‘Demon Slayer’: Upper Moon 4 Explained

Demon Slayer season 3 is rolling out now, bringing more demons to slay!

I assume at this point you’re something of a scientist yourself when it comes to studying Demon Slayer lore. Surely you know all about the hidden meaning of the Demon Slayer logo, and you’ve got plenty of theories about the potential fourth season. You probably know all about demon physiology, Nichirin swords, and the power of wisteria flowers. Maybe you’ve even jumped ahead in the manga and learned all about the mystery behind Tanjiro’s bloodline. At this point, you’re an expert. But one character has left you stumped. Confused. Questioning what you thought to be true. Surely demons are powerful, but no character’s power could be as strange and terrible as this particular demon.

I’m speaking of course of the Upper Moon 4: the demon known as Hantengu.

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Who is Hantengu?

Like all demons, Hantengu was once a human, and a real bastard at that. Despite his cowardly, sniveling personality, he committed boatloads of atrocities during his tenure as a member of the human race. Hantengu was a thief and a murderer who would lie, cheat, and steal from people. During his lifetime, he married multiple women. But when they inevitably discovered his crimes, he would murder them and the children they bore him.

Despite his numerous crimes, he never once took the blame for any of them. When he was finally arrested by police, he tried to blame his own hands for his crime, as if they were a separate entity. That little stunt cost him however, as lawmakers ordered his hands to be cut off as a deliciously ironic form of justice. He was later imprisoned for his crimes. While he was rotting away in a cell, he was visited by the Demon King Muzan, who offered him a “second chance” at life. Or rather undeath.

Muzan turned Hantengu into a demon, and Hantengu immediately murdered all of the state officials who ordered his punishment. With his dying breath, one of those officials cursed Hantengu, that the demon may someday be punished for his sins. Unfortunately for Hantengu, the curse came true. Justice later came for Hantengu (during the Swordsmith Village Arc) in the form of Tanjiro and the other Hashira. Hantengu was killed, but not before putting up a fight.

What are his powers and abilities?

Hantengu’s powers are some of the most unusual in the entire Demon Slayer universe. He wields a Blood Demon Art called Emotion Manifestation, which allows him to manifest his emotions as entities separate from him. These emotions are Fear, Anger, Pleasure, Sorrow, Joy, Hatred, and Resentment. Each separate being has its own unique powers and abilities. Let’s meet them all, shall we?

Sekido – Anger

Sekido is the first of Hantengu’s clones that we meet, bearing the kanji for “anger” on his tongue. Sekido’s Blood Demon Art allows him to use his staff to generate electricity by thrusting it into a surface, usually the ground. His electrical powers are strong and can instantly paralyze his opponents (even in mid-air) and cause them to quickly lose consciousness. The wide area of effect of this skill allows him him to paralyze multiple opponents at once. The only drawback is that his electricity cannot pass through anything made from his own cells, including the body parts of Hantengu’s other clones. This eventually led to his downfall at the hands of Tanjiro (and a dismembered clone. Gross.)

Karaku – Pleasure

This carefree dude’s Blood Demon Art allows him to use his giant leaf-shaped fan to generate powerful gusts of wind. By swinging his fan once, he is powerful enough to bring down an entire forest, level buildings, and make gigantic holes in the ground. He’s like an F12 tornado, and poor Tanjiro sure ain’t in Kansas anymore. However, his fan’s power can be used by anyone. Once Nezuko got her hands on it, she managed to blow him away.

Aizetsu – Sorrow

This sad bastard wields a Japanese spear called a yari, which he is able to use across exceptionally long distances. His spear can damage things that are football fields longer than a spear’s normal reach. Due to his morose attitude, he is a much more analytical fighter, and doesn’t get agitated like some of his other clones.

Urogi – Joy

This happy-go-lucky killer is a bird-like demon complete with freaky wings and talons. His greatest joy is battle, and nothing puts him in a better mood than spilling blood and telling bad jokes. He uses sound-based attacks by sonically shrieking alongside his razor sharp talons, which are hard as diamonds. He’s even able to create mouths on his other body parts. Cut off his leg and it will still yell at you. Tanjiro finds that out the hard way.

Zohakuten – Hatred

This personality is a combination of Hantengu’s other clones. Sekido absorbed the flesh of all of Hantengu’s other clones (except Urogi), and basically Dragon Ball Z-fusioned into this guy. Zohakuten is one of the most powerful of Hantengu’s aspects, and is able to use the powers of every clone he absorbed. He also has the ability to manipulate wood and flora by hitting the drums on his back, and is able to turn wood into hundred foot long dragon heads. Nasty.

Urami – Resentment

Urami looks exactly like Hantengu, aside from the fact that Urami is HUGE. Urami is able to act as a decoy for Hantengu while the lead demon runs away and hides. Urami is also able to use the powers of Hantengu’s other clones. Totally unfair, right?

So how the hell did they beat this guy?

It took multiple Hashria, along with a combined effort from Tanjiro and Nezuko to defeat him. Eventually, Tanjiro was able to cut of the demon’s head with the sword of Yoriichi, the first user of the sun-breathing technique. It was probably a bad idea for Hantengu to pick a fight with Tanjiro in the village of the world’s most skilled swordsmith. So many clones, yet none of them thought that would be a problem. They all thought wrong.

(featured image: ufotable)