Upper Moon Four by Muzan after Hantengu's death in the Swordsmith Village arc. Uses Blood Demon Art: Infinity Castle Manipulation, controlling the spatial structure of Muzan's dimensional fortress by playing her biwa. The architect of the Infinity Castle arc itself, since her power is what trapped the Demon Slayer Corps inside the dimensional structure for the final battle. Killed by Yushiro in the Infinity Castle arc, ending the Infinity Castle's spatial chaos and allowing the demon slayers to navigate to Muzan.
Upper Moon Five: Gyokko
The pottery-obsessed water demon. Among the most physically grotesque designs in the series.
Gyokko
Obsessed with creating pottery from preserved human victims. Uses Blood Demon Art: Water Pot, manipulating water and trapping opponents in dimensional vases. Attacked the Swordsmith Village specifically to disrupt the demon slayers' weapon production. Killed in the Swordsmith Village arc by Muichiro Tokito, who awakened his Demon Slayer Mark and Transparent World during the fight. The first Upper Moon kill by a Hashira solo.
Upper Moon Six (original): Gyutaro and Daki
The Entertainment District twin Upper Moons. The first Upper Moons killed in the series.
Gyutaro
The primary Upper Moon Six entity. Born in the Entertainment District's poverty, he and his sister Daki became demons together, with Daki bound to share his Upper Moon Six position. Uses Blood Demon Art: Flying Blood Sickles. The actual decision-maker of the twin pair. Killed in the Entertainment District arc by Tanjiro (with Tengen and Inosuke's combined effort). His death was simultaneous with Daki's because they had to be decapitated at the same instant.
Daki
Gyutaro's younger sister and the visible "face" of the Upper Moon Six twin position. Operated as a famous oiran in the Entertainment District before her demon nature was revealed. Uses Blood Demon Art: Eight-Layered Obi, manipulating cloth-like sash attacks. Less combat-experienced than Gyutaro but still Upper Moon-tier in raw power. Killed simultaneously with Gyutaro by the combined Demon Slayer Corps effort in the Entertainment District arc finale.
Upper Moon Six (replacement): Kaigaku
Zenitsu's former Thunder Breathing senior turned demon. The personal villain of the Zenitsu arc.
Kaigaku
Promoted to Upper Moon Six by Muzan after the Daki and Gyutaro twins were killed. Was originally Zenitsu's senior in Thunder Breathing training under the master Jigoro Kuwajima. Defected to demonhood after his cowardice was exposed, indirectly causing Jigoro's seppuku from shame. The personal villain in Zenitsu's character arc. Killed in the Infinity Castle arc by Zenitsu in single combat, with Zenitsu unveiling his self-developed Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami (Flaming Thunder God) during the fight.
Honourable mentions
The other demons worth knowing about in any Upper Moon power discussion.
Muzan Kibutsuji. The Demon King, the original demon who created all other demons by sharing his blood. Technically the strongest demon in canon. Every Upper Moon is canonically beneath him. Killed at the very end of the Infinity Castle arc by the surviving Demon Slayer Corps after a sustained 24-hour battle.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni (deceased pre-series). Not a demon, but mentioned because he was the original Sun Breathing user and the only person ever to come close to killing Muzan in a single encounter. Kokushibo's brother. Died of old age before the series begins.
The Lower Moons. Six demons ranked beneath the Upper Moons. Mostly killed off or demoted by Muzan post-Mugen Train. Enmu (Lower Moon One) is the most famous, the demon Tanjiro fought on the Mugen Train.
The collecting angle: Upper Moon merchandise
For collectors, Upper Moon-themed Demon Slayer merchandise is one of the deepest categories in the series.
Bandai Demon Slayer figure line for Upper Moons. Each Upper Moon has multiple prestige releases. Akaza and Kokushibo are the most-released because of their iconic fights. Doma, Daki, and Gyutaro all have premium scale figure lines. Nakime and Kaigaku have fewer releases because of their later canonical introductions.
Blood demon art-themed merchandise. Some Bandai releases include effect parts representing each Upper Moon's specific blood demon art (Akaza's destructive technique impact effects, Doma's frozen blood, Hantengu's fragmenting forms). These are detachable accessories that add significant value to the base figure.
Cards and TCG. Demon Slayer's trading card game has dedicated Upper Moon-tier rare cards with chase art for each villain. Less mature market than One Piece TCG but rapidly growing.
Bootleg warning. Demon Slayer merchandise is heavily bootlegged. The scam guide covers spot-checking Bandai vs print-shop knock-offs.
TL;DR
Kokushibo is canonically the strongest Upper Moon by a wide margin, with the Tsugikuni bloodline and Moon Breathing origin. Doma, Akaza, and Hantengu hold the next power tier. Gyokko, Daki, Gyutaro, Nakime, and Kaigaku round out the Twelve Kizuki's upper ranks. All Upper Moons were killed by the Demon Slayer Corps in the Infinity Castle arc finale (with Hantengu, Gyokko, Daki, and Gyutaro killed earlier in their respective arcs). For collectors, Akaza and Kokushibo figures are the chase pieces, followed by Doma and the twin pair.
AnimeVault currently focuses on One Piece collectibles, with Demon Slayer merchandise listings coming through Q3 2026 as the catalogue expands. In the meantime, check out the Hashira ranking for the hero side of this conflict.
What's your pick for the most underrated Upper Moon? Nakime's Infinity Castle control, Kaigaku's personal connection to Zenitsu, or one of the early-arc demons? Drop your take in the forum thread. Best argument gets featured in a follow-up.
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