Gyoumei Himejima

The Stone Hashira who uses "Breath of Stone." Age 27. He has the appearance of a monk and is a blind giant. His blindness was caused by a high fever during his childhood. He is gentle, kind, and easily moved to tears. As the oldest among the Hashira, he acts as a leader and has the deep trust of Kagaya. He has the best physique and strength among the Hashira, and his overall combat abilities are exceptionally high. He is not only regarded as the strongest in the Demon Slayer Corps by multiple swordsmen but also praised by Upper Rank One, Kokushibo. Genya was his disciple.

In battle, he becomes a fierce warrior, commanding on the front lines with composure. He is sensitive to the nuances of others' romantic relationships. He uses a specially crafted Nichirin sword, which is a combination of a hand axe and a spiked iron ball connected by a chain. He crushes demons' heads with this chained iron ball.

He knows well the negative aspects of "children." At the first Hashira meeting, he doubted Tanjirou, but during the Hashira training, he came to clearly recognize Tanjirou's worth. He lost his parents and siblings to illness and hunger and was left alone in the world. He was raised in a temple and took care of nine orphaned children. However, when a demon attacked, one child betrayed them to save himself, resulting in the immediate deaths of four children. Three more disobeyed and were killed. He protected the last remaining girl by continuously crushing the demon's head until sunrise. Unfortunately, the girl's shock prevented her from giving an accurate account, and he was mistakenly imprisoned as a murderer. Kagaya, realizing it was the demon's doing, saved him, leading to his joining the Demon Slayer Corps.

In the Infinity Castle, he battles Upper Rank One, Kokushibo. Despite gaining a mark and being praised for his strength, he struggles against Kokushibo's overwhelming power. He is told that he only has one night left to live due to the mark, but remains undeterred. With the support and ultimate sacrifices of Sanemi, Genya, and Muichirou, they achieve victory. In the final battle against Muzan, he sustains fatal injuries. In his dying moments, he reunites with the souls of the children he once cared for, exchanges words of apology, and passes away with their misunderstandings resolved.

Techniques

Breath of Stone

First Form: Serpentinite Bipolar

A technique where he throws the iron ball and axe simultaneously, attacking by pinning the enemy.

Second Form: Upper Smash

A technique where he throws the iron ball upwards and then stomps on the chain to strike the enemy from above.

Third Form: Stone Skin

A technique where he manipulates the chain to slash in all directions, cutting through enemy attacks.

Fourth Form: Flowing Rock, Rapid Conquest

A technique where he swings the thrown iron ball and axe simultaneously. He can also protect himself from surprise attacks by trailing the chain behind him.

Fifth Form: Arhat Crushing

A technique where he powerfully slashes downward with his Nichirin sword from mid-air to enhance the attack's power.