Giyu Tomioka

## Portrayal

**Giyu Tomioka** is a major supporting character in both the original Demon Slayer, and Demon Slayer: Blade of the Night. Currently, he is the standing Water Pillar and therefore, is the utmost authority in the Water Sect, and all Sects residing in the Water Pavilion.

## **Appearance:**

Giyu is a tall man of a lean muscular stature and pale completion, who is almost always seen wearing a serious and emotionless expression. He has unruly black hair of uneven lengths that reaches about neck length, sticks up in tufts around his head, and his bangs fall over his eyes in an uneven fringe

Giyu wears a dark cyan-tinted version of the standard Pillar uniform. Over this, Giyu wears a haori that's split down the middle into two different patterns: the right one a solid dark red, and the left one geometrically patterned with rhombi of green, orange, and yellow. Since his master's death, Giyu also wears Urokodaki's kimono over his uniform.

## **Personality:**

Giyu always wears a stoic and unbothered expression on his face. However, he has a reserved personality and a very strong sense of justice with no tolerance towards those who don't know their own limitations and throw away their lives.

Giyu, while originally being closed off to a fault, has since become more open about how he feels, even occasionally joking to those he deems close. That said, he is noted to be immensely unfunny.

Giyu, while maintaining his stoic appearance, is much more approachable than before, occasionally taking walks around the Water Sect almost exclusively to interact with and guide the Slayers training and residing there. He is not opposed to giving out advice to those he believes to need it, regardless if he has to reveal parts of himself in the process. A show of that was when Ryo was visibly needing some advice on how to deal with his survivor's guilt, and Giyu was ready to help him.

Giyu is also a man that is blind to hierarchy in most matters, as he visibly respected Ryo more than he did Meigen, who was making a fuss in the Trial, even going as far as standing up for the unranked slayer, and fighting for his aid. That said, he is somewhat of a spartan, and the Water Sect trainees shiver their timbers whenever he's around because of how strict his judgement is. Even the most confident of slayers crumble to their knees if Giyu is watching them.

Giyu is an incredibly caring man, even if he tends to make poor decisions because of that. Out of fear for his wife's pregnancy, Giyu omitted the information that their son was poisoned, and he himself did not travel with the group to Tokyo, since he considered Shinobu's necessities as a duty only he could fulfill. Despite this, he was desperate to find a way to save Gikuro, and even moved as fast as he could with Obanai Iguro and two full Squadrons to help the group out against Rui, however, he only met them after the fight was over, and Akaza was now the threat.

## **Synopsis:**

Giyu grew up alongside his older sister, Tsutako Tomioka. When he was still a child, his sister sacrificed herself to protect him from a Demon that killed their parents and Tsutako's to-be husband. After this, he was taken in by Sakonji Urokodaki, who trained him, alongside a boy named Sabito to become Demon Slayers versed on the Water Breathing. Sabito would go on to die on the Final Selection, sparking Giyu's survivor's guilt.

## **Abilities:**

**Monumental Strength:** Giyu, as the Water Pillar, is incredibly physically powerful, with one of his showings being the ability to walk on water, a feat which can only be performed with an impossible amount of leg strength, allowing the usually viscous fluid to render itself solid.

**Monumental Speed:** Giyu, by definition, is one of the fastest and most dexterous characters in the story, as the creator and best user of the Eleventh Form, where he slashes to fast that the sword doesn't even appear to move. Not only that, but he was capable of keeping up with Akaza, while also blocking a flurry of extremely swift ice petals from Doma.

**Monumental Durability:** Giyu, despite being struck head-on by the palm of Doma's Water Lily Boddhisattva, was able to return to the fight and even lead Kanao and Inosuke.

**High Intellect:** Giyu, while being a strategic mind, is also very capable, managing the Water Pavilion as a whole without trouble, and without requiring a Tsuguko to aid him, as he often sends Gikuro on assignments, since he does not need any help in the office work.

**Total Concentration Breathing:** Giyu, as the strongest user of the Water Breathing in history, has mastered Total Concentration Breathing, and with it, he has reached a realm of power beyond comprehension to that of a regular human. His sheer power is so immense that he is one of the Pillars deemed to be capable of going toe to toe with an Upper Moon by himself.

**Selfless State:** Giyu has mastered the Selfless State, and is known to be capable of using it for an entire battle's duration.

**Demon Slayer Mark:** Giyu has unlocked, and since mastered the Demon Slayer Mark, which appears as a fluid-water like design on his left cheek. He has gained such control over the Mark that he is capable of activating it on command.

## **Fighting Style:**

**Master Swordsman:** Giyu, being the Water Pillar, is a swordsman of the highest caliber, mastering all 21 techniques of the Water Breathing, which, while being easy to learn, happens to be incredibly difficult to fully master, and Giyu has done so, being one of the best swordsman of the entire Core.

### **Breathing Style:**

**Water Breathing** *(Mizu no Kokyu)*: A Breathing Style taught to him by the Water Pillar before him, Sakonji Urokodaki. Giyu has since become the strongest Water Breathing user in history, surpassing all his previous Pillars and even the creator of the Style, Suiryu Ichimizu.

#### **Techniques:**

* **First Form: Water Surface Slash** *(Ichi no Kata: Minamo Giri)* - The user generates enough momentum to create a powerful single concentrated slash, usually aimed at the neck.

* **Second Form: Water Wheel** *(Ni no Kata: Mizu Guruma)* - The user leaps and vertically spins forward in the air while releasing a flowing attack in a circular motion. One alteration of this form is to perform it horizontally.

* **Third Form: Flowing Dance** *(San no Kata: Ryuryu Mai)* - The user swings and bends their blade in a winding motion along with their body and dances in a flowing pattern, slicing everything in its path.

* **Fourth Form: Striking Tide** *(Shi no Kata: Uchishio)* - The user makes multiple consecutive slashes while twisting their body and sword in a flowing fashion to deliver multiple blows simultaneously. The user may increase the quantity of consecutive strikes and slashes in order to contact a specific target during a chaotic situation.

* **Fifth Form: Blessed Rain After The Drought** *(Go no Kata: Kanten no Jiu)* - The user changes the grip on their sword and decapitates the opponent in a single flowing strike that causes little to no pain. It is a “sword strike of kindness” used when the enemy willingly surrenders.

* **Sixth Form: Whirlpool** *(Roku no Kata: Nejire Uzu)* - The user fiercely twists their upper and lower body, creating a whirlpool of air that cuts anything caught in it. Its effect and efficiently is enhanced underwater, where the user can draw water around their weapon to enhance their slashes. This form can be combined with the Third to redirect projectiles

* **Seventh Form: Drop Ripple Thrust** *(Shichi no Kata: Shizuku Hamon Tsuki)* - The user performs a fast and accurate stab, hitting from a specific angle corresponding to the sword's structure, which nearly nullifies the impact and momentum of a moving object.

* **Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin** *(Hachi no Kata: Takitsubo)* - The user cuts the target vertically in a flowing motion which is most effective when they are falling downward.

* **Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow, Turbulent** *(Ku no Kata: Suiryu Shibuki - Ran)* - The user changes their footwork in a way that minimizes the landing time and surface needed when landing, allowing the user to move without limits. Ideal when fighting in a place with no solid foothold.

* **Tenth Form: Constant Flux** *(Ju no Kata: Seisei Ruten)* - The user performs a continuous flowing attack which seemingly takes the form of a water dragon that increases in strength and power with each rotation due to momentum.

* **Eleventh Form: Dead Calm** *(Ju Ichi no Kata: Nagi)* - The user ceases all body movements and enters a state of complete tranquillity, deflecting, blocking and cutting any incoming attacks with imperceptible speed with their blade. Despite being considered official, only its creator and his son, Giyu and Gikuro Tomioka, have been able to perform it

* **Twelfth Form: Sudden Tide** *(Ju Ni no Kata: Totsuzen no Shio)* - The user slides across the nearest surface to strike the opponent from below, slashing upwards in a diagonal cut, aiming to dodge the enemy's defences. While lacking power, this attack is difficult to block successfully.

* **Thirteenth Form: Continuous Current** *(Ju San no Kata: Renzoku Denryu)* - The user will use a modified version of the Third Form to slash a single target continuously. This form was designed to attack Muzan.

* **Fourteenth Form: Death, Tidal Waves** *(Ju Shi no Kata: Shibo, Naori Hato)* - The user will start performing the Eleventh Form, only to appear behind the opponent, bringing down their sword at immense speeds

* **Fifteenth Form: Ocean's Wrath** *(Ju Go no Kata: Umi no Ikari)* - The user leaps forward and attacks twice, spinning their body in two circles, forming a gigantic x-shape that strikes down anything in its path. This attack is incredibly quick and hard to follow.

* **Sixteenth Form: Brutal Waterspout** *(Ju Roku no Kata: Mugoi Suichu)* - The user twists and turns their entire body, spinning around extremely quickly while being capable of shifting surfaces. Moving extremely quickly, this attack can cause immense damage.

* **Seventeenth Form: Suffocating Brine** *(Ju Shichi no Kata: Chissoku Ensui)* - The user continually strikes the opponent near the head, not allowing them to move with continuous and incessant attacks that make the opponent unable to focus or strike back

* **Eighteenth Form: Red Tide** *(Ju Hachi no Kata: Akashio)* - The user slashes against the opponent's eyes, blocking their line of sight and distracting them, making an opening to get a clear blow against the neck. The Form is named as such because the Aura formed by it is oddly red.

* **Nineteenth Form: Deadly Vortex** *(Ju Ku no Kata: Chimei-Tekina Uzu)* - The user approaches from an off-angle, reaching the opponent and fiercely spinning them around with their blade. This attack, much like the others, can be used effectively underwater

* **Twentieth Form: Steaming Black Sea** *(Ni Ju no Kata: Mushi Kokkai)* - Obscuring their movement, the user crouches and attacks from below, sliding across the ground to approach the opponent as best as possible and avoiding detection, ending with a singular powerful slash to decapitate

* **Twenty-First Form: High Tide** *(Ni Ju Ichi no Kata: Michishio)* - The user builds up an insane amount of momentum, generated through movement. This Form is to be used with as much focus as the Eleventh Form, as they are nearly the same, although, this one is a massive, serpentine dragon in aura, and is so fast that it happens in a blink. This form is technically an esoteric technique of the Tomioka family, as no one other than Giyu and his son Gikuro have ever been capable of performing it.

## **Equipment:**

**Standard Nichirin Sword:** Giyu carries around a standard sized and shaped Nichirin katana with a black blade that has a deep blue outline. His katana's handguard is hexagonal shaped with a bronze core and with an overlapping dark red border. Along with his katana, Giyu has a standard sword sheath that is deep black in color.

## **Familiars:**

**Kanzaburo:** Kanzaburo is an old crow Giyu used to have as his main Kasugai Crow. Due to its age, Giyu has since allowed Kanzaburo to retire. Kanzaburo now lives nearby the Tomioka Family home.

**Sukedachi:** Sukedachi is a stressed wreck of a Crow, being brought in directly to serve a Pillar, and that now overworks itself constantly.

## **Battles:**

* Giyu vs Tanjiro
* Giyu vs Spider Father
* Giyu vs Rui
* Giyu vs Sanemi (Sparring)
* Giyu, Kanao and Inosuke vs Doma
* Giyu and Obanai vs Akaza (Offscreen)

## **Trivia:**

* Giyu's name can be broken down into [Gi], which means "Righteousness, Justice", and [Yu], which means "Bravery, Heroism". Meanwhile, his surname can be divided into [Tomi], which means "Wealth", and [Oka], which means "Knoll" (A small hill).
* Giyu's favorite food is simmered salmon with daikon. It is one of the two things that makes Giyu smile consistently. The other one is his wife.
* Giyu's openness level is about 40%
* Giyu's favorite color is purple.
* Giyu has since befriended most of his original antagonists. Obanai and Giyu share a professional relationship, and are quick to agree and take similar sides in conversations. Meanwhile, his original reluctant respect towards Sanemi has since grown into an actual comradery, somewhat brought upon by his marriage with Shinobu.
* Giyu's views on his fellow Pillars are as follows:
	+ Tanjiro: *"I find his growth since we first met commendable"*
	+ Kyojuro: *"He talks to me every time we meet, but he is still too loud"*
	+ Gyomei: *"It is impressive how this man stands unshaken even by age"*
	+ Sanemi: *"I sometimes think he is going insane."*
	+ Zenitsu: *"He has matured much more than anyone else of this generation. It's night and day."*
	+ Kanao: *"She is much more talkative nowadays. I consider her a friend."*
	+ Seiji: *"He is a poor coworker. I find it difficult to reach out to him."*
	+ Daisuke: *"He is too lax for a Pillar. He needs a stronger backbone."*
	+ Obanai: *"He has become a lot more mature nowadays. I value him as a coworker"*
	+ Murata: *"It was a slow downward spiral I witnessed. A shame that I was unable to do anything to help him"*
	+ Shinobu: *"The woman that changed my life. The person that I owe everything I have."*
	+ Mitsuri: *"I find it impressive how many years have gone by and she remains single, somehow, not by her own choice."*
	+ Senjuro: *"I worry for him. Every time I see him, he seems unwell"*
	+ Suguru: *"I don't understand why he insists on being so distant. I wonder if that's how others felt about me"*
	+ Muichiro: *"He has matured a lot since his rude childhood. I still don't talk much with his rude adulthood"*
	+ Inosuke: *"I wonder how he raised a child. Probably his wife's work"*
	+ Aki: *"I don't speak to him often, but Shinobu says he can't read a room"*
	+ Tengen: *"It is a shame that he is no longer with us, his free personality would be of help"*