Thunder Breathing

**Thunder Breathing** (雷の呼吸, *Kaminari no Kokyū*?) is one of the five main Breathing Styles directly derived from Sun Breathing.

## Overview

Thunder Breathing is a Breathing Style that mimics lightning, specifically swift strikes and movements akin to lightning ripping through the sky, and replicates it with the user's movements, techniques and abilities. Most, if not all, known techniques and forms involve utilizing blinding speeds and immensely fast attacks to overwhelm the enemy in an instant. When utilized properly, users of Thunder Breathing also visualize themselves seemingly creating and manipulating lightning and electricity, causing lightning and electricity to seemingly emanate from their weapon, surroundings or themselves when unleashing its techniques.

This Breathing Style was created by Shin Kaminari, one of Yoriichi Tsugikuni's students who attempted to learn Sun Breathing. However, Shin was unable to master it, so Yoriichi taught him a modified style that focused on utilizing blinding speeds and immensely fast attacks to overwhelm the enemy in an instant, akin to lightning ripping through the sky. Thus, Thunder Breathing was born.

A known cultivator of Thunder Breathing in the Demon Slayer Corps is the former Thunder Hashira, Jigoro Kuwajima.

After the death of Muzan Kibutsuji, Thunder Breathing, like Sun Breathing and the other Breathing Styles, became a ritual dance known as the **Rainokami Kagura** (雷の神 神楽, *Rainokami Kagura*?, lit. "Dance of the Thunder God") offered to the thunder god of Shinto religion, Raijin.

## Weaponry used with this Breathing Style

Most known users of the Thunder Breathing have wielded Nichirin swords whose blade is yellow in color.

## Known Users

* Thunder Breathing Users
* Rainokami Kagura Users

## Techniques

Thunder Breathing originally had 6 standard forms in total, with the first form said to be the foundation for all the other forms. However, Zenitsu Agatsuma developed a Seventh Form in order to stand on equal ground with Kaigaku, his former senior disciple under Jigoro who had become the Upper Rank Six of the Twelve Kizuki.

Over the centuries, the Inamura Family, a Demon Slayer Family since the Sengoku Period, would create numerous variations of the original forms, including variations of Thunderclap and Flash and Honoikazuchi no Kami, to refine the Thunder Breathing Style. It was done as a promise to Shin Kaminari, the Breathing Style's creator.

The second to sixth forms of Thunder Breathing have only been displayed by Kaigaku, who uses actual lightning in conjunction with his swordsmanship. While the forms are presumably still similar to the original style, it is currently unknown how a normal swordsman would perform these techniques, or if mastery of the first form would alter how the others are executed.

* **First Form: Thunderclap and Flash** (壱ノ型: 霹靂一閃, *Ichi no kata: Hekireki Issen*?) - The user unsheathes their katana, dashes forward at blinding speeds and decapitates their opponent faster than they can react, before sheathing it back. This technique is extremely reminiscent of Iaijutsu and its movements are described to be akin to "lightning ripping through the air".
	+ **Sixfold** (六連, *Rokuren*?) - An extension of the **Thunderclap and Flash** technique created by Zenitsu. The user performs **Thunderclap and Flash** six times in quick succession while slightly augmenting the power and speed of his dashes.
	+ **Eightfold** (八連, *Hachiren*?) - An extension of the **Thunderclap and Flash** technique created by Zenitsu. The user performs **Thunderclap and Flash** eight times in quick succession while slightly augmenting the power and speed of his dashes.
	+ **Air Spin** (空転, *Kūten*?) - An variation of **Thunderclap and Flash** technique created by the Inamura Family. The user first performs Thunderclap and Flash before delivering a circular spinning slash to send an opponent upwards.
	+ **Tenfold** (十連, *Jūren*?) - An extension of the **Thunderclap and Flash** technique created by Inamura Family. The user performs **Thunderclap and Flash** ten times in quick succession while slightly augmenting the power and speed of her dashes.
	+ **Sixteenfold** (十六連, *Jū Rokuren*?)- An extension of the **Thunderclap and Flash** technique created by the Inamura Family. The user performs **Thunderclap and Flash** sixteen times in quick succession while slightly augmenting the power and speed of her dashes.
	+ **Godspeed** (神速, *Shinsoku*?) - An extension of the **Thunderclap and Flash** created by Zenitsu. The user performs **Thunderclap and Flash** while greatly augmenting the speed of the technique. During the first display of this technique, an unconscious Zenitsu remarked that he mustn't perform this technique more than 2 times, otherwise his legs would be rendered useless due to muscle fatigue and exhaustion. However, during the battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, Zenitsu has shown improvement in the proficiency of this technique, allowing him to use it more than 2 times while still maintaining the power and speed of the technique.
	+ **Prime** (極, *Kiwami*?) - A variation of the **Thunderclap and Flash** created by the Inamura Family. The user performs **Thunderclap and Flash** with such strength that they crack and uproot the ground beneath them, and tear up the ground afterwards trying to arrest their momentum. This move can be performed mid-air, which launches the user at an angle towards their opponent as they strike. The technique is so strong that it is performed with immense force, making it much more aggressive and lethal than all the variations of the first form.
* **Second Form: Rice Spirit** (弐ノ型 :稲魂, *Ni no kata: Inadama*?) - The user releases five arched slashes in quick succession in order to surround and encase the opponent.
	+ **Second Form Improved: Rice Spirit, Burning Field** (弐ノ型・改: 稲魂・焼畑, *Ni no kata kai: Inadama - Yakibata*?) - The user releases ten arched slashes in quick succession around their opponent to surround and encase it.
* **Third Form: Thunder Swarm** (参ノ型: 聚蚊成雷, *San no kata: Shūbun Seirai*?) - The user dashes around the opponent as they surround the enemy with numerous arched slashes that attacks them from all directions.
	+ **Third Form, Improved: Thunder Swarm Barrage** (参ノ型・改: 聚蚊成雷弾幕, *San no kata kai: Shūbun Seirai Danmaku*?) - The user slashes the opponent from every direction rapidly. This technique is strong enough to shred an entire building into pieces within a fraction of a second.
* **Fourth Form: Distant Thunder** (肆ノ型: 遠雷, *Shi no kata: Enrai*?) - The user releases multiple long-ranged, strong and multi-directional attacks from afar towards their target.
* **Fifth Form: Heat Lightning** (伍ノ型: 熱界雷, *Go no kata: Netsu Kairai*?) - The user unleashes a long-ranged upward sword slash toward the target.
	+ **Fifth Form, Improved: Super-Heated Lightning** (伍ノ型・改: 過熱雷, *Go no kata kai: Kanetsu Kairai*?) - An improved version of **Fifth Form: Heat Lightning** in which the user unleashes four angled long-ranges upward sword slashes towards the target.
* **Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash** (陸ノ型: 電轟雷轟, *Roku no kata: Dengō Raigō*?) - The user releases a series of powerful strong, long-ranged attacks that strike their opponent from afar.
	+ **Sixth Form, Improved: Great Flash Rumble Thunder** (陸ノ型・改: 素晴一線唸り雷, *Roku no kata kai: Motoharu Issen Gekido*?) - The user leaps upwards and unleashes a barrage of angled downward long-ranged slashes towards the ground. This form is capable of leaving huge claw-shaped cuts in the ground.
* **Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami** (漆ノ型: 火雷の神, *Shichi no kata: Honoikazuchi no Kami*?, lit. "Seventh Form: Flaming Thunder God") - The personal creation of Zenitsu Agatsuma. The user dashes forward at blinding speeds and unleashes a singular forward slash at a low stance, which is seemingly accompanied by a Japanese dragon shaped like a lightning bolt.
	+ **Thunderstorm Fulmination** (雷雨激怒, *Raiu Gekido*?) - An extension of and improved version of **Honoikazuchi no Kami**. The user dashes forwards and unleashes a slash from a low stance. The user then repeats this motion as many times as they want, attacking the opponent from different sides and angles. In addition, this form uproots and cracks the earth when the user prepares to use it, and the power and speed of the slashes are capable of scorching and cracking the ground.
	+ **Lotus** (蓮華, *Renge*?) - An extension of and improved version of **Honoikazuchi no Kami**. The user assumes an incredibly low stance and dashes forward at a speed almost impossible to see even with the enhanced eyes of demons. The user then performs an upwards slash that they follow by leaping upwards with incredible speed and strength. While in the air, the user performs multiple electrically charged, high-speed spinning or whirling slashes before finishing with a falling downwards slash that slams the target into the ground. This entire form seemingly takes the appearance of a Japanese dragon, with the upward slash being the dragon attacking the opponent with a bite and carrying them up, releasing them, whirling around and spinning to strike the opponent multiple times, and finally slamming them into the ground with another bite attack.
	+ **Thunderbolt** (落雷, *Rakurai*?) - An extension of and improved version of **Honoikazuchi no Kami**, in which the user dashes forward and unleashes eight slashes upon the opponent before unleashing **Thunderclap and Flash: Eightfold** six times upon the opponent. The user moves so quickly that they have time to stop, stand still, and calculate speed and trajectory with each slash while the opponent is moving in slow-motion to the user.
	+ **Rumbling Thunder** (轟雷, *Todoroki Kaminari*?) - An extension of and improved version of **Honoikazuchi no Kami**, in which the user unleashes a flurry of dashing slash attacks upon the opponent from all directions within a fraction of a second. This form is more powerful than **Honoikazuchi no Kami: Thunderbolt** and allows for even more planning within each slash. The highest slash total that has ever been recorded when using this form was 165 within a singular second. Each slash within this form seemingly resembles a Japanese dragon made from lightning.
* **Eighth Form: Lightning Burst** (捌ノ型: 連続斬り払い, *Hachi no kata: Renzokukiri Harai*?) - The user unsheathes their blade and performs three arching horizontal slashes at blinding speeds in quick succession. This technique is also extremely reminiscent of Iaijutsu.
* **Ninth Form: Susano'o, God of the Thunder** (玖ノ型: スサノオ雷神, *Ku no kata: Susano'o Raijin*?) - The user seemingly emanates samurai armor made of lightning around their body as they first unleash a vertical downward slash. Afterwards, perform a large array of consecutive slashes in a continuous motion to strike the target whilst also being capable of decapitating multiple targets with the attacks done at near infinite speeds. The slashes taking the shape of miniature Japanese dragons shaped like lightning bolts that bite into the target. When used to its maximum potential, up to sixteen slashes are unleashed at once.

## Trivia

* It has been remarked by Zenitsu Agatsuma that this Breathing Style focuses on channeling strength into the user's legs, and maximizing the output of every single muscle and blood vessel in them.
* Users also mimic lightning to such high fidelity that they cause the air to vibrate when poised to unleash a technique and create immensely loud sounds akin to thunder with their mere footsteps.
* This Breathing Style is also very reminiscent of a swordsmanship style practiced and utilized in real life known as Iaijutsu, a famous quick-draw sword technique.
* A Thunder Breathing user that reaches the rank of Hashira is dubbed the **Rumble Hashira** (鳴柱, *Nari Bashira*?).
* In the manga, whenever a Thunder Breathing user performs their techniques, they visualize themselves creating lightning that is bright yellow in color with a white outline. However in the anime, the lighting is light blue in color with whitish yellow outlines instead.
* The First Form: Thunderclap and Flash is stated to be the basis for all the other forms; this was all Zenitsu could learn and hone, while Kaigaku couldn't learn it despite learning the other forms after it. Two unnamed Demon Slayers stated that because of this, Kaigaku wouldn't be able to successfully master the other forms in Thunder Breathing.
* The naming of Second Form: Rice Spirit is based on a belief in Japan that when a rice field is hit by lightning, it assures a bountiful harvest and fertilizes the rice plants in the area.
* The naming of Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami is based on the Shintō kami Honoikazuchi, one of the eight thunder gods born out of Izanami's rotting body in Yomi (the Underworld) after she was witnessed by her former husband Izanagi. Honoikazuchi was born from Izanami's chest/breasts and along with his brethren and 1500 men, were released from Yomi to attempt to prevent Izanagi from escaping. This caused the cycle of birth and death of humanity along with the spirits of thunder.
* Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami may be a reference to Hinokami Kagura's Dancing Flash created by Tanjiro as both incorporate elements of lightning and fire into their techniques.
	+ This technique could also symbolize Zenitsu's friendship with Tanjiro and Inosuke as the naming of this form is closely tied to the Hinokami Kagura Tanjiro uses, while the dragon could be a reference to Inosuke's animalistic behavior and Breathing Style.