Demon Slayer: The Different Colors of Nichirin Swords Explained (2024)

Fans of Demon Slayer are familiar with the Nichirin sword, and most probably know that these swords come in a variety of colors. What they're less likely to know, however, is exactly what these colors mean, and what the colors say about their wielders.

In Demon Slayer, a Nichirin sword is a special type of katana that absorbs sunlight and is crafted from materials known as Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore, fictitious substances that give the swords their color-changing ability. It's said that when the true wielder of a Nichirin sword picks it up for the first time, its blade will change to a particular color that's suited to the individual.

For Tanjiro, that meant that his blade turned black, a rare color that the swordsmith who delivered it wasn't too familiar with. Black blades were said to be unlucky, but that was a superstition that arose from their rarity.

Nichirin Come in Many Colors, But Black is Strongest

The Black Nichirin Blade is Tied to the Strongest Breathing Style

A Nichirin sword's color actually has some connection to what Breathing Style that demon slayer is most adept at. Blades associated with Water Breathing typically change to a blue color, for example, while that of a user of the Flame Breathing technique would turn red. Continuing down the list of elements, Thunder Breathing is yellow, Stone Breathing is gray, and Wind Breathing is green. These five cover the overwhelming majority of Nichirin blades known to exist since these are the most common styles.

However, there are some characters who have specialized even further, such as Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira, whose personal style is technically a subset of Water Breathing. As such, her sword is a light purple or lavender in color--still close to water's blue, but distinct, just like her style. Tanjiro's black-colored blade is secretly associated with the Sun Breathing technique, the progenitor style from which all Breathing Styles are derived.

Nichirin Swords Vary in More Ways than Color

Nichirin Swords Don't Necessarily Look Like Katanas

Nichirin swords don't have to be solid in color, either. Several Demon Slayer characters have blades that bear unique patterns or markings on them, which seem to also be considered part of the color-changing property. For example, Zenitsu's sword doesn't turn yellow in Demon Slayer, but instead sports a branching lightning bolt-esque marking that takes on that yellow coloration instead. The exact reason for this is never made clear, but since the colors still align, it's not a major problem.

Several characters are also in possession of weapons that don't qualify as katanas, particularly among Demon Slayer's powerful Hashira. Mitsuri Kanroji wields a dark pink, whip-like blade, for instance, while Shinobu's is more like a rapier, to better suit her poison-based fighting style. Serpentine blades, massive paired cleavers, and an axe on a chain are also used by some demon slayers. Genya even wields a shotgun that fires "Nichirin shells," bullets made of the same material as the swords themselves.

Which Characters Have What Color of Nichirin Sword?

Nichirin Swords Come in Many Other Colors

Every Demon Slayer character who wields a Nichirin sword has a color associated with them that aligns with their breathing style. Many characters have unique colors not listed above, as a result of their specialization in a highly specific breathing style. Tengen Uzui's Nichirin blades, for example, have an orange-ish color, aligning with his practicing of the Sound Breathing style, which he is the only practitioner of. Kanao Tsuyuri has a light pink Nichirin sword, as a result of her specialization in Flower Breathing. It's not clear if these weapons changed color as a result of their user's training, or if they were always an unusual color.

Of course, having a basic color of Nichirin sword is also perfectly acceptable, and unique colors don't necessarily indicate a special strength. Kyojuro Rengoku wielded a red Nichirin sword, aligned with his Flame Breathing, while Giyu Tomioka wielded a dark blue sword that aligned with his Water Breathing. It's entirely possible to reach the top ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps using one of the five basic colors, as these Hashira demonstrate.

Nichirin swords will also change colors when held by different people. The blade which Tanjiro and Tokito discovered in the Yoriichi Type Zero, for example, didn't turn sky blue like Tokito's sword when he held it, but rather a dull gray color, aligning with Stone Breathing. The same sword, when held by Tanjiro, was black. While it's not often that characters hold swords other than their own in Demon Slayer, this would seem to indicate that the swords can be quite different from one another in how they react.

What Makes Nichirin Swords Dangerous To Demons?

Nichirin Swords Wield the Power of the Sun

Nichirin swords aren't made of ordinary metals like other swords are. Instead, they're made up of two legendary components: Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore. Both of these substances are said to be collected from high atop mountains, where they're able to absorb abundant energy from the sun, imbuing them with their demon-slaying properties. Since Demons are weak to sunlight, these materials charged with sunlight are the perfect substance to create a weapon to fight against them with.

These materials also give the swords their iconic color-changing properties, suggesting that there may be a more mystical element to their use as well. Since blades are said not to react unless the person who draws it has a certain level of skill, the sword must be evaluating its user somehow. Nichirin swords are further altered when a slayer reaches the rank of Hashira, at which time an inscription is engraved upon the blade reading "Destroyer of Demons," a tradition going back hundreds of years.

The color of one's Nichirin sword can have a massive impact on their career in Demon Slayer, and it's always interesting to see what color blade each character ends up with.

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Demon Slayer

TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Demon Slayer (2019) follows Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy who becomes a demon slayer after his family is slaughtered by demons and his sister Nezuko is transformed into one. Set during Japan's Taisho era, the series explores their journey as they seek to find a cure for Nezuko and to prevent further demon attacks. The show features striking animation and detailed character development, blending traditional folklore with modern storytelling.

Cast

Zach Aguilar , Abby Trott , Aleks Le , Bryce Papenbrook , Brianna Knickerbocker , Zeno Robinson , Johnny Yong Bosch , Erika Harlacher , Ray Chase , Kira Buckland

Release Date

April 6, 2019

Seasons

3

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Franchise(s)

Demon Slayer

Writers

Ufotable

Directors

Haruo Sotozaki

Creator(s)

Ufotable