In Demon Slayer, Breathing Styles are special abilities cultivated by demon slayers by using Total Concentration Breathing to implement them through their Nichirin Blades to fight demons.
There are a number of Breathing techniques shown in the series, and Mist Breathing is one of them. In this article, we’ll be discussing Mist Breathing and all its forms in detail.
In the series, only one character is seen using Mist Breathing and that is the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito. This 14-year-old prodigy mastered this Breathing technique unbelievably soon and became a Hashira after only two months. Used by a Hashira, it’s useless to point out that it’s a very powerful technique with a lot of potential.
Table of Contents
Origin of Mist Breathing
In the beginning, there was only one Breathing Style, cultivated by Yoriichi Tsugikuni with his innate superior power as the Sun Breathing. Later, six other new Breathing Styles originated from Sun Breathing. These six include five elemental Breathing Styles and one special one.
They are Water Breathing, Flame Breathing, Wind Breathing, Stone Breathing, and Thunder Breathing.
Over time, more Breathing Styles originated from the five elemental Breathings. For example, both Serpent Breathing and Flower Breathing originated from Water Breathing.
Sound Breathing is derived from Thunder Breathing, Love Breathing from Flame Breathing, and Beast and Mist Breathing from Wind Breathing.
As stated before, Mist Breathing came from Wind Breathing, and in this Breathing Style, the user moves in such a way that resembles the surroundings drowned in mist, and obscures the senses of their opponent.
Mist Breathing: All Forms
The only known user of Mist Breathing in the series is Muichiro Tokito who mastered the Breathing Style in a surprisingly small time and became the Mist Hashira.
Given the nature of the Breathing Style, it stands to reason that Mist Breathing users aim to conceal their movements to dull the senses of their opponents.
Muichiro himself wears large and baggy clothes to hide his movements, making him unpredictable in battle. Like other Breathing Styles, Mist Breathing doesn’t actually produce mist, rather the movements and stances of this style give the impression of the surrounding shrouded in mist.
There were previously six forms of Mist Breathing. After mastering them, Muichiro invented a new seventh form of the Mist Breathing, called “Obscuring Clouds”. It’s his most dangerous technique.
Mist Breathing in all forms is explained below:
I. First Form: Low Clouds, Distant Haze
The first form, Low Clouds, Distant Haze, is the simplest and least exhausting form of Mist Breathing. In this form, the user thrusts their Nichirin Blade forward with pointed force.
It works pretty well for low-level demons but is not enough to deal with stronger demons, let alone the Upper Moons.
The first form has its uses, but it isn’t always reliable. When Gyokko traps Muichiro inside his water vase with his Blood Demon Art, he uses the first form since it takes up the least energy and oxygen. But he is ultimately unable to break the water prison with it.
II. Second Form: Eight-Layered Mist
The second form of Mist Breathing is a fast-paced attack consisting of eight consecutive forward thrusts, each one on top of the other. This technique is more potent than the first form.
After being trapped in the water prison by Gyokko and failing to get out with the first form, Muichiro uses the second form to break himself free, thanks to Kotetsu’s help.
III. Third Form: Scattering Mist Splash
Mist Breathing’s third form, Scattering Mist Splash, consists of a strong circular slash attack. The attack is powerful enough to blow away projectiles and gives off the impression of scattering mist through the circular slash.
This technique is very useful to deal with a large number of minor adversaries as the user can get rid of them all at once with only one stroke of the third form. Muichiro uses this form to blow away the small fish demons Gyokko releases from his vases with his Blood Demon Art.
IV. Fourth Form: Shifting Flow Slash
One of the first forms of Mist Breathing shown in the series, the fourth form of Mist Breathing, Shifting Flow Slash, is a deadly and quick move that gives the opponent little to no chance of counterattacking.
In this form, the user takes a low stance and sprints toward the opponent at an astounding speed to employ a fast and powerful upward slice with their Nichirin Blade.
The aim of this form is to slice the head of the demon with one stroke. This form also creates an atmosphere where it seems like the surrounding is shrouded with thick, black mist. This indicates that the opponent has no knowledge of the user’s movements and actions.
Muichiro first uses this form when he senses the presence of the Upper Moon 4 demon, Hantengu. He launches the fourth form of Mist Breathing to cut his head off, but Hantengu is fast enough to dodge the attack.
V. Fifth Form: Sea of Clouds and Haze
The higher forms of Mist Breathing are all focused on efficiency and obscurity. Like the fourth, the fifth form of Mist Breathing, Sea of Clouds and Haze, also has the user running towards the opponent at a blinding speed.
But instead of one fatal stroke, the fifth form has the user deliver consecutive strokes to cover a wide range of areas very fast.
This form gives the impression of a thick mist that makes it unable for the opponent to see or even guess the user’s movements. It also works excellently to deal with an opponent that is large and takes up a lot of space.
This is performed brilliantly by Muichiro when Gyokko unleashes a huge octopus demon from his vase, thanks to his Blood Demon Art.
VI. Sixth Form: Lunar Dispersing Mist
Mist Breathing’s sixth form, Lunar Dispersing Mist, is its most physically challenging attack. In it, the user needs to backflip into the air, and while in the air, perform several consecutive slashes directed downwards, making it seem like the whole area is covered in mist.
The aim of this form is to get rid of multiple adversaries all at once, and the user’s presence in the air gives them a wider range of vision and the ability to select their targets.
VII. Seventh Form: Obscuring Clouds
The seventh form, called Obscuring Clouds, is the deadliest form of Mist Breathing, invented by Muichiro himself. Unique in its design, the aim of this form is to confuse the opponent and deal the fatal blow when least expected.
In this form, the user changes the tempo of their attack constantly. By swinging their Nichirin Blade, they create an atmosphere of thick mist covering a wide area. The user starts their attack slow, in fact so slow that the opponent mistakes them as disappearing. However, when the opponent is expecting them the least, the user dashes at a blinding speed to deliver the final fatal blow.
This is the technique that ultimately dooms the Upper Moon 5 demon Gyokko in the battle in the Swordsmith Village.
That was Mist Breathing: all forms explained. It’s a terrific Breathing Style that is as useful as it is visually appealing. Muichiro Tokito uses Mist Breathing against both the Upper Moon 5 demon Gyokko in the Swordsmith Village Arc and the Upper Moon 1 demon Kokushibo in the Infinity Castle Arc.
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